Yes, you are totally correct that as per the technical requirements of a witness may be to simply ensure a node is up and running, please take into consideration that back in February of 2018 when I decided to run a witness campaign, we were on Steem.

My motives were never money driven, nor status driven, nor power (i.e. top 20).
My motives were back then more along the lines of the "Governance" side of things, with an emphasis on Representation and Lobbying.
Doing my best to ensure that those on Steem who were clearly neglected in many ways that lead many of them to leave over time, could actually see "Witnesses" lobbying for their constructive and very proactive suggestions and feasible contributions to future implementation on the chain (code).

This is now changing.

I listed the sources to back that statement.

So now, anyone, including myself can contribute, without feeling a need to have the word "Witness" next to their name.

Likewise, as you clearly state, ANYONE can run a node and that is more than desirable. Hence why I made sure that at the very end of the post, it is clear that if "I a normie could have a witness node up and running, anyone can."

Sure, it takes money and time, but the point is, we have wonderful people on Hive who are willing to assist people in setting up a node. Some as a commercial service, some as fellow Hive enthusiasts who simply want to help the chain expand.

We are actually seeing more and more witness nodes being set up, that too adds to all the great positivity on Hive. In fact, the most positive thing in all this is that we are finally becoming and creating a path to what many of us dreamed of back in 2017, but in accordance with the needs of 2021.

This is too wonderful in my mind, it is a success. It fulfills most of what was behind the motivation that lead me to start a witness campaign.

It is all positive. Nothing negative. We need to keep this momentum building and I can contribute to that as a Hive loyalist. 100%. & I will. My priorities have not changed.