This is a first for me, I did not read a single comment before responding. Steemd has my ID as - 291,360 I don't know if that means I was that number to join up, or if it is just a random assigned number. Aug 1st 2018. Beside 10SBD that was stolen by a high rep person, and likely about 60SBD donated or given out for this cause or that cause, I have powered up all my SBD's and converted to SP. Not counting Delegated SP I have reached the 565.47 SP level. After about my 3rd month on steemit, I started to help the people like me, (a redfish), and tried to educate them and myself.
Due to Asher and Dave's help, (they gave me some delegated SP to help me grow), I slowly since mid Jan grown to the Minnow Level. (My own 500+SP). I would love to reach the level you see as "Middle Class", the reality is though that your vision of the "Middle Class" Level is to high. A level of 5,000 to 15,000 seems to be the real middle class right now.
I know that people are not going to like this bit, but I think all the talk about circle jerk activity is just a distraction from the Orcas and whales to discourage/slow down the growth of communities. Where the top .05% have no problem voting 85% for each other, they do not want to see that happen at the lower levels because then those redfish and minnows, might grow into dolphins, and then grow into a middle class. Face it votes are the only thing that count toward raising ones SP. And the upper forces will do all they can to stop it.
Don't think they will? the SBI people are already in transisto's sights. I can see that program being slammed to a close very easily, because they give votes out to people that gave them money. @dustsweeper, witness ran or not will likely be the next program under the gun, because they give votes out to people that pay them.
I do not think that steem will ever allow a significant middle class level, because then they would lose control of the steem economy. But I did like your rant. Now to read some of the other thoughts.
Whether they like it or not, it is a necessary requirement for the health of the system as we can see what happens when there is not enough distribution. That is real world economy now.
I know that some of the whales have been pushing for the smaller fish to grow all they can and I think it is time to do just that before the gap between is unbridgeable.
I don't know what some of the people with the SP at the top think but the current system is not healthy. and there are not enough people holding SP who in the future will care. The current organic approach is not fast enough for most of the community minded to close those gaps before the taps shutoff so they will be able to remain helping the community. they are going to carry a large burden I think and I know that I don't have the current SP to carry many in two years from now.
My investment for the future needs to increase for me to be able to do what I want here. Currently, I have enough and I am going to be fins and I can even help a few but, that isn't going to cut it later.