This is the one reason I have been less than impressed with the business model. I appreciate the 104 day holding, for sustainability and growth. I think most of us are all for it in principle. And I'm not opposed to people investing real money, and investors powering down. What I'm NOT ok with is how investors get little to nothing of what they invest, and whales, or should we call them sharks, are running off with the loot. If there were a cap, or whale restraint demonstrating a little more long-term intention for bringing in new investors, the 104 holding wouldn't be a big deal. I expressly did NOT invest my own money in this system because I saw the current trend as a potential casualty for me. Call my cynical. Had I seen a greater potential for ROI as a general trend for initial investors, you BET I would have. I feel angry for people who have put their eggs in the basket and watched as their steem goes out to pay less "deserving" candidates who either write crappy stuff, or who never invested in the first place (like me). I value this platform, I believe in it more than anyone, I put long hours into my mining, and I'm investing my sweat, but it's pyramid at best with the current power downs. Even without the power downs, it would still be very top heavy. But I still think we can change that, with initiatives like @robinhoodwhale, and with smaller networks coming up from the ranks and building a middle class. When we move up in ranks, WE can reward the minnows and initial investors, and create a better balance in this unstable ecosystem. I don't think we're doomed. I think we're just dealing with a very typical human-run system. Them's the shakes. But it'll work itself out. It won't ever be fair. Their will always be gamers, cheaters, bamboozlers, and greedy bastards. But it will still find a way to level out a bit. I like to think.
I am all for the holdings though. I'd do it even if it was not required. I like keeping my SP steadily growing. It is important for the economy.
RE: My proposal: reduce the withdraw channel from 104 weeks to 104 days or even 104 hours to make steemit less like a ponzi scheme