>exactly same centralized, privately controlled and owned model as the status quo I thought we all agreed on was problematic. Really?

Artificial scarcity, exclusivity and FOMO are the entire value proposition of clubhouse (and crypto to a large degree). It's a digital nightclub. There is no other reason why in the year 2021 when Elon Musk gives a talk only 5k people can listen in a 'room'.

And yes it is ironic, and deeply depressing that the internet, where we can theoretically send stuff for free at virtually zero-cost, is segmented exactly like the real world. But it makes sense if you look at it like zero-sum spaces where people fight for attention and resources with very little intrinsic value creation.