Agreed, the game theory on Steemit is a mess, but I've given up making suggestions.

"Otherwise we have a dystopian future where someone can quite literally BUY censorship powers."

You mean a dystopian PRESENT? This is just how it works, and it will work this way here. No flags = no way to combat abuse. Death knell.

"Second. Trending and hot pages have to be SEVERELY redesigned."

We've all been saying this, some of us for years. Almost nobody disagrees. Nothing is done.

"cutthroat capitalism"

This is just the default state of nature and default "optimal" game theory strategy in any game. Take the max you can get before the price is too high.

Beats the hall out of massive-tool Anarchyhasnogod's lust for being ruled again by Stalin and insistence that "all property is theft."