Accelerators remind me of those companies that claim they can help you 'become a model' by paying for crappy head shots and helping you through their connections (and taking a percentage in the process).

Many startup founders treat these accelerators like the end goal and give up when they don't actually make it.

I would argue that accelerators are actually the sign of a more mature market. Everyone smells money and you now have the scammers, con artists, and the mediocre trying to make a buck.