This is a wonderful and passionate post. It reveals your evolution and awakening. Yes, blogging here is frustrating and causes negative feelings to arise. That is painful, but it isn't a bad thing. It lets you examine those feelings and their causes. It is a blooming of sorts.

I too came here with high hopes, hopes that I could do this to disseminate a lifetime of discovery while making enough to pay my meager bills. I know now that this will never happen. People aren't interested in discovery. They're interested in money, in status and other useless junk. The vast majority here are looking to make an easy buck, though a select few are working very hard and still trying to build community and provide good content. As in the "real world" only a few are destined to succeed.

In my disillusionment, I have come to realize that the the Steemit blockchain was designed for entrepreneurs, people who have something to sell. Therefore, the bot, vote-selling phenomenon is very much part of that. They are the financiers of the virtual world, and like all financiers, they offer nothing of value, are middlemen leaches that drain away the products of those who create real value, a pathology of society. Bots aren't going away and those of us who want to enlighten people and be recognized for our good work without having to buy our exposure will eventually spend our valuable time elsewhere. Why cast pearls to swine?

Ironically, Steemit will probably continue it's ascent and perhaps will be one of the cryptos that survive the bubble crash. We all recognize the demeaning and freedom-squelching internet giants of today: Google, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon. Napster and Silk Road offered true freedom. That's why they are no more.

Many of us came here because we wanted transparency, freedom and a chance to earn money without resorting to the spammy marketing of junk, came here for pure informational freedom. But Steemit is just another corporatist trap and the people falling into it are it's fuel, the grist for it's mill: meat for the grinder. It's just more of the same.

Your departure is just another symptom of this. SteemStem is about furthering the religion of Scientism and getting curation rewards. They aren't interested in critical thought and personal insight. The most poignant posts are the least rewarded while trivia reigns supreme. SteemitEducation is about maintaining the status quo of furthering the propaganda machine and, of course, getting curation rewards.

I don't blame you for dropping out and spending your time elsewhere. I'm sure your time here has been enlightening for you. This post certainly reveals your awakening.

I had high hopes for the future of mankind 50 years ago. It seemed we had turned a corner. But those in control remained in control and instead of a better world, it has degenerated to a low I never would have believed possible. Women want to be men and men remain children. Bling is the only thing that matters and whiny babies that have no real life skills will soon be in charge of the machine of destruction. They won't dismantle it. They'll tweak it with high-tech to make it even more damaging and socially degrading. Such is their programming and such is their inability and desire to think critically. Some call them Sheeple, but really, they are lemmings, running toward the cliff top and their eventual demise. As Kurt Vonnegut would say, "So it goes."

You will be sorely missed.