It definitely exposes the people who just want to see the world burn...
I was a day one player, played it so much in the first year, but had a bad experience in one session that really soured me on it. Took a few months and I was back to finally get to pirate legend. Since then I play on and off. The initial complaints about the game lacking content were entirely valid, but over time they've layered on so many different things that the world feels a lot more alive and there's always something different to do. I think it's also a game of moments, the emergent stuff is what really makes the game shine.... Except when you're being attacked by another crew, then a skeleton galleon rises from the waves next to you, then a megalodon starts circling you, then a kraken appears (true story).