Hmm, interesting topic. I largely agree, but it's people's subjective play experiences we are talking about or rather, people's subjective play experiences being projected onto the Eve collective consciousness.
Then there's the lifecycle thing. This is already Eve II, or Eve III. When you join the game, you adopt the current game mechanics and cultural attitudes as the game that is Eve, but change from this state is inevitable.
People complain about change if CCP introduces it. "The game is no longer the same game." People complain about a lack of change if CCP doesn't introduce it. "Factional Warfare is still useless." People become BitterVets or leave.
The next wave of people, adopting the latest prevailing reality of game mechanics and cultural attitudes as "the game", wonder at the BitterVets who seem out of touch. But the new folks enjoy the game until they too start complaining. They enter the change/stagnancy cycle.
The subsequent wave of people, adopting the status quo, wonder at the huge horde BitterVets who seem out of touch and divisive amongst themselves... and so it goes on.
It's fascinating really.