Steps to reproduce:
Look at the included files
Note how it includes tons of duplicates that change nothing from vanilla
Alternatively, for an in-game effect:
Create a datapack that changes something unrelated, like a damage type
Add that datapack with the update_1_21 pack above it and vanilla below it
Note how the changes from your datapack do not take effect at all.
Expected outcome:
The update_1_21 pack contains only files that are actually different from vanilla.
so that's why i couldn't play on 23w42a