Hmmmm.......
Detailed and well thought out post. I realized the entitlement mindset was going to kill my potentials the day I wrote a post after a long night and expected to get upvotes. I couldn't fathom why about 56 people saw the post and only 5 votes which didn't amount to $1 was all I saw. Well, it was just when I joined steemit and @tojukaka who introduced me told me to get that mindset right which today has helped.
Like you said @anomadsoul,no body owes anyone here, no whale owes anyone votes and this feeling of entitlement is just our wired nature from growing up and that is why humans see everything as a competition. Don't be shocked that even if you voted that post and the person's friend also participated and there is a little variation in the curation given to both of them, he could still complain about have the lower share of your curation.
Like you said, everything is earned in life, either by favor or by labour. Curators get to decide who deserves their votes either by sentiment or worthiness. In all, our system has done so much damage to our minds, making us feel rewards and competition are the only way forward.
Thanks for this insightful post @anomadsoul. You are always a blessing.