Buying (Steem) Power
In a way steemit plays by the rules of real life, instead of a cyber-utopia where the points don't matter. It is possible to purchase enough (Steem) power to completely disregard and/or ruin the experience of other users -- to the point that it becomes the digital equivalent of f*** you money.
You can amass such sums of steem power to completely silence your opposition, or those who simply annoy you. You can destroy their voice with a single click. You can also promote anyone for any reason at a whim, wielding the same amount of power. Certainly other social networks enable the same, but such power is generally achievable only through being socially valuable -- not merely economically wealthy.
Experimental or Inevitable?
This now becomes the great experiment. Potentially those who have enough wealth to do such things wouldn't bother with something like steemit. Perhaps those who achieve such wealth do so by doing socially valuable things -- since the site rewards exactly that. However, the second that someone with the funds does step up to play, all that could go out the window.
However, if we're ultimately just playing by the rules of the real world here, maybe the inevitable result of this site is the digital expression of the power imbalances of the real world -- with all the benefits and liabilities that come with it.
Bright Future
For the time being, I think we have a bright future in the short-term with the size of the user base where it is, and with the types of posts/interactions we're currently seeing.
What do you think? Give me some love and/or hate in the comments -- whatever is in your heart.