The fact that they’ve been running with one angle for some decades before it got exposed doesn’t mean they couldn’t have changed it. They’re not that stupid.

Why am I not surprised in the slightest.

And yes. All those propaganda efforts find very ripe ground with the imperial middle class. My favorite is how easily people fell for the idea of “supplier framework of greenhouse emissions” that makes it seem that it’s all some ten guys collectively emitting all the world’s carbon dioxide - simply because it exonerated all of the middle class’ senseless consumption. It doesn’t make sense under even the slightest scrutiny - but they simply don’t care. It makes them feel good about themselves so they swallow the propaganda; hook, line, sinker, pole.

I can assure you that after years of active engagement in politics in various forms I can differentiate between arguing and what is just using the privilege of entrenchment in the system to dismiss any opposing view as illegitimate.

Those people almost never engage with presented points. They prefer to construct their own strawman because then they can attack it with the well-hammered propaganda slogans. And if all else fails, there’s invariably someone to accuse anyone who is to the left of them as being either a trumpist or russian troll for a thunderous applause.