OK. Hear me out...
It is generally accepted that everyone has a different level of intelligence. (for good or bad)
Some people are just smarter than others for whatever reason.
Statistically, with 7 billion people, what if the top 0.001 percent, that's SEVEN MILLION people who are the absolute smartest that modern humanity has to offer.
Wouldn't they be able to figure out who each other was by a certain age?
What if the other .999 percent were "the good guys" and the top .01 percent of us did the same, and are trying to save civilization as we know it for the betterment of society instead of the betterment of humanity?
The top .001 of humanity might be more interested in change than stagnation.
To counter this, modern mass media is going full-tilt against change to all they have ever known by mass exposure of a lesser expectation of what the average person would think "dumb" collectively is... and over time this expectation could be artificially lowered to the point where the average person accepts for common knowledge that everyone should be "as smart as they are" to the point where innovation is extinguished in favor of comfortableness.
Maybe the average human is capable of significantly higher performance/cognition abilities and just "don't" because of an artificially induced apathy towards higher learning or personal advancement.
Maybe this is why the Kardashians are mega super famous...
Because humanity as an individualized entity of 7 billion, over 50% apparently desires to be a Kardashian instead of a Scientist.
Maybe i need more cheetos and soda, but how wack would that be?
What if the same thing, but in reverse?