The idea of it being tainted either now or in the long run assumes we can predict the future based on how things are running on Steem now. Isn't more steem generated as more users come online? And wouldn't that mean that more dolphins and whales will be created as we move forward and steemit grows?
If not, you can bet your wallet that someone will figure out a way to either improve Steemit and make it better. Or, someone will create a more balanced system with more egalitarian rules.