It's literally making the game worse for one group of people. It's not being pragmatic or needing a reward, it's about the game not being as fun for large group of people as for the other with NOTHING in the end for them. Being good and wise in here makes no difference because NOTHING changes and automatically putting Tadpoles into your head is somehow not a stupid and evil choice which it should be.
Like I said, I don't expect you to get it. What you are describing is called an "external locus of control" - the fun of the game is dependent on how the game rewards you for what you perceive to be good choices. Whether those rewards are based in the story or actual power. Not just that but also the belief that others should be punished for what they choose to do - like this is a mother goose fable.
So can you describe what fun is for you? Because to me it sounds like punishing what you see as bad people and rewarding yourself are what you think of as fun.