I don't think this is a problem. The greatest concentration of wealth in this cycle has been around mass surveillance & behavior modification. Gone are the days of Google viewed naively as some happy-go-lucky do-no-evil org. We are all as software engineers forced to grapple with the consequences of our work. Optimism is, basically, uncalled for. Why should I be enthusiastic about another VC-backed company set up to spy on & manipulate me?

I disagree with your implied dichotomy between "complaining" and "improving things and building the future" - when everyone who is "building the future" is chasing the exact same surveillance-capitalist business model, what do you propose our reaction should be?