If you spend more time with a product, you’re more likely to choose to do it again, even if it’s because of failure or annoyance. You’d justify it somehow (I have a leg up now or something). This actually applies to looking at things as well; a brightly colored box on the supermarket shelf is simply more likely to be chosen because you look at it first and longer.

Wasting your time and resources is a power signifier, but getting you to waste your own time and your own resources is hegemony.

There is no way intentionally increasing failure rates improves user retention... right? Please tell me it doesn't.