Totally agree. Quid pro quo in action here, and it just does not seem right that content that is not worth attention could stand to be the forefront of what people associate as "trending" by simply paying for the added attention versus earning it. On the flip-side, the influence these whales garner is disproportionate and too dependent upon their individual tastes, whereas, I see success with STEEMIT being dependent upon a diverse set of contributors that attracts new users to the platform. Keep plugging away, and eventually you will earn enough recognition to be called a whale yourself...or at least that is the hope.