Leeches

Trust in expertise has collapsed and we will soon return to using leeches for curing ailments. This is living proof that humans don't get any smarter. 

All of this happened slowly and insidiously greatly expanding with the proliferation of social media where skeptics found each other. Suddenly those with tin foil hats had kindred spirits and could regale in flat earth theories and why horse paste was good for curing COVID. 

During the pandemic the channels of simpleton Joe Rogan and histrionic shaman Russell Brand took off because they were selling what people wanted to hear. Dumbed down messaging they could understand was welcome which exacted revenge on the intelligentsia they deemed part of the oppressing class.

Studies have shown that many people crave authoritarian rule and want strong leaders to tell them what to do. The strict parenting they received appeals to them as does the messaging that people who are different are to be mistrusted and even hated. 

It is the 21st century and yet we are pedaling backwards into chicken pox epidemics driven by people who think science is a hoax but are fine with unsubstantiated conspiracy. 

It's like we are actively pleading to have bad things happen.