Thats because they, too, dont really work

If we define work/labor as human effort that results in the creation of value by transforming raw materials into a commodity (or an intermediaries that later become commodities) or providing services that allow for the continuation of human society, you kinda see why the disconnect exists.

Because many Americans do not produce commodities or intermediaries. They only consume.

Many Americans aren't in service sectors that provide necessary functions for society to continue. They're in finance, or medical billing, or collections, or FUCKING ADVERTISING, etc.

And no, I'm not saying "lol, making music isn't a real job hippie!" I would absolutely lump creatives under necessary (once all the primary needs are met like sewage systems operating and being maintained etc.).

All the bullshit jobs, which oddly and coincidentally seem to possess the majority of people shitting on the necessary jobs (hmm), like working on Wall Street with fake money to spin up more fake money to eventually leverage against people and steal their possessions to add to the giant pile of capital... those are the ones who also are self-deluded into thinking THEY are the movers and creators of society, that without the finance bros everything would collapse! Oh no, imagine if a company voted on things instead of having a generational nepo baby own it and be the CEO- IMAGINE WHAT THE PLEBS WOULD DO!

It's kind of classic noble/peasant dynamics where the noble class' descendants lose all perspective and start to actually believe some god must have ordained their grandfather and not that their grandfather was just the luckiest or most brutal asshole at the time. Once they believe that they are the creators, that they are somehow special and more intelligent, it's basically a wrap for them because they will inevitably undermine core components of the system they exploit but don't understand.