I think most people had genuinely different reactions than you, and found Slack to be a better UX. I still do. But yes, it was also a proprietary trap. it can be both. but for many many many people Slack was a much better experience than IRC, they weren't just "tricked" into thinking this.
Well said, it’s a red flag for me if someone both states that they “can’t understand what others like about [thing]” AND then assumes that means they’ve been tricked or they’re stupid or sheep or something else… it’s like, other people having completely reasonable reasons that you just don’t happen to know what they are couldn’t possibly be a possibility.
