Given a long enough timeframe, an apprentice eventually becomes a master. This is something that's bound to happen provided the apprentice continues to practice his/her craft.
Within this progress from apprentice to master, there is a shift in dynamics or change in standpoint where in the beginning one is viewing things from the outside but later views them from both outside and inside.
If it makes sense, picture it as a newly born or young toddler who experiences the world primarily through reflexes and basic needs.
They cry when they're hungry, coo when they're content, and grab at what's in front of them.
In this stage, they're purely participating in the human experience, reacting instinctively to their environment.
Over time and as they mature, they gain the ability to not just receive information, but to actively process it, analyze it, and contribute their own unique perspective to the world.
For example, they develop the coordination and understanding to not just participate in using a spoon, but to contribute to feeding themselves.
Early Social Media Users
In my view, this is how most of us engage with new digital spaces in the beginning. Similar to a young child, early adopters of social media platforms primarily participated.
They shared photos, commented on posts, and engaged with content. They were experiencing this new space, reacting to the stimuli and trends around them.
Now, this initial stage of participation is crucial for understanding the landscape and potential of these online platforms. My first impression from joining Facebook was akin to landing in a foreign town with foreign people doing foreign stuffs.
Looking back now, that was totally unfounded but I guess there was some validity on the impression.
As these platforms matured, so did the users. We transitioned from simply participating to actively contributing. It seems to me that this shift wasn't necessarily a conscious decision, but more of an evolution in our online behavior.
We became comfortable with the platform's mechanics and started asking ourselves, "What can I add to this space?"
The Shift To Contribution
The initial participation phase was about reacting to existing content. We 'liked' and commented, but rarely stopped to consider what we ourselves could add to the conversation. As we matured, a shift occurred.
We started to see ourselves not just as consumers, but as creators. We began crafting our own posts, sharing our unique perspectives, and injecting a bit of ourselves into the digital landscape.
This shift from participation to contribution wasn't just about personal expression. It had a profound impact on the platforms themselves.
For one, consistently creating and sharing content made users/creators essentially the lifeblood of these platforms. They shaped trends, defined communities, and ultimately, influenced the direction the platforms took overall.
Ironically, despite this immense contribution, the average user was rarely compensated for their efforts. The financial rewards primarily flowed towards the platform owners, who leveraged user-generated content to build their empires.
The Parallel with Web 3.0?
The analogy of the child learning to use a spoon takes an interesting turn when considered through the lens of web 3.0. web 2.0 mostly mirrored the initial participation stage and web 3.0 offers the potential to leapfrog directly to contribution.
One of reasons being that it empowers users to directly benefit from their contributions. This could involve ownership of data, a stake in platform governance, or even direct financial rewards for creating valuable content. These are all pillars that are available on Hive.
I would argue that with regards to web 3.0, we're currently in the early stages of participation, exploring the functionalities of web 3.0, testing its boundaries, and reacting to its possibilities.
But unlike the earlier platforms, web 3.0 promises a more equitable distribution of value right from the start, which means that even when we're largely participating, our activity still indirectly contributes to the ecosystem and we can in some ways be rewarded for it.
Early adopters help build a critical mass of users, which in turn attracts developers and creators who will ultimately drive the platform's growth and value.
Of course, it's important to recognize that participation and contribution aren't mutually exclusive. Even while learning and absorbing information, creators can still offer valuable insights and perspectives.
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