As Antonio Gramsci would put from his prison cell while wondering why Italy became Fascist without people putting up a fight.

History teaches, but it has no pupils

We fell to the same thing, we let the wealthy define our culture. Our culture is now that of being cruel and taking. And people wish to be popular and wealthy more than moral or right. So we shift towards their world and act like them, till we have the cruelty in our own hearts.