You make a lot of valid points, but are wrong in some places. You need to remember some things:

• There are a finite number of whales.
• There are tons of users posting comments.
• Getting consistent payouts is all about critical mass.
• Whales are people too.

These factors and bad luck have worked against you. Your posts just haven't passed through any whale's radar. Most likely you just haven't resonated with them. It says nothing about the quality of your posts, but more about the whales. They may not identify with your experiences or may not be exactly what they are looking for in an author. And you are right about this: you may not know any personally.

Whales are people too and they vote for people with whom they identify and they often identify with those whom they know.

You look like you are a pretty good writer. You get your point across.

If you want to gain a critical mass, here is a pathway for you, offered by me, a whale: Go read my favorite libertarian author Robert J. Ringer. He wrote two books that have helped to form my own libertarian-like philosophy, Looking out for Number One and Winning through Intimidation. Read the former and summarize it here on steemit.

You can say it sucks and that steemed is a misguided idiot. I don't care what your opinion of Ringer's philosophy is. Just let me see what you think about it. If it's a well-considered analysis (positive or negative), I'll get you in the rotation.