If I may offer an opinion, since I’ve asked the same thing myself - my conclusion is that groupthink echo chambers are unstable environments, like a beehive that can easily be whipped into a frenzy. Cognitive dissonance is a real thing, and when facts and data continue to pile up that don’t support the groupthink, the group reacts in the ways you noted.
Poke a hive and you get a flurry of angry bees, blow a little smoke at it and they go back to sleep.
If I may offer an opinion, since I’ve asked the same thing myself - my conclusion is that groupthink echo chambers are unstable environments, like a beehive that can easily be whipped into a frenzy. Cognitive dissonance is a real thing, and when facts and data continue to pile up that don’t support the groupthink, the group reacts in the ways you noted.
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Worthy points.
I think very homogeneous membered group think is more stable. Evidently there’s enough variation in attitudes, biases, perspectives as to foster lots of competitive grand standing, preening, pontificating, haughtiness & clawing. Not very attractive. I wonder—how long before LORD OF THE FLIES sets in?