I'm not saying it's good or bad, it's what it is. If I was a whale or an early bird I would do the same thing, free money forever. I would upvote newcomers who are minor internet stars so they can "spread the word" and keep the motor running.
I don't think that's really sustainable, maybe it is. Just like in real life, I personally don't like the "rich get richer" approach. In Steemit case if you really pay attention, the rich get MEGA RICHER. No dolphin have a single shot of passing an early adopter. An early adopter can post whatever she/he wants, there is a lot of evidence (a single photo from his vacation for example) and get 2k.