misinformation campaigns with archetypal stories that those who don't know better are very likely to embrace unquestioningly.

In this case, the archetypal story might be summarized as: there's a valuable secret that dark forces don't want you to know about. Other common archetypes: the hero who starts in ordinary circumstances but must find the strength to confront some challenge; rags-to-riches stories; the prodigal son...etc.

Finding a story pattern that people intuitively latch onto is a way to bypass logical thinking mechanisms and is a highly effective strategy for expert marketers -- and for political spin doctors (to be clear, LA Hoo is in the second category).

A parallel in the physical world might be a certain bacterium that carries with it a virus that tricks the immune system into ignoring the infection.