I am not arguing against anything you have said in this video, but I would like to point out that there is a natural tendency to like those who like you. That is in a literal sense as well as in real life.

While my stake is too small to engage in any of this quid pro quo schemes, I tend to notice if someone came in and said something about my post and liked it. I often check out their posts and may like their posts.

That might be how these circle voters have started out. And with time it devolved into what you have described.

Love your content, always learning something new from it.