I actually just wrote about a potential solution to the problem of both government and corporate dissatisfaction in my first Steemit post! Not sure on the rules / general practice for sharing links in the comments, but I'd love to hear what you think about it.
Fear is certainly a force in increasing the inertia of change. Today, it's hard to stand up and have your voice heard. And to determine whether or not it's a good thing for one's particular voice to be heard is another discussion altogether. I think sites like Kialo (more structured debate) and obviously Steemit are great ways of allowing people to have a greater voice, but I also think we can continue to make positive change.
In order for lasting, positive change to be had, I think it has to come from a rearchitecting of the value hierarchies that cause individuals to be incredibly successful and prosperous. In promoting honesty, kindness, and overall well being of others, I believe we can make a difference in society.
The beautiful thing about the decentralization movement is that we can, as a society, for the first time get a more general picture of what the opinions of everyday citizens look like. That opinion isn't first fed through some kind of filter of some multi-national news conglomeration but rather straight from the keyboards and microphones of the general population to our eyes and ears. The number one thing we can do is keep our eyes open for those who are willing to be the positive change we want to see in society, and Steemit is a beautiful platform that encourages those people to come out of the woodwork.