There is no 'right way' or 'wrong way', there is only the consensus after 7 days. If someone voting in opposition to a vote distribution mechanism is enough to sink this ecosystem, we have bigger issues. This is actually a good opportunity to educate those ignorant about downvoting, decentralized governance, proof of stake, and consensus. Steem should be shattering the mental models created by traditional social media. The opportunity cost of downvoting was just too high to accomplish that, so the uninformed user got spoiled for a long time watching the concept of voting being a one-way street.

The expectation needs to change, and if that means the people locked into that old mental model leaving, then so be it. I'd be willing to bet those same people would come rushing back at the first scent of a bull market.