Good afternoon, buzzers! Well, I recently took a vacation, had some time away from pretty much everything Crypto, met some awesome people in RL and well, it got me thinking.
Why do we even bother using Crypto/Hive?
Of course, in the last week, we've seen a major Crypto crash. Not all that uncommon in crypto, to be honest. But it also raised a lot more questions about how we crypto. I mean, what is the point of Crypto and, more specifically, Hive? Should we spend our time? I know in my case it's been hundreds of hours working on/with Hive and other chains. In fact, technically, at this point, years of my life have been devoted to building in crypto, with varying success.
I saw a post the other day about the LTC founder having doubts about whether creating LTC was the correct move. LTC was made to speed up transactions and be an alternative to BTC. BTC has a function, a purpose, and a strategy that could actually have a real purpose in the real world. But what about the majority of other chains or 'Alt' coins? Yes, some give a little more flexibility in what can be built on them, but in the end. What is the real point?
Why do we Hive?
What is the Unique selling point? Is it really worth putting time into Hive, or should we 'take profits' where we can get them in crypto and not 'waste time' on a blockchain that may or may not improve?
Now, I'm not here to FUD Hive or any crypto. At the end of the day, I've spent years creating my persona and building what I can, where I can. Recently, I've been really trying to think if it's worth the time/effort to continue, though. I'm sure we've all got a horror story or two from our time in Crypto, so that's not the focus.
I really want to know what Hiveians think about Hive. Is there real potential? If so, for what?
Is Money the primary goal of Hive? Blog to Earn? Let's be honest, most won't earn much, if anything. Heck, all I've done with Hive is put money in. Yes, I only hold a small bag (approaching 10K Hive and over 500 HBD) but Hive seems to be on a downward spiral, as most of crypto has been over the last week.
So, if money isn't the USP of Hive, what is? Technology?
Are we really doing anything 'better' than other chains? Is Hive blockchain truly Decentralised? Does it have the potential to grow truly? How do we attract developers and support our current developers to grow Hive as a whole?
Hive isn't a company, we don't have managers or owners controlling the development, it's reliant on '3rd party' devs coming here and building. Most likely, they will never receive the support they need to grow and scale effectively on the chain. They have issues with building on the chain, developing a community, or battling other expectations about what they should and shouldn't be doing.
Heck, I've seen more projects receive negative feedback from some Hive power users than support. The majority of developers come to Hive with an open mind, looking to use the technology, but face more opposition (or simply a lack of support) there. Many then walk away, leaving behind projects which 'could' have helped Hive really grow. A lot of this pressure comes from 'big' wallets here on Hive, they have the Hive power, and therefore the power to 'control' development and progress for a lot of users.
Even things like Hive's decentralised Fund have attracted significant abuse and controversy. I think the initial thought behind it was great, but it's been somewhat abused by different entities. I'm not here to point fingers or make assumptions. I've read anecdotal stories and heard from disgruntled users, but at the end of the day, I haven't done enough research to reach a conclusion one way or the other.
Back to my main point of this post...
Is there a real USP of Hive?
If so, what is it?
If it's not the technology or the money, then what is it? I think most people coming to Hive for either of those are let down. We're not all builders or investors, so we can't really improve those aspects.
Which leaves me with one other option, and I think this is the one that sticks with most of the hivians who are still here...
Community/Social.
Hive has the potential to be a community Hub. Bringing web2 to a web3 space. We have all the base applications for true web3 adoption. But, we're a long way off being 'good enough' for 'normies' to get into web3. Why would a regular user stop using Twitter/YouTube/Facebook to come to Hive?
Do we sell ourselves as a 'free speech' platform? Can we really say people can talk freely without censorship?
Most Hive content is contained within the hive bubble; we don't reach out beyond Hive. To really get our message out, we'd need to use those other platforms and link them back to Hive. The majority of us don't have any real sway or influence outside Hive (heck, I don't even have any inside Hive!). So how do we make the social aspects of Hive known to others? Can we really 'sell' Hive as a platform to 'normies'?
I'm looking for opinions and feedback...
I've had another idea (I know, I have lots of those! But the sloth seems to take over and steal those away more often than not. I met someone on vacation who gave me a little boost, more ENERGY! I keep telling myself I 'need to do it', easier said than done!)
So, my idea...
Building a Hive 'company' of sorts. Not a community or website, but a true Hive network for people. Not a 'Hive owner' but somewhere in between giving Hive a direction/purpose, by working with existing platforms Ecency/Peakd etc and somewhere for everyone on Hive. Of course, this has its own issues. Most projects/communnities are stuck in their 'tribes' could we build a bridge between them all and make one 'Hive front' unitied in the goal of taking Hive forward?
I rarely see mentions of 'meet ups' or other events for people to connect, and when I do, they seem to be limited to those already on Hive. So how do we expand from there?
I know I've tried to get people on board with Hive, and I've had very little success, between Crypto friends and real-life ones. I'm sure you all have had similar experiences; there are already some projects/users in this field. But there seems to be more challenges than support, especially in more 'western' countries, where the tiny amount of money you can make with Hive really doesn't make it worth the time. Most 'creators' can find more profit from YouTube/Twitter than they would on Hive, so why waste time here?
Do we use Hive's 'USP' that truely matters? (I'm running with the community building/social aspect) to onboard Real Life users? Creating meet-ups or even Street advertising? Could we have boots on the ground helping people learn about Hive and get involved?
So, a simple 'idea' would then have many aspects and would take many hands to achieve. We already have some people who 'work' in this sort of role. Can we assist them? Can we build upon their foundations, or step into a new dimension of progress?
Being the sloth, I tend to also look at a lot of the negative aspects of things. Heck, we can say, yes, that's a great idea! It's simple: sign people up, get them involved, grow Hive users and eventually the money, and we're all going to be rich!
I'm a realist, even if I hide behind my sloth persona!
So, what then? We sign up new people, give them a brief description of Hive...
What do they really gain from being here?
They find a tribe or community, stick within that, maybe post for a few days/weeks/months, realise they're not really gaining anything from their time, then move on. Or worse yet, are scared away by the 'Hive Police' or Whales who take a dislike to them and never come back.
Can we really build Hive as a positive force in the world? Bringing support and love? Or do we accept the world is a shitty place and everyone is trying to bring each other down for their own personal gain?
Ideally, I'd love to see more Hive users come together and build Hive up. But, we all have our own lives, commitments and being all over Hive building and growing is impossible...a team would be required, but how does a team make money and grow? Could we use DHF to create real value for Hive? Or are we simply slothing here until things drain to 0?
Could we have a true 'Hive' community? One that encompasses all platforms and users of Hive? Many Have tried and failed. Even among our small number of users, we have many factions and tribes that don't support one another. Hive can't truly work like this...there needs to be some cohesion, some teamwork...but how do we advance from where we are now to there...
Is it time to take a step back and consider other options...There are easier ways to make money, both offline and online. Maybe I'm simply wasting my time being on Hive altogether... leaving the question, empty my bag now and cut my losses or let it ride and hope it picks up one day...
I guess, I'll leave it there for now...I really need your feedback, I'm going to drop this into some of the other discord servers and promote it via ecency etc...
TL:DR
Some Questions to consider (This post is looking for your feedback)
What is Hive's USP (Unique Selling Point)
Money
Technology
Community building
Free speech / Censorship resistanceCan we have a 'Hive community' for all? A place for all Hivians to build and grow. Whether that be their own projects/communities or just as part of the Socil economy of Hive?
Does a place like that already exist that isn't getting enough attention?
If I (or you, or 'someone') made a 'Hive community' (Possible name 'This is Hive') with a Discord server for the purpose of supporting 'ALL of Hive', would you use it?
Could we look at coming together to make more RL meet-ups or 'on the ground' activism to really spread the word of Hive?
Could this be a financially viable option for someone/ a team of people to do?
Maybe with DHF funding, or significant Hive community support? (And the grey area which this brings, how do we get over the 'I don't think 'He/she/they' should receive money from Hive/DHF or my support...So who should? Are you willing to step up and 'manage' a project aimed at supporting Hive, or is it a lost cause?'
The main question:
How do we really take Hive further?
Wow, that's a lot to unpack and respond to. i am glad you had fun on your vocation. these answers are not simple and I can't address them all. I will say this...are you enjoying your time on here? you mentioned wondering if you should move on. If you are genuinely having fun/enjoying yourself then I say stay. If you aren't, maybe take a break,. a longer more scheduled break and see if you miss it. Yeah HIVE is about money but also should be something you enjoy (my opinion). As for the other stuff you mentioned..it's complicated. HIVE is not truly decentralized nor "censorship" free. There are a few accounts that have all the control. It's frankly more of an oligarchy at this point. All it takes is one downvote to negate hundreds or thousands of other upvotes.
Some of these downvotes make sense ie illegal content. copyright violations etc, but so many others are simply some folks don't like certain types of content (though I have yet to see any real consistency. It's more that they allow some folks to have certain content while not allowing others to do the same). Is it really fair that one person or a small group can just downvote a post that is not illegal or violating HIVE TOS and completely negate the rewards? Not only for the author of that post but the (potential)hundreds of other folks who upvoted also lose their earnings. Is that really censorship free or the spirit of decentralized freedom? hell no. Even with other more traditional POS tokens -yes the higher the stake the better rewards but a high stake does not negate the rewards of smaller stakes(users). Though Hive-engine tokens are immune to downvotes taking away rewards which is something to consider.
As for a Hive community..I guess that depends again on what you want to do (does this idea make you happy/motivate you etc). Also can you work around these limitation of HIVE? Not all groups will every fully agree or even get along and that's just reality . That said could you make a community that is open to all and somewhat unites folks-absolutely.
Sorry I don't have much more to say at the moment. but feel free to shoot me a message if you want to chat, bounce off ideas etc.
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My usual, I start with an idea, before I know it, I have 10 minutes worth of reading in front of you LOL!
I had an incredible vacation, actually, it's the first one I've been on in a long time, where I was able to sloth out and forget most of Crypto. I guess I choose to be as involved as I have been over the years, so I can't really complain but it was certainly nice to have a break.
I do enjoy being on Hive, hence I tried to build my community here and become a 'real part' of the Hive ecosystem. I'm unsure whether all my time and effort were spent in the right places, but overall, it's been an exciting journey. I've met some awesome people along the way, some super cool unicorns included!
I think it's easy to point fingers and find flaws. I tried to steer clear of that in my post, although negativity still seems to find a way through, aiming for a more positive outlook from here on out. Hence, the idea of building a more 'open' space for all. It was my goal for Sloth.Buzz, but simply having a brand/community at the top already limits the potential. I should probably have just focused on 'Hive' as a whole and built from there. There is still time for that, and maybe that is my next move.
I don't imagine we could ever have a world where everyone agrees, but having a space where we can agree/disagree amicably seems logical. I had thought of creating a Discord server with all the separate projects and spaces in one place, And of course, a disagreement/debate area. Debate should be encouraged; if we all believe we are right and never have the conversation, then we're all doomed in the end! I guess the main question is: can project leads come together in such a space to make everyone's experience on Hive better, or will we all cling to our own small servers/communities and not grow together?
I try not to focus too much on "positivity" or "negativity" I used to focus on only positive but that in itself is toxic because both co exist in the world and are completely subjective. I don't think pointing out flaws is negative in of itself as long as it's not done with malicious intent. Seeing flaws or even things that you personally don't agree with can help enact change, even if it's just how you operate (I mean universal "you" not necessarily you personally). If we don't acknowledge flaws, how can we grow and (potentially). fix them? I hear you. Yes debates can often lead to growth, hearing different opinions and perspectives does help me personally to see things differently.
Maybe some folks in the HCL can chime in with different ideas/perspectives. I do like your idea.
❤️🦄
I must admit I'd never really considered positivity/negativity until relatively recently. Keeping yourself in check to some level does help, though (from the short time I've been paying attention). I tended to be primarily negative, probably too much so, pointing out flaws that could be easily ignored rather than offering a constructive spin, simply moaning for the sake of moaning. I guess as long as one isn't 'overly' positive/negative, we're on he right track.
Hopefully, the HCL can add some input; those would be the 'key' users in such an 'open' project. I did consider tagging many of the project leads in this post, but I never like to tag users to gain attention. Let's see what other feedback comes from this, then I'll consider being a little more direct, either with tags or DMs on Discord. The plan could only work with cooperation from others; it's too big a task for one user to do everything, as I think most project leads here on Hive have realised: one cannot run a community, develop, and expand outward all by themselves.
I'd had a similar idea before trying to use Gleem to onboard users to Hive as a whole, but it never gained much traction with any other project leads. Most people are too busy doing their own thing to put time into other projects/ideas. Maybe if we can come together in some ways, it would lift the burden on others. The hardest part is giving up what is 'yours' in the pursuit of bigger things.
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Thanks for the curation! Would love to hear some more opinions from the Ecency community users and especially community leads. I think Ecency is one of the key parts of the Hive ecosystem. Do they have an opinion on the future of Hive and how we can come together for the benefit of Hive?
Me personally I don't even think about those things, i just post and curate and report issues when i spot them . As for the other people working with or for Ecency feel free to ask them in Discord, I'm sure that each person has it's own reason , vision and motivation .
i think you know where to find that discord server if not here is the link : https://discord.gg/wjQ8CYJc
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STOPA lot of questions... 😃
I suppose we don't have a USP, which isn't a bad thing... I suppose that's one of the GOOD SIDES of HIVE and maybe one of the best proofs that we are decentralized... If we had only ONE selling point, it would mean that everyone uses the platform in the same way... But, HIVE means completely different for many Hivians... For one, it's a milking cow for author rewards, for others, a nice source of money for doing a small dev work, for some it's the only social network where the data is YOURS, etc.
Personally, I came here for the money... Found a Splinterlands video where the author said that you can earn crypto by playing the game... What do you need more of? 😃 Of course, as time was passing by, my USP was changing, and at this moment, I suppose I'm here because of the people I met here... Without HIVE, I wouldn't travel to some places around Europe, as I was attending Hive meetups in them... For me, HIVE is more than an ordinary social network, as it "lured" me to go IRL and meet other Hivians! Don't know why that happened, but it did... lol...
The situation in the communities isn't as bad as it may look like from the outside... Yes, we do have some pricks among whales, but you can build a nice, healthy community without them... Maybe you will not get big upvotes, but you can still get some great people around you, and build connections...
As a matter of fact, the best thing that could happen to HIVE would be that everyone does what it knows to do the best... and to not put their nose everywhere... 😂
In the end, HIVE is a never-ending WIP, which is fine by me... It should be like that, as it is not perfect... Foundations aren't bad, and if we don't like it, we can fork out, which can happen easily... It happened before, it can happen again... Not just in the blockchain history, but also in IRL history books...
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This is the billion dollar topic of Hive. How to get this place out there in a way that is suitable for normies to join and grow. I sure don't have the answer ahah
I found about Hive because I was looking for alternatives (like NFTs) to sell my music. Now I'm here because it feels like social media once was, when people just wanted to genuinely talk about their life experiences and interests and wanted to find other people with the same vibe.
I'm not a copywriter/usp generator guy but what I like here is that there are no ads; communities feels like real communities and not just a bunch of people spamming their things; and I'm earning something anyway, even if just cents. Meta never paid me anything for all the posts and stories I did there. Actually I've earned more from my journey on Hive than my whole 1 and half year of music on Spotify...
I agree about some kind of Hive board team. Hive needs a strategic, well planned out promo campaign, with support for onboarding new people the right way. But I'm just a little fish. These are things whales should take in consideration