Standards are needed to make sure we have a minimum level of functions in the products we buy, and they are needed to make sure products are not dangerous, and work together. There is clearly a need for standards - even if the process sometimes goes overboard, such as for the curvature of cucumbers.
Different cultures have different attitudes.
In some countries, even governement standardization is anathema. There is only one world, and if international calls are to be possible, there has to be standards. The process of governement standardization is slow, and by getting together, companies can sometimes bring research out of universities much faster. This benefits the public, since new products which perform better and interoperate emerge at a faster rate. The process is good when it leads to new products and services.