It is obvious that to some degree the majority of ownership is within the hands of the few. This was always known and has been one of the deterrents often cited outside the Steem ecosystem for why they would never advocate investing in the project.

Having said that, this does not mean that the system can't be one of greatness. Suppose the worst scenarios I see being touted are correct, such as from @shepz1. That this was all set up to be a grab and dash. That doesn't mean it has to remain as such. Does anyone think that any of the people running the other larger social sites would walk away from not only the birds in hand, but the potential for what could be?

While I know my investment wasn't a lot to many here, especially the self made millionaires who got in on the original mining, it was a lot for me. I didn't have it to spare. But I did it anyway, because of the potential I believed was here. I am a skeptic by nature, and that is a powerful testimony to what they could achieve here if they could get my money parted from my hand. They have an actual use for people like myself to open their real world wallet.

I read all of this talk of yay, decentralization. It will be the future. Yet the actions I see from the top does not reflect this sentiment.

• How is it we are this far along and this is just now being talked of as a problem with the prohibitive costs associated with running a full node?

• How is it none of the apps here mentioned their setup would be impossible without the subsidized nodes of Steemit.inc?

• How, with all the talk of apps and projects being the future was none of these high costs discussed before now?

• How is it that the top witnesses were not called upon to be running them in exchange for the high compensation they receive, especially as was mentioned in another comment here that they were at some point being paid even more but agreed to take less in exchange for less responsibility? That right there is a demand for more centralization. Just send me my money for showing up and setting these servers on autopilot with the least amount of effort as possible please.

I question if not one of them ever gave pause to what they were agreeing to, other than a quick momentary payout. There is much I don't understand, much water under the bridge that has set its erosion marks that can't be undone. Salvaging this project and keeping this interface with the chain alive has not passed under that bridge yet, and if my small squeaky wheel can get enough attention to get the grease applied to keep this going, then squeaky wheel I shall be.