Yeah man, good thoughts all around.
My thinking hasn't changed too much from when I wrote the article about leaving Steem. After a 6 month break, I do still see a lot of the same problems - bid bots, weird lack of communication from Steemit Inc - BUT, idk, the community is really resilient and strong. For all its flaws, Steem is still a unique and powerful ecosystem. I don't know if I believe it will reach its full potential, but for now, I'm glad to participate.
Side note - that "Why I Left Steem" article I wrote on Medium has received about 4,000 views now, mostly from Google searches. One of my most popular pieces of content ever, kind of crazy!
Well its good to see you back. Many look at negative articles before positive ones.. look at the title of this one.. I'm still responding to comments days later.!
I agree, this was a useful post for newcomers. Matt also played a role in my decision to remain on the platform back in 2017, so I was especially sadden to see him leave -- and very happy to see him return.
I've tried all kinds of approaches on the platform. I eschewed upvote services for an extended time. During that time I was simply converting rewards into Steem Power. I recognize the danger and damage upvoting services represent. It wouldn't bother me if they disappeared, but as long as they are here, it is also possible to use them in moderation as a gradual method of transforming rewards into Steem Power.