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Before we start, I need to make a small confession. When it comes to the world of cryptocurrencies, I am still a beginner, a crypto-noob if you prefer. So if you thought that this article was going to be a detailed technical analysis of the current market trends in the crypto world or you thought that you were going to get an expert's prediction about the future of Steem, then I am sorry, you'll be disappointed. I actually know so little about digital currencies, that even using the #steem for this article gave me palpitations.
So, you might ask, what gives me the right to talk about this topic. Well, the answer is simple. I represent the average person who might one day make up the majority of Steemit users. If we want Steemit to grow beyond our wildest dreams and to become mainstream, I am the kind of user you want to attract here. If we want the value of Steem to skyrocket, I am the average person that you want to trust Steem enough to use it for their everyday transactions. Because if Steem is to ever write history in the world of digital currencies, it needs to grow beyond the boundaries of Steemit and find its way in all sorts of markets. Without the ''average person'', who knows little to nothing about digital currencies, that can never happen.
SourceIf you crypto experts are still here, then think about this. How many people out there know how the economics of fiat money work? How many understand inflation, demand, supply, macro- and micro-economics, the roles of governments, central banks etc etc? I would say only a tiny percentage. Yet every human being on this planet uses USDs, Euros, Pounds, Yuan etc every single day. Most keep in these currencies their entire life savings, their investments and the future of their children. So why do they do it? The main reason is that, for now, fiat money is what gets them what they need. They trust it, because they use it daily to buy what they want, pay for their bills, their entertainment and their kids' schools.
Today I did something that some here may not approve. I have been reading article after article about how the Steem can only grow if we trust it enough to invest in it. I've heard countless times that the only way we can do that is if us, the Steemit users put our faith in it. If I had a Steem for every time I heard the phrase ''Power Up'', I would be a happy whale who had just had an early retirement in his early 30s. Even though I don't disagree with that way of thinking, I believe that Steem needs to gain the average user's trust, before they can be asked to put their trust back into Steem. The way to do that, is to spread the word out that Steem can function just as good as ''real money'', but without the need of Central Banks, governments, regulations and restrictions. Steem has the power to be the first cryptocurrency that will become truly mainstream and the way to do that is through its social network, Steemit.
A week ago, I decided to withdraw some of my Steem and use it, for the first time, as ''real money''. Not because I am broke or unemployed, but because I believe this is how we will get people to trust this currency. Just imagine the look on my landlord's face when I asked him if I can pay my rent in Steem. So I explained to him, those few basic things I know, about digital currencies, Steem and Steemit and then gave him the rent in money that he recognized. But I did make sure to repeat to him again where exactly that money came from. He was truly interested, even impressed and I am sure we will be talking about it more the next time we meet. So, slowly, little by little, by getting the word out, the day will come that people will see how Steem not only can replace fiat money, but it is also much superior to them.
So, for you, the new Steemit user reading this now, today is May 19th, 2017 and this is the day when I paid my rent with Steem. I paid my rent with money that I made on Steemit, by doing things I love and enjoy, such as writing and reading articles, debating and having pleasant discussions with other members of this community. Today is the day that Steem has gained my full trust and I will do my best to let everyone know about it.
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