Question for liberals and progs, as to why voters are irrational?

Why do most people continually vote against their own self- interest? I used to think it was racism, or devotion to single-conservative-wedge-issues like guns or religion, or plain dumbness, or mumpsimussity, or the media, or any number of cultural/social factors. My conclusion is this: all of the above may be true in some cases, but the real reason is this, ALMOST ALL AMERICAN ADULTS BUY INTO THE CORPORATE ZEITGEIST. 98% of all Americans see the world exactly the way that the corporate plutocracy wants them to see the world. And since most people do not read anymore, or know any history, they have no way of seeing that the corporate world-view is not the only way of seeing the world. What do you think of my hypothesis? If I am right, what if anything can be done? I chastised a friend for complaining about gas prices the other day- you guys voted for the damn tea party and you are surprised about high gas prices? Who do you think OWNS the Tea PArty?