evolution -- ppl who refuse to acknowledge reality tend not to leave many offsprings. and if they do, maybe they are adhering to a more powerful reality afterall.
I'll happily admit I'm wrong though, in light of evidence before me
OP is absolutely correct of course. "Show me the money" is the only durable way.
With the usual caveat that "evolution can remain irrational longer than you can stay alive", so no guarantees on the individual level over a single human lifespan.
a lot of weight has to be given to 'what works' - what things grind up against the machinery of reality and survive over the long term? there is a 'truth' to such things