We probably are witnessing today something that Facebook could not realize: putting the reader at the same level as the writer, and therefore pushing the writer to create content that matters.
It’s a true social revolution; because contrary to Facebook, Reddit or other social media platforms, steemit is the only one that really incentives the reader to push “good” content.
Did you ever ask yourself this question: Why do I “like” posts on Facebook?
Most common answer are dull... at best:
because I know the person... and I want to be nice
because it is funny or stupid
because it’s a cool picture: "C'mon, this baby is cute !!"
(I live far away from my homeland and I use Facebook to keep contact with my friends. But besides a like here and there, some chat and a couple comments, the most interaction I have is limited, and not very deep.)
As a matter of fact, the choice we make when "liking" on Facebook is never directed by anything else than our emotions.
This is at the same time the reason for Facebook's success, and the biggest flaw in the system, the one that makes Facebook useless (albeit funny sometimes).
I believe this is how Facebook became a repository for bad content. Stupid and silly diner pics, selfies. Some call it narcissism 2.0, people do not even bother liking anymore, and some even want a dislike button or DGAS button…
On the writer side, it’s even worse, we now have politically engaged content all around the place, people posting, in search of a moral approval from the community…
And I will not mention all these news sites, trying to clickbait the users with their great titles or short listicles. (articles in the form of a list: "You need to know these 5 things before you die")
Social media as we knew it is not anymore about GOOD content, it’s about who is the silliest or the more engaged, who will get your click. This generally leads, at best nowhere fast; at worst to idiotic and sterile fights about feminism, gluten free diets or Donald Trump.
So, here’s another great question: Where do I find GOOD content? What is GOOD content?
I’ll try a simple definition: Good content is basically something that will make you a better person at the end of the day. Be it smarter, nicer, more socially engaged. As Facebook represents a sheer part of the social media traffic today, we can conclude that finding good content is like finding a needle in a hay stack…
So, here’s steemit. 3 months old and potentially the future of social interactions on the Internet.
Why? Not because you have a blockchain engine, and because it's trendy, but because it’s not about who you know, if it’s funny, or if you know the kid on the video: It’s about people writing things that MATTER, and other people who actually RECOMMEND these posts.
Emotions are needed, but let’s also activate other parts of our brain and curate good content. The one that matters, that makes us better persons, and a better community.
Stop the “likes”… let’s recommend quality stuff.
Thanks to steemit for this glimmer of hope.
Enough ranting for today, now lets create and read good content :-)
Note: This is my 1st real article on steemit. I am not an English speaker, therefore I am sorry in advance if the english is poor or badly written. But I hope you'll enjoy reading it, and will share the same point of view.