Well, I actually do. Perhaps it was my schooling, or my late father (a Jewish journalist in Nazi Germany and an attorney) who taught me. I don't know. But I go to the abstracts (for medical claims) and I go to university sites for claims about history, etc. I also check out Reuters, Associated Press, and some other sites if it's news. I read for about 5 hours each day of my life, and what happens when one reads from a broad spread - from the UK, Germany, France, Aussie, Hong Kong, etc. is that the same story told multiple times in different voices begins to fall into the place - the real story, that is.

"Perhaps it is as simple as rewarding plain-ol’ boring truth."

I think it's more than just being willing to research the truth. It's also being willing to let go self-interest and ego. It's difficult to accept something if it conflicts with one's own self-interest.

That's the root of something like climate denial. It will inflict a lot of financial damage on a lot of people. People (especially in America) have made self-interest (individualism) a fine art. Oops. I just got to the self-interest part. :) We;re on the same page. Sorry. As you say something, I'm commenting.

One of the reasons so many don't show interest in what I write (on Medium) is that Medium is driven by business, marketing, and how to be successful at writing and self-improvement (these last two also about how to make the big bucks). I am interested in ethics - the rules that govern survival of the collective for the long term. :)