Glad I got your attention - but NO, this post is not what you thought it was. It is just me - here, sharing my opinion on things... as usual. Use it, don't use it - your call... but I hope at the very LEAST you will actually read it!
Have noticed a few "comment driven" contests floating around of late and whilst I don't really see anything wrong with the contests themselves - I do have this one "pestering thought"... that being:
THIS SHOULD COME NATURALLY!
And then, after a little "post browsing" - I am regularly slapped in the face with the reality that this is just not the case - sadly! Yes I think it is awesome to encourage engagement... but is offering a one off prize for engagement really the answer?! Yes we have the engagement league headed by abh12345 which is a super initiative but is mostly frequented by the people here that are (and have been) top engagers for ages - which is great and yes it opens the table to others to join in but I suppose in many ways I am just a little saddened (yet not really surprised) by the shallowness of it all. Yeah, for sure, we meet a person or two along the way of our obsession filled comment marathon in order to "hit that finish line first" - but WHY?! Why is it LIKE THAT?!!!!! Why do we not WANT and CHOOSE to do this of our OWN accord?!
I will tell you why - and you are not going to like my reasoning. Because 90% of the people here are in for an easy buck (because that is the way Hive is being marketed - foolishly so) and because the other 10% are split into two segments - 5% have enough support on autovotes and the other 5% just doesn't give a shit. Don't call me on my stats lol!!!! - You get my point.
People on Hive LOVE to say that this space has nothing to do with the money. WHO THE ARE YOU TRYING TO IMPRESS?!!! Can the human race just be REAL for ONCE?!!
We are ALL here for the money! (99% at any rate) Short term, Long Term, WHATEVER! THAT was the draw card! The phrase itself has been used ad nauseam "Came for the rewards, stayed for the community".
BUT
This is not where it "ends" - WHERE is the community?! I beg this question. Has anyone taken the time to consider the MEANING behind the word itself?! - unlikely. Well, for clarification... THIS is what a community "by definition" IS!
I see this definition and I RAISE with this quote -
“One of the marvelous things about community is that it enables us to welcome and help people in a way we couldn't as individuals.” – Jean Vanier
And this brings me back to my original point. We have "communities" here on Hive - but how MANY of them are "but a name"?! If a community of ANY kind - ANYWHERE in the WORLD wants to succeed, then it needs to have a BACKBONE and that can only be found in spaces where there are people who TRULY look out for one another.
There are a LOT of people (and "communities") on Hive which like to dangle carrots, hang rewards and short term promises in the faces of those who put genuine effort into this space, but have any ONE of them ever actually engaged with your posts on a personal level?!!! PLEASE STOP AND THINK ABOUT THIS!!!!!!
I am guessing the answer is NO!
Writing a post that gets decent rewards is all good and well, but it is EMPTY!!!! If shallow reward is your game then perhaps this won't bother you, but if you are wanting to GROW as a writer, blogger, vlogger, artist then engagement is KEY!!!!!!!!!!! Think about what YOU would like to see on your OWN posts and then DO THAT FOR OTHERS - NOT because there is a REWARD offered but simply because you KNOW how good it feels to have someone GENUINELY engage on something you have taken the time and trouble to write. Sharing a slice of your life and having others ADD to that is how we GROW!!!! Money or REWARD should not be what drives us to engage on general posts.
So, I guess my point is... how about we ALL take the time, make the effort and REALLY READ the stuff that our fellow bloggers and vloggers are publishing - and ENGAGE on those posts!!!!!!!!!
Yes, our lives get in the way and sometimes, sitting down to read a whole lot of blogs can be overwhelming... I promise you that if you "SLOW DOWN" and take your time - commenting on people's content will become a truly GENUINE experience and once you have experienced THAT for the first time - you will NEVER look back! Every SINGLE PERSON in this world CRAVES AUTHENTICITY - it has become a rarity... but as individuals we have the power to change that for one another.
INVITING HIVE PEEPS
Connecting with other individuals, communicating efficiently and working together effectively is one of the most critical aspects of any successful community project, business or initiative. The Power House Creatives has been working together as a team to support and grow the genuinely passionate individuals on our blockchain since October 2017. We are proactive on all social media platforms - actively supporting the content published on our community feed. We work closely with the founders of 
Our discord server is where we connect, brainstorm, assist members, highlight worthy Hive news, problem solve and simply chit chat - connecting in a more personal and direct space so that we can all get to know one another better as well as bring together ALL the social media aspects like Torum and Twitter activity and efforts.
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GETTING SOCIAL
Torum is a relatively new social media platform connecting people in the blockchain arena and we would like to invite you to join us there too. It is a fun and casual space where we connect with and support our community members as well as connect with other individuals on Hive and beyond. You can join us by registering below.
REGISTER HERE.
We are VERY proactive on Twitter - sharing MANY of our content creators posts every day not only via our PHC TWITTER ACCOUNT
but ALSO via THE LUV BUG. Every SINGLE share is "uniquely" catered for in terms of hashtags and attracting the RELEVANT audience within and outside of the Hive space.
Hive is not simply a blockchain - it is a decision, a mindset and a like minded community that shares in the growth of such.
❤❤❤
Until next time...
Much Love from Cape Town, South Africa xxx
Jaynielea
FOUNDER OF THE POWER HOUSE CREATIVES
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