Are a short term solution

SteemD now shows an enormous RC amount.

What changed?

The Resource Credit {RC} value got multiplied by a factor of 10. So now every Steemian has got a vast amount of RC. And interaction with the Steem blockchain is almost like it was before. But I do wonder if this is a good thing. Because this means bots and spammers have gained the same amount of RC. Are we back at where we left off now?

It was unclear to many Steemians what was really happening. HardFork 20 'Velocity' had quite an impact. Just like it was explained by the Steem developement team, the values dropped first. The blockchain system needed to find a new equilibrium based on Resource Credits. That would mean from the moment HF20 kicked in, until about 7 days later. Then the whole system would be RC based. But that did hit hard.

It is kind of like when things become more expensive. And at the end of the month there is a few days left with no money to buy food. This is disturbing, because when nothing really changed in spending, then what happened? Fear grows into anger, sometimes even hatred. Why? Because when there is no knowledge of the underlying fractional reserve banking system causing the devaluation of money, then other things, groups of fellow humans, get blamed. Sometimes I do forget myself how this works.

Huh, frb, wut...!?

The dark thing about something like fractional reserve banking is that it causes slow change. So people adapt without being aware of what is really going on. Until a point where they can only work two jobs and cannot cut into anything anymore without starting to live unhealthy. This is a slow proces, if not humanity would stand up and riot. While now those who fall down do so in silence, even believing it is their own fault. Behind it all is an evil system, that does not care though.

Still wonder when I will get back to the subject of the latest Steem HardFork? Human beings tend to dislike sudden changes, chaotic structures, we want to order. That is part of our compulsive natural behaviour. It is perfectly understandable, because ongoing chaos causes stress and will even make us ill. So the response to the sudden changes that HF20 'Velocity' made, I can understand. Even though it was all explained clearly upfront. But who reads it?

Geek stuff

Most people do not care about the inner engine working of their vehicle. It just has to drive. When it breaks down, well, curses! With a Social Media platform like Steem I do wonder how many members know it is running on a blockchain. Or to whom blockchain means more than being a 2018 buzzword. Let alone have an understanding what kind of hardware and software is needed to run something like Steem. Did you know for instance that SteemIt Incorporated does not own the Steem blockchain?

All members are stakeholders in this massive cooperation on a blockchain. Yet nobody really owns it as a whole entity. Therefore is can never be sold to any company. It is decentralized, stored and running on many computers worldwide. SteemIt Inc. provides a webinterface to the blockchain data, so we can interact with it. And it developes the engine that makes it go and move forward. Yet, some changes needed to be made to the Steem engine, like the RC system.

Sad to watch

To me it is a kind of sad to watch how SteemIt Incorporated had a hard time lately. Because I do unserstand that the Resource Credit system was a much needed change. Yet, it was clear to me that this was going to hurt first. If even only for 7 days, at the most, the first day could cause a riot. Well, if people would not have read the announcements, it could cause unrest amongst the Steem community. Because it would be a sudden change, like chaos, and humans dislike that.

No matter how it is absolutely needed to make this change. Of that I am truly convinced. Yet, in the communication something seemed to have gone wrong. So, to my disappointment, another change was made quickly, that looks like a patch for the bleeding. That actually gave me a bad feeling. Because it looks like we are back to the level at where we were before. Although I hope RCs are going to kick in anyway, after a week or so, then maybe less noticed...

Slowly evolving

To me that is the clue. Revolts and riots are chaotic, only appreciated for a short term, if any at all. Most people like progression, yet in a way they are able to take in the changes one step at a time. When the sun all of a sudden would jump to the north, most of us would feel some discomfort, to state the least. So I do get the response of many Steemians to the drastic changes caused by HF20. As a geek though I really want to see it succeed as I am convinced it has to be done.

Resource Credits {RC} will make sure the interaction with the Steem blockchain is protected to abuse. There is a limit to how much data can be stored and how fast. Even though the future will make sure there is technological progression, so more can be stored and faster, Steem needs its growth to stay in line with it. RCs might look like a sudden brake, but I do consider it a safety measurement. Something to make sure we can Steem on for a long time.

Prevent flooding

You know how you can spend your money only once. And roughly every month a new batch of that stuff gets along. The amount depending on a few things, but basicly it 'rebuilds' itself within a month. With that money you can pay for things and services. Only as far as your limit goes. If you want to drink champagne every day while have dinner at a restaurant, it will drain your resources faster than with a home cooked meal.

Resource Credits kind of work like that. If you have a lot of Steem Power you get an equivalent value of RC you can use. Some interactions with the Steem blockchain are quite a heavy strain on the available resources. Using them would cost a lot of RCs. Those who do these actions a lot would see their RC percentage drop fast. Yet, no worry, it rebuilds itself within 5 days back to a 100%. Meaning 20% RC recovery per day.

Sustainable

Now I am sorry to see the developement team apparantly wend for a quick patch. As it seems like a quick change to try and relax some upset fellow Steemians. Though I understand this to some point, I doubt if this is usefull. As it basicly seems to destroy the purpose of Resource Credits. Now everybody can just interact with the Steem blockchain like before. Yeah, bots and spammers too...

Steem is a cooperation on a blockchain. That means the more skin a member puts in, the more gain there is to be gotten. It is about competition, where those who fit the rules of the game best, will win the most. It is very close to the how the analogue world functions. There is also charity, voluntary action and groups helping each other also, of course. Yet in essence Steem is about competition and a few that will get to the level of earning big rewards.

More or less fair

When you take a huge risk, in Steem that means putting a lot of your own skin in the game, you might get a lot of gain too. More Steem Power {SP} in your wallet is like having more stock of a certain company. In this case you are a stake holder in the Steem cooperation on a blockchain. And it is in your and my interest that it moves on. If this means there has to be put a limiter on resource usage, than it has to be done. Even if this means a Steem week off.

Well, not even week, as it would adjust itself every day a bit more. The whole proces would have taken just 7 days. Not many 24/7 businesses could offer such a radical needed change within such a relative short time span. So, I am a bit disappointed now to see how fear, anger and sometimes even hatred by some, forced an almost useless, to me, patch to be done. Yeah ten times more RC to just waste Steem resources like before. To me that is a bad choice made apparantly to calm down those who did not seem to understand the need for this change.

Buy more SP

Steem was never really free. One would need SP to be able to interact with the Steem blockchain, it was that way from the start. And it still is. More SP means more influence, more interaction and more gain. You do not even have to do anything. Just buy Steem Power and check your wallet now and then. Did you see how it grows? Well, that is like dividend for being like a stockholder in a company. Except you are a stakeholder in a cooperation on a blockchain. Not many Steemians seem to be aware of this build in money maker.

Steem is an anarcho-capitalist system in its core. There are no rulers that control it, it is a cooperation between its registered blockchain members. No rulers does not mean there are no rules or agreements though. The Steem cooperation on a blockchain is a self regulating system. The community as a whole is an entity that evolves dynamicly. But, the main drive is an economical insentive one. It is a competition for Steem.

Free choice

Being here, as a member, is a free choice. You are a substantive entrepeneur here in the realm of Steem. Refusing to accept the advice of experts will be bad for long term business. By that I mean that 'forcing' the developers to turn back a really needed change to the Steem engine is short-term thinking. And I do hope that it is just a temporary patch for the bleeding to be stopped. Because there needs to be put a limiter on the resource (ab)use, or else Steem will be destroyed by its own succes growth, I think.

If I did not convince you to accept the temporary hurt caused by the change to a real Resource Credits system yet, let me ask you the following... If you needed surgery, would you listen to the 'advice' of a bunch of journalists, for instance, or would you prefer the years of proven expertise of a surgeon specialist? To me the last choice is the most obvious one. Even if I was told I would experience a week of slowly degrading discomfort. But then I would be cured. While the words of the critics would not help me at all.

Free to leave

Nobody forces any member to stay here, nor to interact in any kind or way. Steem is basicly freedom of expression, yet the community will be intolerent to any kind of abuse. Members are as free to leave, as they are to stay. And if you dislike competition for material gain, than Steem might be a tough place for you to stay and enjoy. Same accounts for all the Steem clones already out there. They are all cooperations on a blockchain. And the more stake you put into it, the more gain you can get.

Basicly Steem is capitalism without a ruler controlling it. Et ergo: anarcho-capitalism. That is not anarchism, as far as I see it. If you come here hoping it is, well then you will be disappointed soon. It is voluntary based though. Because just as free as you are to enter, you are as free to leave. Although it is a kind of like that Eagles song lyrics: "...You may check out any time you like, but you can never leave..."

Have a great one!

See the light at the end of the tunnel.

Photo license cc-by-sa @oaldamster.