Alphadude, What you're wanting to do (My interpretation) is "Raise the Bar" at the site, just as our industry has been doing for years. (INPO wouldn't fib to us would they?) It's an admirable aspiration but I don't think it'll ever happen completely.
People being people, especially people who spend a lot of time working 12 hour days, are going to blow off steam when & where they can. That's one of the functions of the site. The cool thing is that Mike trusts us to for the most part be human prodding us back to reality when the limit is reached or passed.
People want to discuss Politics & Religion, a Politics & Religion board is formed. (You get the picture.) I think the "gossip & trivial issues" will always be there in one form or another. How far it goes depends on our reaction to it when it appears.
I'd come up with more but I've been up almost a day so I'll see if sleep helps.
It's basically member driven. Run it up the flagpole (Which you've done) & see if it flies.