If Steemit is to succeed, I posit it will look a lot like our society, with checks and balances, and people who complain about them

I personally could not agree with you more on this issue! In this environment we are in the minority. I have written elsewhere about Steem governance, but I believe that Steem is currently being governed the way it was intended to be governed. As a decentralised, anarchistic environment. I think some sort of centralisation is necessary to allow growth longer term. Growth requires decision making, and the ability for decision makers to be agile to respond to changing environments. We don't have either of those things currently. We are a minority here though.

With respect to who agrees with me. I'm not sure. I don't know if this series is catching the attention of those in a position to influence change. I suspect that it isn't. But if enough people are talking about it then the issue has a better chance of rising to the attention of those with the power to do something about it.