[lasereye]

I think a huge number of them believed it, even while they were often knowingly lying about some aspect of it to keep the fever going. But they thought that in the end, there would be something found, and anything that was found to be BS later wouldn't matter.

[adorno]

I think a huge number of them believed it,

They were in on the conspiracy. They didn't believe it because they helped to fabricate the lie.