This is a misrepresentation. They don't see it as a disconnect with reality, they see it as reality. Through all sorts of biases and rationalizations, people will still think their model of reality is true with lots of exceptions that keep getting in the way.
Once you take a belief to be true, you will go through incredible mental gymnastics to explain away any conflicting evidence without even realizing it.
This class structure worked well enough for generations, although lately it is running off the rails. The top pusher appears to actually believe the myth. The monkeys is now his own grinder and nobody knows what will come of it.
>People, paticularly the US public, enjoy myths.
I'm stating that the public doesn't think what they believe is a myth.