Martin Luther taught me how to Hive

...but I didn't even realize it until now.

A comment to a newcomer

I just wrote comment in answer to a new Hiver's inquiry. Hive account@ninong7 was asking about how to get going here on Hive. My top suggestion for a newcomer was (likely unsurprisingly to those who've been around here) to engage with others.

If you're reading this, maybe give Hive account@ninong7 a look-see, an upvote, or a follow? 🙂

In less than a week it'll be 6 years for me on Hive, and I mentioned that it took me 3 years to figure out that "engage with others" is the main cog that turns the other gears here. "Birthdays" and milestones, and posts like the one I responded to, make me step back and reassess things. Similar to New Year's Eve, where we simultaneously look back and peer forward, reflection is likely the case for most folks at those times. Now, the post I was replying to got me thinking back.

I considered my Hive experience. For the first 3 years, I was expert at posting and walking away. Hive was a great place to log my thoughts, words, and images. If a personal journal was all that was desired (and it kind of was for me then), it worked great. However, if I wanted an upvote here or there, if I wanted maybe some feedback or interaction, or, dare I say, if I wanted to earn some money, that was not there. I was on my own digital island. If I earned a nickel, literally if I earned $0.05, I was thrilled. (Of course, after anything web2, earning a nickel is amazing!)

Martin Luther

After sending the comment, as I went for my first cup of coffee, I considered my advice that I'd just given. Really, I don't like giving advice...it's just not...me. Instead, I prefer to just share my story, my experiences, and maybe that'll help. "Will what I wrote help?", I wondered. "Did I steer in the correct heading?"

My title references Martin Luther. The crux of my advice was, "Engage. I didn't for three years, then started to and then things picked up." Because of the way I think, I wanted an analogy, a mental-picture to pin in my chipmunk brain so it might stick. The imagery of a a corkboard on the wall came to mind. In the digital world I don't see them as much, but the old cork bulletin boards came to mind where you literally pin a note or image onto a wall. (Funny how the terms "bulletin board" and "my wall" have changed due to technology.)

Essentially, that's what I was doing in my first three Hive years...pinning a note on a bulletin board and leaving it there. I could always come back to that board on the wall (my Hive blog) and see it, but, it was just sitting there unchanged. Again, such a pinning has its purpose! Hive is a great, great journaling tool.

But, then, upon my first sip of coffee, the more accurate mental image came to mind: Martin Luther pinning his Ninety-Five Theses on the church door at Wittenberg 500+ years ago. Essentially, it's the corkboard on the wall, the tale pinned on the donkey. Luther pinned (nailed with a hammer, so they say) that paper onto the church door, then walked away.

But wait, there's more. Luther didn't just walk away and allow that nailing to be the end of the story forever. He engaged. He spoke, debated, wrote, ran-for-his-life, preached, and essentially talked to anyone who'd listen...he engaged with others.

Luther's tools were different in the 1500s.

Martin Luther engaged with others via the spoken and written word. He used his mouth and his pen as his tools. Nowadays, we mostly use desktops, laptops and phones, microphones and cameras as our tools.

Luther's tools were the same as today.

Martin Luther might have engaged via different mediums of communication than we do, but the underlying essentials that make the communication work are the same as they were in 1517. He used his personal knowledge and intellect, speaking and writing skills, interpersonal skills, his passion, a sense of humor, and unwavering persistence. These are timeless human traits that garner respect and work toward positive results, whether with your neighbor next door or online around the world.

To say Luther "engaged" is an understatement. His engagement started the flywheel that became the Reformation and, depending on who you ask, is now considered one of the top 25 or 30 most influential people in the world, ever. I don't think Hive is going to get anyone in the top 30 on the list, but the formula is the same.

So, for the mental image in my brain, I'll now picture Martin Luther not hammering the nail (that's the money shot), but just afterward, after turning around from the church door. I'll picture him explaining to someone who'd watched the hammering, "What's that you just nailed on the door?"

_{Illustrated by me, Hive account@crrdlx.}

Being the original Lutheran, Martin Luther likely might well have said, "Well, let's walk over to the tavern, grab a beer, and I'll tell you about it."

Wrap up

In my comment to ninong7, I referenced another "Hive-tips" comment by Hive account@finguru with simple, practical suggestions. That's about as clear as it gets to me. For a broader look, Hive whale Hive account@arcange wrote his personal look-back that's worth reading if you missed it and maybe worth a second read if you saw it already because it is so encouraging.

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_{You ask, "What's Hive?" Watch the animation I made: The Hive Story Animation and you'll learn about this Web3 chain. The top benefits of the Hive blockchain: (1) no ONE person/group runs it, (2) YOU own and control your content, and (3) YOU earn the rewards that your content generates. Learn more or consider using my referral link to get your free account here and I'll support you as you begin. Alternately, you can see other sign-up options here. All my links: https://linktr.ee/crrdlx.}