You said "better" and "critical failures," that's for sure.
It's your contention that the classes teach the same basic skills. In fact they probably do.. but then I've seen divers with NSS cavern certifications that don't have nearly the level of skill required to pass a Fundamentals class. And I've seen certified cave divers doing some really boneheaded things diving some really boneheaded gear.
I'm not saying that you do, or even that most cave divers do. But obviously there are instructors out there teaching cave classes that are really, for lack of a better term, dumb.
I'm quite sure your skills are at a very high level, and I commend you for that. I also don't hesitate to commend cave instructors who are teaching their students high levels of skill.
However, GUE is attempting to create a very consistent level of admittedly high skill among its divers. It's also attempting to create a very consistent set of gear and procedures among its divers, partly in order to foster the team concept.
It would appear to me that you are railing against the attitudes of some divers who claim to be DIR. That is of course perfectly acceptable... in my opinion, anyone with that much of an ego deserves it. However, that ego is not universally displayed by everyone associated with GUE, so perhaps you should reserve the criticism for the divers who display such bravado, and not everyone who believes in the system?