I don't want to say they bare zero responsibility for remaining ignorant and never seeking basic media literacy but: partly I really do think it's an inevitable consequence of both neoliberalism and the cult of celebrity. Art under neoliberalism is about commodifying and branding everything and I think most mainstream actors of today's generation are basically always playing two roles in any project. There's the role they have in the film, and the role they play on late night, press junkets, and social media that everyone in fandom sees. Most marvel stars are especially good examples of this one. People get thrown for a loop with a legend like de niro because he doesn't have to play that game and people aren't ready for it.

I always find it so hilarious that neoliberals will simultaneously build their lives and world views around hypothetical technological solutions that will resolve resource/logistical realities like magic and then turn around and say that the problem with Communism is that its too utopian or idealistic.

I personally know like several guys here in the US that would enter into a relationship with an obviously evil demon if that demon had a cartoonishly artificial set of booba.

I mean to be fair...some of us are into obviously evil demons for their personality....

Like I get parents being scared of having disabled kids for the financial strain if nothing else, but like afaik most autistics can be self sufficient and independent with the right developmental help.

It's basically been a long running joke in my family that back in my father and grandfather's day we didn't have people with autism. We just had engineers.