Maybe the best comment on Steem I've ever seen, administrative assistant Vitalik really got me! (this is Kevin, thanks for the awesome comment)
When it comes to the launch - BPs are fragmenting off into alliances to launch their own chains. Community will be dragged along to whichever chain reaches 15% vote first and activates. It's a race. The first EOS token to be active and listed on exchanges, gain market share and a price, all the other BPs will then gravitate towards that One True Chain so they can get elected.
It's better for a BP to be paid as standby #62 on a new EOS chain with a $5 token, than it is to be #2 on a different chain with tokens worth $0.
In short, whales will activate a chain and we'll all have our shiny EOS soon. It's not perfect but in the long run, will work itself out.
Go EOS!
RE: Virginia Tech, Vitalik Buterin, Tulip conference, etc - News & Meetups - EOSRad.io - EP #13