I think third party grading is a good thing and has been a positive improvement for the hobby. If you use grading services you have to accept the subjective nature of it. There will always be differences in human perception of an inherently subjective process like this. Accept that or don't bother getting cards graded.
It is an enormous improvement over the old days when any card sold by a card shop was either mint or near mint. I had a few cards still in the original plastic sleeves I bought from a dealer meet at a mall in the late 80s. All were hand-marked NM. Just to test I had one graded (a '59 Rocky Colavito I think). It came back a 3.5 (slightly off center, discoloration on the back, loss of gloss probably)
It was a lot harder for novices and kids in the 80s to buy cards based on trusting the judgment of a dealer who was economically motivated to inflate values. At least with TPGs the grader is reasonably indifferent and, thus, more trustworthy.
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