The entire ‘Dangerous’ concept of Elite Dangerous is a projected one. Frontier Developments did not set out to establish the current environment in which the game now exists, that was totally player driven, or rather exploited.
FD set out on day 1 to provide a single player version of the game as well as a multiplayer version, born out of discussions during the backers period, some even wanted a totally off-line version.
What we have works as intended, and FD actually enabled a great concept because the play style is not dictated, which means the game gives player’s greater freedom. To project the myth that Elite Dangerous is ‘no rules’ and ‘anything goes’ is a naive one, because FDs early concept for the game had more of chivalrous nature to it, which simply was skirted over by many simply due to poor implementation and FD not really understanding player driven behaviour, so players exploited it, and that’s OK.
Elite Dangerous is Open, Private and Solo. That’s how it was designed from day 1.
If people like PVP then it’s Open, if they prefer co-op it’s Private and P-E it’s Solo, or like some it’s all 3.
Some people just don’t want to play with others - for whatever reason and ED caters to that which is it’s charm.
Open isn’t really that perilous, it depends on how you play, if you aren’t aware of the grief hot-spots then your going to get grief, and visa-versa, but go out a few LY and the galaxy is more or less empty. I play Open mostly, and have maybe got griefed 3 times in 6 year’s, didn’t put up a fight, just moved on because it didn’t concern me, other occasions I’ve white-knighted and actively baited and won against griefers, but mostly I don’t see anyone, because I don’t go looking for them, and that suits me fine.