The continued conversation
Pretty amazing contrast between the gold of the autumn birch leaves and the blue of the sky isn't it? I took the picture a few minutes ago as my daughter and I walked back from her daycare. I like the contrasts in things, the various positions and perspectives that balance the imagery. It is part of the reason I enjoy Steem.
One of the massive potentials we have on Steem is the ability to be part of the conversation that could lead to new forms of governance, new ways to organize ourselves and satisfy our needs globally using technological tools. These tools regardless of whether Steem or hundreds of other versions are here to stay for this reason as there is no time before that such precision and spread has been possible.
While governments flounder to manage a small amount of citizens and the resources distribution required, we are here working out solutions for potentially billions of people and, all of the resources required. The tokenization of the world that many predict is because of this. It is happening already and we who are here now are part of that process as we negotiate the challenges a large ecosystem faces in the relative controlled environment of a microcosm version.
This is no small thing to scoff at and I think that once people realise the ramifications of solving some of these issues, more people will take it all a lot more seriously and join into the discussions. There are the little things like transferring funds or paying daily bills but there are also the larger aspects like voting rights of citizens and security of information. It is just a ledger system but the way and where it is applied can have large consequences in our daily experiences.
There are risks of course as the very strength of the blockchain information is also a potential weakness that could be used to control and enslave. But, this not necessarily the outcome by any measure but increases in likelihood the fewer people are involved in the decision making as even the best intentioned will begin to favor their position and benefit over others and in time, it leads to massive inequalities as we have now and eventual system breakages, as we have now.
The trick here is to learn from what doesn't work and keep experimenting, getting feedback and experimenting again. In large centralized systems this process is very slow and incredibly expensive to implement as well as difficult to change. For example, if we look at the voting processes in the US alone we can see the lack of will from some parts to not make it easier. Essentially a blockchain voting system solves availability, resources and income issues immediately. How hard is it to implement? Not very but it still needs to be approved by people who's position would be harmed by having all available easily to vote in the system.
For us here though we have a chance to negotiate and discuss openly and in good faith about a whole range of these issues and potentially find solutions that can be adopted in real world scenarios. One small country can run a trial for elections, another through their medical records or billing systems and soon, things start to snowball very quickly.
At this point and perhaps for all time, there is no 'correct', but there can be the best we can do at this time given the resources available. That is a big factor when it comes to development as it is not what you have, it is what you are able to do with what you have. The blockchain is just a tool that can be utilized for various purposes and what we choose to use it for will determine what it will likely be used for in the next instance.
We are in the foundational stages and as more and more people take interest, there will be greater innovation and distribution of ideas concerning how to use it. It is at this point that mainstreaming truly takes hold and the early adopter thinkers create more tools for the bandwagon jumpers to use and benefit from. We are laying the foundations now and even if we aren't directly part of the conversation, the way we behave becomes part of the feedback loop that directs what is spoken about.
I never expect anyone to agree with me here and perhaps even though it would make my life easier, it wouldn't be what I want unless my thinking is sound enough to influence the next sentences o the conversation. If I am mistaken in my understanding however, it should be questioned so that it doesn't run the risk of becoming part of the building.
People complain about everything on Steem and always will but up until now, I have found that this is the most engaged I have ever been of any community I have ever been a member. If anyone spends anytime following some of the conversations here they will find that there area some pretty incredible people in this world who are working toward something larger than themselves together, even when they don't agree.
The entire blockchain industry will facilitate these kinds of conversations on all manner of topics globally in a way where the learning available from the discussions will be able to be used to make fundamental changes to the way we manage ourselves, interact with others and experience our lives.
The goal is to improve on what that experience is currently. We are all stakeholders in our experience which means, we should probably all take some interest in the conversations and developments that influence it.
Taraz
[ a Steem original ]
I wish I could share your optimism. You're absolutely right in saying that blockchain technology being implemented in all sorts of areas would improve our lives, but I'm afraid that the powers-that-be do not care about that. Governments worldwide have zero interest in transparency, as for global conversation and facilitating the free exchange of ideas, no way. It is doable, a grassroots movement could change things, but it won't be easy.
Very difficult indeed which is why I think less worry about the competition and more thought into pulling people in to the mix at real world levels.
In general, people do not open well to change and that impacts the rate of adoption in any technology. The fear of change and what it brings normally delays the process and creates barriers around people and communities most impacted which is why the initiative needs to come from external sources like the communities we engage in here.
Yes. External, local responsibility for change suited to the needs of the immediate environment. Something centralization and narrow powers cannot achieve.
Co-operation doesn't scale very well to millions of participants in most parts of the world. Distributed consensus cannot be done very reliably in most societies. I've listened to a lot of African and Latin American Steemians and been forced to conclude that Africans in particular are at a great risk of being falling pray to external powers again - China this time. The solution to the chaos and short-sighted self-maximization in those parts of the world that is destroying them does not come from the governments. It's up to the individuals or whatever largest units of internal trust and cohesion that exist there to start creating peer-to-peer networks aided by distributed consensus technology bypassing centralized power structures entirely.
It has to start at a level where the government controlling state mechanisms of coercion are unable to interfere. Peer-to-peer networks of information and commerce will probably arise out of sheer necessity as centralized service providers such as power companies or Internet service providers fail due to lack of maintenance and being stripped of assets by nepotistic and corrupt officials.
It is not going to be a quick fix, it is a slow grind that I personally don't expect to see the results of but, it has already started.
In many off those places the centralized systems are already crumbling so they might be the first early adopters to use distributed networks at the local levels. Look at how they organise the transfer of Steem into local currencies already while we are waiting for Coinbase. Necessity as they say.
The risk with China is them making life lived easier through working centralization and they have some experience.
Yes, Venezuela, for example, has a fiat-Steem bridge implemented called Orinoco or something.
China is indeed poised to show a very bad example. The Chinese have a long tradition of centralization. Where they're going with their social credit scores is nothing short of nightmarish. The Chinese will be able to technically pull it off but because they have pretty bad problems with abuse of power the system will no doubt cause major problems.
As the forum is decentralized it moves much more quickly and we can visualize the dream. If only the rest of the world could do the same. Thanks @trazkp
It's real?
If it is wow it's looks artificial wallpaper
Greetings, @tarazkp.
I am very excited at the possibilities of Steemit and blockchain in general.
Technologically and socially, I think it will greatly contribute to making it more difficult for governments to censor and control.
Steem could have a large role to play in the global conversation due to its content delivery purpose. Lots to come.