Do you remember...

For some, time flies by, whilst for others it passes slowly or even seems to stand still. Is this down to life and its daily worries, or is it simply a matter of having an empty mind? It is a fact that most people have few, if any, memories. Not at all, and certainly not of the people who have played a part in their well-being, or, as is the case in modern times, contributed to their success on social media.

These days, success isn’t just about having a good job, running your own business or having a fat bank balance. Success has a lot to do with your own well-being and being able to support yourself, as well as, of course, a life free of debt. Nothing is as bad as having creditors. Whatever people say: the house you live in, the car you drive, the computer you use, the phone you use to check messages, the clothes you wear and the fridge where your groceries are kept are not yours if you bought them on hire purchase or have another loan. A monthly repayment means you can’t relax, because you’re always at risk of having them taken away if you don’t meet your payment obligations.

How much easier it is to borrow from family, friends or even strangers. Money, goods or their knowledge. It’s even better if you don’t (refuse to) pay it back. All too often, it is thought that family has a responsibility to look after one another, but in reality it is often the case that one party bears the burdens, whilst the other reaps the benefits and profits. The same applies on social media. The "newcomer" is helped, and as soon as they break through and achieve a certain status, they look down on the person who helped them. Is this down to a short memory, or is greed at play here?

How many of you here on Steemit still remember the early days, weeks and months, the struggle to be noticed and read, the hope of earning something? How many of you have actually given something back to those who were always willing to upvote, leave a comment and offer advice?
I’m actually quite sure that when it comes down to it, this isn’t even 1% of all Steemians. Help is taken for granted or even demanded. Nobody knows how much work goes into it, and they couldn’t care less whether that person is sacrificing their sleep to read, reply and upvote. I could name a few people who were foolish enough to do so and have indeed since disappeared.
I could also list people who have thoroughly exploited the POB (Proof of Brain) system in every possible way, only to vanish afterwards or simply receive all the support needed to carry out the scam till today.
I could also name a very long list of people who were helped and then left, never honoured their commitments, and don’t lose a moment’s sleep over it.

If you think about this, you can draw the conclusion that crime does indeed pay and goodness goes unrewarded. It is wiser to invest in yourself than in others, because those others will have forgotten you very quickly once they have found another cash cow and moved up a rung on the ladder.

There are many reasons why an upvote is not returned or why the vote cast still counts for nothing after years. It is understandable that investors might exchange Steem for something more stable in value and with which a profit can be made, or that Steem is used for one’s own livelihood, but then ask yourself why another Steemian should leave Steem untouched and even increase their holdings just to give you a good upvote. I think this is found quite normal (applying double standards).

Those who are unable to give cannot demand anything.

This morning I went through a large number of posts in the Community for newcomers. Perhaps you’ve left an introductory post there yourself at some point. It’s not what it used to be: most introductions aren’t read or upvoted, whether or not they’re written by AI, and the average newcomer has absolutely nothing new, unique or creative to offer on this platform (except by one original entry). And if this is the case, you’ll never get noticed, let alone receive a reply or make contact with people who can help you. Perhaps this is also a very good thing, because there are more scammers on social media than genuine people, let alone good writers, commentators and artists.

All those high-level qualifications? I don’t believe a word of it; the average person can’t even write properly, let alone read with understanding and remember what they’ve written.

Do you remember what you wrote your content on Steemit would look like, all those promises you made, the goals you set as you started here?

_{Prompt: see title
7-5-2026}