Well, it's not a get rich quick scheme if that's what you're looking for.
The content may be good in your eyes but if other people don't like it then that's for them to decide.
If you don't enjoy the process and expect immediate results then you should probably quit.
Not everybody is entitled to receive upvotes and you might just need to put some more time in and see what's working for you. I'm sure you will have some posts with a lot of upvotes if you stick to it.
Patience is a virtue.
But if you don't enjoy it and only hope for some fast money than I would advise you to stop it.
You shouldn't do stuff you don't like.
But complaining won't help.
So no Steemit is not a scam, why would it be?
After July 4th the competition has simply increased and it is harder to get recognized if you don't already have a good reputation.
Hope you have a good day. :)