Browser plugins generally have privileged access to data exchanges between user and remote server. So, they could potentially spy on you and scrape your secrets.
“All we need to do is to decide on how to spend the time that is given to us”. Gandalf knows best. The hard part is making that decision. It’s something that ideally happens once you know your personal values. But - It’s even harder to make those decisions once you realise that your values will change over time. What a pickle!
Those “money masters” are responding to market conditions. If the market demanded greater efficiency (eg. Through climate policy for example), we would quickly see a change in priorities.
In the scheme of things, this is short term. Market incentives for pushing performance are currently minor, but will have increasing influence over the next decade. Factors such As processing power hitting physical limits and energy prices as a result of climate policy will force engineers to build more efficient systems.