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Sounds like one of the modern colloquial definitions: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=cope

Tough to put in words really. Maybe it could be rephrased to "I found that he is trying to legitimize clickbait", however the second part of the sentence says that too.

or maybe: "rationalizing his use of clickbait as a means of coping with the weight it places on his conscience"

That's a great explanation, I agree with that. I couldnt put it into words that well :)

I mean as a coping mechanism for not admitting that clickbait is manipulation of humans. "But look it's working" is not an excuse

Thanks.

That's rather unclear and nonstandard, in my view.

Unreasonably.

cope = sour grapes