True, rich getting richer and poor getting poorer, so that definitely makes the gap getting bigger as time pass by.
The poor and middle class are trying to be rich but they are given limited opportunities. With less money in hand, they are unable to compete against tycoons which can spend millions and be able to lose millions trying to experiment with certain trends and businesses. It isn't about people in middle class spending their money to buy branded items, if you look at these people, most of them are contented to have knock off items, or imitations to use since they really lack money to buy those branded ones. It is the availability of funds, influence, and of course connections that set the difference.
Saying stupid is a very harsh word. People doesn't want to be poor or in a middle class, if they have a choice, they would choose to be born in a wealthy family, it is that they were born in that class, and who know how hard they are trying to get out of that situation. Not because one of 10 people are branded crazy, you can generalize all these people are doing the same thing.