Anime

you can buy all these cool things

Well, not everything. For example, in which store can you buy a "Heroist" or a "Revan"? Nowhere, I just "met" them by chance. Or in which store can you buy a good childhood? Nowhere either, I was just lucky. These kinds of things can't be bought. You can't just walk into a store and say, "Give me those awesome people and those awesome life events." Well, you get the idea.

but buying them will require resources, which you'll have to spend those efforts on. And spending efforts is a waste of time, a vicious cycle and a paradox that can't be resolved in any way.

Yes, that's exactly how it is regarding what can be bought.