This is certainly very, very bad news for those of us who wanted STEEMIT to thrive and live up to our most optimistic expectations. Although the title is exaggerated and click-baity the truth is there is a lot of ill will, bullying and demagoguery in this space and much of it does stem from the abuse of the flagging mechanism.
Just as sure as being able to reward each other brings out the best in people, the power to punish brings out the worst. Unchecked it can become like the Milgram experiment where students were willing to shock each other nearly to death or prison situations where normally mild mannered people can become monsters.
And I know what he means by being intimidated into silence by the worst of it. Even if you're not the one being attacked you hesitate to speak up forcefully to save your own bacon.
I think globally we are all on the prison-planet here and viciousness can break out at any moment among the (peasant) inmates due to their chronic frustration. Even though friendliness feels good and animosity feels terrible, the perverse human mind often trends towards jealousy, anger, violence and hatred. Look how it comes up in waves and becomes self-perpetuating!
Is it really that hard to be civil to one another? Why live like crabs in a bucket? All the crabs could escape easily, down to the last one simply by lending a claw and helping each other but usually they prefer to pull each others' legs and kick at those who are below.
It's not fun to spoil people's day. It's twisted, bent, perverse. They really don't deserve it. Be your own cop, police yourself.