The title of this short editorial could easily have went along the lines of:
- Steem Isn't Steemit.
- The Same Battles Taking Place In Physical Communities Will Take Place In Virtual Communities.
- Virtual Communities Often Bring Out The Best And Worst In People (Depending On Their Level Of Cowardice).
It is a testament, both good and bad that so many equate the Steem blockchain with the social app built atop it. Sadly, as time has went on I see many cases of the disappointment of the social side being cast upon the chain side. Reading at times with disbelief the cognitive dissonance manifest itself proudly, as some within the community make wild assertions, or take their actions that have drawn reactions they dislike to new levels of dysfunction.
I'm sure many within the informationwar community are aware by now of the Mepatriot situation, where he deletes and reposts the same posts every single day for weeks and weeks now (months?). Despite being counseled by some of the more powerful and respected members of that community, he not only hasn't modified his tantrum, he has doubled down as he has softly lashed out at them for their advice. Conflating his downvote issues as a matter of free speech, he has condemned the platform as being a tool of the left that has stolen his constitutional rights.
In this specific example, we see taking place the baggage one holds in the physical community manifesting in the virtual community. Anyone whom has read any of his posts knows he is prone to using verbiage that is demeaning towards those whom subscribe to beliefs he holds to threaten his way of living. He feels the need to write in a combative way that doesn't stop at explaining his fears or outrage at dynamics/situations. He escalates it to a personal attack against any who would subscribe to the beliefs he holds repugnant. There is no middle ground to be found with these people, as once you have begun the name calling you have demanded the common area be one of conflict and defensiveness. To expect a paved road of rewards while rushing through the community throwing rocks is insanity. Those being insulted have a voice as well, and their use of them to downvote is their voice at the battle they did not come here initiating.
The second (of many) recent posts that caught my eye was one written by Lucylin. Despite his flair for also loving conflict, I do enjoy his personality. He can at times be hilarious, when he isn't donning his Don Quixote bubble. His most recent piece actually made a comparison of one of Hitlers Speeches with Steem.
I have read many things in my almost two years here. Many I disagreed with. Many that lifted some bit of ignorance from my burden. And many that displayed the anger and impotence that seethes in so many of us in our physical world dynamics. The social side of the chain (Steemit) by its very nature will see these hopes, dreams and rages manifest here, perhaps even amplified in many cases due to the safety afforded making declarations from ones living room. I can't imagine to many have the balls to call people libtards or nazis to their faces, especially if they are initiating the exchange.
Sometimes I wonder if this social side of the chain creates many of the problems weighing the chain down. So much anger and disappointment I have seen in so many as the chain did not bend to meet their expectations, not allow them impunity to do as they wish and get rewarded handsomely in the process. In all of these cases, unlike with Nazi Germany, there is a means to escape if one finds themselves in inhospitable terrain here.
It's as simple as never commanding your browser to take you to the above page. Steem does not have to be the social side. It does not have to be about writing as many posts as you can toss together. It does not have to be combative nor a constant proclamation this experiment on the Steem blockchain does not meet your approval.
All of us chose/choose what we bring to this community, if we decide we want to take our investment in the Steem chain to this level. Our choices largely determine our outcome. If you come with the mind that a subset that are here must be your enemies, don't be surprised you have enemies. If you come of the mind the deck is stacked and you aren't getting some reward you felt entitled to, you should just move on. Ned (or pick your whale) isn't Hitler, Steemit is not Nazi Germany, and no one in the community owes you anything. As with all communities, your worth will attract what your value is to the OTHERS in the community. If you are disappointed with the results, there is always the limited option the other chains offer, which is invest and hope for future growth in valuation. And unlike those other investments, your investment will still grow as your Steem grows if you stake it.
Steem offers everyone a clean slate when we arrive. What manifests is a result of what we plant and how we tend it.
