I appreciate the sentiment, and I understand your motives for "taking an extended break from this shithole" I'm also dismayed when I see the trending page when I know that there are really talented people here that deserve much more attention and who's work we can be proud of.
I'm glad this contest resonates with you as I was hoping it would with every writer/aspiring writer out there!
As with every one of these contests, my hope is to bring out the best in the Steemit community and provide a platform for up and coming writers.