But I think that the whole competitions for money, bidding for votes, and bots (which admittedly I don't FULLY understand)

hahaha I know I don't understand it either, and many steemians don't :P Well first of all unfortunately the world is can never be free of manipulation, abuse of power. Its like the elites " lets call them whales" are sucking billions out of the economy hourly , like politics and presidents in every country live a lavish life fucking woman and men right and left doing major drug deals and major arms deals, steemit will never be free of whales!