So... this horrible problem that you feel the need to complain about consists of two pairs out of eight being occupied by linked repeaters in your area. And that leaves you with 'only' six channels for your preferred 50W simplex activity.
IOW, you have the exact same number of linked repeaters in your "general area" as we have here in the MSP/STP metro. Yet no one gets bent out of shape over that situation here. If they don't want to listen to linked traffic, they use the other six channels. Using a repeater is not "tying it up". Perhaps other people would consider your use of the other un-linked pairs to be "tying up" the frequency with "useless chatter" that has no relevance to their lives.
It really doesn't matter why GMRS was created. Many of the Services created by the FCC have taken off in different ways than the FCC originally envisioned. What matters to the FCC is that they are used in compliance with the regulations. So please don't imply that the FCC is backing you up in your crusade against "useless chatter". CB, for example, strictly forbade "skip" contacts since its creation (QSOs over 150 miles, specifically). Yet, in the last Part 97 overhaul, they eliminated that restriction. CB was originally conceived as a licensed service, yet that didn't matter to the FCC when they eliminated the need for a license. VHF marine used to require an examination and a marine operators permit. Yet, the FCC did away with that and reduced it to a Restricted Radiotelephone permit with no exam. When the FCC created GMRS, they didn't envision the FRS. Yet, they made sweeping changes to expand FRS use in traditionally GMRS space. Certainly, linked repeaters were never envisioned when the FCC created the Amateur service, nor packet or satcom. Instead, these new uses were accommodated.
There is nothing in the GMRS regulations that require conversations be erudite, sparkling, or serious. There are limitations on profanity, of course. But I've heard plenty of "family" conversations that would fit the category of "useless chatter". That doesn't bother me, or anyone else. Change the channel. You admit that only two pairs in your area contain this "useless chatter", so you have options.
It's not that dead air is "worrisome", as you put it. Not even sure where you came up with that strawman. As a licensed ham, I can recall curmudgeons bitterly complaining about Echolink and IRLP traffic on local repeaters when that began a decade ago. They employed the same arguments as you do: it's not what 2M FM was intended for, and some people didn't have deadly serious discussions of RF theory. If that's what you want, you should get your General license and operate on HF, they said. They lost that battle to keep ham radio firmly in the past. As it turned out, a lot of hams enjoyed being able to talk to people in other countries simply by accessing their local FM repeater. Those that didn't like it went elsewhere, and nobody missed them.
In short, it seems to me that you simply resent people enjoying themselves on the radio. I'd suggest that you move to amateur radio, but those attitudes have faded away in that service over the past decade. There are still a few sour hams shaking their fists at the clouds, snarling about Dumb People, and pretending the FCC would be outraged about it if they only knew. But they are dwindling rapidly.
GMRS is now seen as a tool to build communities on-air. That's the purpose it serves here. And I really doubt the FCC is bothered by that.
- KAF6430