I grew up in the 1990s, when it was fashionable to teach kids to “question authority” and “think for themselves.” The problem is, most people aren’t smart enough to think for themselves and come to reliable conclusions on any remotely complicated subject matter. During COVID, surveys showed that virtually everyone had erroneous beliefs about the risks of the disease (either vastly over or under estimating the risk). Most people didn’t understand the statistics and come to rational conclusions, they just clung to their own trust networks.

I think that’s the direct cause of why anti-vaxxers and other conspiracy theorists are so common today. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the generation most supportive of Trump is Gen X: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/oct/16/voters-grou.... We spent a couple of generations telling kids not to trust authority, and we act shocked that they now don’t trust authority.