That was a really interesting read. I am a newcomer to Steemit, with a goal of being able to be part of a community that supports each other, and rewards those who take the time and effort to add value in whatever form of content that may be.
I have seen some of that already, when people have taken the time to create meaningful posts about their passions, world issues, and even lighthearted entertainment. I have also seen the darker side of the platform, within which people don't even take the time to open their eyes to what's in front of them. Instead, they will simply upvote their own content, ignoring everyone else around them, leaving meaningless comments that don't make sense in context to the post.
I hope to be able to add to the community here, and I certainly appreciate posts that make me really think. Like this one.
Welcome to Steemit though, @philnewton!
I just wanted to have a look at your #introduceyourself post, but then I found out you haven't published one yet. That's a good way of presenting oneself to the community in the beginning. There are a lot of whales checking the intro section regularly, so it might be a good idea for you to consider.
I'm glad you enjoyed reading my post!