I'll give you an example: The vast, vast majority of the videos on YouTube are shallow and formulaic, with maybe thirty seconds' worth of content being stretched out to fill (at least) ten minutes. While many people are aware of this, far more folks are content to simply sit back and stare while an overly animated caricature of a person repeats themselves for the fifteenth time.

This is true, but it's not really a new thing - look at cable TV with the standard 22 or 48 minute episode length time. Many of them are literally just minutes of actual content spread out to fill the full slot time, with fake cliffhangers and clickbaity statements to try and keep you there "after the break".

It's all about manipulation - on YouTube or on cable. Save public broadcasters, most of the content is simply a platform to deliver advertising to your brain.