Young children do tend to trust adults unquestioningly, which is why most of us survive those early years. We do, in fact, show horrible deaths to teenagers to dissuade them from the temptation of drinking and driving. Driver's Ed class showed many videos that we're shocking and horrible, I think you can view many of them on YT. Mutilated bodies and limbs, some on fire, after amazing car wrecks. I would imagine that part of the Driver's Ed program is effective, since it is so long lasting and ubiquitous. This kind of shock and horror tactic is what I'm suggesting that we use more of to shake adults out of their covid related delusions. I quite agree with the rest of your post...