I really did not want to comment as I am not accepting payment on most of my posts so the downvote system does not affect me much - and I have more or less given up on Steemit and am only posting for my own non-platform reasons.
It is not because I do not want to make money, it is because I am angry about the system used to exploit those who do take the trouble to make interesting posts (or at least try to) but then are penalised, because they are not big accounts (or have support from the big accounts). This system is far worse and more unjust than the unfair flagging which happens. We should be encouraging small/new posters by upping the rewards they earn, not taking away from them because they cannot earn a certain amount yet.
Imagine if govt says, if you earn a salary of over $20,000 you get a bonus from us, but if you earn less, we take double or triple the tax you should pay.
I used to mostly support small accounts. Now I do not, well, rarely. Why? What is the point? THe little they make will get reduced because they do not belong to the elite club of big earners (note, I said big earners, I did not say big or good posters).
I am not going to argue the benefits or not of downvoting, but I see some of the big downvoters slashing away at small posters because, so they say, they have placed them on a blacklist (as if that justifies them), irrespective of whether that particular post was good or not. I am certain that incentivises new/small posters to try harder (like hell it does, they mostly just give up).
I take a look at the flagged posts which have been grayed out and more often than not, I cannot see why it should be flagged. Of course the problem comes about, not because the post itself was shitty, but because in the past the poster made some shitty posts or picked a fight with the flagger.
That, to me is just as criminal as some of the scams or plagiarisms. Blacklists should be a no-no and those who create them should be black-listed - especially if they are Witnesses.
The reason I do not allow myself to earn (usually) is not because I am against flagging in general (which I am). I am prepared to accept that if other posters who produce good posts feel they must flag, maybe I have a blind spot and do not understand, so it is better I just ignore them.
However, when I am flagged, even if I only made 20c, without self-voting or using bots, and the flaggers are accounts specifically set up (at a cost of 3Steem) for this purpose - then my sense of dignity does not allow me to post (posting without allowing rewards, in a sense is like not posting). Even if their flags are worth zero and do not cost me money, I object to them being allowed to flag (judge) me, when they have done nothing to earn the right to judge anyone.
In other words, being flagged by my peers may be something I do not like, but it does not make me rage. The flagging from posters who have never posted or made a comment (as we could then flag them) is NOT acceptable.
Is Steemit going to address any of these points? I am not a dreamer, so I am not going to keep my fingers crossed - but at least I got some of my anger off my chest.
Raincheck, posting a comment here to remind myself to come back to read this as it's been a long day, sorry.