My reply here is just bout the one quote. I more or less agree with the sentiment of your post. But..

Isn't the goal of tetris to not build the wall!?!?

I think the point of the game tetris is to build a wall or at least could be thought of that way. Each line that you completed and moves off the bottom of the screen is a completed section of wall and the goal is to make a hole free wall for as long as you can.