I am new, and I am willing to admit being wrong if it appears that I am.  But I am a trained economist, and my trained instincts tell me that gaming the system will destroy it.  There's an old saying in monetary economics that is closely related:  "Bad money drives out good".

I'd like to have a respectful conversation about each of the types of bots currently in use or emerging, in which we take a good look at whether they are good, or bad, for the platform.

exactly, you are my hero!

Go ahead.  Mute me and hide in your filter bubble.  Or, encounter me.  Social intercourse is about giving, not taking.  Human relationships, even isolated encounters, are sacred.  Whenever you disagree with something I post, say so, in whatever terms you choose to express yourself.  I will consider your thoughts.

My most significant achievement in life is the large number of mistakes that I have made and false ideas that I have embraced.  You can quantify the maturity of a person by counting the number of times he or she has apologized and/or admitted that he or she is wrong.