The majority of people are consumed with their day to day existence and don't give much thought to the wider world. Their understanding of it is drawn largely from what they absorb via mainstream media. Often they do not take kindly to having their limited world view challenged.
Many westerners are taking medication for physical and psychological problems they have or imagine they have. These medications have been prescribed by doctors that they trust and casting aspersions on the integrity and competency of these pharmaceutical dispensers is likely to provoke hostility. As the old saying goes, it's easy to con people but far more difficult to convince them that they've been conned.
It's best not to bring up controversial matters unless they arise naturally from the conversation. When they do however, it's sometimes hard to resist being controversial. I once remember talking to someone who brought up the topic of Michelle Obama, in what context I can't remember, but I intervened and asked whether he knew that "she" was a "he". That stopped the flow of the conversation.
I need to remember that I'm 74 years of age, I've been retired for seven years and over that period I've spent a lot of time trying to work out what's really going on in the world. My naivete back in the days when I did work is embarrassing when I reflect on it. My new found knowledge tends to isolate rather than connect me to others. It's not that I'm superior to others in any way. It's just that I've taken the time to dig a little deeper and what I've discovered hasn't improved the quality of my life.
It seems that living in blissful ignorance has benefits. It's comforting when people believe that Big Government has their interests at heart and that Big Medicine is dedicated to improving their health. The reality of course is darkly different but most people are not willing to accept such a bleak view of the world. They believe that people are intrinsically good and the fact is that they are. It's the people in power that are not but these people are remote and largely faceless. Their dark agenda seems unbelievable when suggested.
Nothing in their experience supports such dark beliefs. The fact checkers are quick to discredit such notions when a superficial investigation is carried out. I remember talking to someone about vaccine damage and every claim that I made was checked for veracity using Snopes, "The definitive Internet reference source for researching urban legends, folklore, myths, rumors, and misinformation". To that person, this reference source was definitely definitive and anything that I said to the contrary was to be dismissed.
So best to keep silent and if the opportunity for comment does arise, it's necessary to assess the person with whom I am conversing. How will they react to what I might say? Some will react with instant ridicule while others may be willing to consider the possibility. Most simply don't want their comfortable world view disturbed. Given the stresses that most people are under, they don't want additional stress.
