Good Post..
BUT..
wherein you said" The steemit hierarchy looks like an oligarchy which is bound to fail"
From multiple sources it can be noted that:
The iron law of oligarchy states that all forms of organization, regardless of how democratic they may be at the start, will eventually and inevitably develop oligarchic tendencies, thus making true democracy practically and theoretically impossible, especially in large groups and complex organizations.
Is bound to fail a synonym for inevitable?
If it IS inevitable (all of history suggests that it is) then why emulate King Canute?
It would seem to me that we should attempt to find a way to turn lemons into lemonade?
Well... Nothing lasts forever! Even Google might become history. If steemit can prevent this in its early stages it may survive longer.
the 'space'..she is a changing VERY fast. It's natural selection in the InfoSphere. Descent with modification. 'Evolve' to survive in the rapidly changing environment...or die.