I had planned on Saturday being a lazy day on Steemit, browse around, catch up on replies, FINALLY write that post on the winner of my Let's Talk Superheroes! contest (sorry guys) and perhaps meet one or two new newbies. All was going as planned, until I came across 
I enjoyed reading
A little about Me
The few friends I’ve made on here would know that I have been quite lazy to write lately. I am not a social media person by nature. I am not a blogger at all. In fact, 
Quality is subjective to the reader. My supporters are the friends I’ve made on here who adores my charming personality. I think they get a kick out of reading my posts now and then. OK, Qurator is obligated to upvote my post since I am a member, but for all others, my supporters are those friendships I’ve made along the way.
Are my posts of quality content? Are my ‘Let’s Talk’ contests deemed to be of value to a publishing platform? Or does it belong more on a social media platform?
As mentioned, I don’t write much. I write when I am interested on a subject or if I am passionate enough on a topic to express my thoughts or viewpoints. My time spent here have been engaging with others, newbies, and answering questions or helping with what I can.
Yesterday I spent my allotted Steemit time on the newbie contest held by 
Today, I spent my time looking at a Steemit bot post by 
Yes, quality is subjective to the reader.
What Steemit means to me?
Here is where my viewpoint differs from
I respect Paula very much. In fact, I wholeheartedly support 
Paula’s viewpoint of Steemit is of an online blogging platform. This Paula's viewpoint (the irony of it all) of Steemit is a combination of a social media and blogging platform.
Here is Why
If all of your friends do not want to be blogger and authors they why are you voting for them? If you believe Steemit is to reward great authors and content then the issue of supporting ALL friends is solved. That is not what Steemit is for or about.
Paula makes a good point here. However, what about the community members on here whose intentions are to engage and help others, not simply on being a blogger or author?
What about the Steemians on here that are extending their reaches to help others succeed on here?
The community leaders and members that value engagement and support.
The Steemians that spend their time hosting contests and sharing their SBD worth with others.
The individuals that spend hours helping others on Discord for Steemit-related issues, where monetary support cannot be 'upvoted'.
Should these individuals not be rewarded for their efforts?
If they should, how does one reward such an intangible action? Do we upvote their posts even when it is not deemed QUALITY material? Do we upvote their comments, because here lies the conundrum, are comments quality content?
Many may not be talented authors or content producers, but they sure spend more time and effort on here extending kindness, generosity, and guidance to many here on Steemit. Members of communities like #newbieresteemday, #newbiegames, #greetersguild, #asapers, and #helpie.
Many of the members in these communities have selflessly shared their time, SBD, and SP to help newbies on this platform. They extend beyond their own blogs to help newbies with questions, greet them as they come onboard, mentor, and even keep an eye for curie worthy posts. Steemit Inc is not paying them for their services, not for their time and effort. It is with the support of other like-minded Steemians on here that drive the community efforts.
Our viewpoints vary on this point because I believe Steemit is much more than a blogging platform. There are so many beautiful voices and talented artists that simply go unnoticed.
Yes, the author could market themselves on other social media platforms, but why should they have to do so? The problem with having to market oneself elsewhere, you have to SELL Steemit to people outside the platform. They may be your biggest supporter, your husband or wife or best friend, but you first have to sell them on the idea of joining Steemit before they can come support you. On top of that, they will likely not see any support of their own, so would likely give up themselves. There goes your support system.
Community efforts are the support system on Steemit. Why should they not be recognized for their talents? It may not be with writing a $20 worthy post, but that does not mean their value is of any less on here.
Only way I believe we as a platform can continue to thrive is to start viewing Steemit as more than a blogging platform. The support is not there for (new) authors. You really have to rule out the popular, more established Steemians because they already have a support system in place. New authors are lucky to break out of the $1 payout value if they don’t have the support from high ranking Steemians or if they don’t avail themselves of the promotional services out there.
What Contents Are of Value to Me?
Here is another big question. What is deemed quality content? Does it have to include a number of words? Say 300-500 words with quality pictures? My content would likely be ruled out. I write simply for the joy of writing because I know
Are Utopian, DTube, Sndbox, or Curie posts we as Steemians should look upon for quality measures? It is these posts that receive the higher payouts. Let’s exclude the posts that make it to trending.
I know I spend my time on here looking at different content. Sometimes it is a post on contests, or how someone came up with their Steemit name, sometimes photography, sometimes Steemit-related and sometimes the post is Newbie Resteem initiative related. I can’t say that every post I’ve upvoted are quality content, because here is where the social media factor comes into play.
For me, Steemit is both a social media and blogging platform. Some may disagree and say take your thoughts to Facebook. I am there too (rarely), but there is where I share family photos or catch up with the lives of family and friends with my privacy settings. Here is where I share my writing skills and charming personality with the friends I’ve made thus far. If not through a post, then definitely via a comment that might be made minutes or days later. 😉
Image Sources:
Laptop, Steemit voice from
Beeyou image by@seaslim
Newbieresteemday giphy by@amariespeaks