If you're invested in steem and many other avenues, why would preclude you to put more time into the platform to grow your investment?
The idea of an investor is someone who puts money into an idea and then let's the creator increase the value.
In the sake of steem, despite the fact that I've "invested" quite a bit of money into this, I am very busy with all of my other day to day activities such as my career as an engineer.
I really find it hard to believe that the majority of whales have nothing better to do than to sit around and look for posts to upvote so I think the real solution is for hungry minnows to continue to come up with ideas and find ways to target steem investors.
we are now debating "Passive Investment" with stakeholder. Whales rarely do vote and thus have leased their SP out via Delegation. That is a passive investment. It does not take time.
My point is that minnows who do not wish to invest money will have to invest time. It's a long slow climb, I know because I've done it.
If someone at either level. Minnow or Investor has a better deal elsewhere and doesn't wish to speculate on increasing value, they should take it. That is the advice I would give my own adult children.