My understanding is that the GFS operational runs at a higher resolution than it's ensembles. Each ensemble has a slightly different starting criteria which then can lead to a variety of different outcomes. The mean is just an average of all of the runs put together so is useful in seeing the overall trend.
The same can be said about the royal family, but they're given everything going. And even their lives are protected more than mine. You can say everyone should have the same importance, and that's a lovely ideal. It's not reality though.