If we have learned anything in recent decades, it is that we are all easily manipulated, and we are all pretty darn stupid.

Translation: The government does little to protect their citizens from predatory business practices because those in power have gained power via predatory business practices and have tricked many people into believing it's their own failings for being made a victim.

Crypto rug-pulls are now done by a sitting president and if you complain you simply have a "victim mentality" because you're not looking for a way to exploit your neighbor.

We should really be embarrassed of our selves yet people come on here every day to defend the scammers.

People prefer to pay with tracking data instead of money because they have lots of tracking data and not much money.

And also because they don’t realize how effectively that tracking data can be used to manipulate their emotions and behavior with the goal of squeezing out what money they do have.

I would claim it's "better" these days than previously. At first, everyone thought they were getting something for free, no strings. Now it seems that even the "uneducated" public understands most of it...they just don't seem to care. The only one that people seem to be unaware of is the fairly precise location tracking that happens.

Ah yes. The casual misanthropy explanation.

Isn't there supposed to be a vast and powerful federal government with incredible investigatory and arrest powers? The one that people are taught to rely on since they stand no chance against a trillion dollar monopoly?