OK, let's just pretend that we won't have Smart Media Tokens (SMT) some time in the near future and that everything will still be exclusively in Steem. As it is now.
So that the rewards model (linear or curve) will be all that matters for the distribution of Steem and SBD.
OK, so now that we have this presumption stated as a foundation for this post, we can move on.
There have been various conversations about Linear and Nonlinear rewards here on the blogging platforms that use Steem.
It is almost impossible for anyone to have avoided them.
Two such posts that I found to be rather interesting as they are in essence almost a "debate", as the second was in response the first and expressed a difference of opinion backed by what the author fealt was enough to prov his views to be correct.
The author of the first post also expressed his opinions very clearly and backed his standpoint.
Although, I do not want to make this post a third in the series, I have to admit that after having read those posts I came to the inspiration for this post.
I will put a link to the posts that I am referring to at the bottom of this short post of mine.
When talking about rewards within our economy, many of us talk about topics with the goal of making the distribution of wealth both fair and equal in opportunity.
Now before some go jumping through the ceiling or up over the moon if you are outside, I will state the following:
Fair: How rewards are issued.
Equal: Access to the opportunities that exist.
I will as per these criteria go ahead and state that everything here is "equal" as far as our individual access to the opportunities go.
Yes, we all access to the various means of procuring Steem that are made available to us on the open markets.
Yes the distribution methods (code) applies to all of us using the Steem economy.
As for FAIR:
This will never be defined in any way that will satisfy all individuals out there.
Nope, never will there be a model of distribution that shall satisfy all people looking to acquire more wealth.
I will even go as far to say that because of the greed of some there will always be a battle between those who only care for their own personal greed and those that care for the good of all involved.
With a major note here:
"THERE IS NO FREE CAB RIDE, BUS RIDE, LUNCH.....etc etc etc" out there in life.
A person who wants something will work to make it happen.
Now, as for the topic of linear and non linear!
Instead of addressing the economy as such, I shall address a fact of life that applies in every economy that has ever existed to date.
The more you have, the more opportunities open up to you, hence increasing your chances to succeed in whatever it is that you may wish to achieve.
So this growth of opportunities is definitely exponential.
While the same may apply to the other end of the topic.
The less you have, the less opportunities are out there for you to achieve your goals.
& looking at real life, ohhhh man, when it starts going down hill, man does it start going down hill!
So it is reasonable to state how success is in many ways dependent on the opportunities that are "thrown your way".
Definitely not exclusively dependent upon opportunities, but in reality it has always been the case that when opportunities come your way, if you don't make the most of them, you are then left waiting or looking for the next opportunity.
So the old saying of "Money talks" is befitting the above facts.
What I am trying to say here is that no matter how we may view the opportunities out there, we should strive for a fair and reasonable solution to everything we do.
Striving for the better good of everyone involved is definitely something that should be a key moral foundation to all decision making processes, otherwise we are doomed.
As for "equality", if we can open the doors to access the opportunities equally, then we have in fact done well above and beyond any of the economies throughout the course of human history.
See my point!
We can never make all people satisfied with any distribution of wealth.
However if we make it possible to help ensure all people in the ecosystem have equal access to the opportunities out there and that the opportunities are not concentrated only towards those who are wealthy, then we are achieving something that is unique in the world of economics.
OHHH no, I have just said something that is definitely going to get many "ideologists" out there upset and ready to grab their keyboards and do a full frontal on me!
But getting back to the topic, let's try and look at this, what I am trying to get across here in ways that are not restricted to any of the "ideological" boxes out there.
Let's look at what we are trying to achieve with efforts such as 'The Foundation', the "DAO" aka "SPS".
Let's take into consideration the fact that with the introduction of SMTs (which are intensely being worked on) that Steem with the changes seen in HF20 shall have a thriving economy well after the last of the Steem tokens are issued/created.
Not to mention the vast array of opportunities the SMTs are going to offer to one and all within our Steem ecosystem.
I will leave you there, with these thought provoking thoughts and statements and ask that you too take a read of the two posts that I referred to earlier.
Ref:
The first post is:
Why I Advise Against Linear Reward
by @ teamsteem
&
The second post is:
Non linear reward is fundamentally unfair
by @ knircky
STEEM ON!
Yours truly,
@jimramones