This is why we need free downvotes which has been considered lately to be implemented.

One caveat is that even, if downvotes didn't cost VP or existed in a separate flagging pool, they would not be free in the sense of them not being subject to retaliation. If downvotes didn't cost VP, sure we could go and flag shitposts all the livelong day but we both know that the abusers don't take kindly to folks putting the brakes on their low effort reward wagon. We know they will flag back in revenge. I've seen it and I'm sure you've seen it.

I do have a particular idea to alleviate this situation to reduce the fear of reprisal from abusers. The difficult thing would be addressing counter flags from alts. That being said, we may be able to reduce the risk of sending healthy flags by implementing a system I'd like to call a Reactive Flag Protection Mechanism but it would by no means eliminate the threat.

Still yet, any way I think we can buff good flags coming from abuse fighters, the better for the platform in my humble opinion.

I think I will write at length on the RFPM proposal in one of my upcoming Utopian anti-abuse project posts. Think there is some potential there but I would like to hear from witnesses like you.

As far as walls of text go, I appreciated yours. My takeaway from it is I need to try and be more positive. I have a bad habit of focusing on the negative with all the shenanigans I see on the chain. The problem isn't mostly Steem intrinsically. It's rather human nature.