In my experience: the higher up the management chain, the higher the chance that they are just in for the bonuses - not for the company / industry. And those bonuses are always bound to these numbers which need to go up. When the numbers go down, these people are long gone.
The first people to leave aren’t going to be the clock punchers, it will be the best and brightest who can easily find other jobs.
Yes. But some of them are also the most expensive ones, so when they leave costs go down. And we all know “numbers must go up” (=cost must go down).
There is also no requirement to be a “good guy” to attend the conference.
Correct. But it’s kind of the inevitable outcome that only “good guys” attend. Why would any bad actor go there and risk being exposed / caught…
You are correct. It was a monoculture forest and designed to be cut down sooner or later anyway.
Most importantly no stupid face with a angry/surprised/whatever expression.
You really took the downvotes with grace.