As I stated earlier, this was not a PR post for @smooth. Currently, @smooth has an idea about how to potentially make steemit better and is exercising the freedom to implement this idea. I can understand the concerns pertaining to steemit payouts, and that it can be a valid concern. Many here struggle with the post payouts on a regular basis.

In regard to downvoting AKA “flagging” @papa-pepper has never intentionally flagged anyone nor do I have any knowledge of ever unintentionally flagging anyone. In many ways, I am very glad that my upvotes don’t matter much.

I have made no claims to socialism in the present or in the past, and I do not believe that what steemit needs is to give every user a nickel every time that they post. I was also not supporting the choices that @smooth was making in regard to downvoting posts, I was only sharing that just as @smooth considered my response to the downvote to be valid, I believe that concerns about post payouts are also valid.

The purpose of this post was to encourage other users from interacting in a respectful and appropriate manner and to discuss issues like adults. There is a great lack of this type of interaction on steemit when users get emotional, and I certainly also had the opportunity to respond emotionally rather than with respect and tact. I am not trying to show how great @papa-pepper is, or how great @smooth is, but just that delicate situations can still be dealt with in a better manner than I have often seen.

I understand what you are saying in regards to others being generous. I have deeply appreciated every bit of support that I have received in my time here. When I saw my rewards diminished, it did not make me feel good. I thought, if only for a second, of doing a farewell post and blaming @smooth. Obviously, I chose to do otherwise, and even if @smooth would not have removed the downvote on my post, I still would have interacted in a respectful way.

I cannot control the beliefs of others or their actions. I do not like the idea of fearing that a good paying post will be “adjusted” by a downvote. I have worked very hard for many months and appreciate the opportunity to earn something on steemit as well. Of course the payouts are not the only reason that I am here, but they are enjoyable.

I was planning on mentioning something to @smooth anyway about (at least) taking more variables into consideration if this payout adjustment downvoting was going to continue, but I have no real relationship with @smooth, so I didn’t know how. This downvote on my post gave me an opportunity, so I took advantage of it. If @smooth stops this activity, good, but I cannot make that happen. If @smooth continues, then hopefully more issues will be taken into consideration.

Until just this second, I wasn't even aware of what happened to @karenmckersie.

https://steemit.com/steemit/@karenmckersie/im-taking-a-break-from-steemit-downvoted-by-smooth-for-no-reason-warning-to-new-members

This is a great example of what I was expressing in my concern. She got payouts of $8.28, $0.42, $0.40, $0.18, $0.77, $2.03, $0.53, & $5.99 prior to the one that @smooth downvoted to being in the $50.00 range. (I just found out that this happened.) When the post payout for the one that was adjusted is viewed within the contest of post history, I'd say that it was about time that @karenmckersie got a good payout.

I'm not supporting whales adjusting the post payouts like this, I was showing that we can choose how to interact, and sometimes it can work out favorably for others too.

Again, I just wanted to lead by example here and demonstrate that other ways of interacting are possible, even when we have the opportunity to be emotional. I think that you can understand that, and thanks not only for your reply, but also for your concern, @digit.