One of the main things you will find in the countless guides for Steemit newbies is 'create good original content'. Over and over again. 'Good content' will be rewarded.
We speak of Steemit as social media done right, because of this unique feature. We hope this is what social media will become in the near future. But why stop there? Wouldn't it be great if creativity would be rewarded the same way in every domain – movies, books, music albums? Create good content and you will be rewarded. Afterwards. After I've seen the movie and liked it.
How many times did you go to see a movie with a great trailer and glowing reviews only to discover it was crap? Don't you feel cheated when that happens? Yet, there's nothing you can do about it.
I recently ordered from the US a book my kid wanted. It cost me $20 and it was crap. He put it down in less than one hour. That's $20 down the drain.
Today I'm considering buying a book for myself – the second part of a trilogy. The first book I got it for free and it was only so and so. Should I spend $10 on a book that's probably going to be just 'meh'? It could be better than the first volume, but it could also be crap.
What if instead we could reward good content the way it is done on Steemit? Go see a movie and upvote it for what it's worth. The first book in that trilogy was perhaps worth a 50% vote. I have no way of knowing if the second book is any good unless I upvote it 100% before I can open it.
So many people who went to see the last Star Wars movie came out declaring it a waste of time and money. Too bad, no way of getting either back.
A system where you could pay with fiat money for the movie you've just seen might not work very well because it would rely on trust. Trust the movie goers to pay up if they'd enjoyed the movie. Many would say it was just 'meh' and pay just $3 or $5. It's human nature.
But if you could use voting power or some sort of tokens, like the SMTs everybody's talking about – things would be much different.
The content creators – movie produces, writers, musicians, painters – would be under a lot more pressure to create good stuff. As things stand write now all creators need is good publicity. The moment you cough up the money, there's nothing you can do and they all know it. You can sell any kind of crap with good publicity. What if so many were pissed after watching Star Wars? They'll forget in a few months and go to see the next blockbuster everyone is talking about. It will also be crap as producers have no reason to put more work into it. They make money anyway.
If the Star Wars movie had earned money only from the people who actually enjoyed it, maybe the Hollywood big-shots would be motivated to come up with a better product next time, something you'd upvote 100%. Much as I hate the flag wars going on in our community it would really be fun to watch a whale deciding to wipe out the earnings of some movie citing disagreement on rewards.
And indeed, I remember taking the kids to see some movies that were so incredibly bad I left the theater absolutely seething. Not only I didn't have the option to downvote, on the contrary I had to give them a 100% vote.
The entertainment industry relies on fame to sell its products. You go to see a movie because it has a full cast of A-listers. Yet, it sucks. You've been had. You buy a band's new album because their previous one was great. What do you do if the new album sucks? Nothing.
Let's say your browsing through the latest titles at the bookstore – you will think twice before paying $20 for the debut novel of a new author. Wouldn't it be great to be able to read it and decide what it's worth – unputdownable or total crap! And reward it accordingly!