I have no idea exactly when I discovered this ecosystem, but it must be about 7 or 8 years ago. I was taking my first cautious steps into the crypto world back then. I write "Hive" now, but the veterans among us know that back then, it was Steem. It was the place to be for crypto news and analysis.

The first difficult choice I had to make was one we all faced: Choosing a username.

My idea at the time was simple. I intended to write primarily about my hobbies: poker and sports betting. Since I often played sports bets in parlays (and I still do), I chose the name fullcoverbetting.

In hindsight? Not my smartest choice. A book is often judged by its cover. And this happens on Hive too. Believe it or not, people read the name and immediately form a judgment. For some, the word "betting" triggers a red flag—they expect spam or scam, regardless of the actual content. It’s a label that sometimes closes doors before the content has a chance to open them.

The Glory Days (and the Shift)

My first posts were a mix of everything: crypto, betting slips, and a bit about my life. Back then, I was more focused on writing comments than on my own posts, which rarely made it above the pay threshold anyway. But that didn't matter. There were several authors writing about sports and betting at the time. Step by step, we found each other in the comments. A small, tight-knit community was formed. Those were great times.

But times change. Most of those authors have since stopped or moved on. Only a few of the "old guard" are left. Out of necessity, my posts became more diverse. From Hive Rants (yes, I had those too) to life hacks, and stories about my life in general. My username, 'Fullcoverbetting', no longer covered the load of my topics at all. In the past, I was occasionally visited by large curator accounts, which was always a nice reward and recognition. Now, that rarely, if ever, happens. It is what it is.

The Categorization: Who is left?

Recently, I’ve been asking myself why I actually came back to Hive. The frustrations that made me take a break in the past are still here (plagiarism, whale games, silence).

So, I started looking around. Who is still here? And why do they stay? I think we can divide the remaining population into a few groups:

• The 'Farmers' (Business): For them, it's purely about the money. You see this in the low-effort posts, the plagiarism, or the circle-jerks to upvote each other. It takes them 5 minutes to post, they get their rewards, and they leave. Zero interaction.

• The 'Socials' (Community): The hard core. The people who are truly here for their friends, regardless of the token price. (This is the group I miss the most).

• The 'Investors' (Hope): They are here for the bags. They post to stack Hive, hoping it will one day hit $3 or $10 again in the next bull run.

• The 'Idealists' (Web3): People who stay because they hate Facebook/X and truly believe in ownership and censorship resistance.

• The 'Creatures of Habit' (Routine): This is a big one. After 7 years, Hive is just part of the morning ritual. Stopping feels like a loss. It’s the Sunk Cost Fallacy: "I've put so much time into this account, I can't leave now."

So, where do I fit in?

It’s not for the money anymore—writing costs me more time than it earns. It’s not to vent my feelings—I am an introvert (binnenvetter) and rarely share my inner thoughts. Is it just to kill time? To share my betting projects into the void? I honestly have no idea.

I came for the money (group 1). I stayed for the community (group 2). Now... I suspect I am lingering between Hope and being a Creature of Habit.

Which group are you in?