Apoc, judging from the above and from other comments, it seems that many community members believe that the harvesting mechanic is only a part of the problem. It seems that the unit designs and overall atmosphere of the game break the suspension of disbelief. That's like shattering a vase: once it's broken, it can't be easily repaired, and even if it is, it still seems disjointed.
The simple fact is, a lot of fans, including myself, believe C&C4 is taking a few too many breaks from reality.