This is an unhealthy and destructive opinion:
It just so happens that, usually, the interests of the whales don't align with the interests of the rest of the players.
You can state it all you want, but that doesn't make it true.
Its insulting and I'm quite sure you wouldn't appreciate people ascribing a negative connotation to you without knowing you at all.
If you want to be treated with respect, you should treat others with respect.
It's an opinion that is backed up by how a majority of the whales voted most of the time. Most people vote with their own interests in mind, I do too but I have voted against my own interests in the past because I thought it was the best. The problem is that not only the whales alone can make or break a decision, some of them are also able to influence a lot of people.
It's not even an insult. At worst, take it as me venting because I feel, yet again, that me and many others will be getting the short end of the stick.
I think its an insult to say someone doesn't care about others. I do appreciate your self reflection though. I think when you say you are 'getting the short end of the stick', you just assume that the vote went in such a way as to not give you what you want.
In this case, I do care that you don't get the short end of the stick, but I'm voting against you because I think your view of things is wrong. I of course could be wrong in my thinking, that's happened before many times. But I know why I'm voting the way I am, and I'm doing so to protect you as much as to protect me.
I don't think you or anyone else is trying to hurt the game on purpose. Unless we had an Elon Musk type of guy, so rich that he could afford a few million bucks to troll us, everyone in the ecosystem has an interest that the game has success. However, I often see decisions (some from the team) that are not good for the game or are too punishing for regular players.
People definitely make mistakes, that I agree with. I'm happy to hear that you understand people are doing their best, even if you don't agree with their conclusions.
We will learn together. And that's what will make us great in the end imo.
Thanks for the convo Olaf!