Hey, @willymac.

When I first read taskmaster4450's post on quality, I was ready to launch a counterstrike. If you missed it, don't worry, it never left the pad. :)

However, in essence, while I understand where he's coming from, I would rather not discourage quality, but encourage good enough. Quality is subjective, and so some people are going to find some things of value, others of lesser value, and some with no value at all.

There is a definite work to result ratio that as a creative I feel I need to meet. If I'm constantly doing eight hour-plus posts, and getting back less than a $1 for my efforts, that's a lot of time being wasted. However, if I'm putting in no more than two hours and getting less than $1, while still not so great a ratio, it's at least four times better.

So, there's some managing of expectations with time spent, but doing the best one can with the post should still be a priority.

Also, the next point where I part ways with TM4450 is I don't believe that all things that could appear here have value, and therefore, masses and their likes notwithstanding, I'm not of a mind to vote for it. I don't think they should be rewarded at all, by the poster himself (because in many cases, they're not even the creator), a curator, the app being used, or bots. I don't know how to discourage all of that, but if we start diluting value we end up inflating things and the platform goes down in flames anyway.

Just because they exist out there, doesn't mean they should. Just because people will do it, doesn't mean they should be rewarded. And certainly not as much as a post that some thought and effort was put into.

So, as for me, I will be holding the line. I will continue to upvote what I find is quality within the limitations imposed upon me by stake (or lack thereof), and I will continue to produce what I feel is quality or what adds value.

If enough of us were to do just that, the issue would still exist, but slowly but surely, the apps whose posts are not adding value to the blockchain will fade and those that are adding will continue on.

Still, everyone is free to find their success and fulfillment wherever that might be. I for one am happy to be able to put my work out there directly to the STEEM community (visibility limited as it might be) and let those who see it be the judge as opposed to going through yet another gatekeeper.