So, basically, some people are treating, Steemit like a nepotism network, right?

Another question comes to mind then. How can one be objective about quality if they're voting on the work of a friend?

I'm not so sure that Steemit is looking to create that kind of reputation, but if enough people see that happening, they will see automated curation among a network of friends who are just passing the rewards between themselves.

I guess the word that comes to mind is "disappointment".

Thanks for clearing that up for me.