Yeah, because devs are stupid. Because consumers, as a whole, are stupid. They're short-sighted and self-destructive. Just ask Marlboro.

> I don't know about you, but I make many choices every day that are sub-optimal when viewed globally (or even across my life) but "make sense" or that I want to do in the moment.

Yes, this is a fundamental character flaw present in every human, to varying degrees. Its a function of how our reward center works.

Exploiting that flaw for money-making is a dark pattern at best, and a crime against humanity at worst.

This right here is just a dark pattern. Using a vulnerability in the human mind for an exploit that, on average, extracts cash you wouldn't otherwise get.

Personally, I don't think it's that bad. But it is a dark pattern and I don't like it. So, there.