Confirmed!
I understand the frustration you describe and I like @gunter01's comment.
As Steemit grows I think it will be more and more important to pick your niche when you get started. That way you can more easily promote yourself by posting and commenting within your niche.

And don't think there are whales not looking for great content from new Steemians. As a whale grows, the curation reward gets more and more important, so they will also have an economic interest in finding and promoting great content. One of the most well-known curation groups is @curie. To get an idea of the kind of content and quality they promote, check out the comments for that account.

I wish you all the best of luck!