Who falls for such bunk?

Smart people, people with poor listening skills, people who believe in self-referenced sources, people who believe a personal acquaintance over a distant source, people who believe in the loudest shouter, and people who hear the most repeated message.

It's easy to have a narrow bandwidth with listening and actual understanding. We have different confirmation biases. It's easy to get sidetracked and miss the point or accept anything at face value.
You are likely to believe anything that you are already conditioned to accept, While hypnosis can be used for brainwashing it falls outside the above parameters.

Anger makes people defensive and blocks interaction except for arguing against a misinterpreted premise.

TRUE LISTENING DOES NOT CREATE COMPLIENCE. It makes for more rational understanding be it a response to a positive or negative narrative.

LISTENING WELL is hard work. It's easier to be lazy.
Poor listening begets more poor listening.

P.T. Barnum said a sucker is born every minute. Thats BS.
Its more complicated than that.