The voting bots are what is causing the really good stuff to get drowned out. I'd be happy if they were completely abolished. As it is, I am sooooo bored with having to wade through all the rubbish.
That said, Steemit is a 'group think' community, where, even without the bots, people will just upvote their good buddies, regardless of quality. I doubt some of them even read any posts not from their group. They upvote as one, and down-vote as a bloc because 'if other people are downvoting, then I should do so to'. This is what will kill Steemit in the future. Mavericks are the ones who create original things, and mavericks don't hang out and socialize in groups. They are busy coming up with ideas, and thinking, when others are socializing.
So, in summation, I think the bots being down will stop the burying of some good stuff, but it won't get it trending.
I have to add: if someone's posts are usually on top, and suddenly without the bots, they are waaaaay at the bottom - well, that says something about the quality of those posts.
Yeah upvoting the stuff that is read should be done more ....
Every one should practice that ....
@ajdohmen ... Yeah even down voting should be self decisioned