Well exposure to critical thinking being minimized I am starting to think is by design. If you look into the Prussian Education System and what got people excited about it, and then realize it is the system most nations education system is based upon then it makes sense why you wouldn't want to teach as much critical thinking. One of the things they really liked about the results from the trials of the Prussian Education System was how good it was at making students more obedient to the state. This means they were more susceptible to the Appeal to Authority fallacy, and Appeal to Tradition at the very least.

So if you reduce critical thinking that obedience should be even more. Then as the field of propaganda entered the arena of time lack of critical thinking opened our mental susceptibility to a great many fallacies.

If this is the desired outcome of those in control it is highly effective.