So much here... well you said it all really and I agree with everything. For me it's like I had a thought one night when I was deciding if I should buy more STEEM to make my votes worth more. I thought to myself "why do I have to keep adding money?"
It just didn't feel like to have to keep paying to keep up the account - which for me to be clear is voting on other's content is very important to me. I did earn STEEM with contests and upvotes so I guess I was a lucky one but the irony that my vote was still worth 2 cents even after that just got on my nerves. In that way it became very "pay to play" feeling to me. Even after my account at one point was worth $200 my vote was still 2 cents. Then I just thought well this is a crappy investment return if I were to look at it coldly and businesslike. The great things are like you said curie is like a shining light but curie can't carry everyone and shouldn't be expected to. I do really like the people I've met on here and have been wondering how to keep in touch because well I just adore you and calluna and a few others. Anyhow free flow thought, kinda not positive. Sorry John :(