This is actually a really good point. And I would put a lot more weight into the "hacky" nature of some devs if the end result was actually fixing the broken things. Core literally changes documentation to say that the broken thing was fine all along. Or actively makes the broken thing easier to do.
Discussion
I think the problem originated when the term 'core developer' started. The appeal to authority logical fallacy it taught at a very early age to almost everyone, and most fail to unlearn it.
Agree. Just because you CAN contribute to the development of the Core client somehow, first of all doesn't mean you should, secondly it doesn't give your opinion any additional weight as far as understanding the purpose of Bitcoin. If your ideas suck, I don't care what you do, in or out of Bitcoin. And just because you understand how some code works doesn't mean that this code should be there.
Yes and github was designed for a completely different paradigm of corporate development. The tooling is enabling this mindset which I think is an underrated problem. And I mean specifically the mindset of the authority.
Yes. The authority wielded by the current Core team is the specific problem here. Their fiat decree dictates how the plebs should behave. I will not comply.