I've always felt that what most easily ruins people's mindset about options isn't the direction, but time.

Buyers wake up every day being slowly eaten away by time value; even if the underlying asset doesn't move, they still lose money.
Sellers see the premium as attractive, but honestly, they're bearing the "tail risk," earning small amounts normally, but one big wave can wipe out all their previous gains.
Anyway, when I sell options, I force myself to watch the margin and worst-case scenarios, or I can't sleep peacefully.
If you're a buyer, don't expect to "break even after waiting"; time isn't on your side.
Recently, the NFT royalty debate has been raging, and it also seems similar: creators want continuous income, traders want cheaper and more liquid options, but in the end, it's all about fighting over who pays the "time cost."