If you think @blocktrades is the first to talk about consensus mechanisms on this platform after reading a 2020 post, you are sadly mistaken.
The DPOS systems has been posted, blogged and commented about in countless instances on the Steem platform (and other message boards & fora for that matter). It's been subject to a LOT of debate.
Nearly all of the original top 20 witnesses have been pretty vocal about their views in general, which is only normal since before participants in this network should vote for anyone as a witness, it's nice to know their views.
I would personally say it's necessary to know their views before voting, but it seems that currently there are witnesses in the top20 that have NEVER posted anything...
YET YOU ARE VOTING FOR SOME OF THESE.