> Hoping for and/or expecting societal change through mass application of willpower

This sounds like the same mechanism for democracy, educating a broad populace and hoping they make the right (best?) choices.

Educating a person is materially different from getting them to act against their incentives. Doing so with a population is even more so.

The average American is overweight and doesn’t exercise. They are almost certainly aware they need to reduce their calorie intake and spend at least a couple of hours a week engaging in physical activity. Knowing you ought to change you behavior and actually doing it are completely different issues.

I actually happen to think that both are basically losing battles these days, but the underlying reasons aren’t the same.