Kindly hear my thoughts in the short video above.
Where you aren't able to, you can read the publication below to gain insight into the thoughts of a 'legitimate illiterate' on the subject; 'Where Do We Take STEEM From Here?'
Please Note: Due to the weak state of my health and too many pains, i may sound disoriented but with a bit of patience, you will get my gist. I am engaging in this conversation because it is a very interesting subject altogether, tangible in the scheme of things to the advancement of 'blockchain technology' as a whole. According to me (a legitimate illiterate), 'blockchain technology' (while especially beautiful) can fade and become an ordinary technology, like technologies before it, depending on how we choose to use it.
In the grand scheme of surpassinggoogle, this discussion constitutes a 'valuable draft', tangible to the evolution of 'the vision within the dream' that constitutes 'surpassinggoogle'.
See a list of innovations i have been working on in relation to surpassinggoogle
So, Where Do We Take STEEM From Here?
The solution is easy, 'simply re-look at Steem to establish where it really is at', in a bid to exhaust the resources that Steem already offers.
We have spent 4-years away from doing this simple thing, in a bid to 'create a flawless blockchain'.
"Many times the answers lie in the 'first simplest obviousest solutions'; many times we tend to attempt the 'nth complexest solutions' first".
For instance, speaking of "code, code, code"; doesn't Steem already have 'four years worth of code'? And of "DAPP, DAPP, DAPP"; hasn't Steem at 'least two years worth of DAPPs'?
How much do we know about 'the extent in beauty' of these already existing resources? Then, have we exhausted these beautiful resources (in terms of its 'exploration and application')? Yes, do we know yet 'all the resources' we have by virtue of the current STEEM?
** #the100daysofsteem, a recent @steemitblog endeavor is a very simple actionable plan not needing of extra code or DAPP, which when consciously mined can translate into 'development' for Steem, even in terms of code/DAPP-enhancement. **
According to me, the most potent use for blockchain technology is 'its use in returning value to humans'. However fine 'blockchain technology' is though, it is left for its users to identify it as usable to the aforementioned effect and use it accordingly. This easily means that in terms of 'becoming a great and indispensable technology', blockchain mostly carries 'potential beauty'. It can also fade and become an ordinary technology, like technologies before it.
If you have listened to the video above, you will have heard that the very first tag that i created on Steem, shortly after i arrived on Steemit in August 2016 was '#steemitisbeautiful'. This was even at a time when Steem didn't have as much "code" as it has today, Steemit.com being the only "DAPP".
Yes, I joined Steemit when it was filled with bugs. Downvotes were rampant too and the Steem-currency price got as low as 7-cents. There were few communities, few whales and 'Steem as a blockchain' was an unknown concept.
I had spotted Steem's beauty as soon as i arrived on it as is evident in the undertone of my 'introduction post' found here. Note that I had found Steemit organically via the search engines. Even as a mainstream non-tech-savvy internet user, i was experimenting with 'an expanse of search-queries' for years, seeking fresh 'internet answers', when i found Steemit.
As seen in the image above, there were many publications on the tag '#steemitisbeautiful' from unique users, exploring the usage of Steemit in a dynamic variety of ways. I used to carry out some '10-hour sessions' of community-talks on my discord server, inciting participants to explore each aspect of Steem, further revealing the beauty of Steem.
My second successful tag on Steemit was '#steemgigs'; that tried to explore Steem's 'proof of brain' reward mechanism in a variety of unconventional ways, including rewarding things like 'value, past deeds, testimonials, effort etc.'
Note also that the first successful gig on '#steemgigs' occurred 3 years ago, where the both 'gigger and client' earned 'additional rewards' from their testimonials. The gigger in this case got paid in SBD for his service, then earned some $394 on his testimonial as seen below:
Eventually, this led to the creation of Steemgigs.org, a freelancing services marketplace that explores the beauty of blockchain technology in enabling both experts and non-experts to participate in the art of 'dream-building'.
See image:
............................................................................................................
Once in the past year, 
Can We Use The Steem Blockchain Directly, To Onboard MainStream Users To Crypto", resembling a recent question by 
A Steem Mentoring System"....
leading us to the hybrid question (as formulated by
Why did you join? (What was the attraction?)
"
And see a short list below of 'use-cases for Steem'
that a 'legitimate illiterate' saw even in 2016, that constituted 'my attraction to steem', at a time when Steem didn't have its current "code" (the code-base was even closed-source then), nor "DAPPS".
- My content could rank in terms of visibility both on Steem and in the search engines, regardless of IP location.
- Steem constituted 'a CCTV into the truest state of the world'. (It was bare even though it was private)
- Courtesy of Steem, i could learn 'to give' but more importantly, i could learn to receive. (Transfers felt magnificent & steem wasn't money)
- On steem, I had felt the presence of humans, more than anywhere else online. (Even the bots had heart e.g Cheetah)
- For once on the internet, by virtue of Steemit, I could contact strangers from any location and they were like brothers. (Among other things, Steemit is modeled to incite participants to stay reputable)
- For the first time, I received the Steem currency from 'then random internet users e.g @sykochica @steemit-life
@benjojo @papa-pepper'. (They heard of my dreams and looked to inspire me)
- By virtue of Steemit, i could further exercise my human virtues (e.g I could further exercise facets of my human like 'reputation, life, self-control, relationships, courtesy, mentality, decision-making etc')
- Steemit had a community of reputable great minds.
- By means of Steem's 'proof of brain' model, i could mine my brain but more importantly 'i could mine my human'.
- Steemit could also reward value. (Content being only one form of value)
- On Steem, i could explore the dynamics of "a variety of rewards" as opposed to 'just money'.
- On Steem, i could post even my drafts and jargon.
- By virtue of my steem content, i could become my own audience.
- I could sandbox my dreams on Steem.
- On it, i found amazing talents and un(dis)talents
- I could own an entire bank. (My wallet on Steem, felt like an entire bank. It didn't power-down till after 2-years, even when the Steem currency price rose to 8-USD)
- On Steemit, i could get unadulterated feedback from random people and use that to evolve my dreams into 'levels of spanlessness'.
- I saw the value of 'the art of curation' even in terms of 'world adjustment' in the art of exploring Steem's 'proof of brain' model
- I could tap into more spirituality, rendezvousing among humans who are in an incessant state of evolution by virtue also of Steem's 'proof of brain' model.
- I learned more on Steem (even from the outset) than in my entire education prior to Steem. (I started out with a lab and dream factory on Steem in January 2017). After 'joining steem as a mainstream internet user', from writing simple posts, i went into being a Steem witness, offering a full Steem-based RPC public node (256 GB RAM), creating steem-based projects 'e.g steemgigs.org, ulogs.org, marlians.com, macrohard etc' and modeling an eventual Teardrops SMT ecosystem. I am also looking to create a programming language that everyone can code in, even though, i am a 'legitimate illiterate'.
- Steemit felt like a home away from the rest of the internet.
- Steemit gave me 'signs'. (e.g someone obliviously drew my entire dream (in relation to the 'Teardrops SMT') and i considered it a sign. I signed my first autographs here on steem.... See three examples: 1, 2, 3)
- Unlike has ever been the case (in my case), by virtue of 'the beauty of Steem/Steemit and blockchain technology' and i could dream again and rehearse my dream into fruition; 'a simple post > hashtags > communities > DAPPs > SMTs'.
- etc.
Me signing autographs in person for the first time........(with steemians)
Perhaps, it is time to 're-look at Steemit' with some really layman eyes?
Going back...
Over the course of some 4-years, Steem has been explored for a growing number of use-cases, including 'removing value from human' (unintentionally). Would you have known that the Steem blockchain can have been used to further 'remove value from humans'?
Let's proceed a bit....
As beautiful (unconventional and powerful) as blockchain technology is, note that many of the use-cases we have explored in relation to 'the usage of blockchain technology (including Steem)' till date, has been 'a replay of popular conventional paradigms that we are familiar with by virtue of world-standards (painted world)'.
Even with regards to innovation, we have mostly replayed 'existing innovations' on the Steem blockchain, in a bid to distribute rewards. Isn't it also possible to "replay existing innovations on blockchain", while exploring 'new paradigms/models' in a bid to reveal untold use-cases for this luxurious technology called 'blockchain'?
Hive for instance (according to a recent post) has a blacklist of 74K accounts (perhaps applicable to Steem). 'Blacklists' are popular especially on 'mainstream social media platforms' and there is nothing wrong with implementing it on blockchain but will i be frowned upon if i decided to try out "grey-lists", now that we have the luxury of 'blockchain technology'? Will i be celebrated for this too?
** (Note: one basis for maintaining blacklists is "reward-distribution") **
Now, let's assume that indeed, over the course time, Steem continues on garnering a reputation of being "just a reward-distributor", will it out-stand the household names in the 'conventional financial services industry'? Will it not suddenly have lost its overall 'potency' (or outlook of potency) as a technology, most of which is underlyingly based on its unconventionality?
Where each code, each move, each blockchain-update centers around 'saving a reward pool' from humans, are we obliviously limiting Steem?
Subsequently, let's assume that Steem wants to stand out and become a household name in the industry of "reward distribution"; can't it? It very easily can!
Even so, how much more about the concept of "rewards" have we explored since the inception of the beautiful Steem blockchain? Will "money" form the basis of "rewards" all over again, like is popular with mainstream enterprises where things like 'blacklists' hold sway? Will we explore some uncoventional approaches to reward-distribution? How much more have we learned about "money" since we found Steem? Haven't you done more giving 'in Steem' for instance, than you have 'in FIAT'?
Can you see how our exploration of the blockchain impacts even the evolution of its 'code' or its DAPPs? Are you seeing the vast beauty of Steem/Steemit even by virtue of its current code? Do you see that there is a lot we can still do today in terms of Steem growth, at very minimal cost?
Going back, since the inception of Steem's 'proof of brain' (also a reward-distribution mechanism), have we explored e.g the concept of a 'variety of rewards' (money being 'a type of reward')?
Assuming i went on to say, "Steem is not money", will i be frowned upon as being a 'legitimate illiterate' and bashed on Steemit? Will you celebrate me for perhaps revealing another use-case for Steem's 'proof of brain' and perhaps 'blockchain technology' at large?
Then, what where i say, "i own the bank, by virtue of my Steem wallet"? Is that a very invalid illusion? Can't the Steem wallet enable 'micro-payments, zero-fees, audits etc.' similar to banks?
Have we explored Steem's ('proof of brain') potency for 'making micro-payments, rewarding 'past deeds', rewarding 'value' , rewarding 'un(dis)talentedness' etc' or are we blatantly against it, because we aren't familiar with 'a world' where these 'seemingly unconventional paradigms' are obtainable?
With 'blockchain technology', is it the popular "code is law" at play all over again? Can we now try 'principles' too? Can we apply some more context to 'this law', to allow room for blockchain's unconventionality to hold sway?
Now, what if we agree once again, that "code is law", is this particular 'blockchain code' for every(any)one or is it underlyingly barrier-ed once again for certain locations, like is obtainable on the mainstream internet?
Is 'IP location' becoming a huge "relevance" factor on 'blockchain technology' all over again? And if this is becoming the case, is blockchain a 'standout' afterall, when it comes to "decentralization" in the grand scheme of the internet? Won't it gradually lose this unique value proposition too?
How many of the other beautiful layers of Steem have we mined besides "code is law"? Are we too centered on upholding "code is law"?
Yes, "code is law" but can't code evolve, especially 'blockchain code'?
Hear my thoughts on 'What Decentralization Means To Me' in this short video:
Decentralization has grander context than Steem/Hive or blockchain governance?
How many unique use-cases for Steem have we tried? How many unconventional use-cases for Steem have we ventured into? How many unique Steem-born innovations do we have? How many unknown possibilities have we revealed so far, by virtue of the beauty of Steem? How many new paradigms have we explored, even now that we have the luxury of Steem (blockchain)?
What rare things have we revealed so far, (things unknown to the world yet tangible to their evolution) by virtue of this public ledger that we now have? How much more do we know about the 'true state of the world', since the inception of this tool called Steem?
Did you know that one other valuable use-case for it Steem is it use as a "CCTV into the true state of the world"?
Let's digress a bit and touch on one feature available on Steem, 'the downvote feature'...
"Downvotes" for instance, isn't this suddenly another 'generic feature' (depending on the vastness of its application) obtainable also on mainstream social media platforms like Reddit? Why isn't it unquestionable then, that someone may want to use it 'in unconventional ways' e.g "not use it at all".
That a user of "blockchain technology" may want to explore unconventional paradigms, is that too far-fetched? If it has to be 'all about downvotes' on 'blockchain technology' all over again, mostly in a bid to distribute rewards, will this feature of the Steem blockchain attain its indispensablity in the 'world of mainstream social media platforms' as "a great tech feature", a feature now unique to Steem?
Assuming Reddit adds in a 'reward mechanism', what other unique value proposition will the 'downvote feature' of Steem hold? Have we found that out yet?
In what unconventional ways have we explored this particular Steem feature? How much have we revealed so far about the application of this feature? How much have we learned about humans by virtue of the application/exploration of this feature?
Have we lost some of our human abilities in the face of this 'half-a-boolean button'? How much 'context' of our human action can this simple 'vote action' capture?
If it has been that effective in capturing the context of our action, why does the 'down vote action' stir up more discussion in comparison to 'the upvote action'? Is a downvote the opposite of an upvote? If there where no rewards, will people still be impacted by a downvote? Why so? Is the 'downvote' feature unique to Steem? If it is, can you highlight '10' reasons for which one may want to 'join Steemit to downvote' as opposed to 'joining Reddit to downvote'? etc.
Now, what if one decides to go the other route; 'one of revelation', exploring the usage of this feature in a bid to reveal 'rare intel' about 'downvotes' (e.g one decides not to use the downvote button at all but attempts to create or reveal fresh perhaps unconventional solutions); is it that bad after all? Should routes such as this be too far-fetched on 'blockchain technology', a tech that is still in its experimental era? Is there something to learn that that can enhance 'the code' when users are allowed to explore this 'downvote feature' more freely? Can it reveal a new unique use-case for Steem? Can the continuous exploration of this simple Steem feature stem forth a unique Steem-born innovation?
Here is a quick case study...
I have never used Steem's downvote button!
In the far past, when "downvotes" was stirring so much fuss on Steemit (i.e in the earlier days when downvotes were rampant), instead of using this 'simple vote action' or be stuck in the fuss around the 'morality of downvotes', i evolved my own route...
Having applied Steem's blockchain technology as 'CCTV into the true state of the world', in the midst of the downvote fuss, i put the resulting insight to use and i found another timely use for Steem, in 'playing out an entire curriculum'....
I tried out '#untalented' for a start (something a bit unconventional). My first ever '#untalented contest' titled 'Who are you' (which started 3 years ago), received more than 1,000 post-entries, after which '#untalented' grew in popularity.
but would you have known that i was bashed on Steemit when i started '#untalented? That people would monitor my vote and question most of them in the discord-DMs, on the automatic notion that 'e.g someone from Indonesia (who is now expressing more freedom on '#untalented') is a likely spammer'?
Away from this further fuss, did you know that i forged ahead and transitioned on to '#ulog', months later, resulting in a Steem-born innovation and new form of content called 'Ulogs'?
Type in the word 'Ulogs' on google.com and you will notice that 'Ulogs' is creating its own space on the entire internet search space.
I started '#ulog' and after 6-months, the tag had seen some '50K posts, 179k comments and was used by more than 5,400 unique accounts'.
Now, let's assume 'Ulogs' goes on to become mainstream, known by the globe as its own form of content similar to 'Blogs or Vlogs', won't it have helped showcase Steem as an 'indispensable technology', revealing yet another unique use-case for it?
Am i a geek? No, 'i am a legitimate illiterate'. What does these all show?
"Removing barriers to entry" is one testimonial (perhaps unconventional) use-case for Steem and blockchain technology overall. Just perhaps, we haven't explored this beautiful facet of Steem. Perhaps, we didn't know that the current Steem as it is, had this testimonial use-case.
Did i bash downvoters though? No!
Well, would you have known that in those early days, the 'downvotes fuss' gave steemit some stickiness? That though people left Steemit solely because of 'downvotes', they would usually came back to check out what's new? Some tokens where innovated too, surrounding this 'downvote fuss'.
Did you know that that certain minnow accounts went on to buying Steem, becoming whales solely to counter downvoters, pass out a message (perhaps a life lesson) and later on returned to becoming minnow?
Did you catch any revelation from all these?
What is more?
Perhaps, we focus too much on expensive code; on 'attaining a flawless blockchain', where blockchain is mostly used as a 'reward-distributor, as a 'governance mechanism', as 'a morality-upholder'?
Perhaps obliviously, over the course of time, we have began to use blockchain to further 'remove value from humans' distributing this value also onto 'blockchain', whereby 'blockchain' moreso than being 'just another tool in the hands of humans', is becoming the 'solution-bringer'.
Just perhaps, we have obliviously began adding 'more barriers' to 'the usage of the internet' using blockchain?
Now, imagine "adding more barriers" to 'the usage of social media platforms' using blockchain, won't these platforms begin to have way more barriers (even complicated barriers) than mainstream social media platforms? Didn't many of us once frown at the 'many barriers' present on conventional mainstream social media platforms?
It is no coincidence, that after years 'since the inception of blockchain-based social media platforms', we are back out on the likes of twitter, discord etc.
(Note: the premise of this publication applies to 'blockchain technology' at large.)
Perhaps it is time to look at these things. Redirect some attention to the 'non-code aspects of blockchain development'. Perhaps, it is time to expand the premise for blockchain evolution.
May blockchain code be allowed to update more dynamically, for why should people fret/freakout/fuss every time blockchain updates?
See video:
While it may be for the geeks to innovate 'blockchain', it may not be for them to ascertain its beauty.
How about targeting 'grand decentralization'? Perhaps we focus too much on decentralization at a superficial level, which easily translates into "decentralization vs centralization". Isn't it obvious already that 'man can't rule man?
If we have to innovate and build entire complex blockchain(s) in a bid to predict human behavior so as to curb it, wouldn't that be very limiting?
Perhaps we should allow blockchain to evolve dynamically? Perhaps 'flawed oracles' could work too? Perhaps 'morals' is broader than 'good or bad'?
Speaking of Steem and where we take it from here, perhaps, there is long-term value in other forms of Steem-growth besides 'development' in terms of code?
With the advent of blockchain people are supposed to be better equipped to evolve, with access to a public ledger, an entire bank (steem wallet), a community of reputable great minds etc. Are we suddenly going back to being cramped, where you can't even tell your place in the scheme of Steem, for there are too many rules and now many more governors?
Do you know how many unique use-cases of Steem are still reveal-able, where Steem allows itself to become more inclusive? Where the Steem blockchain updates more dynamically?
Did you know that on the current Steem, each one can have entire DAPPs; DAPPs associated to their dreams? What exactly is a DAPP? Isn't a Steem-community a DAPP?
Visit this URL:
http://steem.ph/
(This user's domain was formerly pointed to their Steem community, which has now ported onto Hive)
Isn't that a DAPP, associated to someone's dream? By virtue of this community, don't we have another "Steem owner", one capable of participating in the ecosystem,regardless of their stake size?
We have had 'communities' for months now? How much of it have we used?
Going back, one of the oblivious applications for Steem is its use as "CCTV into the true state of the world". May you have known this?
Aren't we in a painted world? May that not have been one subconscious reason for joining Steemit? Did you know that 'blockchain' can have helped "blur some of the paint", especially the Steem blockchain?
Oh, doesn't Steemit teach 'real life' too? 'A public ledger that rendezvous people from all walks of life and incites them to mine their human', isn't that even spiritual?
Where humans continue to consciously apply the Steem blockchain as tool to 'mine/evolve their human, won't they further tap into their shine and won't the Steem blockchain begin to find its shine too? Let's say, we hurriedly went on to create 'HIVE' in a bid to find 'that flawless blockchain', won't these blockchain host humans too? Are humans flawless?
See this video:
What happened to 'humans virtues' and 'exercising these virtues', should automatically relegate these tangible human capabilities even in the face of an easy-to-use 'vote button'.
How strong is 'a vote' altogether? Can it represent us entirely? Yes, it brings comfort (a one-click action) but must one call '911' for each mosquito bite.
Isn't blockchain an avenue to try other 'reactions to stimuli'; avenue to exercise our human virtues; avenue to consciously evolve our human?
Did you know that these many testimonial use-cases for Steem existed and that some people use Steem for these very things or do you auto-predict that people are here mostly to distribute rewards or participate in governance? How much have learned so far from all these time on Steem?
Yes, people vote witnesses (governance layer) for instance but do they need to answer to you? Do people need to explain why they voted?
And yes it is public ledger but can you be that conclusive about people's 'intended participation in governance' on back of a static boolean vote action? Isn't this public ledger possessing of an anonymity paradigm too?
Have we learned anything from Steem's 'proof of brain' layer, where the 'vote mechanism' is more dynamic? Did we learn anything from it, in modelling the vote-mechanism for the recent SPS?
Read this for additional context!
Why do we auto-think people will spam or people will cheat? Where we focus too much on those aspects of Steem code for instance, may we not have circumvented some of the nitty-gritty e.g a UI-feature that reduces the probability that users can create unintended power-down routes.
You who is 'upholder of morality', are you a saint? And yes in your world, morals may be "good or bad" but did you know of the dynamics obtainable in many other worlds? So, can you truly create a blockchain that intends to cater to every(any)one? And well, if you made the blockchain suited for you and your world, do you allow its code to update dynamically (learn), whenever it encounters flaws and update accordingly to where it begins to take 'cognizance' of every(any)one attaining 'grander decentralization' or do you keep it static, bashing people who 'try to explore a variety of actions on the blockchain', resulting in tension? Or do hastily go on to a fork?
Isn't blockchain being used obliviously to 'remove value from humans'? Isn't blockchain leaving its place as 'another valuable tool tangible for human evolution' and becoming 'the law'? Isn't "code is law" gaining too much prominence, relegating human capabilities within the premise of a boolean; "bot"?
All of this happens obliviously, when there is too much focus on 'creating the flawless blockchain'. This happens when blockchain begins to become popular as 'a reward distributor'. This happens when blockchain becomes 'the solution-bringer' instead of another 'tool'.
Perhaps it is time to re-look at Steem again.
What actionable-plan can we implementable today, that doesn't require additional code, can happen right here on Steemit at an 'almost zero cost', involve as many people as possible, yet translate into 'development' for Steem?
It is simple...
'Steem has 3 layers'. First it had 2!
- Governance layer
- 'Proof of brain' layer
- Treasury layer
While Steem uses a 'proof of stake' model, it became extraordinarily powerful and unique in the entire blockchain industry by virtue of its 'proof of brain' layer.
Where we tend to measure 'development' mostly in terms of code, note that Steem already has 4-years worth of code.
Over the course of time, this code has evolved, solving even the 'scalability issues' that even EOS now encounters. 'Communities' (Hivemind) has been shipped too. Steem-engine began. SMT entered test-net stage. We also have 'resource credits', which allows us to create 'claimed accounts', enhancing Steem's sign-up process. (For instance, i have claimed up to 250 Steem accounts.)
This said, can it be that one reason Steem hasn't grown immensely and is its 'too much focus on 'code-based development' (e.g perfect 'code is law', perfect 'security' on the notion that humans are out to steal, perfect reward distribution mechanism, frequency of DAPPs, programmer-count)?
Perhaps it is time to redirect attention to 'humans' (slightly away from the blockchain), using what we already have of Steem and Steemit to 'return value to humans'.
Doing this, we can begin to move forward more efficiently and in the long-term this would enhance the blockchain code too.
For instance...
You may have noticed that 'the voting mechanism' as we have with Steem's 'proof of brain' layer has more dynamism, takes cognizance of humans better, returns value to humans better etc.
People care about the value of their vote on this layer because it represents them better. It is dynamic. On this layer of Steem, the dynamics is not entirely stake-based. There are other resources (e.g vote-depletion, repuation, communities, follower-count etc) to participate with in the Steem ecosystem, by virtue of this layer.
Speaking of the governance layer of Steem, how many people vote for witnesses or know how to vote even after 4-years of being on Steem, let alone know that they may participate in governance by this 'vote action'? Is it coincidence that a large portion of the Steem ecosystem isn't voting for witnesses and of the few who vote, can you conclusive curb them 'into a boolean' once again and say, "Centralization vs Decentralization"?
Over the course of this publication it is becoming obvious very obvious 'the unpredictable nature of humans' especially on a blockchain; 'a public ledger with an anonymity paradigm'.
People are here for a vast range of reasons.
Is it easy to market Steem to people, when you may need to explain things, like "oh your post (e.g a proposal) that was published on Steemit to rank in the search engines, is now filled with '1000 miscellaneous poop GIFs' because of a governance layer issue"?
Did you know that one singular value proposition of Steemit to a large populace of 'bloggers, vloggers, uloggers' is Steem's SEO ability to rank publications in the search engines?
Did you know that i have received up to '50 email requests' (even 'paid requests') from random people asking to add their links onto publications published to 'ulogs.org and marlians.com' because these publications managed to rank well in the search engines.
Based on recent events, we see what is obvious; even though Steem's 'proof of brain' layer is the saving grace of Steem, this layer of Steem has been under-explored/under-utilized in favor of 'creating a flawless blockchain'.
Steem even in its current state has tons of use-cases, conventional and unconventional. While there is nothing wrong with this, blockchain in general is gradually becoming limited in its use-case to 'a predictor'; "predict human behavior in a bid to govern it".
Nevertheless as a result, 'blockchain' is garnering the 'value' while humans undergo tension as 'blockchain' becomes the sought after'. This is underlyingly happening!
It isn't coincidence that people no longer want to care about blockchain and just be on Steemit or Hive, have a small place that they can call home and play within that jurisdiction.
Except we step up and we so can, blockchain will not find its shine.
Where Do We Take Steem From Here?
This is the premise for my thoughts:
I hope that Steem witnesses and Steemit INC can direct some more focus towards 'communities'. Now is the time!
While there is so much focus on building codes for a flawless blockchain, we lose touch with the 'beauty' that already exists. It is already obvious even with 'blockchain technology' at large, that there is too much focus directed at 'developers/programmers'.
For instance on Steem, since the inception of the 'communities' feature, how much have we looked into exploring this beautiful simple aspect of Steem? Did you know that it is now possible for thousands of people to own entire blockchain-based applications in relation to their dreams/innovations courtesy of 'their steem-community'? (They can even get a unique domain name and direct this domain to their own community space, further decentralizing entry points to the steem blockchain.) What will it take to propagate say '100 communities' till they have '1000 subscribers' each?
This is a very simple non-coding actionable plan that can easily stir more participation, growth and awareness to Steem but have really looked in this direction, even now that the code for communities is live? Will things like SPS support simple initiatives like this?
Code is something but among other things, these simple-looking community initiatives, when mined, teach code.
A very under-utilized aspect of Steem is 'communities'. People don't need to create entire DAPPS now to contribute intensively to STEEM or to the blockchain industry at large. Right here on Steemit.com, people can own DAPPS.
In eventuality, when SMT is shipped, people can even distribute their tokens right on Steemit.com, via their communities. Many more dreams can be built now. Many more Steem 'owners' can emerge now. Many more unique Steem-born initiatives can stem forth now? Will this be the case now?
If we direct focus on 'humans', return value to humans using the beauty that blockchain provides us, perhaps that is 'development' too. Perhaps, that can translate into Steem growth too.
Let's encourage Steem-born innovations. Let's emanate as many Steem 'owners' as possible and not owners by virtue of STEEM-stake alone; 'real owners'.
Starting small, let's work on building each community; as many communities as possible. Let's collectively enable, propagate, curate, promote each community, ours and those of others, till as many as '1,000 Steem communities' have a base of '1000 subscribers' (even at face-value that is massive). Let's make more grand use of these 'small tools'; tools that Steem already has.
Courtesy of communities giant dreams can be built. Everyone can build a noble dream on Steemit now. Each one can be 'owners' now. Each one can take ownership now, undeterred by 'stake-levels' now because 'humans' are involved now.
To these grown Steem-communities, people can point their unique domain-URL, one tied to their dreams; further decentralizing access to the Steem blockchain.
It is extremely easy to grow Steem now but Steem needs many more 'owners' now and by virtue of 'communities', it can now!
We may need to look in this direction now.
Most of the code have been done now. It is not entirely about the code now. It is is about exhausting the tools we have now; about establishing the full-blown beauty of even the 'small tools' that we have now. It is about looking in this direction too.
Many project owners aren't coders. Non-programmer project-owners can have entire DAPPs now, by virtue of communities. Many more projects can stem forth now. Many more use-cases for the Steem blockchain are explorable/revealable now. Let's divert some attention there now!
Proposal.
This is a generic proposal to the Steem community and Steemit INC, seeking a Steem Power delegation to enable me grow 'communities'. With this delegation, i will also claim accounts to add to the 200 or more claimed accounts that i already have. This will be used to on-board new users instantly, using my Steem-based tribe i.e marlians.com
The 'communities' feature has been shipped for sometime now. It is a very beautiful facet of Steem and a feature that was expected for a very long time before it was eventually shipped.
However, since 'communties' became live, we haven't done much with it collectively.
I love 'communities'. I have a small community on discord of more 5000 steem users.
With this delegation, i will focus on growing as many communities as possible. My near-term focus however, will be to grow '10 communities to a base of 1000 subscribers each'.
We tend to focus too much on 'our own community' in our growth/curation efforts. I will focus on growing the collective Steem community.
My proposal is simple....
Kindly delegate a tangible sum of Steem power to '@surpassinggoogle' and i will focus on growing as many communities as possible, starting with 10.
Steem is one large community. It does more long-term good, where we have say '1000 communities boasting at least 1000 subscribers each' than having only 'a few communities with many subscribers'.
Not only do 'flourishing communities' owners start to adopt an 'ownership' mentality tangible to Steem's long-term growth, but Steemit INC can begin to market Steem's unique 'proof of brain' model as constituting of more than 'a single trending page'.
The Approach
Premise: Focus on growing as many communities as possible. Remove the concept of 'competition' from the approach to 'growing communities'. The primary reward from this endeavor should be to emerge many more Steem 'owners', inciting the innovation of many more unique Steem-born projects/intiatives.
The potent ingredient here is 'removing barriers to entry' . Instead of 'communities' competing at the outset, lets grow 'communities' to a certain base (at least 1,000 subscribers), then they can compete.
Steps:
- Put some research into discovering the first 10 communities to grow.
- Reach out to the administrators of these 10 communities and engage them in conversation. Discuss subjects like 'their dreams, their vision, their mentality etc'. Thereafter, discuss plans to help their community reach a base of 1000 subscribers.
- While involving these community administrators, focus primarily on your own efforts and put in the work i.e directional curation, discord talks, giveaways etc.
- Brainstorm dynamically and emanate initiatives/contests to incite people to join these 10 communities.
- Do update publications and feature participants
- Work hard behind the scenes.
- Propagate other forms of rewards e.g pinned posts, discord talks on popular discord servers etc
- Invite people to create communities and reward their efforts to grow it.
After succeeding in growing the first 10 communities, gather and record corresponding analytics. Then, while continuing in your efforts to 'grow communities', begin the process of marketing Steem to 'companies, entities, enterprenuers etc' as one large flourishing community made up of reputable great minds.
My Experience And Background On Steem
- I have been a witness on steem for more than 2 years. My current steem witness is 'surpassinggoogle'.
- I had a delegation from Steemit INC for more than a year. For a long time, i had a delegation of more than 500,000 Steem Power.
- I have hundreds of steemians who follow my curation trail.
- I have been able to reach thousands of unique steemit users in my curation efforts.
- I was part of a Steemit INC representation in the Philippines.
- I started #ulog in the past, which accrued some 50,000 posts, 179,000 comments after the first 6-months of its inception. #ulog was also used by more than 5400 steemians in this period. (See some stats.)
- I have done a contest on #untalented that accrued more than 1000 posts-entries. The contest was titled 'Who Are You'.
- My @surpassinggoogle account has created more than 17,000 comments (manually).
- I have a small community on discord of more 5000 steem users.
Here are some pictorial stats:
My approach focuses on 'returning value to humans' and accomplishing this entails that spread my curation efforts across a wide span of unique authors. I also make use of a 'directional curation-style', one that takes into account other factors like 'timeliness, effort, value etc.' besides just content quality.
Positives Of Focusing On Growing 'Communities'.
- Steem's 'communities' feature on its own constitutes 'a tangible use-case', even in terms of stirring direct organic growth for the Steem ecosystem. With this value proposition alone, it is possible to appeal to companies, entities, social influencers, enterpreneurs, investors etc. However, this aspect of steem even till date, has been very under-utilized. Steem's unique 'proof of brain' model is known mostly for 'a single trending page'. Where we direct efforts towards 'growing communities', we can stir immense 'development' for Steem/Steemit even now, without the need for extra 'code'.
- The resulting analytics from this 'communities growth' endeavor when mined, can be used to enhance 'the Steem code' and marketing-efforts in the future.
- Even at face value, Steemit offers better value proposition when it can show 'many flourishing communities'.
- This actionable plan can start now, with the minimal cost of 'a delegation'.
- In the current scheme of events on Steem, this endeavor can be very timely, in restoring buzz, unity and 'community'.
- Focusing on 'growing many communities' stirs unity, employing vaster participation. With a vaster participation by the Steem ecosystem, many more use-cases for Steem will be reveal, in the form of unique Steem-born initiatives/innovations. This will create tangible buzz!
- The resulting competition among these 'now flourishing communities' will have a grander network effect. Community owners become more invested in the success of their communities and have further incentive to uphold a reputation, which is advantageous to Steem's success.
- One very powerful facet of Steem's 'proof of brain' model is the 'trending page'. With these endeavor we can create buzz one 'many more trending pages'.
- This simple endeavor can create tangible buzz on Steem, which is very timely in the current scheme of things.
- Imagine Steem having say '100 communities displaying say 10,000 subscribers each'. This is a 'tangible value proposition' on its own.
- etc.
Here are other positives:
- It is the most simple feasible actionable plan to implement considering the current state of affairs on Steem.
- It is timely.
- Non-programmers can participate
- No code or additional development cost
- Where has a flourishing Steem community, they are better positioned to compete. As owners, they will have more need to purchase Steem.
- More projects/initiatives unique to Steem will be revealed.
What If You Can't Delegate?
You can follow my the 'surpassinggoogle' trail findable on steemauto:
https://steemauto.com/dash.php?i=1&trail=surpassinggoogle
Support My Endeavors
Contact Me:
Email: comsilbronze4@gmail.com
Telegram: @surpassinggoogle
Discord: surpassinggoogle#1660
Delegate
You can delegate to @surpassinggoogle or use these tool:
https://steembottracker.com/delegation.html
STEEM DAO Proposal: Support Me To Rent & Setup A Macrohard Hub (For Programmers And Entrepreneurs) In The Philippines.
To vote on my proposal via Steemconnect, kindly click here