Many of the 'power accounts' are down because (like @guiltyparties said) they often relied on their benefactors and became complacent within the community. Many rarely engaged well with the community other than those who could add value to their post.

Complacency, combined without the need to actually compete, is definitely one of the biggest risks. Risks preventing the content quality from becoming truly awesome because it is too easy.

... but, in relation to Steem, there is a whole slew of low-value content rewarded heavily while the real content goes begging in the streets with a community who largely walks on by thinks only about how to maximize themselves.

Fixed that for you.

I think several years ago when operating the blog network I would have paid more for one post daily from you than you earn on average every day at current market rates.

While I wouldn’t consider myself a candidate for trending because of content quality, I know how to push an idea, how to share an opinion. Despite being much newer in the scene, and having published much less on Steem, I think we are in the same basket: neither of us benefit any autovote of significance nor do we resort to other methods.

Instead... all content we push is our actual brand and reputation. The rest... that’s just us hoping that there may be some justice in this cyber-world too.