My interpretation is that he's basically calling out all of society as a kind of consumerism.
The > 40 folks spend most of their time crafting the illusion of a pursuit of meaning ("Hey, why don't you try my product or my religion or my self-help book or my investment plan or why don't you sit down and listen to what I have to say?") The < 40 folks spend most of their time experimenting with or purchasing or rejecting all the ideas/products that the > 40 folks create.
The author calls them "meaning games" because he asserts that meaning is not universal truth but more of a cultural trend. So it's a game because you never actually achieve meaning. You just play the game and constantly think you're about to achieve meaning. That creates a kind of enthalpy that perpetuates society.
I think the reference to consumerism leads ones understanding astray. It's is not particularly more apropos to consumerism then any other context of meaning. Religion, self image, ambition, love life, are all equally relevant here.
Your last paragraph captures it best, and his assertion does not seem to have any obvious contradictions in reality.
The > 40 folks spend most of their time crafting the illusion of a pursuit of meaning ("Hey, why don't you try my product or my religion or my self-help book or my investment plan or why don't you sit down and listen to what I have to say?") The < 40 folks spend most of their time experimenting with or purchasing or rejecting all the ideas/products that the > 40 folks create.
The author calls them "meaning games" because he asserts that meaning is not universal truth but more of a cultural trend. So it's a game because you never actually achieve meaning. You just play the game and constantly think you're about to achieve meaning. That creates a kind of enthalpy that perpetuates society.