[sph]

There wasn't TikTok and Doordash at the time. Panem et circenses.

[9dev]

I’m not sure this is the answer. As you say, the concept of keeping the masses occupied is a lot older than TikTok or Doordash…

[sph]

Nowhere in history we had products as addictive as those. There are people making a career studying how to exploit people's weaknesses, to induce them to buy products.