I was experimenting with various different types of posts since I signed up for Steemit over 4 months ago and have had positive and negative results. I mean, we all love that dough, having a great community, and seeing the upvotes reel in, but nothing is worse than a flag (downvote) because someone disagrees with your opinion.
The least popular opinions in a majority are sometimes the ones that lead to the most critical thought, and the most unknown or unpopular lifestyles are often the ones that lead to the most critical thought. However, whether it be a Social Justice Warrior, a Conservative Christian, militant atheist or contradictory anarchist, the downvote based on silencing people destoys the whole benefit behind the platform: sharing of ideas for being tested in the arena of critical thought and debate.
I posted an article about how to slaughter rabbits, and on another site, I got 7 flags on the post from vegetarians, animal rights activists and people stating I should've used the NSFW tag (processing food isn't profanity or sexually explicit, but a way of life where I live). But folks, do we want a platform filled with people that only disagree with us and share our worldview? This world can be as small as you want it to be, but don't make it smaller for everyone else because you couldn't just continue scrolling. Don't be a bully.
We need this world to be full of diversity, many different minds, and conflicting philosophies to be a part of a legitimate logical argument. When you use force (flagging) in order to bully peoples' ideas back into the shadows, you are acting as an authoritarian destroying free speech and not working toward the cause of liberty.
So it's up to you, my Steemit brothers and sisters, whether you be delegates for the advancement and growth of the community, or the paper dictator hiding behind a computer that hinders a platform that is growing as a force to prevent the very thing you are doing, censorship of free expression.
Upvoted and resteeming.
We need the free market place of ideas to kill the stupid.
xD
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I've seen a lot of control freaks out there hiding their tendencies within the form of "advice". I try to stay out of it. To each their own. I've not received a flag as of this writing, as far as I know. I too have tried a few different approaches, but I try to maintain a certain theme out of respect for my followers.
If people out there really think they can warp enough minds and start up a pack mentality of hate disguised as love... I'd like to just remind them one thing.
High school ended a very long time ago for many of us. You're in the real world now.
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I was flagged once because I posted about the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people. I agree with you. Disagreeing should not equate censorship. I'm sure these kinks will work themselves out, we have to give it time on such a new platform. :) Keep on going. Let your upvotes speak for themselves. You're doing great!
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Yeah, downvoting, unless for spam is haterism at its worse, cuz
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Well thought out post brother, I think you are onto something here. I have in my two months of being on this platform literally never used a flag to state an opinion, it is much more healthy to simply discuss.
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I agree. Allowing free speech of all kinds of opinions and viewpoints is incredibly important, not just here, but in the "real world," too.
I like and upvote most of your posts that I see. However, I've been a vegetarian for nearly 23 years, and I definitely do not look at rabbits as food. Seeing the thumbnail of the skinned rabbit made me feel so sorry for the rabbit, I wanted to cry.
But....and this is important....I didn't flag your post. You were posting about something you do and believe in and know about. Just because I personally found it horrifying doesn't mean everyone is going to share that view, and I know it. As far as I'm concerned, you are perfectly free to post whatever you like, and I'm free to not look at it if it upsets me.
Those who would flag merely out of a difference of opinion, or way of life, should take a moment and think about how they would feel if someone flagged THEM for the same reason. I don't understand why some people won't just scroll away from an article they don't want to read and move on. No one is making them read it. So, why flag it? Move on to something you DO like and want to read.
Anything else is censorship, and that's wrong.
I may not support eating rabbits, but I support your right to post about it. NO ONE should flag you for it. Steemit is still supposed to be a censorship-free place, right? So, post on, as is your basic human right to do.
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Agreed! People are far too sensitive these days. It seems that if you don't agree with their opinion they get personally offended.
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