You don't understand that Steem is not like a drug dealer's basement. It is a giant corporate boardroom, with no restrictions on who can get a stake in the company and join the party. To some extent, I agree, there is some problems here, but it is an interface issue, not fundamental to the blockchain system.
I am working on a project to build a better interface, and I am looking out for people to join the process, you can find my posts on the hashtag #steemportal. First I am building a read-only interface, and then one of the first features I will add, is a proper, functional block function. After you can do everything, post, edit, vote, move funds around, buy and sell, the next thing I am doing is developing my SteemHordes system.
This might sound 'scary' but it's just a group management system, based on a namecoin style blockchain with name registration and membership lists administrated by name owners. With this, you will be able to organise groups, and communicate with them and manage membership, which will allow administrators to act as moderators to the group.
After that I will be working on a bitmessage-like instant messaging system, that really works a bit like a blockchain with expiration dates on blocks, after which they disappear. This will then have encryption added.
Synereo is a couple of months before its' public beta, and based on the timeline so far with Steem, it could be another 5-8 months before it's fully bug-free. I'm just working with what we have, and maybe I will also move on from it down the track, but I like the minimalistic approach of Steem and maybe even if it gets generally abandoned, the modified form including my proposed features, will be forked off the original. And no, if I do that, I won't claim arbitrary CEO status (biggest share of SP). I want to in fact by this point, have established a group in the Hordes who are in charge of development, and this will enable idiots who put dumb things into the core of the system to be booted out if people organise to do this, and this will be possible. Sure, it will have a new name if it comes down to having to fork.
Brilliant! I really like your innovation and hope to see what you can come up with and go about fixing any issues that people may pose.
September is when Synereo's alpha version is released, according to their website
wow, ok, so there is still time for Steem devs to snap out of it. Alpha means not for general use like a beta phase. So the fat lady isn't singing just quite yet. But there's no guarantees that there won't be an implosion and a hardfork either.
I'll start keeping an eye on what Synereo is doing. I encountered some of the problems you list early in my time here, so I am entirely sympathetic to your views. On the other hand, I think there is enough here and proven, that only small changes have to be made to fix all of the problems, and the Steem system has built in incentives that can enable these changes to happen without big external input.
I think it could be pretty cool, actually, if the current caretakers of Steem continue to fail to make the right decisions, that the community can take control and use Steem itself to facilitate the management of development. I think it's fair to say that this centralised system of management on top of what is otherwise an open system, is not helping. To make this fully participatory and stake-based, would be a great thing, and in the long run, I see this where this blockchain based social network concept naturally must head.