How we live our lives is based ENTIRELY on perception of reality which is not necessarily objectively real.

There are plenty of examples of things that are real, substantive and provide actual value and yet do not gain widespread acceptance. They are neglected, ridiculed, treated as SCAMS and discarded as the opposite of what they are, all due to peoples' inability to process reality and discern TRUTH from fiction.

Marketers and media moguls understand this and try to shape our perception to persuade people to do things like buy a product. The don't solely rely on facts and figures b/c they are well aware of how crucial a role emotions play in our decisions.

In technology an old but useful example is the battle between VHS and BetaMax technologies. Although BetaBax provided superior functionality it didn't become the defacto standard for recording your favorite TV program, VHS won.

We see the same thing in the marketplace for blockchain technology. What is network effect? It's not only about the merits but about how people perceive them, and that is shaped only in part by the substantive value and actual utility they provide but also by the power of the marketers to shape public perception.

Steemit author @krnel has written extensively on how our perception of reality is separate from actual reality. I highly recommend you study his work and learn to improve how you think and how you process your senses to form your view of actual, objective reality.