What an interesting question - What is the appeal of conspiracy theories? You pointed out some hilarious contradictions btw.

I think many people who have their basic needs met are just damned bored. We watch all these movies about fighting the baddies and then we look around and the baddies in our lives are just so diffuse and boring. So hard to be a hero/vigilante these days! Who wants to try to help an ugly, mentally ill, homeless person when we could be fighting the great war against alien invasion/worldwide government coverups etc.