I agree with you on everything. I'm always on the lookout for tricky phrases that sound like logic but are really only designed to manipulate you. "Pick your battles" is certainly one of those. "Be a team player," etc...

You make fantastic points any one of which could be the basis for an article.

I've written a lot of articles with a similar perspective and it's amazing the weird attacks I get (mainly from random strangers with only 2 followers). One could be tricked into thinking his/her position is wrong because it doesn't conform to the main stream. That, of course, is the whole point.

Keep shouting the truth! The more of us who speak up, the louder we get!