In their time, consumerism wasn't as rampant.

For sure. People can't live today, without what our parents never even saw.

I distinguish Google from other companies. People have used Google consciously for a long time, and it has been very beneficial for them.

Google is one of the worst imo. They throttle so much development externally and milk inventors. Every gateway is a google funnel on the internet and they use it to control information.