"What if you believed the work in question unfairly demonized your product? What would you do then?"

Yep, Don't assume the 'other' side is just being corrupt or greedy. They could have some true believers that think you are the crackpot and being dishonest or have your own greedy / ambition motive. Look at political discussions and how few false first stories are corrected if wrong.

It gets worse if one or both sides believe "the end justifies the means".