Good to know. I concede to what you say then. My assumption that there is a bot involved was wrong. Steemchiller implemented an index in steemwork tool but many were opposed to it. I recall he calls it CSI - it's an index of social involvement. Personally, I think such an index is important.
I draw a link between the idea that here are some who are interested in 'fighting spam' yet the way they do it is to generate spam on other posts. It is similar to the 'war on terror' - one person's terrorist is another person's freedom fighter. But when both are using terror, the one defines terror differently. We are fighting the same tendencies here. It is political and economically driven. Spam is spam is spam. If it quacks like a duck, it is a duck. If it abuses the flag, it is an abuser. You may be one person who organically looks at who you downvote, but others are not doing the same thing. There is silence on a lot of abuse going on here.
People are of course free to downvote but when there is a coordinated effort that isn't organically driven, and where the opinion of large accounts is swayed onto one side, this smells terrible. It is then an unfair climate and one which will not gain traction, except among those who are actually abusing their power. The grumpycat for instance is a terrorist but so many whales use the argument that GC compliance is cool. It is tantamount to saying that killing villagers is acceptable collateral damage in a war on terror. It remains a political question and more a war of definition and fear where public opinion is swept along with noble claims like "I am against bots, and hence I abuse the flag".
I appreciate you taking the time to give your opinion (defend your side). I withdraw to observe. There is nothing more to it. The only flag war I am involved in is against GC and so should anyone who has a conscience or integrity. If I lose anything in that war, I do not complain. To put the record straight, mark flagged an unrelated post removing 0.45 SBD from me because I flagged his spam on @upv4life post - He owes me because he abused the flag - he maintains that he did nothing wrong. I disagree. he claims it is a tiny downvote. I disagree. i am not calling anyone into the issue, I am merely stating the situation and will continue to do so ad nauseum because I believe in my position. Abuse is abuse. It should be opposed byy courageous people.
I upvote all my own fantastic comments. I upvote fantastic comments of those I am engaged in coordinated efforts with. Because I can ;-) and because it is profitable.
so do I