Hi Hive account@natealexhart , I understand you completely. I am new to Steemit as well. In fact, there is great potential in here if (A big IF) Human-Curation was really been taken seriously by the devs. because, what is currently happening translates to this:

We need the Steemit Community to understand CLEARLY and once for all
how their valuable contribution to this platform is being ripped off from them.

As you well said profit seekers will come in and ruin it . Indeed, they are all around.

I hope we (the community) start organizing against dumb-bot-curration.

b.b.