Most people do NOT like creating(when they can use something already created by someone else without effort), programming or thinking(it is slow, takes effort and gratification is not instant) at all.
It is not a critic on most people, in fact I have seen people spending months of work for installing or compiling a custom Linux like gentoo just because they can. Thinking on problems that will probably be a dead end forever or programming things that would have been done cheaper, better and way faster manually.
That is the reason Steve Jobs succeeded, he made what people (most people)wanted. Instant gratification like music on iPods. Simple solutions to problems people have(simple install). Making sure creators could live from their professional work(simple payment system).
There is a talk somewhere when Steve Jobs talk about him realizing people really demand things like Trash TV.
When you sell products you see reality, Alan could only see the idealism of Academia.
It is not that people do not want to improve themselves. It is just that most people do not want to pay the price, in effort, in time or focus. Just look at the Ads on TV: Lose weight with no effort with product X, in no time, while you watch TV.