The FF community is rather unfortunately plagued by morally defective, borderline-sociopathic losers. It's actually the very same lot of people that virtue signal constantly and try to uphold the supposed 'greatness' of the community (stay hydrated btw).

Projecting the illusion that we're all super nice and casting criticism in an extremely negative light is extremely beneficial to their grift, and has the wonderful side-effect of boosting their ego and public image. Somehow, this community has managed to frame calling people on their grift as a negative thing.

You aren't the victim for not using essences. You're a part of the problem, and you deserve any negative social pressure that comes your way.