I really like that you are discussing the fundamentals for Hive. As a community we shouldn't be afraid of taking more radical changes. That being said, I actually don't think that the current system is a total disaster: auto-votes, although problematic to some degree have their purpose. For me as a content creator it motivates me greatly to know that my post will get some rewards. In the early steemit days, often I got 0 payout. But with people continually supporting me, it gives me confidence and pushes my creativity. What comes with auto-votes, however, is the need to check back on the author to see if he/she is still making the posts that you first thought to be valuable.

Also I don't understand why you feel that you don't earn enough money with the current system in place. Unless I am getting it completely wrong: being a hive investor has a high potential pay off. Please let me know if this is wrong!