What if you imagine it wrong, and the past has been actually filled with high-trust useful idiots in the silent majority, thinking god watches them and they can leave the door and car unlocked, cause god also watches the village?
What if you are just one of the infected?
Uh, I’m saying that there has always been a sucker born every minute. I don’t think we’re disagreeing.
You’re just able to see the snake oil salesman parting the rubes from their coin remotely, instead of only being able to see it if you’re standing right next to the rube.
Even with that happening, there are still plenty of rubes - and just like before, people who are trying to run the snake oil salesman out of town (but generally being ineffective at it).