Hmmm. It's very similar to how Conspiracy Theories work. There's a barely plausible idea put forth which confirms prejudices but which is then latched onto. It's not the facts that grab people (non existent) it's the emotional satisfaction. Definitely propaganda and great explanation. Thanks!
@Homebrewandhacking @Teri_Kanefield
For certain types of people there's an endorphin rush from being cruel.
Those people are called sociopaths and sadists.
For certain people they've been made to feel insecure through employment precarity and housing insecurity, and Fox News fear mongering, so they get addicted to the ego stroking provided by a Russian malign influence campaign.
Those people were gullible but are a lot less so now. They're reachable, some of them.