Confirmation bias is a dangerous impulse, whether we just accept whatever our "leaders" say, or follow any of the myriad false prophets who insist they really have The Truth instead. Most folks seem content to remain in the first set, following one or another political party for what little differences they favor. Those who escape that false dichotomy easily fall into the second group, which almost seems like a deliberate trap to corral "free thinkers" who dare question anything. If I believed we were under the sway of smart villains, I'd almost argue that was deliberate. But I doubt evil people are as coordinated or as focused on long-term goals as the conspiracy crowd believes.