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Sorry, but i see that you have no idea what linux is.

First, "* Goal description via dependencies" means that you set a goal, like "i want to use kde". then upstart looks what applications are needed for this, and then starts them in the best and fastest order.

then, * Multithreaded launch whenever deps allow it, to speed up boot-up and shutdown"
This is very usefull. When you wake up your lan connection, most of the time a dhcp request is sent out. during the waiting, nothing else happens. Anyway, a big part of the booting process is spent with waiting (dhcp answer, dns answer, reading config files), during this time other applications can start. You realy missed the point of multithread.

then, "I completely fail to see the point of runlevels other than normal and single-user/"safe-mode". "
Again, your perhaps a linux desktop user (well, i doupt that you use linux anyway), so you migth not know. You can have a linux box, and want it to do different things, like server, and desktop (perhaps desktop when you want to condfigure it). Or you have a runlevel for different server types. there are so many possibilities, sure, there is no use for a desktop machine, but for servers it can be very usefull.