I am personally convinced that:
1) this argument has now degenerated to the point where it is no longer likely to resolve any issues.
2) people do not come to CF to argue about whether they should post images, either original or "reposts".
3) We have a few rules (no excessive gore, no children, etc.) - I think we do not need a lot more - we do not want to be a totally rules-based forum.
4) There are steps that can be taken voluntarily by artists to promote or showcase their work (e.g. tagging or re-labeling threads), which have been suggested by members. These can be implemented on a voluntary basis by those who wish to do it, and we can all see whether there is success.
5) The number of images being posted is not a cost issue to this forum, according to IM. This is a matter of our preferences. In that context, I am not personally that concerned about people posting images. As a staff member, I will continue to move "off topic" posts to more appropriate areas, as I see them. If members want pictures of "fat bottomed girls" (as Freddie Mercury might say), or other non-crux images, whatever. For now, let's just keep them in Fantasy Unlimited.
6) This unnecessary and unhelpful bickering over issues that look like they will never produce consensus of any sort IS likely an issue related to cost, insofar as keeping the forums going relies on the good will of members.
7) This forum is not a democracy - IM owns it. IM sets the rules. Moderators moderate and administer (hopefully to the advantage of both IM and members).
I suggested this thread to propose ideas and thoughts (originally about not hijacking other people's threads), which many members have done, but not to drive immediately to a solution voted on by a majority, to establish a parliamentary process, or run a Brexit-like poll. As mp5stab said, we signed up for the artwork and stayed for the culture. You don't build a culture by imposing things on people, in my view. We get to know each other, we try to be considerate of each other, and the point of this discussion should not be to "win" the argument. The forum is a kind of living thing, like a plant, and I feel that you can't just hack away at it and hope it will thrive.
Now, I'd like to get back to doing some writing, and posting a few manips here and there. I will think about how to tell you all about that "original" work when I do.