I don't think it's an assumption at all; the opinions of the masses are shaped in large part by the media they consume. While few might read Salon or the New Yorker, it is passed around elite circles and it makes its way to CNN and MSNBC as well as reality shows and TikTok influencers.

They don't fear scolds; they fear pitchforks and, more realistically, _taxes_. You can call it cowardice but it's entirely rational.