Everyone needs to vent and I agree with you on this. I've never once complained about not getting upvotes on a post nor do I plan on doing so. I'm here to share knowledge about marine science and to help myself study by writing posts and reading papers to help with the writing process.
I don't understand how people can complain about their posts not doing shit when the quality is not good, it is plagiarized, or whatever. I do not claim to write the best posts, and yes, some of my posts are shit themselves. @Amavi and @Mountainwashere are two of the best examples (in my opinion) of communicating science to the community without making a post as if you are wanting to get it published (those are great posts too).
I think every content creator within the steemstem community can do a better job at community engagement. I'm glad this break and restructuring are happening regardless if it messes up people (myself included) getting upvotes on their posts from @steemstem or not.
This is a simple game of numbers: what is our import, what is our export.
What we do is specific and fragile. We can't reach the masses, we don't write pseudoscientific crap that will be attractive to 5% of the people no matter what.
All we can do is to this for ourselves. Because we like to do this and because we have a passion.
This is a crypto. It can fall to zero - and I'll be ok, this is my blog.
I could sell all my steem for 3$ - and do what? Buy a laptop, a few lenses :D and change tires on my car.
It a small amount to betray all of you.
But, if we keep the quality maybe we will get some attention from the outside.
Maybe we will get some new idea.
Maybe we will attract some good new people.
Maybe we could make some "real-life" collaboration and boost our careers.
If we make the community - we could do something we can't even imagine today.
I feel like outside attention is not necessary unless we want to do something along the lines of what @mobbs suggested in this post: Steem could transform...
But you're right, we need to just stick to doing this for ourselves and not for the payment.