At first I thought the overnight sidebar ITT was going to be boring but it ended up quite informational. The Nugget admitted that he doesn't look too deeply down certain rabbit holes because it gives him anxiety. Totally understandable. It also showed that our failed education system, the media propaganda machine, and the fear porn of the last couple of years have done their job on millions of people. For some it's impossible to believe that the very people and government who have promised for decades that they care about you, want you to be happy and successful, have empathy and respect, and are willing to spend billions (trillions!) on programs to make everything better...is just a sham.
Biden's first address after he became president was about Covid. He said "put your faith in the government". It's more emotional gaslighting, and it works. People put their faith in government and expect the government to follow through. Realizing that they've been lied to and taken advantage of doesn't compute for some because the reality is more terrifying than the narrative. That's why people are willing to defend the nonsensical, because they're fighting for emotional equanimity that is eroding by the hour thanks to massive governmental incompetence (by both parties).
TL;DR- it's not that people can't be open minded. It's that they're scared to be.