I'm pretty new myself, but I've also taken a hard stance against caring about the money:work ratio. I like the money, and I like getting Steem Power to reward posts that I like. But I make sure I don't post anything in hopes of getting views or rewards. I post for my own amusement, and welcome anyone that wants to enjoy it with me.
I don't know what SteemIt used to be like, but the current state of things probably isn't going to change unless people flee SteemIt in droves. It's the nature of any social media. Greed might have a negative effect on SteemIt, but ultimately it'll be the simple numbers that continue to change it.