Free-market economics presupposes informed consumers, but there's a feedback loop here: we only buy/believe what we see, so by restricting our choices, they select what we're looking for, right? So that asks what the root cause is. I think that many people are trying to avoid uncomfortable truths, like how bad things are and how bad they could become, so are looking for glittery shiny meaningless stuff as distraction. However, I won't argue much if you get all Bill Hicks on me: "I'll show you politics in America right here," Hicks told audiences, miming like a puppet master. "'I believe the puppet on the right shares my beliefs.' 'Well, I believe the puppet on the left is more to my liking.' Hey, wait a minute, there's one guy holding up both puppets! 'Go back to bed, America, your government is in control. Here's Love Connection, watch this and get fat and stupid. By the way, keep drinking beer.'"
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Re: That's what they want to tell us
"I'll show you politics in America right here," Hicks told audiences, miming like a puppet master. "'I believe the puppet on the right shares my beliefs.' 'Well, I believe the puppet on the left is more to my liking.' Hey, wait a minute, there's one guy holding up both puppets! 'Go back to bed, America, your government is in control. Here's Love Connection, watch this and get fat and stupid. By the way, keep drinking beer.'"
And that stuff is ten years old.