I'm demanded to agree 1000% with all you say there, and going up the totem pole is, as they say, a slippery slope. I know, because I had the chance to watch it first hand a number of times.
In my country, the publishing industry is a bit different, because anyone who can sell 500 books can get published. Although portuguese is spoken by some 400 million people, there are local divegences in the language that makes it difficult for a book published in Portugal to be sold in Brazil or Angola. You'll have to be really famous before you reach the wider market. Still, we have our number of mediocre writers selling in the wider market just because they got married into the proper media group...
I still say community bonding does better for people who are independent thinkers that dislike being impregnated by major economic or political interests. If it works for Rogan, it can possibly work for anyone. I actually think he sucks and doesn't run an honest show, just inviting in whoever is hot at the moment and allowing them to spread all kinds of lies and stupid ideas. But, that's just me, and I'm obviously wrong, because he has millions of followers and I have none.
Anyway... Keep on doing your stuff and supporting the ones who support you and you may end up developing critical mass.
Have a great day. Cheers.