Hi Bluemist,
The idea sounds good, I remember when I got to Steem and the comments were rewarded, but from there a serious problem arose, many comments that circulate on the platform were full of kindness but mixed with flattery and hypocrisy, as you say: people were afraid perhaps asking the right questions for the retaliation that could arise.
The truth is that to be part of the solution you have to make constructive criticism.
I also remember that when a whale or someone of influence published, people ran to comment without reading the publication simply because the good votes were for the main comments and not for those that really contributed constructive criticism or good content regarding the publication.
You are right, some people are here to please others which should not be the case ideally. We need to learn think more critically and evaluate situation.