For me personally, I have and will find this site most useful if the primary focus of users' activity is promoting content that is interesting, empowering, and unique. I would rather use voting power to reward someone who has taken the time to advance a conversation (or point people in the direction of such content).
Yes, entertainment and images have value too. But especially in the case of porn, is it really worth voting such posts to the top? There are a million and one places to go to get such images, whereas, finding good content on the web is a much more difficult thing to do. Unfortunately, the more 'mainstream' a site like this becomes, the harder it may be to find the truly good content, at least on the main screen's feed.
In the last week or so that I've been using this site, I've come across a lot of interesting articles. There has been a lot of insightful commentary by users as well. I compare this to Facebook, which I rarely use, where I constantly see selfies and dumb cartoons. The last thing we need is another Facebook, which feels to me like a mindless timesuck (at least in the way that many people use it). I've enjoyed Steemit thus far because of it's unique content as well as the quality of feedback from other users.
Again, this is just my opinion. However, I hope that others share this idea, or ideal, of how Steemit can distinguish itself. This community is new. It's early users have a lot of potential to distinguish it from existing sites out there. I hope we make the best of it.
To understand why 'topless pics' might have some value requires taking a step back and looking at what the pics mean. In this case it means there is a girl who is interested enough in our platform and rewards it pays to post a topless pic. If she stays around and joins in the conversation then the rewards she got for the pics is insignificant.
Her rewards will drive other girls to learn about Steem and they will learn about crypto in the process. Guys will come for the girls, girls will come for the votes. Either way, once they are on the platform the network effect gained wins.
I suspect that each and every topless girl will have a limit to how much they pull in from voters. This means that Steem is placing a high value on attracting attractive girls. What other cryptocurrency has that going for it?
Moral of the story, look at the people that are getting involved as a result before you judge the content.
I agree. However, my comment wasn't in reference to, or in judgement of, the case you are referring. It was more out of general consideration for how we - the current users - can have a lot of influence over what sort of community is cultivated at this stage of the site's development. The current pool of active users can plant the seeds for what type of experience future users may have.
I think diversity of content is important in attracting new users (topless photos not excluded). Of course there is great potential in the network effects of explicit content, but I think it lies on a curve. If too many users were to start using the site to spam (and be rewarded for) random explicit content, it may drive current users away or discourage potential users from adopting. That could have the effect of pushing away quality content or making it harder to find. It could in effect take away from some of what makes this site unique at the moment.
I suppose I'm just encouraging us to take a minute and weigh the relative merits of what we vote for since we are in effect building this site's reputation.