Technically you are correct. However, given the preponderence of idiots in this world this is simply a utopian ideal. The vast majority needs to be told what to do, what to say, what to believe.
You and I and everyone else, are told what to believe. Your thoughts don't magically appear in your brain. You get your beliefs from somewhere, be it television, radio, social media, books, peer-reviewed journal articles, professors, parents, coaches, etc. Do you actually think your beliefs exist in a vacuum and are independent of influence? Everything you believe in is due to to a variety of external influences. Your independent thought comes into play when you can critically examine ALL the evidence and come up with a good belief system based on an integration of the data; however, your belief system is still a byproduct of external influence.
The question is this: Are people going to believe in ideas/beliefs/ideologies that are backed by good evidence and justification? Or, are they just going to believe without good justification?
I mean, why do you go to the doctor when you're sick and need medicine? Your belief system about medicine did not come about in a vacuum; your belief system of trust in medicine (lets assume you trust doctors) is due to the overwhelming data that shows that medicine works when you're sick. So, no matter what we believe in, its ALWAYS informed by an external agent. It just depends what external agent you look toward to for information and whether that external agent is providing good, honest data.
For what it's worth, I STRONGLY DISAGREE with suppressing good science in the name of political correctness. That is a huge danger that should be avoided.
