Bravo berniesanders!
There is value in how the promoted feature burns some SBD of course, but I also find that the Promoted page is a good way to find quality posts (that doesn't mean I agree with all of them especially some of the conspiracy theory posts, but they are at least posts that people some real put effort into writing, decent photography, etc.). Most people won't spend money to promote junk posts, so it serves as a decent filter for removing a lot of the spammy garbage that you have to wade through on New, etc.
If more people were aware of this aspect of it, the page would have more visibility and spending money on promotion would make even more sense.
I think it's going to have a compounding effect as well, because once people start to catch on that spending and to promote their post actually will net them a higher payout they will start to want to be on top. It's probably gonna create a promoted post price war, which will burn a lot in the end.
I think that is the idea. I also think it might get people to think differently about the promoted page too which is what we need to attract businesses into using it. Once they start to see it as a viable proposition with enough views then the amount of money they will be willing to pay will make our promotion bids seem like pennies.
And yet another thing I'm learning about in the past 48 hrs, and I think I might be stalking you now...not intentionally ;) but many posts that give pertinent information that my extremely right brained (artistic and creative and great at philosophy but god awful at anything techie/mathematical/organized etc) self is doing her utmost to learn and comprehend I find you in. And now I feel compelled to ask you a couple of questions, and I'm trying to find the right way to word them so they don't come across with the wrong connotations. Just know that there is no negative inflection here, I am simply curious. What is your function or reason for being in steemit? I went to your page to see if you post, since like @sigmajin you're very intelligent and you understand the system better than most. But you don't post, you don't follow anyone...you do have a huge wallet. I realized you were a whale at some point when we first interacted, but until now I think the only whales I've met had a couple hundred thousand sp at most. For a second there I was intimidated by the number, but my curiosity outweighs my nervousness (normal for me, this cat has 9x9 lives) do you have a preference for content? That's probably the question of a severely mentally handicapped person, sorry: What is your preference? What do you like to see/read/listen to? And what qualities do you like in people? Because it's possible you only vote on material you enjoy, but it's also possible you vote on people you enjoy. And finally, would it make sense for me to promote my fiction? Okay, admittedly it's New Year's Eve and I'm currently drinking Ommegang's Three Philosophers with a 9.7 abv, and I'm probably going to be really pissed at myself in the morning for posting to you right now. I will understand if you choose to ignore me. Happy New Year's Eve my smooth new friend (yes, that's reaching I know LOL)!
LOL. Have a happy new year!
I came here to wish @smooth a good New year and found this post and got a LOL. I appreciated the honesty of it (:
Hey there @smooth.
I am just dropping by to say I am thinking of you at this time and thanks for the support on here and friendship.
I hope you have a good 2017. The last year has honestly been the worst of my life after the car running me over, and I am spending time tonite posting to wish others a good year. It won't help me but it might help someone else LOL.