People are stupid. They will believe a lie because they want to believe it's true, or because they are afraid it might be true.

Wizard's Seventh Rule
Life is the future, not the past.

Being afraid something is true is accepting the possibility. Accepting the possibility is the first step to believing. At least you are smart enough to question. Think of how easy it is to believe, for people who don't question, who don't even know how to question. For most people, it's not the truth that is important, it's the cause. Rahl is intelligent; he has given them a cause.

Bags!

No drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we're looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power.

Because I do not wish to know,” he says. “I prefer to remain unenlightened, to better appreciate the dark.