@louisthomas I do agree that advertising on Steemit would be beneficial for the longevity of the platform, but you said it yourself, that is exactly what we as a community have tried to avoid. When SMT's are launched (will the launch date now change due to layoffs, who knows), the benefits of advertising could be astronomical for those attempting to launch their own ideas on the platform. I think we are starting to see now, though, that the idea of not implementing it would hinder its growth. We have seen such a downturn since the announcement to delay any rulings by the ETF. We are not dealing with a decentralized market anymore, in a sense. Government involvement, advertising....ergo becoming mainstream is the only way. I don't like it, but I get it and know its necessary in order to maintain value in the investment I've made in Steemit.