Crab bucket mentality and positive feedback loops are destined for a race to the bottom.(and winner take's all for the odd few).
True democracy is an abstract concept. A catch all , sexy, in vogue, one liner, that doesn't actually describe anything.
Democracy is sham - and with without any meritocracy to boot (non existent in a DPOS ecosystem), is a fools errand.
Maybe this time it's different - but I'd bet that the last 5000 year - actual evidence in the governance in societies, and commerce - speaks volumes about natural systems, and how natures evolutionary processes work - rather than Larimer's Utopian visions.
In my opinion.
It doesn't matter who votes but who counts the vote. Just ask today's uncle Joe.