Your examples just show that your first sentence is wrong :) Actually, MVP IS about building the smallest thing possible that someone would use - paying for it or just using the process - and it's not about 50-50 decisions.

The idea behind MVP is simple enough: market response is more important and more accurate than anything you can ever do yourself - so the most important thing you can do is get it. The best way to get it is be out there fast, however - in order to get something that's worth something you need to give something meaningful (value) - and the result is the MVP.

MVP doesn't mean you don't have to work at it - it means you have to THINK about it a lot.. and be very connected to your market.