I'd also say people should not focus too much on these XRPs. The original concept of Ripple (it was conceived in 2004) is not about a built-in unit, but rather about peer-to-peer bartering and banking with any currency, even Ithaca Hours or whatever. Thus, this is not OpenCoin propaganda.

These XRPs seem to be a technical necessity for the current implementation of Ripple. As long as they solely function in a role as some kind of stamps, I wouldn't mind much if there is a little centralization to them. But if people hype it up into a proper, widespread currency, and if also the OpenCoin organization wants them to become more valuable, then it's indeed problematic.