@carlgnash - Hi, Carl! It's me again. You found me wandering like a waif on @militarymemes and encouraged me to "introduce myself." Still haven't quite gotten around to that because exploring the Steemit forest is an indescribable through-the-looking-glass-and-down-the-rabbit-hole experience. There's a wonderful scene in the original Disney animated film as Alice begins her tumble and conveniently falls into a chair that is floating down the rabbit hole just below her. This allows her to sit back and enjoy her journey to the center of the earth. As I recall it, as soon as she feels a bit thirsty, she passes a pitcher of water and a glass on a table, reaches out and doesn't miss.

Well, just as I begin to ponder the problem of bot voting, I suddenly find myself in your part of the forest again. Voila! And when I open the door to peek inside this tree trunk, what do I see but The Mad Hatter (michelle.gent) and The March Hare (toneyboney) throwing china tea cups at each other. Weren't we just having that conversation when I was the naïve waif replying to your comment @militarymemes? Wasn't I so pleased to have left all of that behind at The YouTube Troll Center? But now, even here in the utopia of free-Steem-speech, it looks as if all the cups and saucers might be smashed before we can drink our tea.

Here's an interesting insight into the power of actual reputation over a Steem profile reputation. As michelle.gent and toneyboney continued their quarrel, I noticed that your response (at reputation 55) was more influential (with me) than that of michelle.gent (at reputation 73). Why? Well, partly because I did not know the two contenders but had already had a very positive encounter with you. Therefore your support for toneyboney won my support as well. Isn't that an interesting lesson in human behavior?

While I was living in Luddite-land (on the planet Lud, which I think may be my introduction eventually),
I dismissed social media platforms as inauthentic because human interaction requires eye contact, body language, the full engagement of the senses in full response to the presence, feelings, and behavior of another human being. Or so I thought. But the ferocious contention between michelle.gent and toneyboney is proving me wrong. In the absence of a physical presence, the heart, mind, and spirit are more clearly visible. And this is true regardless of proficiency in language, grammar, or writing skills.

There is a new user group for minnows that I have not yet decided to join because in reading the description of purpose, I sense in the "heart, mind, and spirit" of the group, an "energy" of the same authoritarian censorship and control that lies at the core of the conflict between michelle.gent and toneyboney. Which seems to suggest that the circular debate between free speech and censorship occurs at every "social level" and is in no way a class issue.

Yes, Carl, this self-guided tour through Steem-ville is very interesting, very interesting indeed. And now that I have written this "purely original content," please do with it as you see fit. I trust you. In fact, if you think this conversation may interest the "human" Steemit community, feel free to change names to protect the (innocent/guilty) and add artwork. Since you were my first Steemian friend, I consider you a mentor. Much love.