Are You A Generative Or Extractive Steemain?

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We are in the process of undergoing the formation of an entirely new system. Call it a step towards post-capitalism or whatever you want, but the bottom line is the scarcity-based model that is present in our daily lives is starting to be altered. There is no need to rehash all the ills of society. Let us just leave it at the fact that much of what we see out there is not working.

Of course, ideologies are strong and many people are unwilling to accept letting go of their beliefs. This is why change often takes so long. Beliefs are so strong that the only way for a culture to often change is enough people in the old mindset die. I know it is a bit morbid yet many are willing to take these ideas to their graves.

For this reason, we are operating in two worlds if you will. We have to operate in the present system while trying to construct a completely new one. Having a system built around a cooperative mindset that operates for the commons is something completely new. Sure there were the "isms" of the past which were failed attempts. The problem with them is they were hierarchical in nature.

A major part of our world is that contribution is only valued in terms of money. All activity is centered around this. Since we live in a global, Wall Street driven system, the only thing that matters is profit. In fact, corporations exist to maximize profits regardless of the external costs. People can try to dress it up all they want yet that is precisely how it is. The impending automation apocalypse is in line with this. People who believe that it will not take place fail to understand the mindset. Companies want to get rid of labor and automation will give them the power to do so.

The entire system is extractive. All exist to take out as much as possible.

Steem is different. As I wrote in the past, it is a cooperative system. The entire ecosystem depends upon the skills and contributions of everyone. Almost all have a role to play here. The question is one extractive or generative?

Before going any further, let me explain what that means. The majority of the people on Facebook are generative. They participate in the growing of the platform by interacting with their friends and family. It is through their contributions that value is created.

The challenge with Facebook is the entity is extractive. We see the platform suck all it can from this. Data is used to sell to advertisers with bombard people with ads they do not want. The company is willing to forgo personal privacy and a host of other values for its own end. It justifies all of this by stating that it provides a lot to the users for free. This is common for an extractive mindset.

A generative mindset is one that places the success of the whole at the core of all that is done. The ecosystem is the most important feature. Certainly, there is a lot of room under the umbrella for entrepreneurship and personal growth. Essentially, people use their individual skills for the commons. Openness is a primary component to this.

The best example of all of this is the open source code that was generated over the last 30 years. We see many projects where people put time and effort into developing tools that are available to all. The entire world benefits since their creations can be taken and used in whatever way one sees fit. There is a lack of direct ownership since it is a resource for all.

Certainly, there are some who are tasked with moderating and providing guidance. This might be a foundation in the case of Mozilla or editors as we see with Wikipedia. Some might be paid for their efforts while others are volunteers. The model can vary greatly yet the general essence is the same.

This is what will ultimately push ecosystems like Steem to the forefront. The present mindset is a challenge since almost all of us were reared in it. Our current system is not going to disappear overnight. Even still, what we are creating has its issues. It is not going to be a smooth ride.

Nevertheless, there is a tremendous tailwind that we can utilize. Open source provides for rapid development. It fosters creativity and experimentation. Many are attracted because they have the green light to pursue whatever interests them. Most often, people are operating for motives other than money although that can be a component of it.

In other words, people see themselves part of something much bigger.

Do you believe Steem has the potential to change the world? Are you one who feels that cryptocurrency is something that can be utilized for the betterment of humanity? Can you see yourself applying your skills in a way that expands the commons which will enable others to build upon it?

These are questions we need to ask across society. Of course, the easiest place to do this is in the digital world. However, if that is where it stops, we are in for a failed time. Eventually, this needs to branch out. Of course, there are many projects around the globe applying these ideas that have nothing to do with blockchain.

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Did you ask yourself why the PALnet project is taking off like it is? What is it that attracted all those people to the discord group for the past few years?

Peace, Abundance, and Liberty. Consider those values for a second. This is not what is cherished in the present system. Yet, for many, ten thousand plus evidently, they have a deep meaning. These people even took a look at Steem in a way that led them to create what they felt was a better system.

All the people involved in that are generative. They helped to create a model that is open to everyone. Anyone can copy it and apply it to their community. There were no copyrights or patents. The information and knowledge is openly available. This is expanding the entire ecosystem and enriching those who are on here.

Does that mean that some are not going to have a monetary compensation from it? Of course not. However, if you ask those involved, the idea of gaining massive amounts of money was not the primary motive. In fact, since I know many, it was not even on the radar. They simply felt there was a better approach, got together, and developed something they thought would provide that.

So far, the results look promising to the degree other communities are starting to follow.

Often it comes down to a few simple questions. For example, do you delegate some SP to applications such as Steemhunt or Actifit that upvote their users, many whom are smaller accounts? Or do you use your stake to upvote yourself, hence ensuring the biggest payouts you can achieve?

One of the biggest problems with Steemit Inc, in my opinion, is it operated as an extractive organization. We will see how it unfolds over time, but I feel that it really needs a total mindset change to be as productive as it can. If not, it will ultimately be eaten alive.

We witnessed what can happen when those who have the generative mindset get together. Hell, Encyclopedia Britannica stood no chance against Wikipedia. Why? Because people who are pursing a passion, often without pay, are a lot more powerful than those who are there because it is their job.

Many of the recent developments we see are from that same mindset. These people saw a problem and solved it. Many look at that as competition but it is not. Instead, it is fitting into the new model that is being unveiled.

Steemit Inc is a hierarchical organization. For this reason, it operates in such a manner that limits its power. What we are seeing on here is horizontal in nature. Any developer can put something together on the layer 2 if he or she sees the need. The users will decide the validity of the project or not.

We have tens of thousands of people on here a day. The question each needs to ask is "am I generative or extractive?". This is vital. The more people who understand what it means to be the former, the more powerful this entity will be. Each of us has skills and resources available to us. These can be applied in such a manner that help to move the ecosystem along. All are necessary if applied to the commons.

It is when too many people start to operate in an extractive manner that things become problematic. At that point, collaboration and the cooperative nature goes out the window. Suddenly, people are looking at things as competitive which means one wins, the other loses.

Hopefully this article gives people something to chew on.

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