Humans have evolved to be a social species and apparently this is one of the reasons that we out-survived the Neanderthals, as even though more intelligent, were less capable of forming larger groups and tribes that could face and solve problems together. Not only this, we are solution builders, where we look to solve problems as they arise. These aspects of our evolution play a profound part in our personal wellbeing, where we derive our meaning from our ability to solve problems in relation to the social group. It is because of this that we have also developed an ego, and care about what others think of us - even those who claim not to care.
We seem to be a long way from the tribal communities of ancient times, but as far as our evolution goes, we are still right back there around the campfires. And this is observable through the way we behave today, where people are looking for meaning in their lives by attaching themselves to some kind of community, even if it is by label only. Everyone wants to feel part of a tribe, yet simultaneously, want to feel like an individual. But what is interesting is that while these things might seem contradictory, in the context of the tribe, they are not, because through roles, individuals are able to also be part of the tribe, working toward a common purpose.
I was writing about this the other day and used the tribal example split into some very basic roles of hunters, gatherers, builders, teachers, and healthcare providers. But there are other divisions that could be made for tribal society, from leadership positions, to warfare, to even magic creation. But the point is that everyone had at least one role in the community, and had responsibilities. Even the children.
Everyone was an owner.
And this is how I see Hive. It is more complex in many ways than an ancient tribe, but it also incorporates all of the same roles and divisions, as well as triggers the social aspects of our DNA. I have described it as a city before also, with different suburbs and subcultures, and that is also part of the story. And we are all owners here, or at least, have the potential to be owners within the community - something that many people around the world are struggling to do currently, as the economic conditions disenfranchise and disempower them. On Hive, everyone has the potential to take some responsibility and therefore, become a role-based owner of some kind.
"Taking responsibility" seems to scare a lot of people these days, because it speaks to making choices and having to commit, costing freedom. But, it is only through responsibility that freedom is possible. Those who are uncommitted to anything, are not free, as they are powerless to control their direction. They might float "freely" through life, but none if it is of their own freewill.
Freedom is being able to be in control of your own behaviour.
And it is in pursuit of personal agency that so many people are choosing to be "part of something" that they consider larger than themselves, A cause, a movement, an ideological position where they get to feel that they are doing something at their own volition, toward something that they see as important. Yet, most of the causes out there are engineered to trigger exactly this kind of behaviour, hooking people into them and directing them to act accordingly. Everything from the way people vote, the violence they generate at a "peaceful" protest, is orchestrated. They are playing a role in the community still, but that role is not toward a greater good, it is as an agent of those in control.
I see Hive as an undirected movement toward greater freedom, whether that be at a social, financial or a personal thought level. It is a place where people really can make of it as they will, given their experience and willingness to learn and act toward their goal. That goal might be to have a certain amount of HIVE POWER staked, be a witness, or build a topical community around something they find interesting. On Hive, it is possible to choose the role one wants to play.
Most people choose to be a user only, in the same way they are a user of the centralised platforms. This could be because we have been conditioned to be consumers of content, rather than owners of our own creations. Or it could be that we don't want to take ownership, don't want to commit, and don't want to invest into the platform. But on Hive, taking responsibility comes with freedom.
People get hung up on the aspects around the economics, where they are more concerned with their potential earnings or potential losses, than the rest of the value they could get out of the platform. When it comes to experience, money isn't everything, but it is hard to hold this mindset whilst simultaneously constantly under financial pressures in the real world. It is a reality of life that the modern world requires money, and a lot of our energy goes toward obtaining and worrying about it, whether blatantly or subtly.
And it costs our wellbeing.
Hive is a tool. And as I have said many times prior, I believe that if I wasn't introduced to this tool, the last nine years of my life would have far, far worse. And it isn't because of financial reasons, because I haven't spent anything. It is because it has given me a space to take ownership of my experience, process my thoughts, and influence my behaviours. And it hasn't come through self-reflection alone, but in the context of a community, of others who both agree with and disagree with me much of the time.
If we aren't committed to our own experience, what are we doing?
And this lack of taking responsibility for oneself is what has led to the massive victimhood mentality push of the last decades, where people have said "I have no control over how I feel or what I do". We have been convinced to be powerless to use our own potential. But here on Hive, people can start reprogramming themselves in profound ways, exploring the very issues that we have been told we are unable to affect. Not only that, we have the ability here to learn new ways and practice them in an ecosystem that largely mimics the physical world, because people here are physical beings, with all the diverse problems we face.
And we can find solutions.
All we need do to start building our wellbeing as an individual, is start engaging with others in a role that is toward a greater good. It needn't be a global greater good where all subscribe to the cause, it can be a personal one, but doing it alone is far less effective or rewarding than doing it with others.
Now, let's think back to those basic tribal roles.
Hunters, gatherers, builders, teachers, and healthcare providers.
Where is the critic?
There were disagreements, there were arguments, there were differing opinions. But, there was no socially destructive role. Everything was about adding value to the greater good, not destroying the value of others for personal benefit. Yet, the political and financial world we have created has made the "destroyer" the role for many people, where their participation in a particular group or movement isn't to build positively, but to take down enemies. The majority of people are "warfare" soldiers, working at the behest of egomaniacal leaders.
We needn't replicate that on Hive.
The beauty of a decentralised environment like Hive is that everyone can "do what they want" without having to destroy the developments of others. But this doesn't mean that there are not consequences for action, because people and groups are going to respond to the actions of others. But if everyone is building positively in their own way toward adding value to Hive, there is actually little chance of warfare, even if there are discussions of disagreement. It is only when people's behaviour is seen as a net negative to Hive that problems arise. Hive can keep expanding in almost any direction, without it taking from another direction.
But this requires participants to subscribe to the mindset of the greater good, which is a trait that is being lost in society as we have become more disconnected and individualistic. But, those who choose to spend their time acting positively, engaging positively, building, creating, leading and supporting - will find that not only will their Hive experience improve, they will also experience improvement in the rest of life too. There is an inevitability to it, because this is how we have been wired to derive value and meaning from our world.
Because, we are social animals, evolved to solve problems.
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]
Be part of the Hive discussion.
And you may be rewarded.
