You're very much beholden to them.
And once there is even a trickle of income from them, there is almost no way to ever leave.
I get to see my account and the work I've put in grow and evolve and even if I upset someone big, they can't just take it off me.
It makes a difference doesn't it?
These are accounts which could have had hundreds of thousands in Steem and supported themselves with an upvote a day instead of complaining they no longer earn enough and leaving.
I have seen this too and I am hoping that those who have bought in will see a significant price rise so that they can feel what it is like to both earn well enough and distribute to others real value. It feels good to be able to actually reward something that helps.