Living life with others is complicated! How about complicating it further by paying people to live life with others?
Source: Creator Sanet_Nieuwoudt on Pixabay
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Are trees not wonderful examples of life? Stable, grounded, deeply rooted with long spans of life, for most types of them? I think so and loved this illustration of one surrounded by images which altogether imply prosperity.
During my
long discovery phase, it became my understanding the creation of the Hive blockchain could be considered as something of a social experiment. Proposing rather than simply providing affirmation to others via likes, or hearts, or thumbs up, "
No!" it would make possible something far more tangible.
Be affirmed by
getting paid!
Being affirmed, by getting paid, to do what? Generating "quality" content!
Hmmm. How is that working out so far? This post is one newbie's thoughts on that question.
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Caveat: This post builds on my last
one, as part of my ongoing discussion starting
here, which I have been having with
@minismallholding about community. Both are intentionally focused more narrowly on our interactions here on the Hive blockchain.
On this blockchain we find, on top of my open question of how real any virtual community truly is, Hive adds the complication of paying people to participate.
Fake. Phony.
False!
How many factors could we quickly list in thinking about what a person might be willing to do, however reluctantly, if it results in getting paid to do it?
Source: Creator Peggy_Marco on Pixabay
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More than any other image I could find, this one illustrates what I have experienced the most, since following up on my initial introduction to the Hive blockchain. Are there exceptions? Yes, thankfully.
While the world's oldest profession might come to mind for some, my thoughts ran more along the lines of becoming a mercenary. Whose services are typically rendered to the highest bidder? Rather than any pretense of allegiance or loyalty or principles, they are primarily motivated by getting paid.
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Is there any way to measure the infinite varieties of human interactions objectively, with the goal of quantitatively determining the influence of the exchange of money on them? No, I have never heard of any way to do this either.
Nonetheless, I believe it is undeniable there is a considerable impact. Is it positive? Or negative? No matter our answers, I believe it is also undeniable the probability of the key word "corrupting" having a role increases.
Genuine affirmation. Sincerely and
truly given!
How important to our overall sense of wellbeing are encouraging words, affirming gestures, and similar interactions with each other?
Source: Image on Pixabay
How important to us, upon receipt, is being convinced of their sincerity? Of knowing deep down they are genuine?
If the exchange of money is involved, what impact does that have on answering these questions?
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From my own experience in life, I do not believe there is a higher, purer form of affirming others than genuinely and selflessly providing it without any thought of getting something back. If we have ever been the recipient of such interactions, do we not all have an innate sense of knowing that?
To whatever degree anyone reading this would join me in saying, "Yes!," then I will close this section with asking what the exchange of money does to our perception of these interactions?
Community Focus: Personal versus
Business
With the above now written, I will return to the community focus of this series of posts. Stating what is well known, the Hive blockchain is not where the idea of virtual communities originated. Many attempts have been made. A couple of the better known examples being Facebook and Reddit.
What do all of them share in common?
Various schemes to
monetize
content!
So, while Hive cannot claim this idea originated with it either, some might at least argue it was created to attempt accomplishing that goal via a more straightforward, upfront methodology. Much has been written about other methodologies and will not be covered here.
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Continuing the discussion about virtual communities, then, and "monetizing" the generation of "quality content," would anyone argue breaking them out into two broad categories? Let's see what this might contribute to the conversation.
Personal versus Business
One of the fascinating aspects of our participating in generating content for the Hive blockchain is we are working alongside others all over the world. Certainly, then, our diverse histories, customs, and even different understanding of words comes into view.
With that said, I honestly wonder if anyone anywhere would argue with my saying the introduction of getting paid into human relations and interactions would naturally orient them to being more accurately described as associated with a business than a community.
Clearly to me, in the context of our ongoing conversation, the word community conjures up images of fellowship, where nurturing and affirming others is at the heart of the human interactions claiming to be community oriented. Free of any profit motive or benefit whatsoever.
What are the thoughts of anyone reading this?
Discernment
Discerning what is what can be challenging enough in the real world. For example, separating fact from fiction, when it comes to how best to invest any hard-earned money we might have available. Whether claiming our motive is community building or otherwise.
How about in a virtual world?
Source: Creator geralt on Pixabay
While new to participating on the Hive blockchain, I have plenty of experience in the broader crypto world. The vast array of all the different ecosystems out there share their version of this same basic question.
Which boils down to fundamentally asking who do you trust?
In the absence of absolutely certainty in answering, it has been very sad and sobering to witness the number of people who seem content to substitute
what they
want
to believe!
And reading about why they want to believe it. The predatory types who are keenly aware of this aspect of human nature are all too willing to take advantage of it. While they are certainly present in the real world, these virtual worlds seem to be far more ideally suited to them.
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For this new Hivian, I have already experienced enough to know this is not some hypothetical exercise. Nor can the Hive blockchain make any legitimate claim to being free of it.
The virtual world of the Hive blockchain has been fascinating to experience, now that I have recently started into being a participant in "generating quality content."
Source: Creator Sanet_Nieuwoudt on Pixabay
While interacting with others, I believe there is a lot to have a good appreciation for, in writing about what has been accomplished. With all due respect, I think there is plenty of "quality" content written about that.
At the same time, with good intentions, should constructive attempts to have open and honest discussions about areas which can be improved be encouraged?
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This has been a challenging post to write. In reading it, please do so within the context of what I have written in its introduction. As well as knowing it has been written from the perspective of someone who is actively thinking about next steps.
I will emphasize this, in my next post, which will be documenting coming to the end of my first month of producing content for the Hive blockchain.
For anyone reading it, perhaps they can agree fair questions are being asked? At least reasonably fair? Maybe even tough questions? If so, will they at least be viewed as open and honest questions, from someone new to interacting inside this particular ecosystem?
Thinking out loud about these questions, I welcome any and all input. Soliciting that from others is always a prudent step, when the hope and desire is to reach a well-informed decision.
Best wishes, until we meet again,
QT
👋❤️👋
Source: Courtesy of @ mondoshawan
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