Right now I do think that Bitcoin price is 90% manipulated BS.
I believe you may not be giving enough credit to simple chaos.
I know the feeling you mention but what worries me is that I might start believing in some kind of conspiracy where the top 50 Bitcoiners - those rich ones - are all in league with eachother, rubbing their hands with glee as they fleece everybody.
An unlikely scenario, I think you'll agree?
No, things are more chaotic than that. That's not to say that there aren't large whales about, but as I've said before and as has been backed up here by at least one big whale, I do not believe that generally they are in cohorts with eachother to get as much out of the market as possible.
But yes they may try to move the markets individually. But then I bet they lose out often enough when the market swings back and slaps them across the face. Just look at this weekend for example. Magic!
It's also important to note that certain large whales probably want to keep most of their coins for the long term, as by doing so they will own significant "shares" (for want of a better word) in a great global payments system. And that will count for a lot.
It might sound like a joke, but I believe that in the markets the day of the plankton is coming now. Arise plankton, with your micro-payments and your Bitcoin burgers!