This is exactly by design. It encourages consumerism and the idea of consuming your limited free time with entertainment and superficial activities.

But it goes far beyond that. With limited free time people cannot develop political consciousness and drive social change.

There are historical examples: most dictatorships go/went very far to keep people busy and preserve the status quo.

Universities, on the other hand, has been often driving social change given that students usually have more free time and freedom to organize their time.