Gath and others make good points.

The ability to hold more than a couple pearls contributes to many unloyal players. At the same time it does create community bonds which I'm sure many servers lack if they're similar to my own.

The fact that a clique breaks off of a linkshell to create their own is something that will happen in any MMO and I have seen, as well as been a part of, myself. I know it sucks, badly, and any mechanic preventing such things to happen I fully endorse (and each time those shells died). This creates some serious drama and drama in a small community really fks sh!t up when you want to build a better one

Many truly don't want to be competitive. I play a PvE game so I didn't require being overly competitive. Yeah, it's carebear-ish, but it's PvE! If I wanted to wtfpwn I'd be playing Call of Duty. Saying that, I do agree that competition is healthy and starts fires under peoples asses and having more roaming nms is but one example (claim wars are fking dumb, surely there's a better way).

As much as I agree and disagree with the OP it's good to see that he gives a sh!t and wants something done. Many of his concerns can be addressed through in game mechanics but the majority of them can be solved by the players themselves. Find you a shell and stick to it. If you don't like it, drop it and move on. Don't just change crests and never talk in the old one .. fking go! Work on your personal goal and don't be selfish with your time and work on the shell's goal. Hopefully they are similar for if they are great things will happen.