This.

This hard pull towards conspiracy theories is happening in contrast to a period of about 100 or so years of relative enlightenment supported by mainly centralized liberal institutions(not saying that doesn’t have a cost), but this pattern is as old as civilization itself.

But why now? IMO it’s modern day mythology created by a tremendous lack of trust in fragmented and unreliable cultural and political institutions. Authority and expertise to explain and deal with the events around us been either drowned out by false prophets or ignored after committing enough reputation suicide as to be rendered untrustworthy.

It’s hard to see the path out of this dark forest.