This arena might be reserved for compulsive liars and psychopaths were we not compelled by society to make ends meet regardless of whether or not the ends ethically justify the means.
In this society, bullshitting is built-in at every level to some degree and being savvy in it can be the difference between subsisting and not.
As the number of reasonable avenues towards financial stability dwindles, people will rationally pursue whatever ones are left with greater furvor, even if those paths are morally bankrupt like being an "influencer" or "thought leader".
Like rats, we'll push whatever button gets us fed. If we want people to do more meaningful work, we need a culture and economic system that lets them provide a stable life for their family while doing it.
While I don’t disagree, I expect there’s a substantially equivalent number of grifters under socialism as well
of course, you don't hardly make anything, the party provides, in its benevolence!
edit: my point is that grifters show up in any particular structure. not to sling arrows at the USSR or the USA.
It would be great if you people tried reading a history book for once. In particular, stories of people who believed these ideas were great and (despite a bunch of red flags) tried to act on that belief by immigrating to the Soviet Union in 1920s and 1930s, to help build the promised utopia. Spoiler alert: it doesn't end well for most of them.