Like the seasons, I go through various phases of activity. Sometimes I go along and often I push back against the elements but in general, I am just looking for a little bit of sun. Over the last year I have been investing myself very heavily into the Steem platform in multiple ways and at multiple levels as I think there is a great deal of potential here and I have done pretty well overall, I think.
For my 'real work' I talk with professionals about various aspects of their lives, including their private lives as no matter how people try to compartmentalize, all aspects are part of a whole. The other day I was talking with a client about changing jobs and based on their current key role, I asked if they felt guilty about looking elsewhere as they would leave a vacuum. They did but, they also knew it was time to move on. I agreed.
As we discussed this I found it quite interesting to think about my own positioning and how much work I have put into getting to this point. It has been massive and even though I enjoy it a great deal, time doesn't come free, especially over the last two years. Perhaps the last five. But, it has been rewarding to write and it has offered me a chance to earn while I learn. Sure, it might all be Monopoly money worth nothing since I have never taken any of it out but, there is a chance it pays off.
For the most part, I think I have done it fairly well also and have managed to add more value to the platform than I have taken. I don't just mean through what I vote but, through what I have brought. In my work I have quite a lot of experience and I hope that I have been able to impart some of what I have learned along the way to others and they have been able to use it to improve their lives. So much of this platform only values the financial side yet, there is much more to it than that.
Of course, the financial side is important and I have spoken a great deal about it over the last year or more and have been quite open about my positions. I have also been critical of various positions.. My position has cost me a great deal in both personal return and time spent. For example, out of all of my articles, I have never spun a story or rephrased a textbook or the like. Each one of my posts is an original set of thoughts from me to the audience and I sit here and labor over both my thinking and the words I choose. In my mind, we are getting paid for content and at the very least, the thoughts we are getting paid for should be our own. Not everyone feels this way.
There are massive disparities on this platform for a whole host of reasons but, no matter what I earn here, I don't think I have been over rewarded on average. My average post reward is under 11 dollars and after my posts I spend hours answering and upvoting the comments each day too. I have never been in any circlejerks obviously but, I know one user who earns 190 dollars a post on average or less than average content, has earned around 140,000 SP on the platform yet has half as much in their wallet as I, hardly comments and only upvotes a very narrow circle anyway. The platform supports them still. Would you join a circlejerk for those kinds of returns?
There seems to be so much shadow on this platform being cast by these massive identities who seem to do more harm than good. Maybe they don't do as much damage after all but, perhaps someone else in their position could do a lot more good. Where does it lead when these people keep growing and there is no one with any influence to do anything about it? What happens when the good guys are crowded out? Haejin has a Rep of 79. He is now Steemit's shining star, the highest representative of the platform. What kinds of people is he going to attract? Is that the onboarding you want?
In my opinion, I have failed the platform as I have been unable to have any significant effects on these kinds of things, not enough power to act strongly and not enough influence to convince enough or the right people to act to stop it. Is it going to once again be a situation where the good guys finish last?
Maybe in the Wild West, even the pacifists must learn to sling a gun.
Taraz
[ a Steemit original ]