The hill I will die on

Im sorry to be such a contrarian, Stars can be a popularity contest, but it doesn't have to be! It is up to the public to decide what each stars is, and from my experience of playing 80+ stars. I think it usually winds up being a strategy contest. I have always been grossed out by the idea of everyone mindlessly flocking to hand the win to a flavor. It's giving mega "Follow The Leader" Vibes. I don't see any beauty in an overwhelming favorite, I do however see a lot of beauty in the underdogs trying to fight and to find a way to overcome the odds. Why is it such a common theme to reward the person that can't escape the block over the person who pulled all the strings?