This episode explores how belief takes shape, why certainty often survives even when the evidence doesn’t, and what happens when truth becomes more about preference than proof. We look at how societies built guardrails—science, journalism, education—to help us test what’s real, and why those systems are now under attack. When the institutions that keep us grounded are defunded, censored, or discredited, we’re left more vulnerable to stories that feel good but mislead. The result isn’t just confusion or disagreement—it’s an environment where loyalty can matter more than truth, and where doubt itself becomes a political tool.