Ah, @quillfire
How things change and yet stay the same, right? It's interesting that I went and looked at @ats-david's post before reading this. I liked what he said - in the context of what's been happening on/in Steem in the last three weeks. As you note, a great deal has happened since you went AWOL.
Interestingly, the advent of HF21/22, about which I, and a whole lot of people, as well as you, were very concerned, ended up being a good thing. For the little creators like me. As it so happened, things conspired so that I am unable to spend as much time on writing and on Steem as I'd like. However I've seen far better returns subsequent to the HF than ever.
The demise of bidbots has been a good thing. That bidbot owners have had to actually do some work has been a good thing. It's not perfect by a long shot, but by golly, it's a whole lot better than it was.
What IMO is not good, is as you say, this tug-o-war. I fear it can only have one outcome. Not necessarily the one that the majority of also-rans would prefer. It's also spawned a steem love fest which again, IMHO creates spam and content that's repetitive and really not worth reading. It's one thing waging a war, but as you always say, it must be strategic and battles considered. A shotgun approach? Well, lots of shrapnel and potential collateral damage.
I suspect, having been here nearly three years and watching the ectoplasmic swirling, not to mention the swirling dervishes, there will be a split.
The demise of Narrative and its potential resuscitation as pubNooks is interesting. I am interested in Voice but I do have to say that starting over has no appeal at all. If this kind of platform rises and falls on whims, then, frankly, it feels as though I'm just well, xxxxx in the wind.
Given the inevitability that there will be a fork, my question then is, what is the real implication for Steem and SBD, both of which, I understand, are tradable?
Or have I learned nothing in the time I've been here?
Fiona