Over the End of the World

It was a tough choice, but the topic was just sitting there, so...
First, let's check: is everybody here? Anyone taken up into the heavens this last Saturday?  No, this will not be another of those condescending, snarky comments about those poor deluded folk who blindly followed that radio evangelist off the edge of this ontological cliff, nor a defiant defense of the right to be wrong, even for the people that are wrong at the top of their lungs. Rather, let us discuss the increasing presence of those who propound the bizarre and the people who buy into it. This is not just about a misguided person who has his problems with math and the right dates. This is about people who believe some really weird stuff, people who are in a place where being factual and reasonable with them makes no difference. The president of the United States is a covert alien socialist terrorist. That sort of thing.
This used to be restricted to the supermarket tabloids, or to late-night talk shows, where intricate conspiracies were the dish of the day. Sure, there have always been paranoid fantasies that were pushed by people for their own reasons. (The moon landing didn't happen; it was staged...Flying Saucers have been captured and held in secret...The Twin Towers were deliberately destroyed on 9/11 by the American government...Kennedy was assassinated by government agents in conjunction with the Mafia.) But now the newsmedia seems to consider such as legitimate. Which raises what is really the question: are people really more gullible/accepting of anything/more paranoid or are the various media more desperate to fill space/just giving the public what they seem to want/trying to sell their own political point of view?
Of course, people have always shown a readiness to believe that can be either inspiring or frightening, depending on your point of view. Some superstitions are innocuous (don't get me started on the taboos of the theater!) Some border on the obsessive (what we believe gives way to what we are allowed to do or not do.) And some come from our human need to feel in control (ironically at the same time as we concede control to an arbitrary ritual.)
Let us stay on message: are people really more prone to accept even the most arcane with little or no question, or are we simply more aware of the cavorting minority that do? And who are we to make such distinctions? My deep and sincere faith might be unacceptable to someone else, just as their off-the-wall views would seem strange to me.
No answers here. But if you have any suggestions, I would be glad to consider how such a sensible person could come up with such ideas.