The field selects for it. Imagine being an independent thinker in that situation. You'd either get booted from the room or go crazy.

I think often of Chris Cuomo's response to Dave Smith in their debate about Covid: "That's what we were told!" He seemed to genuinely think that relaying information that he "was told" was the entirety of his job, and sufficient explanation for his role during covid. He said it without a hint of shame.