Unless you're a software developer or have a really good understanding of the Steem blockchain it's easy to think that whales are ruining everything.

What many people fail to understand is exactly what you say:
SMTs can be used to plug all the holes in the system.
If you think Steem is corrupt then move to something more fair.

People are way to impatient so they just assume it's all going to crash and burn. They can't see how this platform could possibly change from the way things are, even though it's changing very quickly from a month to month basis.