Having smooth or one of the other whales engage in this is one thing.
For the record: 1) I believe you are exactly right about the type of content and focus, and distribution of rewards, that will attract and retain a wider audience (we may disagree on tactics to an extent, but I believe my actions are in furtherance of that goal); and 2) I always post a comment explaining the reasons when I downvote.
And with respect to #1 above, Dan is frankly clueless, dangerous and destructive not only on the actual positioning and marketing, but on how his actions on the site have been and continue to be perceived (Ned is as well, but somewhat less so), and finally on the negative effects they have (or he is aware and doesn't care, but that is too ugly a possibility to accept easily). Letting him wield a massive ninja-mined stake without sufficient perspective and insight is like letting a child play with matches. He may be good at developing blockchain code, but if someone doesn't somehow pry him away from being a user and influential stakeholder on the platform he is just going to continue driving it into the ground (if that isn't already a fait accompli), I'm sad to say.
Which was my point. It doesn't matter so much what the reason is, so long as a reason is stated. But burying a post on the price of steem does give potential investors pause for concern.
That is so far beyond any demonstrated capacity to understand or willingness to consider impact on others, it is comparable to expecting a first grader to comprehend string theory or negotiate peace in the middle east. Isolation is the only plausible method to stop the damage here. Failing that, the platform must succeed in spite of its existing and continued institutional handicaps. That's a tall order.
It's nothing to do with that. And there's nothing wrong with Dans flagging of these posts. They usually get only around 20 views even when on the trending page. I can't say for sure Dan's reasons but a number of us were flagging these posts for being overpaid before he started.