It goes along with the demonization of logic. In US schools, many are taught no stance holds any weight unless it has research to back it.

That is how we end up with politicians pushing nonsense like punishment doesn't act as deterrent to crime, with their kook "expert" studies that claim such absurdities that fly in the face of truth everyone knows.

It's snappier than saying, "person I found whose opinion I agree with so I'm going to report it rather than just coming out and stating my opinion because then the article would be an editorial and my boss says I can only write news pieces"