Micro Game or Macro Game?

In high ranked games what makes the difference? What sets you apart? What makes you Platinum instead of Gold? What makes you Challenger instead of Diamond?

Is it the MACRO GAME? In discussions with high ranked players, they often tell me that there is a huge difference in macro game understanding that makes the difference between ranks. For example that cs values from platinum to challenger don't change significantly and that players can get by with Silver rank mechanics if they have the macro game sense to play at the higher ranks but that if they lack the macro game sense, then they can't make it past Gold.

Or is it the MICRO GAME? But when I watch videos of challenger ranked players or instructional videos given by challenger ranked players that don't tank about the macro game that much. I'll be watching their game, for example, and they will die and I personally will think: "o, well, he was pushed up too far" or "he probably shouldn't have gone for that play" but the challenger ranked player will say, "o, I messed up, I should've hit my W and then I would have gotten the kill and lived" or "I didn't expect him to use that ability right there". in other words, their deaths are almost always due to a mechanical misplay or outplay and rarely because they actually went for the wrong play.

My take: It seems to me that usually when players talk about a macro game mistake, they say things like, "that player shouldn't have been pushing up so far" or "that player shouldn't have gone for that play". But when they talk about mechanical mistakes it is usually, "I messed up my ability" or "I would have gotten that kill if I had..." in other words, players usually think about other player's actions in terms of macro game and their own personal actions in terms of mechanics. But even challenger ranked players will also talk about anticipating their teammates mechanical outplays. "If my teammate had landed her Q". I think the difference between high ranked players and higher ranked players is mechanics - not macro game.

I believe this to be the case because as a lower ranked player spectating higher ranked play, I tend to see mistakes as macro game mistakes. When I watch LCS, the casters seem to more often than not be talking about macro level decisions that teams are making. But when high ranked players actually describe what happened for the sake of their viewers understanding, I have to rewind the video and re watch the play five times before I understand what he meant when he talked about how he used his Graves Q! This is because there is such a mechanical difference between myself and these high ranked players that I don't even see how the play depends on these seemingly basic mechanical errors as they occur right in front of me on screen unless they actually get pointed out. And afterwards, it seems clear: there wasn't some great macro game mistake: all that really happened was something on the level of missing a smite on Baron!

I'm not saying the macro game isn't important or that players don't exist who have incredible macro game skills, but I'm skeptical whenever I hear someone says it's the macro game that sets high ranked players apart from higher ranked players.