> With Steemit, I quickly realised that posting was not the only thing you can do to profit from the platform. In fact, most whales on Steemit only curate, and rarely post.
> This is just like in real life, where people invest instead of doing manual labour.
In real life, manual labour needs to be done in the first place for people to invest into.
Of course, I'm not denying that people don't do manual labour. I'm suggesting that investing is often an option that offers more potential and flexibility.
Oh, that is true without doubt. Manual labourer do not have it as easy as investors to "diversify", to find a new source of income at a whim or to bring an entire industry to its knees.
In the truest sense of the word it is true that investing is an option that offers more potential:
> potential (adj.), late 14c., "possible" (as opposed to actual), from Old French potenciel and directly from Late Latin potentialis "potential," from Latin potentia "power, might, force;" figuratively "political power, authority, influence," from potens "powerful" (see potent).
> potent (adj.) early 15c., from Latin potentem (nominative potens) "powerful," present participle of *potere "be powerful," from potis "powerful, able, capable; possible;" of persons, "better, preferable; chief, principal; strongest, foremost," from PIE root *poti- "powerful; lord"
Just as in real life, Steemit.com investors will be more powerful, i.e. have greater potential, than the "labourers" providing the "commodities" the investors "invest" in.