Part of it is just primal primate psychology stuff. People are scared. When a smooth, soothing voice on YouTube tells these scared people that it's all going t

Part of it is just primal primate psychology stuff. People are scared. When a smooth, soothing voice on YouTube tells these scared people that it's all going to be all right if they just follow recommendations A, B, and C from the "experts", these people feel soothed and safe, like a crying baby being swaddled and given a pacifier. These people perceive criticism of these soothing experts as personal attacks on their safety and react accordingly. "How DARE you attack the people who made me feel safe after I was scared?!" Scientific progress depends on consciously overriding these ancient impulses, and we've done a terrible job of communicating this idea to the next generation.