Perhaps we need to speak as one?

in #community5 years ago (edited)

I try to stay abreast of all things Steem, but at times - things simply go over my head. I need to see them in action and watch how the application affects me and others around me.

This is sometimes good, and sometimes bad. For HardFork 20, I think we all know that seeing things in action were pretty devastating for newbies. Necessary for the future? Yes, we've been told that now, our platform will be much more scalable for the future. But maybe, just maybe - the timing wasn't exactly right?

It seemed to me that we took an awfully big hit. As the founder of a community almost entirely filled with newbies - perhaps my perspective was a little skewed. However, I know that people like @shadowspub, @simplymike and myself (along with countless other unsung heroes) handed out delegations to newbies as fast and carefully as we could, in order to help them stay and keep our platform from losing people as quickly as we were signing them on. Were we successful? I don't know. I know that we lost a lot of good people who were enjoying the platform.

The reality of that makes me pause a bit on HF21, specifically on the content rewards proposal. HF21 will move the current rewards from 75 (author) 25 (curator) to 50/50.

I'm concerned that though this push for greater curation rewards is intending to put a greater emphasis on rewarding the recognition of quality content - that what will actually end up happening is a loss, once again, to the small accounts.

Small accounts already have small percentages of the curation rewards because their rewards are based on their vote (which... is small). However, large accounts will be taking an even larger chunk of the curation rewards, since now more is available to them.

Is this not the makings of "the rich keep getting richer, while the poor keep getting poorer"? Will this cause an even greater divide between the Steemit classes, making it MORE difficult for newbies to grow? At least with 75% author rewards, we are giving Steemians the chance to make their content attractive enough to lure curators. We ALREADY have a system in place that encourages quality content. Abuse will always happen and can never be truly eradicated from a system. Why are we making it that much harder on the people who are really trying to produce good content?

Especially when their small curation rewards won't make up for what they're losing in author rewards. Are we really considering taking from the poor and giving to the rich?

This proposed 50/50 change may or may not work to the end that it intends to implement. That's not the point of this post. The point of this post is this:

There are enough people who are worried about this change that I think it would be wise to table this change for now, and consider it for another Hard Fork.

There is enough going on in HF21 that will bring potential progress -WITHOUT adding in this curation rewards change. For the sake of the community, (that is mostly minnows with small votes, and therefore small percentages of the curation rewards) let's allow them to grow instead of the continued slaughter that seems to be focused mainly on them.

I know that there are a lot of people that feel this way - but are there enough voices to be heard? Instead of talking amongst ourselves, let's just see how many people agree that we should wait on the change from 75/25 to 50/50 rewards.

If you think we should wait on this change and take it out of HF21, please simply put your name as a comment below. If we have enough voices, perhaps our witnesses who represent our community will speak for us.

Thanks for reading! Long Live Steem! 🎉

P.S. I had considered not writing this. I don't like drama, don't want to stir the pot, and quite frankly - feared that it might cause retribution! And then I reconsidered. If I can't speak my heart and mind on the platform that I love, out of fear of being silenced , then this isn't the platform that I thought it was. If I would rather stay silent than possibly effect change, then I am more concerned for myself than my community. And so - I spoke.


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@dreemsteem

I agree. 100% and you have a full vote from me on this. It took me more than 18 months to reach my current status and with already minimal returns on my posts which are set to 50/50, I don't relish the idea of further shrinkage. I was plankton with HF20 and thanks to a delegation from @lynncoyle1 was able to build up a little again and return it when she needed it for someone else. The current structure already makes it difficult for newbies to get going - so much so if they have a great introductory post and respond/engage with comments as all "good" Steemians should, they run out of Mana so quickly and it takes days to replenish.

The result:

Loss of momentum, disillusionment and another wasted account.

I, too, do not believe that the increase in curation rewards will result in better quality. Nor is it going to address the issue of buying votes. On the contrary, I think it will have the opposite effect: those who can afford to buy the votes, will. The same applies to the downvotes - they are not going to stop; nor is the spam. Let's be realistic, the Steemworld is simply a microcosm of the real world and full of folk who will, can, and do, find a way to buck the system. How this is dealt with is a governance matter over which my friend @quillfire has opined, some would say, ad nauseum, but give him more than his due: he’s thought about it, said it and it makes sense. More sense than what is proposed by HF21. And no, he didn’t tell me to come over here and sing his praises….

Another point: we support our mates - that's also human. We support posts that they enjoy and/or which resonates for us and them. That's also human. You can change the technology as much as you like, but in the end, it's designed by humans for humans and most of us have feet of clay. I know I do.

If I am offered the opportunity to get an upvote from a whale if I post a link on his twitter feed or on one of his posts, will I pass it up because it may or may not resonate for him? Hell, no. Why, because that single vote will double, triple or even quadruple a pay out. For someone who puts time and effort into long posts for a pay out that is sometimes less than $1, well, you catch my drift.

Lastly, on the issue of quality, there are so many different views on quality which is an entirely subjective matter, and even if one were to set criteria for quality, these are subject to interpretation. Let’s look at Demming’s definition of quality, viz., fit for purpose and it begs the questions: what purpose and whose?

From what I have read, and I admit that the tech stuff is entirely lost on me, so I deal in principles rather than technicalities, I have to agree that HF21 will benefit the benefactors and not the intended beneficiaries.

@fionasfavourites

PS I am calling over @nickyhavey, @blockurator, @cheese4ead, @bengy, @zekepickleman and @thekittygirl in the hopes that they will add their 2c worth.

When it comes to hard forks, I kind of feel like the dog backing at the mailman. Not really understanding the function of the event, and having it happen no matter how much I bark.

I can definitely see the big established accounts getting even richer as they can often just switch the algorithm to vote more an earlier and reap the lions share of the increased curation. While intending to help the little folks, they will now get .0011 instead of .001 curation reward for their 100% tiny upvote. So, they will make .01$ more a day. This will not even be detected and will not encourage anyone to stay or feel more empowered.

We definitely do need more curation but not at the expense of author rewards. Dumb dumb dumb.

@zekepickleman

We definitely do need more curation but not at the expense of author rewards. Dumb dumb dumb.

Precisely!

Well said @fionasfavourites, and I totally agree :) Plus you're sweet to continually mention me with the delegation! I was happy to help. @luzycypher did it for me when I first started out and I was so grateful for the boost; it's all part of the pay it forward attitude :)

And @quillfire loves a positive mention anytime haha He totally deserves it!

Thanks @lynncoyle1, but it's important that it's not just acknowledged, but what a difference it made - to keeping me on Steemit. As for @quillfire, he must be on holiday because he's been awfully silent during this. He's got some serious catching up to do!

Be well

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Thanks, it's been brewing for a while! :D

I'm sitting here - nodding my head. exactly exactly exactly.

I'm working on another post with some numbers.. so people won't have to wonder what will happen - they can see exactly what WILL happen.

and then they can choose for themselves.

Thanks for your contribution to the conversation! and for tagging people you think might be concerned too! :)

It's good to know that I'm not entirely alone in my thinking. :D

I look forward to your next post - I hope you will tag me as I'd not like to miss it.

Thanks for going out to bat on this.

@zekepickleman

We definitely do need more curation but not at the expense of author rewards. Dumb dumb dumb.

Precisely!

Thanks for the tag, but I added my 2¢ a while ago! 🙂

I don't think it's going to do what they want it to do. It could very well lead to more curation and shorter author posts. My two cents: Narrative!

Yes, Narrative. I am going to have to pay it more attention

Posted using Partiko Android

it's good to see witnesses involved in the discussion.
Your voices are important on this.

Agreed 100%
Makes only rich richer and drives new users and middle class users away.
But they don't want to hear our voices.
But they will hear when the steem price goes down more and more..
But, then it's to late..
HF21 and downvote pool is not social, it's the opposite.
Steem is getting more and more a testing platform for dapps and tokens.
Have a nice day
Tom
@zanoni

Thanks for visiting Tom!!! I wish it were under different circumstances, to be sure.

I agree with you and after being here since Nov 2016... It really saddens me that so many of the higher ups can vote for this with a straight face

But...you're right.

We don't matter.

Sadly, it's proven in this vote.

Posted using Partiko Android

But my hope is Voice coming soon, it will be a game changer and maybe the biggest problem for Steem..
Who laughs at least, laughs best

Posted using Partiko Android