We're a trust-based species. Even if you're skeptical or cynical, you'll still fall for well-written nonsense if it remotely feels authoritative, sane, reasona

We're a trust-based species. Even if you're skeptical or cynical, you'll still fall for well-written nonsense if it remotely feels authoritative, sane, reasonable. Especially when not a deep expert on the topic. The above effect is even stronger if you have prior trust in the author. I guess the reason is that extreme distrust is an uphill battle. It costs a huge amount of time and cognitive load to discover objective truth, often for little reward.