To reward content (other than a pat on the back) takes SP and this means buying in or earning it. If earning it, this takes distribution. if those with SP don't distribute, not much happens.
The reward pool doesn't grow or shrink if not one whale or dolphin or minnow votes, and the rewards are distributed by those who are actively participating EXACTLY the same.
The big picture you talk of is facilitated by people holding the steem they earn as SP and using it to reward content.
The big picture is facilitated by the genius behind the aggregate we call the rewards pool.
Instead of reading, answering and rewarding comments, and instead of reading and rewarding posts. I can instead just find 5 people to upvote and save my attention for more important things like watching TV.
So? What's the point?
The funny thing is that you are arguing with someone who does their best to engage and reward and improve the Steem experience for as many as possible. Are you working for your own ideals or is the expectation that it is only other people who must live to your own ideals?
It is a sad dance if you want to call diminishing the function of Curation by automation as improving the experience or condoning the attitude of milking the cow as beneficial. One step forward and two 🔙.
The pool is distributed proportionally on Vests and again you ignore the ~35,000,000 SP that is paid to vote every 2.4 hours and maximize 24 hours a day. there are ~8500 accounts with more than 500 SP (you aren't one of them and combined they have less than all of the bidbots by 50%. If the whales, orcas and dolphins stop voting, the minnows will hae more access to a pool for about 7 days before the bidbots commandeer more and more of it until they have near all as they will grow in vests a hell of a lot faster than the minnows.
You draw lines around things and ignoring the reality. I am really tired of this conversation as it goes around in a circular thinking motion. It is not for me.