This. All of this x1000.
I realize on some level, automation is part of the reason that I'm still on this platform as the support that I've gotten that maintains me on here has been largely the result of it. Still, I recognize that it circumvents the intent of this platform and it bothers me. I told someone on a post just yesterday that I was excited two weeks ago to get a sizeable upvote from a well known curation account, but after getting 800+ votes, it only netted me one comment outside my normal commenters.
So I have to ask myself a question when it comes to my goals with making music. If I'm not promoting to make money but rather to get actual engagement which would drive the things I actually want (like getting my music on labels, increased bookings, gaining fans who actually want to hear my music), is it worth it to sink significant time into this platform when you can't actually gauge real engagement? To be fair, this is something that bothers me on many other platforms as well. Fan buying, Bot Promotion, and things of that nature have killed engagement on many platforms and the incentives to do it here are worse than any of those.
Still, I've got faith in this platform and for the time being, I'll be sticking it out. I think automation can be decent in small amounts. For pretty small and controlled communities, it can be the difference between some one staying on the platform and leaving which is a net positive. But something has to change on here or the hemorrhaging of active users isn't going to slow down.
Thanks for this well worded post and articulating some issues I didn't quite have the words for.