So, would you all be happier if they just renamed the system to fool you into thinking you're getting extra experience? This truly seems to be an issue of perspective.

If you're out of surplus, your experience bar is Green instead of white and a message pops up telling you that you get additional experience. When you hit 10% surplus, it tells you that your experience bonus has been reduced. Repeat ad nauseum.

Is that more palatable? Because it's the same thing.

You guys have got to be realistic about it, you cannot have it both ways, i.e. no surplus AND the current experience curve. SE is still in the business of being a business, and they want their players to play for longer. If you did have it both ways, you'd grow bored as you hit r50 in two weeks. Stop wanting immediate gratification.

It should not go away, any alternative is worse.