It is interesting when there are the people who are continuously negative on Steem, yet are still here posting and taking rewards - shows something about their internal compass, I guess.
I was just listening to 
Hardfork21 is being tested as we speak on the testnet and will soon go to the exchanges so they can prep for the event. This means that HF21 isn't that far away I guess and perhaps within a month or so if the testing goes well. It takes work for the exchanges and with a low volume like Steem has now, it isn't great to piss them off too often. I am looking forward to this hardfork because I think this is the one that changes some fundamentals that shake the blockchain up.
But, people like to buy into the FUD of it and listen to those who are negative (still taking rewards though) even if they do not grasp what is actually going on. That is okay, it is good that not everyone makes the right choices because if everyone did, there would be total optimization and nothing will move at all. Those with weak hands feed those with insight.
One of the ideas that 
How much of your stake would you burn to get it in liquid form right now? How much if you saw Steem pumping hard? What if you could pay a 5% fee and get it immediately so you could shift it out to trade? Would you take that deal, would you risk it? I wonder how much Steem could be burned every spike? Would prices crash?
Perhaps, but it also creates scarcity in time and there is another factor to consider. Burned Stake can't vote - Neither can stake on exchanges. for every Steem burned, and every Steem made liquid, the pool has less drawing power upon it, meaning that it will get distributed more highly by those who hold, and only powered up Steem will earn interest also.
This means that while people will try and catch the pump in the hope of getting more stake of Steem, many are going to miss that buy and end up with less. But those who do get Steem and stake it, will have access to a slightly more scarce currency with more drawing power attached and remember, resource credits are needed on the blockchain too and they only come through powered up Steem.
While all the sellers are a little annoying at times, I think it is actually good for the blockchain overall as in time, it will be picked up by those who do believe in the future of Steem. If it all fails there will be those who say "I told you so" but, they were also selling this at 20 cents, 30 cents and 40 cents - as if that is a life changing amount for most people. This blockchain is three years old, if you are living off Steem at these prices you would be living like royalty at 2 dollars - if you had any Steem left at that point.
While there are many benefits for me being on Steem, when it comes to price I am looking at changing my life significantly for the better, not supporting it in its current form. I am able to work two jobs to support my life, but they will never allow me the leeway to make the space of significant change I look toward. Yep, I could be on Medium earning a tuppence too, or Patreon, but again - while they might provide an income, they don't offer the chance of significant life altering income.
5 dollar Steem does. 10 dollar even more so. 20 dollars and my account is worth a million. You know, that magic lottery number people talk about. But, this isn't the real value because I won't need to sell the Steem in order to live of it, because I could comfortably live off the curation amounts I would make, a self-vote here or there, Resource Credit delegation, investing into projects and the support from others on Steem with whom I have built networks of success over the years. I can reward people on what they produce and live off my own investments into supporting them. If I choose to support them - I am not a fan of handouts.
And this doesn't even factor in All the other projects that are going to be built along the way similarly like PAL and LEO are doing, along with many more. This place is going to be a hive of decentralized activity where experiences of all kinds can reside, powered by communities and people of all kinds and the usecases are just going to grow. SMTs and NFTs are on the horizon and they open even more possibilities.
But, you might not see or believe it and that is okay, because you have your own life to live and your own decisions to live with.
Taraz
[ a Steem original ]