Contractually Stupid

We as a society have become contractually stupid.  We sign contracts all the time and do not understand what they mean.  Why do we do this?  Part of it is lack of concentration.  Businessweek reports that only 1 in 8 Americans can read long, dense text and comprehend it.  This means that only 12.5% of the population ever understands the contracts they are signing.  This is how we get into messes like the credit bubble where people took out these ridiculous loans.  Most reports I am seeing are not for people who bought a reasonably priced home for their income but for people who make $30k per year taking out loans for $300K houses (as an example).  No one can afford a house that is ten times what they make in a year.  That is just contractual stupidity.  If you cannot understand the contract please ask someone to help you understand it (this should not be the sales person).  Whether it is cell phones, electric bill, car loan, or home mortgage read the contract.  You never know what some lawyer has slipped into the contract that you may not like.