Thanks for your comments and kind remarks! I agree with you — this year has been a series of narratives and we are vulnerable to the ones that fit our mental models and reaffirm our worldview — especially when we’re anxious or scared. This “need to believe” has facilitated efforts to undermine the integrity of institutions and science as people are blindly led by actions and unproven accusations. This has done tremendous damage — especially when people are encouraged to believe what they want without evidence.