From what I've seen, most of the witnesses and people that *can* do something about this are completely ignoring the problem.  I've been doing some reading myself and it seems that some of the biggest whales have *already given up on this platform*  

Is Steemit in a state of implosion? Isn't @dan one of the big guys around here?

![steemitunfixable.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmQQWsbq9JEDk9hwCjxJRtpqtmVWK8sSQ3wgXX3TGk4Qhq/steemitunfixable.png)

A response to [Dan Larimer left STEEMIT because it was unfixable](https://steemit.com/eos/@inertia/til-dan-larimer-left-steem-because-it-was-unfixable#@dan/re-inertia-til-dan-larimer-left-steem-because-it-was-unfixable-20180113t130002600z)

This is all starting to look worse and worse by the minute, but then I see @grumpycat trying to do something about it.

As a newcomer, I am pretty disgusted with the botting that goes on in this platform.  It makes me think that if I don't invest 20 SBD in an upvoting service just so that I can get 25 SBD in return in upvotes I will never make it on this platform.

These upvote bot services don't create or add *any* value to steemit.  In my opinion, it creates an illusion of value.  False value.  It's not real value because the creator tricked you by giving himself a large upvote.  It is deceitful, in my opinion, when it comes to any business.  

He will take down the whole platform if he has to, and I don't necessarily disagree with him.  These bots are creating false value in every post they upvote.  *I thought there was more manual curation going on, but clearly there isn't*