We default to the notion that content is king, it might be because it sounds good, it might be because it's true in many instances, but in the case of Steem, I think that might be only half of the equation. User experience is probably the king, and maybe content is the queen? I'm not sure yet... let's get some tea...

We need both, the bread and the jelly

   If we become a platform for only content creators, then... Who will consume said content? My point is that if we are too focused on simply creating a system that reward creators disproportionately from the consumers of such content then... Why would consumers stick around?

   I remember a conversation that Hive account@clayboyn had with Hive account@aggroed regarding the idea of "Fixing Curation" it was, lets say, not a popular subject at the time, I thought his points were very valid, and in many ways had a lot more foresight, and maybe time will show he was right.

   I guess the biggest challenge here is to find a balance way we can promote content discovery, and make this task, or this focus lucrative for anyone who decides to partake of it. As it stands now, if you decide you are going to curate with your small stake you don't stand to make maybe more than one cent a day.

Singing happy birthday before the cake shows up

   I think in this particular aspect Hive account@aggroed is pretty much dead on, and I mean this in the sense of what is more profitable to do, and nothing else.

"Minnows should comment, Dolphins should Create, Whales should Curate"

   Granted this is an oversimplification of the roadmap to Steemian success, but as it stands now, it's possibly the only strategy that works if not all the time, darn close to it. Is this ideal? Does this give us good feels? Do I personally like it? Do I understand why it can frustrate the crap out of some people?

To answer in order: No, No, No, Yes....

   And you know if you No No No Yes, in one sentence, then something must be wrong. I actually had someone I invited tell me just a couple of days ago. "Well... I don't like the idea of complimenting people left and right to get an upvote, it feels beggy" Point taken, it does, which is why I never did.

   I guess the hard question to answer is, how do we interact effectively with others, while remaining true to our nature? Meaning, if I'm not a happy go lucky guy, I need to able to be me online too, and not emulate the "correct" person I need to be.

The WolfPack Experiment

   It might be an aggressive analogy, but I happen to find Wolves amazing. The reason why they are so effective in nature has more to do with their cooperation than anything else, so I find it appropriate to make my point. It's been more than two months now since we started this little experiment, the idea of bringing a group of friends in, lets say, a chunk (ugly word, but accurate) to the platform.

   And so it was that Hive account@pechichemena Hive account@luisferchav Hive account@vera.carla Hive account@piterman Hive account@ale.tripoli and I found ourselves on a google hangout sessions talking about how Steemit, or more accurately how Steem could be their new home for their creative projects. If you are part of the #openmic family I'm sure you've seen these amazing musicians make their rounds and waves.

   So far this approach to jumping on Steemit has been very effective, being a lonely minnow on this platform can get quite depressing, specially when all your posts are collecting dust.

How does this fix Curation?

   Ok, gig is up... I lost the argument... or did I? What I'm really trying to convey is that the problem with the user experience when you are a little minnow has to do with curation of course, and also content discovery, but maybe just maybe, it can be offset by these, lets call them "on-boarding groups" or Wolfpacks(I like my name better). So that, these incoming minnows can produce content without feeling they are singing for a bored bar tender, so that they can comment genuinely without feeling they are being odd, or fake, so that they can curate for the sake of symbolical support really, because it feels good to support your fellow wolf. I don't know, experiment is not over, but so far I think it's doing great.

Conclush...

   It might easy to outline shortcomings of this platform, but it's probably time well spent to think about ways we can compensate for them, If there is really nothing we can do to change them, at least for now that is. But hey, before you click away and go downvote some spammers, let me ask you.... Do you think your minnow experience would have been or could be better if you belonged to your own WolfPack? or do you think the idea gets negative ninja points?

Tell me in the internet box down below... We are still collecting data...

Much love