Steemit is not what you think it is. It's not not even very good at what they made it to be. But for what it is, it is revolutionary, evolutionary, and extraordinary. The question is will they allow it to mature into all that it can be, or will they keep smashing it into a space in which it doesn't fit, until it becomes as trivial as the legacy social networks which it was made to replace?
Where there is no vision, the people perish;
I grew up in the 1970's. Every morning the day started with my stepfather reading his paper and drank his coffee. Later, he would go to the bathroom with his copy of the latest Reader's Digest. Every month we received a number of periodicals National Geographic, Smithsonian, and for me Ranger Rick. At school we did research in Newsweek, Time magazine, and a library full of books, magazines, newspapers. All these publications were filled with great articles and beautiful pictures. Written, photographed, and edited by an elite group of professionals, and their work filled every part of our lives.
Now, all that has been disassembled and deconstructed in the age of the internet and as such things do in a free market they will settle into paths that facilitate transactions between content creator and the consumer of that content. In the past that may have been served to some degree by "social networks", but that lacked depth and quality. That is to say people were sharing their lunch, new clothes, and stupid stunts. That is not generally the level that is being shared on Steem, maybe because there was before no financial gain to be had(1), or perhaps more because there was no real accountability.
Steemit doesn't just replace social networks, it engulfs them, but it's crowning achievement happens when it eclipses the entire publishing industry. That is what it is poised to do. No, longer will a few get to try their hand at publishing, but rather many will, and even the best will be attracted until finally Steemers outshine the "professionals". Already Steemit Newspapers (2) have formed, entire novels have been published(3), and even comics. What's next, "editors" knitting together travels magazines? Why not? Steem has travel experts already around the world. What are you waiting for?
To that end Steemit developers need to start now with that goal in mind. Expanding the tools for publishers, such as right justify, and footnotes. Facilitate group development of shared properties perhaps coordinated by an "editor". Even simple things like sharing great blogs discovered among your own followers. In the future you will need to develop long term residual income, because eventually a competitor will.
I am so excited about where Steemit is going, I just want to see it get there.
Thanks for reading...
What kind of publishing tools do you need from Steemit? Leave your wishlist in the comments below.
Footnotes:
(1) Jeff Berwick and Larken Rose discuss on Anarchast how being paid increases the incentive to write well. Click Here to watch.
(2) David Brogan produces SteemTalk a newspaper about the Steem community.
(3) George Donnelly released his novel The Coup Conspiracy a dystopian cryptocurrency novel.
Content created by Robert B Kirkpatrick for Steemit.
Please read more of my work at Neopatriarch's Steem Page
Take some time to read more of my work published on Steem.
My Comic Stories
Dr. Strangefur: Private TimeA Furry Post-Apocalyptic Sci-fi War Story
Big Lie An original noir sci-fi comic
Bus Stop a short comic about frustration with public transportation.
My Drawing Tutorials
How to Draw an Alien Head
How to Draw this Ghost
My Comic Stips about Bitcoin
My Bitcoin Comic
Bitcoin Comic #2
Another Bitcoin Comic
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