Can't we just all fly procedurally with 4D Navigation and do away with ATC altogether? They stick us all into small corridors of their choosing and then earn a fortune keeping us apart in those corridors. If there was no ATC, we'd find a way to work it out. If there were no planes, ATC wouldn't exist.
ATC in general is a great example of a monopoly providing a poor service to paying customers who have no choice but to use it. It makes them lazy and slow to adapt to the changing priorities of their customers.
Which is the dog, which is the tail?