This system offers them a far superior deal.
Thats a wishful thinking, parrotted thousand times over the years.
On Hive blockchain, the only superior deal to the creator is the part where a consumer sends an actual tip and the platform doesn't take a cut.
Author reward system is not superior at all. The consumer does not tip at no cost. They have to put up HP which has opportunity cost. Yeah, buying into Hive assets may end up better or worse than keeping a banknote in between your underwear but the cost exists. Maybe they are better off to park their Hive-tipping bankroll in HBD savings and tip directly out of the interest collected. Maybe they are better off not to have a tipping bankroll and just deposit a few bucks worth of HIVE every month. Or whenever their account gets empty.
Feel free to label me as "just another crypto purist" (using your personal terminology from the above article) but Joe does not want to invest in Hive (longterm or shortterm) and does not want to vote on proposals. So Joe only needs a dozen or two HP to post a few comments. You can totally trick him into locking more of his money as HP. I'll applaud you in public and then go to a comment section of a random post to whisper: "That was a good salesmanship rather than a friendly advice."
From the creator side, the ability to solicit impulsive donations is way more profitable than the ability to compete with other creators for the access to consumers' fixed daily budget (via voting). An average Joe would send you five bucks to appear on screen in your stream. How much disposable money does he have to buy HP? How money votes he has to make to generate $5 worth of rewards to you? (Yeah, that YouTuber claiming people over-tip and can't afford it sounds knowledgeable to me.)
That's even completely separate issue from actual tips being immutable and author rewards being subject to external approval (outside the creator's fanbase).
One thing you get right is that pissing of a consumer via downvotes is bad. However, it is the system you called decent where everyone tells consumers they should behave like a creators (pushing them out when they cannot perform). Joe, please spend your money here and tell every one you had fun doing that. Just stop pretending you were here to earn some, Hive is a movie theater and not a freaking poker room.
BTW, no need to apologise. You do not owe me any explanations. This is the kind of conversation that primarily runs for the benefit of the third party readers. Sharpening the knowledge of yours and mine is a secondary benefit. Expecting a major concession from the counterparty is not reasonable even at tertiary level.