Thanks for bringing those to my attention.

I don't think vote-selling is a good thing.

However, I personally agree with @Reggaemuffin (if I may paraphrase his stance, received second-hand) - since there is no way to prevent this behavior, the option that reduces the most harm is conducting it out in the open with clear guidelines. Hence, you get Minnowbooster.

This post is really a response to @theleapingkoala 's image I included and encouragement to stop shaming other's behavior.

After reading Dan's comment, I agree philosophically, but again refer to the main point of my article. I see no suggestion for how to stop this behavior. Shaming it drives it underground, relegating it to higher profits and mostly abusers, without even a typical "police" to attempt to enforce.

Perhaps most importantly, this shaming goes on towards minnows while whale voting rings farm the reward pool. That's probably more relevant than the rest of my comment above.

Profit privatization at the top, barriers erected to protect territory.

Ps - I watched your recent vlog on Steemit politics. I think we're roughly on the same page philosophically.