i guess if i thought the middle men were doing an OK job, i wouldnt have much of a problem with it, and if the curation were open to anyone i wouldnt have a problem with users doing it and the best curation lists getting the whales vote.
the problem i see is basically the same problem as the "botbait" authors these lists seem to have replaced. There isnt really a competition because these few guys are just on a list. Its not like a competing curator/curation list could come out and beat them out.