re: HTTP/2, yes, everyone is well aware it didn't allow HTTP connections from the start. But there was no risk of HTTP/1.1 going away at that time. And you can technically still use a non-CA self signed cert for the implementations of HTTP/2 in major browsers. But it is also a bad protocol like HTTP/3.
I have no idea what conspiracy theory stuff you're going on about. People just haven't thought through the consequences of these design decisions outside of their work headspace bubble. Much like with WEI.