You are vastly overestimating the financial literacy of the average american

I regularly explain to friends:

- how interest works on their credit card

- that buying a used car is usually far cheaper than leasing or financing a new one

- what inflation is

- what an RSU is (to people who indiscriminately call all equity "options")

- what capital gains tax is

- how to buy index funds (as in, the steps to sign up for vanguard or whereever and buy funds)

- what settlement is

infamously, a lot of americans don't understand progressive tax brackets and assume that if they get a raise they'll lose it all to taxes

I have heard friends claim that paying 50% tax on income is normal