I do generally agree with you somewhat, but I don’t really agree with your tone as people who feel the other way are objectively incorrect on their opinion. It definitely isn’t an explanation. Like you said, maybe audiences can infer it, but there was no attempt to really explain it. It is intentionally a mystery. We’re talking about JJ Abrams after all.

I actually prefer the idea that TFA presents that you laid out, of Snoke being another Force-sensitive being just biding his time, sort of like how Mother Talzin is presented in the Clone Wars. Another Force-sensitive being waiting to fill the vacuum of power.

I think one reason people had issue with Snoke because he just appears to be a copy of the Emperor. Essentially, they’re both just old, pale men in bath robes. At least TLJ gave him golden robes, implying that he has a taste for opulence, which kind of sets him apart from Palpatine. I guess you could argue he was intentionally emulating the Emperor in order to fit that role people would expect of a Supreme Leader. But again, a lot of this is implication, and there is little effort to really explore it at all.