I used bots in my beginning months ago, but after some deeper thinking and discussions I quit. Like you said it, if more powered up, didn't buy upvotes and didn't drain every last sbd and steem they make here to buy shit they don't really need, things would be a bit better.
Of course the point of view changes when we talk about users from poor countries that see those 5$ upvotes as the money to get them for a whole week. It is so much complicated and I can partially ubderstand those people.
Still, well-said!