If you're in the industry and used to this, it "doesn't seem crazy" but it feels completely insane to most other professions. I only realized how completely lord of the flies it was after reading this and thinking about it if I was a teacher, doctor, lawyer, firefighter, journalist...
I can absolutely understand how this feels news worthy to those outside of tech.
It should be more controversial and the fact that people are saying "hey this is just how it works" is part of the problem.
I'm not sure where you're getting that impression from, law (and many other professions that operate under partnership like structures) often have an up or out system that is significantly more brutal than this. No room for expert operators to stay at a particular level, you get promoted or you leave.
I can absolutely understand how this feels news worthy to those outside of tech.
It should be more controversial and the fact that people are saying "hey this is just how it works" is part of the problem.