There are lots of ways to cook oysters, which significantly lessens the briny taste and gelatinous texture.
While it's true that their rise in the West was mostly from clever marketing, oysters are just considered normal seafood in many countries and are cooked into dishes.
But yes, the premium price due to the raw oyster trend makes it not worth it if you live far away from the sea.
I'm sure there are some good ways to make it quite palatable but the issue is really the price that makes no sense.
In France, last time I calculated, they are more expensive by weight than a prime cut of beef, that's just dumb.
If they would make cooked products with them at a decent price I could have an interest, but since they make so much money by selling it as a delicacy with a premium price it's never going to happen.
It's just not a very competitive protein source, regardless of the taste/enjoyability and that's the issue in the end...
While it's true that their rise in the West was mostly from clever marketing, oysters are just considered normal seafood in many countries and are cooked into dishes.
But yes, the premium price due to the raw oyster trend makes it not worth it if you live far away from the sea.