Very interesting subject, and very interesting remarks of yours, @schattenjaeger. Thanks.
I thought about it a few days ago, and wrote three lines about it. I thought I´d share them with you. About something you just mentioned: why this flag thing, instead of a downvote that shows like a vote? Same type of box, one for upvotes, the other for downvotes. And no flags of these, signalling articles.
https://beta.chainbb.com/steemit/@gregario/why-the-flags
The other aspect is more phylosofical. My first impression is that it´s very difficult to justify this power given to people with voting power to undo what happens to other people. It sounds to me like if you have a lot of money you can go to the bakery shop and make the baker not sell bread to your neighbours (hypersimplified, I know).