If kindness were what people want in their products or a company that builds products then it would be competitive. It's not, which is why it had to be imposed.
In truth though, that was not kindness, it's a set of policies that those who support them call kindness (either as marketing or belief). Most people don't agree, which is why things are changing. Actual kindness still exists and is widespread, and people want more of it.
I hate to belabour the point, but it does give me the opportunity to mangle a well known aphorism: one man's integrity is another man's poison. "Most people" disagree with you on the integrity point, as recent events show.
As to growth, I agree, it's often taken as too negative a signal, but if a tech company isn't growing then it's as sign that it's not innovating. Other companies will.
> I’m sure most people would be fine with Apple having flat revenue and not sacrificing their integrit
How about people who own stock in apple, for example in their 401k or taxpayer funded pension plans, which directly mean higher taxes if equities do not perform.
Honestly I don't think it has to do with sucking up; X is a massive platform, and I wouldn't be surprised if they saw their numbers take a hit. The people who are mad at X probably don't use it, and thus won't know if they start or stop advertising on the site.
Sad to watch the era of relative democracy and freedom seeming to come to an end, let's hope it's just a near-death experience.