Back To Positive Rep Score, Now What?
While everyone was trying to fight off the crypto bears, I had a different challenge of my own.
A New Hope
Many who know me will have seen the events unfold, but I thought I would take the time to summarise my thoughts and give my thanks to everyone that gave me lots of support and motivation to continue.
I joined the steem blockchain with all the hope and enthusiasm you would expect. As a regular social media user with some accounts that have over 5,000 followers, the chance to monetise on a crypto based platform just sounded ideal.
If I am honest, I have to admit there were times where I just wanted to power down and walk away. But where would I go? This has been one of the most interesting social platforms I have ever used. Nowhere else has money and social media been combined in this way. Others are now trying and maybe steem will lose it's lead. Maybe steem will become the friendster, the myspace of crypto social media.
We have to be honest with ourselves and not only see what we want, but also what is possible and what is probable.
I don't think steem has lost it's opportunity to lead this revolution, but the jury is still out and the recent announcements from @ned were troubling for many reasons. But it seems the bear market has provided some time for reflection and maybe... just maybe @steemit inc will listen and engage more with it's community.
The Old World Strikes Back
There was me thinking I had left the world of elitism and selfishness behind and found a place where smart people came to discuss interesting content and provide rewards for their work. Instead, I saw the same greed I thought we were trying to get away from. The old empire was alive and well.
Not soon after joining the steem blockchain, I came across one account that was getting huge rewards. As I had read the whitepaper and felt I understood how proof of brain consensus worked, I didn't agree with these large rewards for mediocre content, so I flagged the posts.
Little did I know what drama would unfold after my small downvote. There was a barrage of retaliatory flags and my reputation was pushed down to -5. I stuck at it and eventually got back up to a good positive score.
Then the same author started upvoting their own comments to above a $100, I felt I needed to do something, so I did the thing that I thought this whole blockchain was about, I used my steem power to show my disapproval of the rewards by flagging the author.
This time the flags came in faster and larger. Before I knew it, I was pushed down to -12 (or it might have been lower).
Return Of The Steemians
It was in these moments, I learnt the true character of a lot of people. It's easy to say what you believe, but only those who really mean it, act on it. I was lucky enough to be added to @fulltimegeek's blessed list and he upvoted a number of my comments and posts to help me get out of the negative zone so I could be visible again. The whole stewards of gondor seem to be a great group and @lyndsaybowes was one of the first to run to my aid. Thank you
Regardless of what others say, I know who took action to help.
I also made some great friends who supported me as much as they could. There are too many to name and I am worried if I started, I am bound to miss someone off the list! You all know who you are and if you need anything, give me a shout and I will do what I can to help.
In these times I came across @meno and I even got to ask a question to @therealwolf about abusive whales on his show. As much as I disapprove of vote buying, I eventually saw their utility and purchased some large votes to get my reputation score back into the positive zone. The @smartsteem platform was slick and professional.
I tried to see what the witnesses could do, there was only one that actually had a conversation with me, @themarkymark, which was reassuring. I know who I would prefer to see in the top 20 witness list.
It was great to come across people who saw the real potential of the steem blockchain. Not just as way to make ROI or earn quick money, they realised the value of human connections. The steemian network is strong and deep down, I believe it will survive. Whether it will be on the steem blockchain as it is now, I am not sure. I think @exyle is right, it is either going to flatline or go to the moon.
What's Next?
I am not sure exactly, but I have a few plans I am working on. @upvoteplankton may get some more attention, or I may focus more on helping the projects I already delegate to, like @steemitbd, @steemclub-uk, @steemflagrewards or @share2steem.
I may even get back on to @dtube, I love the positive energy @nathanmars brings to that platform. Or maybe I will just spend all my time playing @steemmonsters!
What do you all think? What is the best way to help the steem blockchain going forward?
Whichever options I choose, I am reasonably sure you will see a lot more of me in 2019
It is nice to see you back in the plus column. Not sure what to think about steem and steemit right now, but I am enjoying steem monsters for the time being. The one and only constant truth I know is that things change, they have in the past the present and will in the future. Will it be a good change for steem and steemit or not. We wait and see.
@steemmonsters has been great, it shows the depth of talent steemians have and our ability to raise funds to develop new projects.
It was @aggroed who said that @steemmonsters alone would be in the top 40% of crypto projects. Which I think we should take some time to appreciate!
I am trying to complete all my daily challenges so I can keep leveling up my cards. It probably wasn't the smartest choice to buy steemmonsters when steem price is so low. I feel like that bitcoin pizza guy :))
I have been using pay pal to buy a few packs through steemmonsters, they give you a nice steem refund that could offset the purchase price in the future.
Glad I no longer have to go through the extra effort to read your comments, though as you pointed out, it did provide you with a way to meet the truly curious or those not willing to blindly accept labels imposed by others.
Edit: Like you, I was ready to walk away from Steemit more than once. P.S. @exyle has a new post with more info.
Reminded me of this :)
Thanks for sticking around, I am glad you're here
What a journey so far! Just think that it is just the start my friend! Yours is a great example to see that while it is not a perfect ecosystem, the community behind it is great and will lead for much better days!
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Thanks @newageinv, it's been great sharing this journey with you.
I hope us new dolphins can make some real change and help steem on its next step up to where it can go.
Are you on discord?
Welcome back to the 'positive' brother. You have done lots of positives when you were in the 'negative'.
Now hoping to see 'positive squared' now that you are on the 'positive'.
Positive^2! Love it
It's all about exponential growth.
It's easy to forget this is a decentralised platform, it's up to all of us to do our part. Let's make sure we don't have any regrets
Welcome back!!! I'm so pleased for you!!! Fly, little birdy! Fly!!!
Thanks @kerrywolf :)
It's great to be visible again.
I could persuade the @steem account to give you a few 100% flags thus gaining your celebrity status back? 😁😁
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Haha, I can't remember who said it, but they say all publicity is good publicity.
I was once told in a training session, the biggest danger is you'll be forgotten once you walk out of the room. It was then I realised the importance of being genuine and not being afraid to express ones individuality.
Hold off on those flags for now. If I can't manage to keep my celebrity status, I will drop you a message ;)
So... does your positive rep now mean that I lost my street credibility? ;)
I will now think about that. Hard. For a long time. In the meantime, good to see your rep back. From the other side. Yippee! :)
I grew up in East London and am just a kid from a little village in Bangladesh.
Even during my corporate life, I never sold out. So I think my street cred is safe and so is yours ;)
It's weird seeing you with a positive rep score, haha. Cheers!
Hopefully a better Steem front-end will come around that uses a smarter algorithm to determine if content should be censored or not.
In a way it's got to be satisfying to know that the people that flagged you are basically down millions of theoretical dollars from this crypto crash.
They have no one to blame but themselves. Our lack of cooperation sent us into the pit with every other coin.
You make a very good point @edicted. For every dollar in value my account loses, someone else is losing around 200. But unfortunately, I am not the type to take pleasure from others loss or suffering, that's a slippery slope to the dark side.
There were a few murmurs about @steempeak using @steem-ua, but I am not sure what happened with that or if it fell through the cracks during hard fork 20
We always hope for the best, want to do something good for society. Whatever will happen it will be the best, unless what has happened will be inevitable for that situation. And if it is an accident or something bad, then there should be action to find out the reasons for that such incidents does not happen again. And the next correct conclusions will go forward. You've always been doing a good job and will keep working well we trust!
Thanks @ayasha, and thanks for all the great work you do for @steemitbd and @bdcommunity.
You are right in the need for reflection and continuous learning. I hope we can all support each other on that journey!
Glad to see you back in the positive zone. If I remember correctly about a month ago, you were at - 11 so it did not take you a lot.
I wish you'll never go "down under" :D again and the best of luck with your Steemit journey in the future.
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Thanks @zemiatin
There was a time where I was tempted to just stay in the negative and become the phantom on the steem blockchain. I even got a pick from @allseeingewe for my phantom look :)
That's meeeee!!!! tee hee hee