The real problem is that the stock market has historically delivered 7-9% on average, and consensus is it will likely be considerably lower in the future. Making significant money from an ownership share like that takes decades of disciplined saving and investing. The narrative of WSB that "the rich won't let poor people invest in the stock market like they do" is ridiculous; most of the rich would be very happy with 8% per year on average.

There might be something to the idea that an internet forum will have a harder time getting away with the sort of market manipulation that the most unscrupulous hedge funds do all the time, but that's a different discussion entirely.

There's of course a related discussion of how much some people can afford to invest in the stock market each year, but it's really only partially related. I do understand where the anger is coming from, as should everyone who has been following American politics since 2015 at the latest.

The stock market--just like the economy--is not a zero-sum game. I don't know what to tell you. The S&P500 over the long term has consistently performed quite well, for many decades. Maybe if your picture of participating in the stock market involves day trading, sure, statistically the majority of people who try will break even or come out with a loss. But that's not what financial advisers recommend average people do! You should be doing a daily cost average by setting aside a small portion of your income to invest, ideally in a tax-advantaged IRA (or 401k if your employer offers one.)