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To simplify this, let's make the proper distinctions between author and curation rewards. For purposes of this discussion, let's focus on the former first.

In the name itself, it is a reward for authorship whoever how we use it has evolved beyond that such was the case w projects such as Utopian, which adds additional utility to that functionality in rewarding off chain development while the DAO was but a glimmer in the whales' eyes.

But, you see, in either case, the reward is not for nothing but to reward some form of activity.