I'm curious if this is some sort of a sign of decline and rot, or a normal MO of human societies (or hierarchical structures only?).

I am amazed at how similar all this is to the Soviet system: everyone in the room performs - totally voluntarily - a delicate Kabuki dance to avoid having to state a commonly known truth. Very typical.

And it's very funny, if you think about it.

I'll note that ordinary Soviets were, according to my observations, much smarter than ordinary Americans are at being able to see bullshit for what it is. Well, except for those Americans who live in the urban ghettos, I suppose; those seem smarter.

abb1, from what I read about Soviet dissidents back in the day, they were as skeptical as Chomsky or I. F. Stone about the pronouncements of their own government, but utterly credulous about the US propaganda they got from the Voice of America.