The following post is a rant. It is not my usual post nor is it the normal me to complain as I usually see myself as a grin and move on kind of person. Yet today was a perfect storm of pure shittiness and so let me go on my rant.
Today is Friday the 13th and I don't hold too much belief in superstition but today proved to be one hell of a day. I have been feeling sick since this morning with an upset stomach and so I wasn't in the best mood. I couldn't drink coffee which really bummed me out and made me cranky all morning like a crack addict in rehab.
Earlier while hosting the Curation show in the Promo-Mentors I experienced getting disconnected by Discord. Although it was reported to be a major outage from Discord itself but we hilariously blamed it on Klynic's poem on SEX TRANSMUTATION He got a good ribbing on that one haha. Show some love if you will.
One thing that I do on my idle time is looking at the comments in Steemit. I try to answer each comment that I get as engagement is really a big thing to me and today was no different. and after replying to some comments I went to read some memes.
I know might feel strange that I enjoy memes but I always need a quick chuckle and memes if done right can do that to you. I also have another account that has these shorter posts like Zappl, 5-minute freewrites and of course memes. Surprisingly one of my meme with biting humor was a hit and gotten that dmania vote.
It was a bittersweet feeling as I have never expected to get one because I didn't think that more than 40 dollars for a meme that I would create in less than 3 minutes could garner such a reward. Makes me question right away what is truly valuable in this platform.
I take pride in each post that I do, well not the memes which are just for fun, which is why it is in another account. I have taken Steemit seriously that whatever I write, I write with the highest quality in mind. I spend time formulating my posts with an outline, then I draft the different talking points, then I would edit and proofread. A single post of mine takes about an hour or so depending on complexity.
The longest and most time-consuming post I did was my post about the witnesses This Redfish understanding of Witnesses and why they are important it took me two weeks to consolidate, filter and go through all 127 active witnesses and what they do so that I can justify why I chose the 30 witnesses that I have.
It is no secret I use bid bots. I used to not to and this was fairly evident in my early months but have been using them now to boost content from time to time. This was brought to a discussion with a person that I deeply respect and it was a long talk about the pros and cons. We talked about what the real use of bid bots are and how it moves the market. He said that quality posts + bidding at the right time increases your exposure and helps you grow.
Sure nowadays a lot of people are clamoring for the bid bots to be shut down because they are raping the reward pool and making people dependent on them to even get people to notice their work. I will not get into that argument on whether bid bots are good or bad for Steemit as there are so many posts that discuss both sides.
So the icing on this shit stained day was being flagged by Grumpy Cat or his alt account Mad Puppy.
So its official I have received my first flag. Was it because I wrote a shitty post or was on the trending page and it felt that my post was raping the reward pool?
If you ask me of course no again as I said I take pride in all my posts and I feel that this one conveyed my emotions and was beautiful to read. A lot of people commented that they teared up reading it. Judge for yourself if it is a crap post.
Living through Liver Cancer | Our family's story on dealing with it
Some may argue that a dollar I got from bid bots is a dollar removed from someone else in the reward pool. I am not here to argue about that because this is a rant and I am not in the right frame of mind to debate.
It didn't even reach 10 dollars and the main reason why it flagged was it wasn't near pay out already as it was done on the 3rd day of the post. It was because I used @sneaky-ninja who he accuses of not complying with his 3.5 days Max age standard.
He alleges that such bots are used by people who post low-value content and is only an attempt to be for profit. Let me tell you something if you bot as means of a crutch to profit then you are stupid. If you don't get additional upvotes after you bot you are running at a loss.
The main reason I use @sneaky-ninja is to boost my content as well as support his services which donates a portion of his profits to both @sircork's You Are Hope charity and @rhondak's TARC which are projects that are dear to me. It was a win-win situation for me. Well until Grumpy Cat showed up.
What a Friday the 13th for me and it made me realize how pointless it is. You do your best and make good posts and no one cares. You engage and make connections and unless your SP is that of a whale or a dolphin it won't matter. You build communities and have an optimistic spirit even if everyone is giving up saying we can do it all together. You do your best to spread your vote and comment to other people but it's not enough.
Then a whale shows up and shuts you up. Your voice does not matter. I have a bigger wallet.
This experience left me cynical if I really want to remain on this platform. Is this the tipping point? Maybe because bullies like Grumpy Cat is free to run amok and do whatever he pleases because he has a large enough wallet to push his way around.
To me, this flag represents all the wrong things in Steemit. It demotivated me to the point I took a nap and considered if I was going to publish it. Even after cooling down it still sucked. This may be a turning point for me but to Grumpy Cat it is just a Friday and he doesn't care about the platform.
I'll be out having a beer.
I've been trying to involve myself in steemit and get myself up to date on most discussions and topics that goes on. I'm far from a place where I know everything at all, but even with my meager knowledge a lot of things feels wrong on steemit these days, and this is just one of those topics.
It's absurd that certain accounts can operate as random boogey men flagging people they don't think follow their own code of conduct just because they can. I'm using bit bots myself as a way to increase my SP in a more interactive way than just buying them on blocktrades, since I usually go about break even on SBD return and then get a slice of SP on top of that and that feels good to me. I put a lot of time into my long posts but I usually don't have more than a few views so it's also a good way to get exposure..
I agree that bid bots has gone out of control but random vigilantes trashing the account of honest users aren't really the answer to that problem, at least not without some kind agreement with the rest of the community.
Oh well, this is starting to become a rant in the rant and that wasn't the purpose really :) Don't let this bring you down man, I really feel you are above this petty behavior
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Well money talks in this platform and have a huge one at your disposal means people will take notice and try to get your attention or in GC's case not hit attention.
It is sad that because this is decentralized that trollish behavior like this can't be stopped. A lot of people suffer because of this.
That is a good way of using the bidbots as indeed you get a slice of SP together with some SBD.
when we let other people dictate behavior then we are not truly free.
Haha feel free to rant away!
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What the hell, you're going to allow yourself to be bullied by money? Screw that cat, he doesn't affect the real value: engagement from the community. We all got your back, and while it sucks he can seemingly do what he wants (for now), we still have your back on your wonderful posts. So anyway, my point is, don't stop rocking steem :). The money is a short term carrot, think longer term, you'll do just fine!
And you know how I feel about bots now, but I'll leave that out of this :P
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@maverickinvictus, eon is right. We would all be down in the dumpsters if we all let that one negative arse do what makes them feel good.
The way to see it is to turn it into a thriving moment. You know what's good, you know the people that surround you care and are always willing to lift you up. Not sure grumpy sour puss can say the same. Just look at the name he's given himself.
You, yourself bring great value to the community by being the person you are.
You received a flag from someone who probably envy's you. A false flag and people can see that when they read your post. No one is going to think its a shit post. I haven't read that post yet but knowing the person who wrote it, I know it is a strong heartfelt post.
In my honest opinion, I think that the people that stand behind you should all comment on it and resteem it. Get the word out, that you should not have been flagged and get people to know you. Bring people together to help push you up. Im going straight there and doing just that :)
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Thank you so much FS this is a huge boost in confidence that the platform has a lot of awesome people and that I would be missing out on gems like you.
Thank you for telling me that I bring value to the community.
You have done more than enough telling me this!
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Sometimes it is good to know the truth and have people say it :) You are welcome.
and...
Woohoo, I'm a gem :p
Know that if you were to leave the platform, we would also be missing you, not just your posts. We love your post, but also the person that writes them; you ;)
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ahahha yes I know how you feel about bots after running one and thank you so much Eon for the words of encouragement.
Yet I'll pick myself up after drowning in a few beers.
That what I keep telling myself it is for the engagement and the communities I care for.
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Must be rant-day today, mav. Just published my own.
It is true what you say: there are so many things wrong here. I have the same questions you have, and I have serious doubts about leaving the platform at least once a week.
Decentralization is a bubble. So is freedom of speech. You have to stay on the good side of the big guys or you’re gone. ‘Rules’ are made up and enforced by whoever has the biggest wallet.
STINC doesn’t give a shit.
So why are we still here? For the money, I guess (It’s such a shame there isn’t a sarcastic font)
I wish I could tell you it will be all right, it will be fine. But I guess all I can do is hope you enjoy your beer, and say ‘Cheers’ while I grab mine...
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Hahah apparently it is that kind of Friday that we need to rant in order to keep sane.
I have always rooted for the platform despite its flaws and believed in the good of man and how things maybe different. GC just proved me wrong that money still makes the world go round here and have enough money and you are untouchable.
Funny how we are expected to be good and be engaged and don't question the big guys or else get that flag.
After a night of drinking it made me think why am I even here and spending time.
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I know why I am here. For the fun and the people (and the occasional rant).
For a while, I thought things on SteemIt were differebt from the real world. But then it struck me: why would it? People are people and money and power go hand in hand. There will always be people who are thirsty for power. And power can almost always be bought with money.
That’s just how life is...
I have different values. And I’m trying to live my life according to my own values. I’m trying to be above those who are so narrow minded. Not always easy, but I try to comfort myself with the idea that maybe they will learn some day. And if they don’t, it’s their loss.
Now, don’t drink and Steem! Just drink and have fun!
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This post has been featured in Issue 28 of The Magnificent Seven, The GrumpyCat Edition.
Thank you for doing your part to make steemit a better place.
Trust me, I'm a doctor.
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Thank you CW! I read the post and saw that I am not alone and others are trying their best to help other people.
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You beer me coffee and chocolate. #shittyfridays #letshangoutinthetavern #andwatchchickensinpants
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I sprayed my beer all over the table!!! Thanks Amy I needed that and the #chickeninpants that was hilarious!!!
It is so funny it reminds me of an uncle hahahaha
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i hope your weekend got better dear one, i got your back.
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I know you do!! Thanks and may he find bird shit all over his house and car always.
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buahahah hmmm bald (from fire) and bird doo doo stains
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So, now, the question is, since you're there, at, near, or past the tipping point, what are you going to do about it.
We all know what big SP can do. You weren't the first plankton/redfish to ever get hit, and you won't be the last. And in reality, you're coming out of this a heck of a lot better than many others, who've had their reputation rank demolished, meaning their ability to do anything on this platform, if they wanted to or not, is basically ruined.
It's not fair. You didn't do anything wrong—you even complied with the grumpy rule. Kudos to sneaky-ninja for not kowtowing to the cat. I read your post, and I upvoted it and I commented on it. I don't upvote if I don't think it's worthy of my upvote.
Here's how I see it.
Regardless of how you're feeling right now, or in the coming hours and days, there are people here on Steemit that need you. They need your experiences, your perspectives, your ability to communicate, and they need your caring and giving disposition.
It's good to step back and evaluate why you're really here and what STEEM really means to you. But, like your sister, you're a fighter, so you won't go down without one. In this case, fighting will be standing up for you, others, the principles of the platform, and whatever else you want to throw in.
The reality is, high SP trumps low SP. It's like that in the real world, so why should it be any different here?
I don't drink, but maybe I'll join you virtually with a nice cool glass of water, or lemonade. I think we've got some of that still. :)
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Thanks Glen and I really appreciate the number of people that messaged me and told me that I am no shit poster that deserves this and I should continue posting and being an engagers in the community.
I plan to do that. There are a lot of assholes in the platform but there are a lot of people who are doing good as well.
If I leave I would be forgetting all those nice people.
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Good to hear. It's sad and stupid that things are the way they are, but now, you can be around for the rest of us when we flagged for no reason, or some other senseless random act takes place. You can be there to talk us down. I think that's part of what needs to happen, too, because this place can get our goat at any given moment and for virtually any reason.
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True enough Glen and I am more appreciative of the different people here that are still trying their best amidst all the crap because they believe in the good of their fellow man.
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There's a lot that this platform can offer if people choose to use it. It will be the future if people learn not to take advantage of it. Even if it's not the future, it can at least serve as the catalyst for it. There's way more at stake here than just earning some STEEM.
The eventual decentralization of everything is a tall order, but that's the ultimate promise of STEEM, and any other monetary system that wants to follow suit. Freedom, without borders or boundaries, to transact goods, services, what have you, as you see fit, in a stable currency.
It's a ways off, but it is a big reason why I am still here, along with all of you all, your desires for a better life, and whatever personal dreams I can carve out in the process. :)
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awww im so sorry to hear that mav! just know that there are a lot of us out here that have your back and love what you do for the community - because its a lot of good!! keep doing what youre doing, we support you! <3
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Thanks IT and I am surprised by the many people who has responded and gave me strength.
It is so awesome to have so many people show their love.
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never ever walk away from a bully @maverickinvictus ... you keep right on out there producing content, engaging and doing what you do.
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Thanks Shadows yeah seem that I received a lot of kind words from people and looks like I am here to stay.
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Oh boy, hope the discord police doesn't come after me man.
About the flag, just keep doing your bit. You've got friends, we might not all be whales yet though, but we have got your back man.
So let the flag not deter your spirit... maybe you will attend the monday love show and cheer up with more discord-breaking topics
haha
I sure had some fun with you hosting the other day....
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Ahahhaa yeah it was a really fun session and that removed the negative aspect of the discord issues.
Thanks man I appreciate it and knowing a lot of great people left me words of encouragement really helped out my mind into ease.
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We got you man, e'r day all day
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I think you have set up a strong support here as noticed in the comments who will back you up and get that cat skinned.
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I have already forgotten about it and focus on the good things and what I want to achieve in the platform.
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Ayos! Kaya isa ka sa mga idol ko dito e. I like how insightful and knowledgeable you are in many things - at least more than mine haha! Go lang ng go bro! :D
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ye anti bid-bots are not righteous.
its ok to use bots now ant then but not all the time and not boost a post 100$ of so. but to down vote a small one seams wrong.
its ok to have a rant Friday here is rains
hard. so ye its shitty. :P
ahah beer..fixing the world one at the time...:)
oo yes its a new bot ho flagging post ho is using bit boits and up vote more then 50$ on a post
if we care we all Ned to delegate 50SP or more to it. this is the real problem not stuff like this one
https://steemit.com/steemit/@transparencybot/the-daily-coverup-transparency-under-attack-4-13-18
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well he downvoted a post that someone from my community and it didn't even reach a dollar but he felt that the photo used was not the right one for the tag used.
Beer makes everything a bit more cheery!
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ye grumpy cat is not a good one. a got a comment form cheetah ones not a down vote but
like a coped something and yes a did. but a put it in quotes mode insert the original link but still.
seams like bot like this just goes after everything no regardless of u have done it ones or every day. but its good to get a warning like a did.
but a down vote...no good.
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Yeah Cheetah even appears even if you properly cited but once the human assigned to check it sees that it does not flag.
GC doesn't care.
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That's really a bad Friday the 13th. I won't say everything will be okay, but I am hoping you won't leave this platform. This is the time that we like to say "I wish I had a bulky wallet."
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Yeah the lack of coffee did it hahaha I'll bounce back from this.
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Of course, you will. That bully grumpycat can't beat you as easy as that. Hahaha
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Indeed he can't! And with so many people giving me kind words how can I not stay!
Keep being awesome people.
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but to Grumpy Cat it is just a Friday and he doesn't care about the platform.
Yep. Exactly.
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sad sad man or woman or cat. All because he can use his wallet to slap someone.
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You got a 1.61% upvote from @postpromoter courtesy of @maverickinvictus!
Want to promote your posts too? Check out the Steem Bot Tracker website for more info. If you would like to support the development of @postpromoter and the bot tracker please vote for @yabapmatt for witness!
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