Here we encounter an apparent dilemma. I think that the answer lies in the changing nature of our profession. Let's face it, microcomputer programmers have always been loners and have glorified the loner lifestyle. But as our projects have grown larger, more and more people have gotten sucked into them. We've gotten more crowded, and when you're crowded, you need somebody to keep everyone off each other's toes.
Strict egalitarianism works well in the Wild West, where individuals are miles apart.
In the crowded cities, it's not so good a fit. As game design becomes less and less like the Wild West and more and more like the crowded cities, expect the historical egalitarianism of programmers to be edged aside for more pragmatic styles.