When you're working with a system managing orders, where there's a direct human interaction with the algorithm (like the top-level poster is), simplicity is somewhat important. When you're working with a system that's designed to look like magic to the end user, making the system more magical is often better, because it makes it less intuitive to game.
Besides, the math made no effort to write the sentences. ;)
I think as comments get higher to the top, people start voting them down more, which might not be the cases for comments which are rising (theory: people reading further down in the comment section are possibly more thoughtful and more likely to upvote, while at the top the ADHD crowd might be more likely to knee jerk downvote?).
In any case, i've recently changed my default sort to "top" and feel it's an improvement.
Webmasters * constantly* complain about the impenetrability of the 'algorithm' and how it constantly changes for secret reasons.
So you're right in a way---the demand side doesn't care how you manage to curate supply, but supply is intimately aware of your curation and worries about being unfairly demerited.