A totally practical way to look at it is that people buy the gun they want because it's in the caliber they want.
If someone is looking for a 357 but doesn't want to pay very much, they make them. Many Taurus 357 revolvers cost less than a S&W 38 special. In fact, Taurus sells 38s and 357s at virtually the same price.
https://grabagun.com/taurus-856b2-mo...-revolver.html
https://grabagun.com/taurus-605-357mg-2-bl-fs-5rd.html
Maybe some people, jerrys, in your mind, feel they are 'forced' to buy something other than what they want. That doesn't compute. Certainly not to me. In my experience of buying guns for 40+ years, I've never felt like I bought something I didn't want. Have you?
The 38 Special is entirely practical and capable to do a lot all by itself. It's fine for self defense. It's fine for small game. It's fine for casual shooting. It's fine for super-accurate target shooting. Some folks don't feel the need for anything more powerful than that. Can't see why you might be imposing your way of thinking on everybody on the planet.
If there was no market for people to buy a mere 38 Special, manufacturers wouldn't make them. But they do. And people buy tons of them in snubby form just for self defense. That's why there are so many manufacturers that make them and in so many different models. That, in itself, contradicts what you believe. If you can't accept that, that's your problem.