Steemit feels like a big mess at the moment. Content discovery is a complete joke, bid bots are running each Trending category, and users are slowly giving up on putting in the effort to create new content.
I have personally felt a lingering lack of motivation; witnessing the slow decline in Steemit's community, the slow decline in productivity as a result of the slow decline in user interaction and rewards -- unless you're forcing your content to the top.
Lately, I've been feeling as if I shouldn't really bother with Steemit at all. I just don't have the motivation to post, the motivation to curate with such a miniscule amount of voting weight, and I think that speaks volumes when the platform was built on the premise of such activity. I know I'm not alone.
As a result of the bear market, I've sold most of my altcoins. I hold a few, with STEEM being the largest bag. I've made the decision to be the change I want to see on Steemit; one that puts their money into being the change they want to see.
While I don't think bid bots themselves are awful -- I mean, they were created with the intention of allowing deeper-pocketed users to help reward those with little rewards and followers -- but I completely disagree with those who post here on Steemit and ignore the fundamental process of upvoting other content and only ensuring their content gets a nice fat reward.
In the past ten days, I've purchased $1,100~ worth of STEEM. That, in the recent market, equates to 1,030~ STEEM. I don't see STEEM itself as a solid investment, I don't think it can go much lower than 90 cents, but I don't expect to make anything from it. My main interest is to actively use my voting weight as it was intended to be used.
I don't think I've finished buying STEEM, though. Currently, my 1,575 STEEM at 100% voting power gives a laughable 0.09 reward. But that's an authentic reward that many users won't see at all unless they too use bid bots. What even is the point in anyone voting with significantly less voting weight? Anyway, perhaps if STEEM falls below/around 70 cents, I'll consider drastically increasing my bag.
I want to see Steemit succeed, but I believe others have to take to a similar mindset and actively speak up and pursue the changes we need and want; otherwise things only get worse from here on.