Being played means being fooled. If I know both parties are looting from me, but one is also aiming to restrict my civil rights, then going with the less bad option is not being played.

Ranked choice voting is the only way to fix this (and getting rid of electoral college, increasing number of reps in house, and getting rid of gerrymandered districts), but that's all a pipe dream. I have to play with the cards I'm given.