> I am more likely to trust sources that appear to think critically Information-warfare specialists know exactly how to exploit that attitude. Sowing distrust

> I am more likely to trust sources that appear to think critically Information-warfare specialists know exactly how to exploit that attitude. Sowing distrust of mainstream media is core to their strategy, so that people will be "skeptical" about anything they say and turn to alternative outlets. How is it done? Easy: create the appearance of greater balance or depth without its substance. Create strawman versions of objections only to knock them down, include data points that appear to make the analysis more inclusive but don't change its outcome, toss in a few dubious factoids or citations, etc. It's not even that hard. Before long you'll have plenty of people who are "inspired" to poke holes in the mainstream narrative (but not their preferred one) and "question" mainstream advice (ditto) to carry on the fight for you. OTOH, having registered a mere two hours ago and only ever commented on this article, I suspect that you're well aware of those tactics.