SC, I thought a little more about this, and I think that much of what you are seeing is what might be called --- expertitis or a know-it-all person. People without a true knowledge base that stand up in front of a group need to have something to say. Frequently, they make up a story and convince themselves that it is true. They may even adopt or adapt an existing story. Doing this is much easier that studying four to eight years of a subject or many subjects and then continuing to educate themselves. Reading and learning one book is easier than studying an entire library. They actually like being in a position of authority, enjoy the power and acknowledgement that they get from others. It's an easy path compared to others that require study. As a result certain "crazy" ideas are perpetuated because there is always and audience.