So by that reasoning, do you think that you should be able buy elite explorer without doing any exploration?
Maybe this just isn't the game for you. You seem to want instant gratification, this isn't that game. Also, I have a hard time believing that you've put 3,500 hours into this game but can't stomach the rank grind or travelling 5k LY.
I seriously doubt the guy was attempting to equate the big three to navy rank grinding.
The BIG Three ranks in the game I do not consider to be the same thing as the military/navy ranks. Those are specific to the three primary activities in the game (COMBAT, TRADE, EXPLORATION). Unlike the navy ranks that are purely arbitrary in their contribution to player skills, the Big Three do focus a player on those specific aspects of gameplay.
Being able to BUY your way to ELITE Status would defeat the purpose of those ranks, while at the same time providing the player with ZERO additional in-game experience/skill as related to those three specific areas.
P.S. And while we are on the subject of ED's long list of grinds...
I'm not a fan of the Prof. Palin unlock grind either. While the various requirements make sense as they apply to this Engineer's in-game focus, once again they strike me as over the top in terms of the raw numbers being required. Especially now that Palin is figuring significantly in the Thargoid story arc.
So if you want to fully participate in the whole Thargoid base stuff, you really need to have access to those special Meta Alloy Cargo Racks. This puts up a HUGE barrier for a lot of time constrained players, and those new to the game such as the new PS4 community. These folks can't just head out and enjoy all this new Alien focused content. They first have to grind through the Palin unlock requirements before they can even get started.
That for many players is unacceptable, and they will simply PASS on the new content that they paid real money to experience.