They fail because people are lied to. Because they are used, and abused, and offered limited resources.

So they turn to someone who gives them hopeful words. Sadly those words are often lies.

Laying at the feet of "stupidity" is over-simplifying it because it makes the hurt a little less.

If all this suffering can just be laid at "ur dum" it hurts just a little less. But it's a terrible anesthetic that makes the next hurt that much more likely.