I would venture to say that many of the people selling those poles don't know how to use them either.

IMO learning to use poles is not like learning how to swim or how to ski. A 10 minute lesson and a little practice should suffice. With some people it's instinctive. Leki has this on their website. Should be all most folks need.

As with any other consumer product whether it be a blender or a parachute, proper use and care is the responsibility of the buyer. Unfortunately lots of people don't take the time to get to know their gear. I've been on trips with folks who fired up their new stoves or set up their new tents for the first time.

Personally I'm not going to lose too much sleep over other people not using their equipment properly unless they're a danger to themselves or others. Occasionally if I see someone really suffering from something easily corrected I'll make a subtle suggestion but that's about it.