Don't Ask What You Can Do For Steem, Ask What Steem Can Do For You
I don't think you should worry too much about helping to build Steem.
Steem's success or failure really has nothing to do with how many tweets we make on the steem hashtag (sorry @nathanmars), or how much we power up as individuals.
The best thing you can do for Steem is to be your best self. Keep yourself safe. Be a sovereign individual, not a sheep following a pipe dream.
When people tell you that Steem is going to the moon, be sure to ignore them as much as you can. You will do well to take on a disdainful view of anybody who pretends that they can predict the future price of steem. If someone predicts the price, they are either mistaken or actively lying. Don't be an idiot, don't let people lie to your face and then smile and thank them. Tell them to fuck off.
Again: Price prediction is 100% bullshit with no exceptions and you should never believe it...
Where Steem Gets Its Power
Steem's power is not in the ability to get rich by hoarding tokens. Its power is in the ability to connect with other humans to collaborate on meaningful projects. The money is a tool, it's like fuel to power these collaborations.
When people hoard tokens trying to become dolphins, to gain reputation through over-investing in the Steem platform, it makes me sad. They are being taken in by a lie.
The lie is that they'll get rich if they simply have enough faith.
Faith is not the answer. Reason, compassion, and honesty are the answer. You do not need faith in steem.
Embrace Mild Selfishness
What you can do is be a little more selfish. Ask not what you can do for Steem. Ask what Steem can do for you. Expect a lot from it -- if you're going to contribute your time, your wisdom, and your reputation to this platform, it damned well better pay you a lot in return. Whether that payout is in money, in knowledge, or in friendship, whatever. But if your pay is merely a pipe dream - the idea of going to the moon with high steem prices at some future time - you are being lied to.
IF STEEM GOES TO THE MOON, IT'LL BE BECAUSE IT BECOMES THE WORLD's GREATEST COLLECTION OF DIGITAL CONTENT IN THE WORLD. IT WON'T BE BECAUSE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE POWERED UP A BUNCH OF TOKENS. IT'LL BE BECAUSE THEY MADE THE BEST ART.
I was once told that some people are so poor, all they have is money. What a fucking scary thing to imagine.
Be well, my fellow Steemians. I want to hear your thoughts, do you agree or disagree with me here? I'm on the early stages of this idea, this new philosophy, this new path into Steem. I might go heavy on Steem again, but only if I can do it my way this time. Please critique me, give me your most biting detractions, poke massive holes in my argument here, thanks.
p.s. -- follow my QFLUX collective on instagram if ya dont mind
I think you are totally wrong on this one here. The value of STEEM is two fold really. The money value which is based of available supply on the markets and perceived value of the product. So the more people that commit and take supply off the markets the higher it will get. And more people will be willing to buy that supply if they see a vibrant and active product so powering up and marketing on twitter do have a big effect on the site.
The other perceived value comes from the people using the chain and adding content to it. If we have a large userbase that creates good content, new developments and brings in more people it will be seen to have a high value. Then more people will use it and more people will buy the token. Win win.
I think you need to change your statement around as the more you do to increase use and value the better for everyone including yourself. If the price rises we all do better for our efforts. This should be a long game and it's not about instant profits. I love being here so everything I earn is a bonus otherwise there is no point in spending my time here as I already have one job to grind away at. The only part I agree with on this one is about having the power to work on meaningful collaborations and meet some very interesting people but that is just my take on this one.
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It's an interesting an important line of thought to develop this.... the idea that the value of the steem token has to be based on something tangible rather than speculative value!
Ironically (if it is ironic) I think the more people invest to just get a speculative return, especially a quick return, the worse it might be for steem, because ordinary content creators would probably rather see more stability than constant price fluctations.
I think committing to long term investment for a passive return might be different to purely short term speculation, maybe positive - also if you invest it does give you more of sense of agency.
I think there is a core of people working to create utility all over the blockchain, you should rock up to @pennsif's show on Discord at 20.00 GMT tonight to get an idea of what's going on, there's even discussions now about how to ensure DAPP developers aren't reinventing the wheel.
i think there is a of work going on to make steem for useable.
But we still haven't sorted out all those shitty problems that you covered in your Medium article!
Ironically (if it is ironic) I think the more people invest to just get a speculative return, especially a quick return, the worse it might be for steem, because ordinary content creators would probably rather see more stability than constant price fluctations.
Truth!
and I concede for sure that there's some great dapp development on the steem blockchain. The only concern right now is that not too many of them "stick" -- seems like there's always a few flavors of the month... I'd like to see some useful dapps that grow over time and maintain their core audience along the way.
Fair point, a lot of them overlap too of course.
It's still very early days to be able tell which (if any!) will stick.
I’m pretty happy with Steem... earning over 4,000 posting my Artwork, photography, crypto commentary and other eclectic bits and pieces. I’m pretty sure Steem will be worth a lot again some day. It’s great to see many good artists finally earning a living sharing their artwork on the internet.... after many years of helping Zuckerberg get rich by sharing their work on Facebook and Instagram.
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Glad to hear you are having a good experience
I just arrive here in steemit and I don't know exactly how things works, but I'm totally with you @heymattsokol. I have a faith that good content and meaninful conections can win robots! I'm also facing this place to improve my creativity, my english and my writing!
Good idea
Minor but necessary correction ... "meaningful connections can BEAT robots." Got it?
hmmm I like the original better :)
Without people power up, nobody can reward you from the reward pool. The way your express yourself on this article is like produce content for Facebook for free. ;)
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I'm not sure what you mean, sorry.
The reason you’ve ever been able to take anything out is because others have put something in. I’m taking about actual money.
I think you need a better understanding of the way Steem works on a technical level. I read your article on Medium about how this place is mostly a scam. I’m shocked you’re back here at all.
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Hmm...
My take on it is that money is merely a representation of value, actual money is just paper and ones and zeros. Steem's value is far beyond money - sort of like gold, like how gold's value is really beyond any monetary value, since it comes from its immutable characteristics of never tarnishing, easily being assayed without damaging it, etc...
I've been here since 2016 and read the white paper, read the SMT white paper, and spent probably 1000+ hours contributing to make steem what it is today, so I think I have some pretty good understanding of the way Steem works on a technical level.
I'll never apologize for my articles unless I say something profoundly stupid and don't notice it until later. That "Why I Quit Steem" article was a perfectly honest representation of my feelings at the time and I stand by it, even if my views continue to evolve.
Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate the critique.
I'm sorry but I can't take you seriously on this front. The title of this post is antithesis of meritocracy and is drenched in entitlement. I mean, you have a right to speak your mind, have at it. But, you've basically drafted an anti-economic model where illiquidity incentives are removed, thus throwing off simple supply/demand dynamics.
I did read your medium article a while back, sadly it was tinged with very much the same ethos that you are displaying here, but of course, it was adorned with hyperbole.
Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you are back. We need voices that challenge consensus, but I would like to know how you've landed on this socio-economic model, because the only parallel I can draw, and it's a far stretch, is somewhat Marxist. Meaning, people should take from those who have, because X.
Looking forward to reading the development of this conversation.
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I can see how your points are valid -- my wording on this article is a bit extreme and perhaps misleading. We might not see perfectly eye to eye but let me try to clarify and I'd really like to hear your thoughts on this:
This article isn't aimed at everybody. It is aimed at my audience, which is mostly composed of poor / working class artists who are struggling and working several jobs, managing freelance careers that are not yet abundant, etc etc etc.
My point here is really that people should avoid OVERinvesting in steem. My point is that some people should probably not power up at all, they should cash out and use the money to pay off debts, to pay for groceries, etc etc.
I know there are many people, such as myself prior to the time of the "Why I Left Steem" article, who have had 50%+ of their entire net worth in steem. I fully accept that this was my own fault - Steem did not do it to me. However, I feel I have a duty to help others avoid that mistake. To these people I say, please stop, please be more selfish, because you need to get your own shit together first.
If anything, this mindset may actually help to empower Steemians. Does that seem a bit more reasonable to you? If not, it's all good, I appreciate the intelligent opposition. Cheers dude!
there is a lot of good points in this response, and im happy to see a more balanced approach to your findings.
Cheers mate.
This post has been included in the latest edition of SoS Daily News - a digest of all the latest news on the Steem blockchain.
Aye, thanks @pennsif I appreciate it
Truth always rests with the minority, and the minority is always stronger than the majority, because the minority is generally formed by those who really have an opinion, while the strength of a majority is illusory, formed by the gangs who have no opinion — and who, therefore, in the next instant (when it is evident that the minority is the stronger) assume its opinion… while truth again reverts to a new minority.
Soren Kierkegaard
Just do not agree with using of truth concept. All can be manipulative
Hmm... Interesting quote but I am not exactly sure what you are saying with regards to my post
Tried to give some example similar to your thoughts but understood that almost failed it. It would be an empty effort of mine to tell and it would be an empty of yours to understand. Sorry i might be understood your toughts wrong 😞👍✌️😊
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Haha no its ok man thanks for stopping by. That's a good quote, just hard for my puny brain to fully grasp it lol