Well done on your efforts, I realise that it can't be easy to fight from such an underdog position. I commend your dedication and pursuit of fairness.
It would be very sad to see Steemit suffer as a whole because of a few individuals. Ironically, this is the very thing that blockchain technology stands against! Centralised control and abuse of the system: that smacks of the existing fiat money culture and the 1% who have all the wealth and power. I guess blockchains still have a way to go.
I have written a bit on similar subjects (in this and other posts: https://steemit.com/cryptocurrency/@bitbrain/money-understanding-it-and-cryptocurrencies-part-4-weapons-of-the-war-on-crypto), and my answer (or prediction or whatever) to situations like this was as follows: when one blockchain becomes too centralised, it will be deserted by crypto enthusiasts in favour of another untainted blockchain. So maybe Steem will start losing potential steemians to e.g. InvestFeed or Kik/Kin (maybe it's losing them already).
But this battle is not yet lost. It is well within the realm of possibility that Steem changes it's rules to get rid of unfair first mover advantages, bots, cartels etc. It just requires a little creativity, willpower and people like you.
Keep fighting the good fight man, there are those of us out their who appreciate your efforts! (I would offer to help but I'm fighting so many other battles already!)
Thank you, I appreciate that. Just re-steem anything of mine that you like. And sub my YouTube channel if you want.
https://steemit.com/steemit/@psecdocumentary/tools-are-neither-good-nor-bad
The only thing required for evil to triumph, is for good people to do nothing -- as the old quote goes. Then of course as far as the "why I fight" ideology, for me it is not so much a fight as it is just a state of being I maintain. This quote sums it up nicely:
"It is no measure of health to become well adjusted to a profoundly sick society" -Jiddu Krishnamerti