It's important to understand that minnow/dolphin/whalehood encompasses our whole lives, not just steemit.
If you're a whale in life, it's easy to become a whale on steemit - you just buy a million Steem.
Advancing up the economic ladder on Steem requires a smart financial process in ones life, IMO.
Life is one SOB when it comes to lessons learned and no job is easy, every job requires us to put in 110% if we want to make it.
So I fully agree with that point you've made.
As far as being a Whale in life goes... the more they invest here, the better it shall be for all of us who BELIEVE (as per my post).