I was torn on what to title this post. So many descriptions that would have been apt. In the end, I settled for the value of community.
Before I begin my reflection on this, I wanted to share a personal triumph that ties into this post. I was able to sort my issues with Binance out, and true to all I’ve read they are in fact allowing US citizens to trade that had accounts preexisting their US ban. My holdings there were what many crypto enthusiasts would consider small, however my enthusiasm was dampened by the fact that despite more than two years on Steem, my entire crypto portfolio is still valued at less than my out of pocket buy ins. Based on current valuations, the 420.00 I spent is currently valued at around 350.00. Comes from buying in as markets were descending, after the last major pump right before I joined Steem.
So, to my news. I still had over 6k Cardano on there that I assumed they had stolen from me as my wallet reflected no balances. Through researching this, it appears they have some sort of toggle switch. Using it, I felt relief as I saw my wallet there still had balance. So, this morning I traded into LTC, transferred it to Ionomy and traded for Hive. Hive is at bargain process right now due to a major dump that occurred coupled with the lack of exchanges allowing it to be traded yet. So I was able to trade into 2084.84 Hive, which I promptly powered up. With the approximately 1300 Hive already powered up, I am closer than I’ve ever been to being a dolphin (if we are still using the fish titles). Yay, my vote is worth more than dust now.
So, what does my great day have to do with the value of the community? It reflects my value on each of you in my communities, and my valuation on this project. Powering up is not only an investment in self, if used properly (not self voting the crap out of your stake) it's an investment in those you interact with.
The success of this forked chain relies upon the members of the communities here. Relies upon people valuing this project enough to view it as worthy of investing into with more than just time. Actually reaching into our own pockets and investing into. One of the impediments to the growth of Steem was there being so many there to make what they could short term from the project. While there were many reasons to look at the top of the power structure and point fingers, if the community members would have demanded more Steem the valuation would never have gotten as low as it had despite the failings of those at the top.
There are some who have come and invested a lot of money into the former chain, heroes that one can see many milkers sucking up to in their bid for crumbs. Several of these heroes have banded together to bring us this fork, betting on the idea that the community was always the true value of what this experiment holds. They have reached into their pockets to make all of this possible, when they could have just rode along with what Justin Sun plans to do with Steem and probably benefitted from being his yes men/women.
The responsibility for this new chain shouldn’t and CAN’T ride solely on the shoulders of a few in the community. It is in all of our best interests if we see this for what it offers to help these trailblazers in securing the trails they are creating for us. Securing and welcoming new trailblazers who hopefully will be coming with Dapps and business models that don’t rely on payouts from the chain to survive. That view what this chain offers as complementary to their visions of success.
Many folks blow money on impulse crap (guilty as charged myself). Maybe this time around enough of us can scale back on that and start properly investing in OUR COMMUNITIES here, proving to the world that we value what is here. Proving to the world through walking our talk as those who have made this possible have and continue to do. The question to ask, is if you aren’t willing to buy and power up Hive, why would anyone in your circle do so?
I’m excited in what the chain offers again, in a way I haven’t been since towards the end of my first year using Steem. We have so much going for us, being talked of by John MacAfee and Vitalik Buterin. Many in the cryptosphere are aghast at the tight control Master Sun has been using on the Steem blockchain, and find themselves sympathetic to the struggle. If ever there was a best time to walk the talk, it is now.