I know you were asking Mark directly but I hope you don’t mind me answering this part specifically:
“Why is it that links to unverified, random youtube clips are posted routinely in here as undisputed facts without ever having any pushback?”
Short answer is that they are not, useless links are generally ignored. Most links go unreplied and unnoticed.
Long answer is that it’s called critical thinking, they are generally posted because they provide an alternative viewpoint to what we get. Having more points of view, especially well reasoned points of view based on logical principles and consequences allows you to have a more nuanced and deepened opinion.
For example the number of civilian deaths in Mariupol. If you watched CNN you’d have a single data point that “tens of thousands” were dead, so 20,000 to 100,000 which is a pretty big range.
If you took in alternative view points that disputed that, using logical principles such as similar warfare killed X civilians in Y days. You’d have another side to the story, and you’d have a lower and upper bound to the number of civilian deaths. Then you’d be able to reason through asking questions such as “how are they dying” “who benefits from increased casualties” “what factors are in play that will increase/decrease” deaths “how likely are these factors to actually affect numbers” etc.
This allows you to have a deeper and more well reasoned opinion about the issue. It may even lead you to the real question of critical thinking which is “Do I care about this enough to affect my thoughts/actions?”
I don’t really believe you’ll understand this but it might be helpful for someone else reading.
Sometimes the most basic rebuttals like this are the funniest to read.
The increasing pace of clown world is all part of the plan, the sheer amount of bullshit is a force in it’s own right. Demoralisation Destabilisation Crisis and so on.