How old is this article? What is this stupidity that “they all wanted to hang on to”. So far as I know, scientists have recognized the movement of the Hawaiian hot spot for quite a number of years. Another one is the island chain to the east of the Caribbean plate. There is currently an underwater volcano called Kicking Jenny, or something like that that is almost up to the surface.
1999, I think it was, in New Scientist. The movement of hotspots remains a problem and controversial.