I have feeling most of us joined Steemit because of money aspect Steemit is offering, but not for the money itself, it’s because we felt money aspect Steemit is offering is right thing to do compared to Facebook and other social network making money on users. Of course there were also some other reasons people joined Steemit, mainly aspect of censorship major social networks are applying which led many people to this platform.
But the greatest aspect of Steemit is killing the platform in same time. Unfortunately we live on planet where we are so dependent on money. That system is pushing people into state where they are trying to get more money all the time. Because you got to have it, people are pushed in direction where they will do anything to get it, even at cost of forgetting their moral compass. Like in everywhere else, that is happening on Steemit also.
We are all aware what is happening on this platform last few months. Some post same post 10 times per day without replying to comments, some are only giving big upvotes to their friends and family, some are giving themselves big upvotes for one sentence comments, a lot of big upvotes on 6th day and so on... We even have one dude who fighting dude who is exploiting the system, but meanwhile he is upvoting his own one sentence comments and copy/paste articles from his second profile with big full upvote.
Ok people, it's cool to earn money on Steemit, but is it all about money? Did we become such slaves of money, that we lost connection with our heart, so will do anything for it on Steemit?! With selfish behaviour like that we are killing platform that have huge potential. I will give few of many examples:
Imagine, well you don't need to imagine because it happen many times; someone joining Steemit. He is writing great in-depth articles about something. After month or two he is not noticed well enough. In same time he see how his fellow minnows are giving up because they are not noticed either and same people giving themselves big upvotes or getting big upvotes for posts and comments that are not worth 5$ at most. Most of people in their position give up and leave Steemit forever because they don't see it at fair eco-system.
When someone see all this fighting over who gonna get more peace of the cake, he will not see this place as friendly one. He will see Steemit like another fighting ground where everybody is just fighting fro themselves. In that environment most of people won't feel freely to express themselves as they are. Imagine how much friendlier place will Steemit be if there is not this fighting over money?!
The problem is that money aspect of Steemit become main focus for many Steemians and not just one of aspects Steemit can offer. Those who exploit Steemit totally forgot that whole eco-system of Steemit is important. Because of their obsession with money, their only goal is get more money for themselves. So what if rest of community can suffer because of it? Some of them are so obsessed with money that even when rest of community are explaining to them they are exploiting the system, they don't want to hear about it. Just the opposite, they are going to vicious counter attack. I would say manipulators running this world (bankers,...) are manipulating Steemit without being on Steemit. They created society where you must chase money all the time. In that sense they are creating people who will want to exploit Steemit.
With their money grabbing they are giving Steemit bad reputation and pushing people away from the platform!!!
MY VISION OF STEEMIT
Even money aspect of Steemit is one of the best parts of platform, I don't see it as the most important. It's one of the best part because we all live in monetary system and money earned on Steemit can be used for many projects that will transform situation on this planet to the better. Even if it will be only used to help you, it's cool if you give back to Steemit community.
To me the most important aspect of Steemit is connection we can achieve on Steemit. Connection that cannot be manipulated by censorship that exist on other platforms. Connection that can transform this planet by exchanging our ideas and communicating without any form of censorship. We can write here about anything without any fear that some corporation will censor our content. We can freely write about everything that holds people as slaves and freely offer solutions to them. Bonus is our content will stay forever on blockchain. All the manipulators worst nightmares. Yes, there are some who want to suppress some content, but there is no Fascistbook or Fascistube agenda to silence anyone who is going against official norms.
STEEMIT SHOWED IT'S POTENTIAL ALREADY IN MANY OCCASIONS!
We saw many times how Steemians have good heart in many fundraisers people set up for people in need for help. That happen to me also. I was commenting on post how I got the hardest year of my life and he surprised me with fundraiser for me. From that money I bought myself PC and big screen which I'm using right now. That is real power of Steemit.
Fundraisers are just one of great things Steemit can do. Like I said before the most important aspect of Steemit is our ability to connect and share experiences and ideas that can transform our planet in amazing place to live.
HOW TO TRANSFORM STEEMIT IN WHAT IT CAN BECOME?
Imagine Utopian society for the second. Can that society keep functioning in harmony if members of society animating that system have perception of trying to get only more for themselves and not caring for rest of community? No, it can't.
I'm saying this example because no matter what kind of system we build for Steemit, there will be always people trying to exploit it. Not saying that some thing on Steemit shouldn't be changed, but those changes will be temporally fixes until few don't find another way to exploit the system.
Changing Steemit goes beyond Steemit. There can't be real change outside if we don't change from inside. Outside is always reflection of inside.
No point in Steemit if it will be only used to gain money. Money aspect can help for sure, but that is just small contribution this platform can give. Decentralized platform without censorship + you can earn some money which can be used for transforming society for the better...can we have better social network?!!!...But why is that not happening already? It's because people are manipulated to believe money only matter and they look at Steemit as money grab. They don't see what true value this platform can have.
CONSTRUCTIVE SOLUTIONS
I know some of money grabber Steemians are not ready to go by their heart, so we need implement few rules so we can reduce their exploitation. My suggestions are:
- Limit to 4 posts per day because who really need to make more then 4 posts daily?
- Limit upvoting your own comment to 20% voting power (or any other number)
- Limit how many your own comments you can upvote daily (let say 4 )
- Limit how much share of reward pool you can get
- While flagging post you must explain why you flagged that content. That comment should go automatically in comment of post, so person being flagged should know reason why it is flagged.
I will encourage brave people flagging money grabbers to 'fight' with posting quality content also. The more great article on trending page, the less money grabber post will be there.
Also will encourage people who like to flag posts with content they disagree with to make decent comment why they disagree. Flagging without any explanation is meaningful and don't contribute to the community what so ever. If you want truth about something, it's better to explain to others why content of post is wrong.