I think your assumption that a litigious society has made all products safe is not a good one. Don't believe me? Go ahead and try to sue 'Hylix Carbon Engineering' (or Alibaba) in a Chinese court.
As for comfort, very likely the reason it wound up in a thrift store is that someone bought the saddle off Alibaba for $5 and regretted it immediately the first time they sat on it. It is a saddle for people who build bikes for the sole purpose of weighing them, and likely will not be good for riding.