According to a recent poll, a quarter of Americans believe that the FBI instigated the January 6 riot, despite a lack of evidence. Were there FBI agents in the crowd? I'd be surprised if there wasn't.

Protesters march with signs along Market Street during the San Francisco Youth Climate Strike. March 15, 2019. Photographer: Intothewoods7. Cropped from the original.

What provokes political movements? They can only occur because a large number of individuals decide to cooperate with one another to obtain a political outcome they mutually value. Not everyone joins the same political movements, even if they share the same circumstances. And it’s not because some people have more information than others, or some have been “brainwashed.” Often it’s because of individual differences in political orientations and value priorities.