First of all, let me say that I was just a little minnow on Steem minding my own business, writing on and hodling, when the sea of Steem turned very poisonous. This was not like storms in the past. This was not like the standard loss of friends as Steem continued to lose value and people just gave up.
No. This was different. It would be like excess heat from the sun had caused a poisonous algae bloom that was sucking all the oxygen and the life out of the water.
I had to learn about the “ninja mine” and all the problems with that for years – almost from the beginning.
I had to learn about the crypto side of things, which I had pretty much written off because Steem was in a constant fall from the time I came right up to just before I left.
I had to learn about years of hard feelings and the raw hatred of a power struggle as the spirit of dictatorship abroad in the world came and poisoned the waters of Steem.
But then, a gate to a new, blue ocean was opened.
I read this book called Blue Ocean Strategies years ago, and it basically said that if you want to succeed in a new venture, get out of where struggles are reddening the ocean with blood and seek clear water – where new space has been opened for innovation and creativity. In a business sense this was talking about planning offerings and services in such a way that simply eliminates competition.
As a prolific creative, I took from that to create what I could as best I could, and then find who would be ministered to by it … therefore creating a blue ocean.
Steem had been one of those places – but again, the waters were poisoned.
So, this little minnow went through the gate, and found herself in the clear blue waters of HIVE.
Pardon the mixed metaphors, of course!
Now, let me answer the questions the best I can, in light of the limited knowledge I have of the crypto and chain side of this thing...
What is HIVE to you?
A place of a peace, without coercion or censorship, within a supportive community. I realize that there is some recovery that has to happen because of the way Hive had to come out of Steem. I am even taking my time ramping up to full creative production because I need to take a little while and get used to my surroundings. There is some healing that has to take place … that last two weeks on Steemit was UGLY. Still, while I am on shelter-in-place in California, I am preparing content to share … when I at last get to full power on Hive, I will be in full power!
(Here's looking at you, @mariannewest and @freewritehouse … I will return)
I'm sure Hive will go through its difficulties – I am not naïve, so I know that Steem and Steemit were having certain struggles not related to Mr. Justin Sun that may or may not have come to Hive. I know we didn't take the ninja stake OR the problems with one platform needing to sell off Steem every month and therefore pressuring the price down.
Speaking of a LACK of STINCy – oops, I mean stinky dealings – I LOVE the ad-free environment, and if someday that has to change, I'd like to see Hive members offered good rates so we can let one another know what we can do for each other just inside the community. Hive has brought over many of Steem's finest musicians; there's music business help I can provide, for just one example.
What do you want to see HIVE evolve into?
No less than Ludwig Van Beethoven proposed an “Art Exchange” 200 years ago, where “the artist can bring what he creates and receives what he needs in return.” Beethoven was not a greedy man; he did not ask for more than NEEDS, but he understood that for artists to thrive and do their best work and thus enrich the world, they needed to at least not be worried about food, clothing, and shelter. Of course, he had to be paid in gold coins. The world is different now, but the point remains the same.
I remember a few snarky people who felt that people in the world who really did need to use their Steem to live were hurting the coin by always selling it. Although I DETEST the blindness to real human need that that produces such statements, I could appreciate that side of the argument to the extent of building the coin – and of course, since I live in one of the most expensive regions of the U.S., I further appreciate that it is not realistic for everyone to expect Hive to provide food, clothing and shelter.
But as I have highlighted above, there is a way for Beethoven's “Art Exchange” to still work. Let Hive be a place where we can easily find each other and offer service to each other, a place where collaboration flourishes and value is generated both ways. Money I save by working with someone on Hive and using Hive for tips/compensation is fiat money I can use toward food, clothing, and shelter – and the results of those collaborations can add value to Hive and offset rewards removed by members at greater need at that moment.
What do you think about having a large funded DAO for future HIVE development?
I had just begun to learn what that was before Steemit went through its regrettable changes. I do remember that there was some conversation around this before HF21, and because the majority of us had no way to understand why we were losing rewards to pay for such development, and because we had absolutely no say in the matter, we lost a lot of people on Steem at that time. That is not a scenario Hive can afford to repeat.
I knew that I could pick up my production to offset the losses, and I always had good support (here's looking at you, @carlgnash, @ocd, and @freewritehouse – thank you), so I soldiered on. But it is the first thing that comes back to mind when funding development is mentioned, so you see: it left a mark.
A lot of education needs to be done still – what exactly is a DAO, and why is it necessary to fund development? What projects does our new Hive team have in mind? What are some ways to fund such development that are fair to everyone? It is very important that Hive not repeat the mistakes of STINC, and not waste an opportunity to build cooperation and consensus, especially at this early stage, and when Hive has the eyes of the crypto world on it as being something TRULY different. Such education and consensus-building could become a model for others who want to see mass adoption of their blockchain/crypto – I hope we do not blow this opportunity.
What does HIVE mean to you?
A new start with crypto. I will forever appreciate Steemit and Steem for what it WAS: the entry point to crypto that I could understand, with mining conditions that were just right for the prolific creator. I found a community and a space to work in that EVENTUALLY may produce enough results to pay all my bills, because the stuff I wrote there was good enough to publish in fiat world, and that caused me to look again at all my writing and content and start getting more out. But all of that – all of that for me and thousands of others was given away for pennies on the dollar – literally – by the owners of Steemit.
Hive means a brand new start, run by people who are a lot like me: maintaining a thing of great and grave importance to a community without the profit motive coming first. I've been a community worker a long time, and so Hive feels like home in a way Steemit never did.
I pray Hive stays on course … a lot of people, although they don't know it yet, are looking for it to be just what it is starting as. It is my pleasure to do my part to get the word out.
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