> And the reason for believing these lies is because it's easier to listen to disgraced news outlets instead of reading a book or asking questions.

If it was just laziness, their belief wouldn't persist in the face of better information.

Willfully clasping onto an absurd premise this way strongly implies to me there is some sub-optimal psychology in play. There is a needful relationship inside that is being sustained (at a starvation level) by these exploitive external forces.