"Instant plug-and-play" has pretty much become the de-facto standard for web interaction. Whether people are "smart" or not, the moment something requires a bunch of information and complex things to learn... it's considered "too complicated."

As you say, the key is to just get people to show up and get started. In time, those who actually care will continue, and those who don't... well, they weren't supposed to be here, in the first place.