Steem Connects People: A Reflection / Dissection of Whatever Happened During Steemfest

in steemfest •  8 years ago  (edited)

So what's with all the rave reviews about Steemfest? It seems like everyone's somewhat touched by the event. It really is something, and I've thought long and hard about it during my 13 hour flight.

What made it tick?

It's a fact that everyone's different in their heads, and I can't speak for everybody who attended. Maybe we're only seeing the good reviews. But being a keen observer of interactions, I can safely say that everyone had a great time. It was everyone's party in their own ways.

Now that I've experienced Steemfest and grasped its userbase dynamics, hell yeah I'm ready to write this little essay. It is something that I wish I would have presented during my talk about Curie, but it just felt too much and I had just cut it short, knowing I'll blabber around uninterestingly in circles.

There was this thing that some of us have thrown around during conversations during Steemfest - the fundamentals of this platform were enabling this magical gathering of minds. That sentence doesn't say much, does it?

Being a Steemian made it tick, duh!

There are certain fundamentals of being a Steemian made possible by the blockchain, and that includes:-

  • Being a good contributor of the community.
  • Invested in the long-term growth of the network.
  • Self-motivated to develop ourselves by communicating, learning, and building.

Well, I guess this is every Steemian's modus operandi, especially those who attended Steemfest. Whether if it's conscious knowledge or not, perhaps each and everyone of us recognized that everyone is different, complex, and have their own thing going on in their lives. Still doesn't say much, eh?

I mean, why isn't everyone in their own neighbourhoods or countries banding together?

What's with fiat currency? Geographically, everyone's lumped into communities that are powered by their own respective currencies, afterall. So why isn't such a thing more universally experienced in everyday life?

Because the fiat system is too centralized for peer-to-peer effects and relevance. The currency's health is largely dependent on the speculation and dynamics that are based on heavy centralization. One country, one government, and one currency.

With a social-centric cryptocurrency like Steem, here we are connecting with everyone and self-organizing through day-to-day upvotes and interactions, forming communities. These communities are self-regulating, and are fully incentivized on the blockchain level, to be a Steemian.

Steemians are inherently not dependent on heavily centralized socioeconomics. Steem is exactly centralized in its operation to be highly diversified in its flow of resources. A practice of decentralization. @liberosist have made some reports about Steem Power distribution, and how it's getting more equal. I think those who've experienced Steemit for a few months will know it for themselves that the attention for topics and accounts are getting more diverse.

So is this necessarily indicative of a blockchain that is going to thrive?

Steem is a great piece of tech. It's fairly low energy, high-speed, and works to empower Steemians. It's very loosely-defined reward distribution mechanism is largely social, voluntary, and self-regulating. If it continues to motivate long-term contributors that are always developing themselves by communicating, learning, and building, then this network will definitely thrive.

If you consider the continuous progression of demonetizing Maslow's hierarchy of needs, then the slow removal of dependence on fiat-powered fulfillment of needs, will in time, stop the bleeding from Steem to fiat. Consider @gardenofeden - while there are aspects which are still fiat-dependent, one may make the argument that stuff like food and nutrition can be independent of fiat. These guys are living it.

As more creators and producers are beginning to accept Steem as a currency, the more valuable it becomes. That's as obvious as it can be. Imagine if you can use Steem to fulfill the very basics of life like food and shelter. That's incredibly empowering because anyone can just figure out ways to contribute in other ways (such as fulfilling higher parts of Maslow's hierarchy) in exchange for basic necessities.

@dantheman recently went on a posting spree which includes basic income, and personally, I think Steem's setup for (contributory) basic income is already pretty damn good. Most would assume that basic income promotes laziness, but personally, I think covering basic needs does the exact opposite! I think for the most part, it will motivate us to focus on the higher stuff that interests us. Isn't that what thriving means?

Fiat currency is inherently a mix of finite physical commodities, and violence. Steem, as a currency is lightweight and dematerialized. If thriving is not enough, Steem is also sustainable in its mode of resource production and distribution.

Moving forward

I think most Steemians will soon realize that they can add value to any part that goes on in the Steem network. Everything can use its own marketers, engineers, skeptics, and believers - so to speak. I think the next crucial step is to be conscious of organizing and building communities by fulfilling community needs based on a good understanding of Maslow's hierarchy.

Motivation and fulfilment are universal. That's how Steem connects people, I think?

I'm planning to do a video hangout session with @andrarchy, and anyone else who wants to join. It will be a good way to form new, relevant perspectives for Steem.


Follow me @kevinwong

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  ·  8 years ago (edited)

The Basic Income does not incentivize laziness. What incentivizes laziness are repetitive and boring jobs. Getting stuck in doing something your don't enjoy for simple survival creates all sorts of psychological issues (including laziness).
When people's basic human needs are meet (shelter, food, healthcare, social acceptance etc) through basic income, then they can truly release their creative potential (art, music, workout, volunteering etc).
If not having a job gives no incentive to do anything then why so hundreds of millions of people are currently volunteering trying to help improve our society and the world? - Obviously, we do it, because it is rewarding and gives us pleasure to improve our society.
In the social system built upon basic income the true incentive is ability to contribute through volunteering to the improvement of the system which really cares us about all of us.

More and more jobs are becoming replaced by automation. That includes service sector. Because there are less and less job, the concept of basic income is inevitable solution and next step in social evolution.

Great thoughts - it's definitely gonna come in time, and it will happen via blockchain implementation. Thinking about it, govs being siloed into different countries are definitely gonna use private blockchains for their own edits, etc if such a thing happen. For public blockchains to take over, maybe the concept of nations has to end. But wow, I wonder if that'll happen :) interesting times.

Yes, we are living in very interesting times :-D

but personally, I think covering basic needs does the exact opposite! I think for the most part, it will motivate us to focus on the higher stuff that interests us

I said the exact same thing 6 months ago when I was chatting with one of my Swiss collaborators at the moment where Switzerland was about to vote (and reject) a basic income proposal...

I met a fantastic Steemian during the fest @shla-rafia. He pretty much admitted he did not do stuff that he should've have done when he was younger, but now making up for it etc. He's actually spoken to like a thousand people on the street about Steemit, and I really think it's great there's a tool like Steem for anyone from all walks of life to use it. I think governments would generally find basic income difficult to pass through..

In their most naive form, a universal basic income is probably hard to achieve at the level of a country.

I however like to be naive sometimes... What I can imagine is that there are systems of a size much smaller than a country size where a universal basic income would be easier to manage than for a country. Then, one can make tests, analyse data and probably infer a decent cost-benefit analysis. From that point, we can then get to conclusive statements, in particular about a practical implementation of a universal basic income and its viability on larger scales.

I remember having read in the past about discussions on practical implementations of a basic income, but I have not followed. After a quick chat with google, I haven't found any update (but I am in the train with a sporadic internet connection so that I cannot search very deeply).

I thought places like California are gonna do a trial run.. but that's based on stuff I read on Facebook news which could be fake. I think it's especially doable with automation.

Automated produce --> Basic income for the people ?

Nice post, @kevinwong! I like reading your perspective. When is your video hangout with @andrarchy? I'm interested in that. Thanks for the shout out to @gardenofeden! Our great success proves you can provide for needs from food to shelter to clothing to medical care without depending on fiat currencies that aren't aligned with our values. Plus, we're doing what we can to accept Steem as currency and therefor increase its value by listing our treasures on @steemrollin's Peerhub Marketplace in exchange for SBD donations towards our cause of building a healthier and more sustainable world for ALL!

He's in Iceland and I'm still waiting for his response :) He probably became a snowman for a few days haha. Yes, I believe what you guys are doing are good first steps. Are there ways to do what garden of eden does on smaller scales? Oh well it'd be best to talk over this in vids, we'll probably send out invites on steemit.chat. I just wish steemit has such a features, but for now we'll just wing it using other platforms!

Oh absolutely, there are many things from our model that can be implemented for an individual or household as baby steps towards sustainability! We reimagine literally every aspect of life, and we're here to inspire people to just consider other options for their systems. Please keep me in the loop; there are so many great ideas to exchange and inspiring conversations to be had!!

I am always enjoy reading your point of view . Sitting here in Vienna at the moment with @firepower chatting the night away with a bottle of red , reflecting how great it was "a magic gathering of minds "

Ahhh.. nice! I'm already feeling so bored at home hearing about your chillingness in Vienna!

What fun! It's almost 6 Am and im still on the computer! lol

Great piece of work, thanks Kevin!! Was so lovely meeting you! We loved your DJ skills! :d

Likewise! You were always smiling whenever I look around the crowd lol. Which reminds me that I actually missed your choc truffles, damn!

yes you have!! terrible! :) haha

Well we need to grow the entire and daily user base to get there. I'd like to think I'm doing just that :P https://steemit.com/marketing/@bitcoinparadise/this-evil-plan-just-might-work

Everyone's a marketer ;) nice going!

Great post Kevin! Thanks for sharing and giving some incite to everyone that wasn't there!

Insight? Hehe.. thanks brother! @jrcornel

Haha darn auto correct! Was my point still made? :)

Really nice article and information @kevinwong, thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Thanks @future24!

Great post bro! I was looking forward to knowing your thoughts beyond what you've communicated already at the fest! Thanks for sharing! :)

May do a google hangout session to talk about stuff like this with @andrarchy every once in awhile , will send out invites whenever :)

Yeah. I am game for it! So lemme know! :)

One thing one worried about is production on an industrial level! =)

We need more industry!! lol

Lets start to produce )))

Thanks @kevinwong for sharing your perspective. A meeting of the minds is of great value and would love to hear about this video hangout session. It feels really good to activate Steemit in community which really completes the missing link in creating an economy that benefits all. Coming together--we are the power! Thanks for the recognition of the @gardenofeden. We are dedicated to supporting this platform.

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The relationships were by far the most important part of SteemFest. This exactly why we came. We were so bad about attending the events. We spent most of our time hanging out and talking to fellow Steemians.

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Was a pleasure to meet you Kevin. Unfortunately we didn't have much time talking but we will catch up next year. Your world reflect basically what I think. Great sum up.
Keep Steemin' and keep up with your music

Timsaid