Absolutely, there are many ways to get out of this, it's a question of political and social will.
Regulations can really only go so far, because the profiteers work night and day to overcome them, bend them or break them as soon as they're instituted. This is really why it's systemic change that we need on the whole.
I like that idea of alternative competition and I think there def is an appetite for trying new things like that out there.
Billionaires are currently facing a huge branding issue as well. More and more, the younger generations recognize them as robber barons and parasites they are rather than the cool, hip image they try to project.
I strongly believe that in the coming years, society will begin to envision a new way to distribute wealth and organize economically. Talking to people, I feel like it's much more common these days being open and ready to embrace new ideas rather than not. That's definitely inspiring.