I was hoping for an article that offers some explanations rather than a blog post that is actually just asking the question.

The first thought the headline provoked in my mind is the strange proliferation of "services" that are really just monthly payments for thing I used to be able to buy (and usually still can). It started with software, where at least some argument can be made around ongoing support. But now it's just everything. I don't understand how these companies make money. Are there people out there with dozens of subscriptions for various things, adding up to many hundreds of dollars every month? Do they even know what they are spending? Perhaps that is the business model... get people to forget they are paying you.