Is it?
I think Bioware went over the line a lot. Not everyone is a kid who can or want to play the same game for years daily 2-3 hours. Someone with a job/wife/kids/pets/other hobbies has zero chance to get a decent manifest with only a few hours played weekly. I think that is a very bad approach.
Yes but that's common in many online games, especially MMO:s, they design higher difficulties for those that have the time and interest in spending a lot of time on the same game. WoW is a good example of that, you won't get to do the most challenging PVE raids or play the highest level in the PVP arena unless you dedicate a lot of time. It's a balance between hardcore and casual gamer needs, some people don't mind grinding on for a very long time on the highest challenge levels to get the best stuff while some prefer or only have the possibility to put in an hour here and there.
MEMP have that, Gold/Platinum for those that play a lot and Bronze/Silver for the more casual - what's to say that the casual should dictate the terms for those that enjoy and have the possibility to invest a lot of time? Why should that casual gamer enjoy the same rewards as the hardcore grinder? Rather make the game pointless for many.