It didn't used to be like that... but you had some horrible decisions made (or not paid attention to is more like it) over the years and this is the result.
Generally speaking, most people are just uneducated. Thus, that is fixable. And you can even get a lot out of mentally challenged people if you work with them a lot.
A better education will, at least partially, solve the problem... in the long run, of course... but the long run is like 20, 30 years from now. Things might get a lot worse by then and beyond fixing.
Things perpetuate and there is no fixing this. The real issue is capitalism and money. You can't have an incentive to care about the people and how they are raised and educated if the only true incentive in this system is money. There is money in education, of course, but there is so much more from taking advantage of stupid people, regardless who does it (big tech, politicians, fast food chains...).
The education system in the US is screwed beyond oblivion, that's why this is happening.
And it's not just the US. I live in the Balkans and things are... well, very bad to be honest. We have the lowest average IQ in Europe.
The problem is, stupid people benefit both sides, left and right. They're easy to control, as voters. No one wants voters which can think critically.
Democracy is flawed IMO. There is no fixing this. People do rule, but at what cost. There are alternatives, but, let's face it, none of that will be implemented, at least not in our lifetimes.
Exactly why my kid remembers every gift I ever got him, but remembers nothing my wife gave him. It's the expectation, the wait. Nothing given at the exact moment the kid asked for is appreciated. Same goes for grown ups, not just kids. If you could buy everything you ever wanted at the exact same time you thought of it, that is a curse.
Oh, I told him, he's very conscious of his health. He's lactose intolerant and never eats anything at parties or gatherings before asking 😊.