Welcome @Quantumplation , this is a very reflected and sober thread. Not sure if you want me to address every Tweet on it’s own or only clarifications on the selection process.
Because technically, there are not many changes. We handpicked a bigger list before with the same criteria, then did a random draw. Now we are picking them directly. There is no deviation from the core strategy of “Supporting the Architects of the Future”: https://forum.cardano.org/t/cardano-foundations-new-delegation-methodology-supporting-the-architects-of-the-future/79594 . Sample excerpts:
We want to support the people who create value on Cardano; who build the tools that others can use to build on Cardano; that contribute to projects like the Developer Portal ; who create Cardano Improvement Proposals (CIP) ; and participate in the discussions to define new standards.
We want to encourage people that are active in the Cardano Stack Exchange (CSE) and the Cardano Forum.
We want to encourage people to build what that community needs, create open-source solutions, and help the ecosystem thrive.