Today I was talking with a close friend about Steemit and the world surrounding it. He is fairly tired of my cheerleading but is open to learning. He is a doubting Thomas when it comes to this place, what it can do, and how it works as a whole. He is an extremely intelligent guy and in all honesty...one of my smartest friends. He asks questions and raises points just to play devil's advocate and to learn a bit more about whatever the conversation is about. So it was no surprise today when we were talking that I began to get frustrated at nearly every turn as I didn't have the answers he was looking for. He questioned everything I threw at him and in all honesty, raised some valid questions that I just could not answer...but would like to be able to next time these topics come up.
So I am calling on the community here. I am asking all the smart minds that are here to help me in answering or even just clearing up the murky responses I was giving to him. Because I am now wondering myself. I thought I had a fairly decent understanding and grasp on certain things but apparently I do not as the questions kept on coming, and I kept on derping. Basically...I am stupid...so...help me please.
For starters...SMT'S. I was excited about the idea of what these could offer. To small businesses, websites, communities. I have heard the phrase "Tokenize the Web" thrown around a bunch and it sounds great. As a small business owner, I think it would be great to have a turnkey system in place for me to intergrade my website with so I can offer customers a token that can be redeemed for exclusive merchandise, experiences, excusive content, coupons, and more.
His response was "What is different about that from a points/rewards system?" I threw out the idea of something like ESPN .com creating a token that can be used for the same shit I mentioned above and for their premium subscription. He said what's different about that from what already exists with businesses that offer a point system. He gave an example of Hilton Hotel Rewards or his Airline miles. He said that he earns them by doing things involved with those businesses and he can spend them on rewards and other nonsense.
I mentioned an exchange where these tokens can be traded or swapped out with other tokens and he thought that was more of a detriment than a positive which I didn't agree with. He asked a ton of other questions about SMT'S and basically said that he does not understand the draw as places already can offer their base a rewards through points or other programs as millions of places already do.
He was appalled at the fact that creating an account through Steemit.com can take upwards to a week or more. He wondered how many people we have lost due to that fact, and couldn't fathom any reason why the account creation process was not instantaneous. I explained that there are pay options for instant access like 
I will speak from personal experience in trying to recruit folks through my shop, that one fella waited over 2 weeks and by the time he got his acceptance or confirmation email...he simply lost interest.
One of the biggest critiques of his was just how damn complicated everything is. Now this is not exclusive to the Steem blockchain...this is understand. But I do feel that until things are made easier for the average joe to understand and work with, we will never even sniff the thought of mass adoption. A few of these "complicated" issues surround...
We also spoke about what Steemit is...or is trying to be...or doesn't want to be. Are we a place where people of similar interests can come together and grow? Is is a place to come and earn money? Is it both? Neither? Something else entirely?!?
I kinda (poorly I am sure) explained my thoughts that this was a decentralized platform for folks to come and share information. In return they can be rewarded, own and take control of their content, reward others, and hopefully utilize those rewards in other facets. I love the idea of a regular Joe coming here and blogging about...whatever...in my field it would be something super nerdy like action figures or comics. In my vision they can (eventually) be in a community solely devoted to those specific topics of interest. They can discuss with other likeminded folks and earn a token that is coveted in that community as it can be utilized in games built on the platform, spent at a shop for merch., and so on. He asked where ANY of those things are and all I could say was that some of these things are being worked on. That it takes time and so on. He wasn't impressed with my defense...
One thing that he hate's about this place is how whatever you pop up here...will remain up there for all to see forever. He cited the obvious recent issues plaguing comedians and prominent figures such as politicians, athletes, actors, and other entertainers. How yanking an old Tweet or post made years earlier could ruin a career. How people's opinions can change or differ over time and that the fact of not being able to delete posts can be troublesome. Thoughts?
There were other discussions as well but this is what I can kinda remember off the top of my head. So my plea is this...
Can you guys who are way smarter and more capable at answering these types of questions...shine some light on these things? What is being done about some or all of these issues? An SMT's for Dummies course would be awesome and much appreciated. I am going to see what kind of responses this garners and I hope he pops on here for some valid discussions. He is already a member and has an account. I hope to drag him back onto this specific thread for some tasty back and forth that I hope will be eye opening and educational for him, myself, and any others that are not super clear on certain issues. I look forward to the responses.
If you know of someone who might be able to deliver and shed some light on these questions in proper detail, please tag em in the comments so they see this. Thanks a ton and shit...Steem is under .12 cents...go buy some and Power Up ya slackers!!!
Blewitt
