Personally I think that the various "isms" essentially boils down to various form of religious thinking. Works in most any metric, someone who is a zealot. The true communist believes that communist ideology is the best path for society and the way to utopia. The feminist holds similar ideals although often they are very sexist in practice, though some hate of an outgroup is common with this sort of thing. Religion politics fandoms consumer groups are all driven by the masses of "true believers" in whatever it is and they are pursuing some kind of ideological purity whatever that may be and not necessarily doing it for their own personal gain. Naturally though as it happens with any religious or political movement there are those who realize the social dynamic and realize they can essentially use the group to further their own agenda, be that in service of a different ideological force or simply that of self betterment which is in and of itself its own ideology.

In the end it all boils down to power and how to get it. Most everyone is seeking power in their own lives in some form. Some more than others. Many people are simply blind to this fact and through various kinds of mental gymnastics have convinced themselves they are acting for the greater good.

If we see the corruption , shills, gifting, profiteering and all the rest. We aren't really "normal people" we are the same as the shills, grifting , and profiteers, in that we see how the game works. Whether or not we use that ability for self betterment at the detriment of others or to further agendas of bettering ourselves along with everyone else (but perhaps bettering some more than others) we are still seeking power.

If you see someone selling something and your first thought is "what's his angle" you aren't gullible, so you aren't a "regular person". Most people don't really understand when they are being manipulated. Or even when they do understand that they are, some are contrarians who won't allow themselves to do something someone is manipulating them into, and will act in the opposite way regardless of whether or not it's in their best interests. Classic reverse psychology, which ironically is itself a good manipulation tactic.

So how do you just be a regular person? Why the fuck would you want to be one of those. Use your ability to see past the initial offer and analyze people's motives to benefit yourself, and to benefit the people you care about. You aren't normal and you don't want to be anyway.