In fact, I changed my mind somewhat on that.  I thought it was a network necessity, because I made the error of thinking that with the LN network, it was impossible for "money to continue to go around in circles", somewhat akin, in electrical engineering, to push a DC current through a network of capacitors.  As channels can be pushed all the way, and cannot transmit in the same direction any more, I erroneously thought that this would kill every circular, steady motion of money.  I thought that the only way out was a central hub.  But in fact, Carliton Banks made me see my error.  So that argument doesn't count any more.

There may still be a centralizing dynamics in LN, nevertheless, like in every system with stakes and rewards.  But there's no theoretical necessity any more as I thought there was.   I see the main application of the LN, however, not in paying.  In my mind, crypto has nothing to do with currencies, but all with speculation.  Speculation, to me, is the art of extracting honest value produced by others in return for illusions, and leave them stripped.  Speculation is necessary to build evil empires.  LN channels seem like a great way to have "funds on an exchange".  It would be a first step to HF trading.  In that case, however, the natural way to pay through LN, would be to use your exchange as your "bank".