It's my observation that Steemit is a healthier social outlet for people than Facebook for a few reasons. Let me explain:
Facebook once was what Steem currently is - An overflow of new ideas and exciting new information. The first Facebook users needed a .edu web email. At the time I was attending one of the first prestigious college's that it was made available. Of course Facebook started as a place to see your friends and tag each other in pictures, but the reason I would log in on a daily basis wasn't just seeing how many likes my pictures received. My Newsfeed was filled with an onslaught of new ideas and stories.
There were certain things that I didn't care to see at first, however I eventually got over my preconceptions and began following many different pages that got me out of my comfort zone. Getting on Facebook felt like uncharted territory, nearly every time I logged on.
Then something happened. It happened subtly, over a few years, without most people noticing. Whether it was a combination of the ads and Facebook shareholders trying to squeeze out every last cent from consumers/viewers, the algorithms began creating an ECHO CHAMBER. It began showing us only what we WANTED to see. Challenging world views was thrown out the window.
Facebook is now a narcissists dream. You see the ideas that make you feel good. The types of arguments that you would typically support - right there waiting for you. It's such a nice place, in fact, that many times people catch themselves scrolling for enormous periods of time without ever once feeling like something challenged their world-view, caught them off guard, or made them feel different inside.
I'm not saying that having a good laugh at a dog video is bad thing, but the types of algorithms found in social media that keep us in bubbles are as potentially dangerous as the types of religions that keep people from living a normal life, getting blood transfusions, or trying new things.
Steemit, on the other hand is decentralized. It is OWNED by many people with all different types of opposing views. Think about it. Instead of a platform that is attempting to create discussion environments that will maximize profit, STEEM is platform that uses profit to maximize discussion! It is what social media originally intended to be, only made possible through the power of Blockchain technology.
