Too many people, politicians, academics, business people and ordinary folk, have got so much invested and in so many ways — Financially, emotionally and intellectually and in many cases their entire careers and of course, their credibility, that they just can’t climb down without feeling totally humiliated and losing face.
There’s too much ego, pride and emotion involved and these characteristics are very much central to, and the source of their irrational climate anger, grief and distress.
Paraphrasing Mark Twain, and it is so true:
“..It’s easier to convince someone of a lie than convince them that they have been lied to..”