Steem is a new technology. It therefore faces unprecedented risk, and may potentially attain novel utility and value. Anyone that encourages you to invest in a 'sure thing' is not your friend. Consider the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy, or the recent degrading of GE debt, and note that there are no companies, governments, or even life itself that is immune from existential risk. There are no sure things.
No matter what you invest in, accept that there is a level of risk in investing, because there is.
It is difficult to analyze risk/reward potential for Steem, due to it's novelty, and this makes it rather unsuitable for inexperienced investors. That being said, my investment in Steem comes as a result of my blogging, which I will do anyway, if not on a Steem-based platform, then one that provides no ancillary investment benefit at all, so it's a 'sure thing' for me, because any downside potential only makes it the equal of other blogging platforms, and any upside potential is completely risk free, as I have invested no capital.
That may or may not be the case for you, and you need to do due diligence as necessary to analyze your investment in Steem, as you must with any investment. There is risk, even existential risk, of any capital you invest being lost, or of that capital not producing the gains expected when you invest it. There is also real potential for Steem to outperform your expectations. You must do the reckoning as best you are able, and proceed to exercise your authority to conduct your affairs, mindful that you are responsible for that conduct.
@kingscrown recently posted that a major investing newsletter recommended buying Steem at a price of $3.50. I did not check out the newsletter, and recall he didn't either, but claimed it was considered reputable. My own analysis of the blogging platform/social media space recommends Steem as the 'gorilla king' in it's industry. There really isn't yet a meaningful alternative to the token in the space, and I expect the space to gain market share versus other social media platforms that do not offer any payment to users, for the obvious reason.
Those are the best actual reasons I am aware of to consider Steem as an investment, and I am not an investor, so doubt that's an exhaustive list. Nonetheless, those are convincing and compelling to me, in my circumstances, and you may investigate and consider how they relate to your circumstances. I offer them in that light, that you may proceed to conduct your affairs as best suits your needs.
Good luck - and may the rewards of due diligence inure to you as you execute it.
WOW! Thanks. I didn't expect anyone to take that kind of time to respond. I appreciate it. Lots of wisdom there... most particularly:
"That being said, my investment in Steem comes as a result of my blogging, which I will do anyway, if not on a Steem-based platform, then one that provides no ancillary investment benefit at all, so it's a 'sure thing' for me, because any downside potential only makes it the equal of other blogging platforms, and any upside potential is completely risk free, as I have invested no capital."
I'm exactly in that same position in every way.
It's just frustration.
It will pass.
I hope.