Hey Steven, that is a very common complaint I've read and I definitely sympathize with you. That's why I'm doing my best to bring the issue up here, because frankly we need people that try to feel like there's a chance. If they can see hope, they will stay. If they don't, then they will have the why bother attitude.
If it makes you feel any better... I am here 10 months... I have almost 8000 followers, did use the bots early on (successfully), and had nice delegations from some very good dolphins/orcas... and yet I just recently made it out of plankton status ... I'm not complaining about it, I'm just telling you that you are not alone.
The bottom line is I like the community, I like the original concept, but I too see the water coming in as we speak! I hope we figure it out, because I want this place to succeed!
I'm new to all things blockchain. At least with my endeavors in mining I can resolve that I simply needs to buy more and better equipment to receive a return on my investment. With Steemit, it doesn't seem to matter how good the content may or may not be, or how lengthy, informative, useful, nothing seems to matter other than recognition by a large fish for having paid in to a bot describing how you like fish [(cough, cough) @berniesanders]. I've ask myself so many times why I'm even here on this platform and the only answer I have is to entertain myself. I care about my postings no matter how lame they may or may not be, I'm writing them for me mostly. If you like them, fine, if not, that's fine too. I've realized a long time ago I'm not wired like most people in the world and very few get me, much less understand.
Anyways I read through like 95% of the comments here and thought I'd chime in simply stating.. Look at the last 6-9 months of Steem, it's price is in decline but so also are all other cryptos. With all the news of censorship and accounts being closed because someone spoke I'll of whoever, you'd think steemit would be flourishing. It, steemit, is to complicated, it's aggressive, aggravating, it takes forever to get an account and the thought of having to buy an account just to be able to comment is repulsive. Despite whether or not there is SP or RC delegated or loaned to a new account or not. Steemit is not user friendly, it's clichisch, and what hope people have of making some kind of reward here, however small, is soon squashed and people fade to nonexistence and go back to facebook where they can at least get a nice shot of endorphin for telling the world they like fish.
This is a very good observation and I'm glad you took the time to write it. I agree and sympathize with most of what you said. I think many times people get too close to something and they lose that objectivity. I for one have had that happen many times in my life.
You have taken a great way to deal with your views here and I am super happy to see you have decided to stay "for you". That is very cool... If you would like to send me any of your posts I will be happy to read them, just message them to me when you write them in discord if you don't mind. (the reason is I don't have time to look through my feed and there are too many posts there anyways so its useless)... My discord username is davemccoy#2479 and I would be honored to read your posts and follow your writings!