Some of their worst criminals were also their brightest scientists. Like Jax-Ur who blew up Krypton's moon Wegthor. Also, allegedly other scientists who were supposedly equally bright thought Jor-El was wrong. The Council were supposed to the the wisest minds on Krypton. In practice they probably weren't, but that was the reason they were chosen for that honor.
I guess my main beef is how cold Byrne made Kryptonians. It's just incredibly off-putting, IMHO, and (to be completely honest) I'm glad that version is gone (for the most part, anyway)
As I said earlier, though, it's just a personal preference. I just don't see the point of a Superman that comes from a place far worse off than our own (although with the current situation where people can't really touch each other that much and have to wear certain protective garments to protect each other/ourselves from viruses, it doesn't seem that we're terribly far off, which kind of makes me dislike it all the more, quite frankly).
Byrne's take also gave birth to the whole "Clark is who I am. Superman is what I can do" description that I just never cared for in the least.
Like I said, though, if it works for others, good for them.
Keep in mind that you have about as much chance of changing my mind as I do of changing yours.
I liked the idea of Krypton being destroyed as a result of a war. I feel like it gives a better excuse as to why almost no one else escaped Krypton: the idea that outside of Krypton is more dangerous.
The problem with Kryptonians being super cold is that it comes off as an unrealistic representation of a civilization IMO.
If it's the entire race in an alien monoculture, yes, unrealistic. But as something the aristocracy do because they think they're better than everyone else? totally works.
also the idea of Krypton's destruction being the end result of a war has a lot of merit. Kryptonian society was a set of city-states that often went to war with each other.... with super tech.