For me, bitcoin integrating with tradfi was inevitable. People still have the option to create their own utxos should they need to, whether government approved or not. So I wouldn't necessarily call that corruption. The majority will use bitcoin like they use the internet.

Devs scared to meege protocol changes for fear of backlash and/or people distorting others' sense of the consensus for such changes - that I could believe. Although I wouldn't be surprised if Simplicity came along, got activated with minimal fuss, stunning CTV/etc supporters. Because people are confusing being loud on twitter for consensus. Maybe nothing is being activated because things are being worked on they need time to cook. (This is all speculation on my behalf - I have no idea.)

But my main point here is the potential for corruption of the protocol itself - for the door to slightly open for something like actual transaction censorship due to a protocol change. And that maybe such a thing wouldn't be bitcoin's death knell