> Seems like a lot of these problems stem from a failing education system. Teach kids critical thinking and scientific literacy and media bias. Seems more important ever to teach kids that they shouldn't believe everything the see at face value. Easier said than done I suppose
No education is perfect. Even if those things are taught (which I'm pretty sure they are already at some level), there will still be loads of people that:
1) didn't pay attention in school, or didn't absorb the lessons;
2) don't have the ability to apply the lessons;
3) forgot the lessons (esp. if they previously spent a lot of time in a sane media environment where the lessons were less necessary);
4) found it too much trouble to apply the lessons consistently, and let their guard down;
5) found the emotional content of the conspiracy was just too tempting; or
6) encountered a evolved conspiracy theory that found a way around their (years old) lessons.
No education is perfect. Even if those things are taught (which I'm pretty sure they are already at some level), there will still be loads of people that:
1) didn't pay attention in school, or didn't absorb the lessons;
2) don't have the ability to apply the lessons;
3) forgot the lessons (esp. if they previously spent a lot of time in a sane media environment where the lessons were less necessary);
4) found it too much trouble to apply the lessons consistently, and let their guard down;
5) found the emotional content of the conspiracy was just too tempting; or
6) encountered a evolved conspiracy theory that found a way around their (years old) lessons.