The tone is a bit dramatic that is for sure, but i think this recurring discussion about what and how to make Steemit better is important. I am not impressed with what I see in the trending section either - and like many in this comment section I just ignore it. But I do think it is a problem both for creators and investors.

I agree with you that money is and should be part of this. I am here to earn money from my art. But that doesn't mean that quality selection is not important. It would add another value to the network besides the working technology, and added value is a stronger Steem.

Maybe self-voting should never have been part of the algorithm? I have reinvested most of what I have earned here in SP, and I can give myself 2,5$ or so for every post, but even so I am willing to give that up if the actual quality of the site would be improved. (Just an example... probably not the fix that would end all problems :)