How To Address Blockchain “Homelessness” in the Steemit Community

Never look a homeless person in the eye.

Although not an officially stated policy, it’s a universally understood principle. Looking directly at a homeless person acknowledges their humanity. In turn, many scheming and crafty homeless use that opportunity to demand money via guilt trips.

Now, I have nothing against homeless people. I served in the homeless ministry, sharing food as well as the Good News of Christ’s Gospel. Serving in this capacity remains one of my proudest moments. I enjoy point people to our Savior, and letting them know of a better way in this life.

However, we do have to be vigilant against the homeless industrial complex, or those who use their homelessness as a means for survival, rather than making legitimate efforts to better themselves.

In the same way, we have what I would term blockchain homelessness negatively impacting the Steemit network.

What is blockchain homelessness? You already know!

The blockchain homeless are those who essentially have some iteration of the “sob story.” On Steemit, they go around begging people for upvotes or resteems, or some other favor. Rather than spending the effort to create meaningful content, they take the easy way out and beg.

A common tactic is when the blockchain homeless make a comment on your post. They’ll fluff you up, make you feel good about yourself. If you respond, though, they’ll turn around and demand some action from you, like an upvote or a resteem.

Let me make it abundantly clear that I upvote when I want to upvote! If you demand an upvote from me, I will not upvote. I will not be blockchain bullied by chronic blockchain homelessness. If you want people to follow you, give them something worth following, for crying out loud!

Here are my 3 tips for spotting the blockchain homeless

1. The comment has nothing to do with your post – If you write a meaningful post, you want meaningful commentary, or nothing at all. Something like “great post!” indicates a bot, or the blockchain homeless.
2. Even long, “meaningful” posts must have some concrete, identifying information -- Commentary length means nothing unless there’s something identifiable about the comment. For instance, anybody can copy and paste a fluff piece about you being “so smart, so eloquent, I love your writing style, it really speaks volumes to me.” While it feels good to be smart, these comments could be written about anybody
3. Any demanded action item is a no-go – It’s an obvious statement but don’t feed the blockchain homeless with upvotes or whatever else they’re demanding. Doing so only encourages and incentivizes their crap behavior, similar to a drunken homeless using pity money to feed his addiction.