I think you answered your own question.
Question: How do people figure out how to deal with this world?
Answer: People choose to plug themselves into a world of their choosing.
Question: How do people figure out how to deal with this world?
Answer: People choose to plug themselves into a world of their choosing.
I think that condition is weakening. Just look at how wealth affects people; If 99% of your interlocutors are sycophants, you lose grip on reality. There is a very clear and dangerous attractor state where everyone gets this, thinking that they want it.