they’re the type that uses reddit the same way they’d use instagram or 9gag so it doesnt have any particularly unique value to them

This is a well understood phenomenon well explored in many books with both nuanced and obvious answers, please ask your local librarian to direct you. In the mean time I’ve heard the new movie I Love Boosters is really good…

Even if we acknowledge capitalism is responsible for the rising tide of the last 100+ years (and even that is highly situational), it’s obviously not working anymore and without a way to externalize the costs of capitalism to people and places that “dont matter” those tools meant to externalize damage are now pointed inwards and the rewards fail to trickle down. now we’re all losing more than we put in, with that surplus value going only to the owners.