[athrowaway3z]

People care about privacy. But in our current telling its a hard problem to understand and the costs are too high. The costs are not talking to friends, or not driving a car. So as a coping mechanism people will convince themselves they dont care for privacy.

The phenomena you're describing isn't about caring.

You're describing a "trade" in the same way mobsters and conmen do.

[dylan604]

What are you on about? Mobsters and conmen break laws. There are no laws being broken by these data hoarders/brokers. Maybe it's closer to Stockholm syndrome or abusive/toxic relationship or something where people are mentally accepting the unhealthy situation as if it were normal.

The costs of talking to friends endlessly about this boring privacy is having no friends. You're telling an addict what they are doing is not good for them, but they are not ready to hear it.