i partially agree with you. robinhood is ran by rich guys who make money when people use the app - regardless if the traders make money or not. and i agree that index funds are a great way to get exposure to the long term growth of the economy.

however, giving people the ability to trade on margin and options just like the big shops is an equalizer. robinhood wasn't lying there. the problem really is:

1) education

there's a significant inequality in knowledge. the average person isn't taught market fundamentals, theory, or the technical details of how stuff works (how does a call work? what does T+2 mean?)

2) capitalism

the market is tipped in the favor of the big guys, because currently the financial market is incentivized to keep these guys not just afloat but jacked up. big gains = everyone is happier. as such, very smart people, like physicists, are attracted to the financial sector where they are paid the big bucks to make insanely rich people even wealthier, instead of working in academia or an industry where they can contribute their abilities to bettering the entire world. i.e. working on green energy or reducing environmental impact or improving productivity