I don't think it's avoidable, really. The win-more intrinsic in almost any social or economic structure unless there are active efforts and structures and rules in place to counter-act it, and those always get opposed by those who would be most restrained by them and by those that would like to think they'll be in a position to be restrained by them later.
Maybe you're right.
What I don't like about it is that some people say that it's never been their intention. Like: "We didn't make it, so let's say it's never been our aim."
I can't speak for the Steem devs, but it may well have not been their intention or aim to create yet another win-more economy. That could be a very honest statement. That doesn't mean they haven't created one anyway, inadvertently, and now we need to figure out what to do with it.
(Just as I'm sure Jack Dorsey didn't intend to create the greatest harassment tool ever envisioned, but he did, and now we need to figure out what to do with it.)