dont you describe a problme there if you as one of the biggest believers (at least I think so) if you are not willing to buy Steem for 2$?

Tbh I caught myself thinking "dude, this guy goes to the cinema makes a pic and gets the money back for the movie, unfair random curses"

But yeah you build your account and network for 3 years and took the risks of buying and keeping your Steem and this is the reward.

Circle jerking is as you describe, pretty natural to a degree and fine in my book and I think even the loudest mouth is enjoying the autovotes they get and there are enough minnow circles which do that as well.

I think as a bigger stakeholder myself there is an extra responsibility though to keep planktons and minnows which proves themselves (meaning not cashing out the first posts etc) to keep them engaged with showing them some steemlove with a vote or two.

Circle jerking looks/is unfair if you are not a part of it but I see very little posts which decline payouts when they post how shitty Steem is.