The financial and reputational elements of Steemit encourage a generally friendly atmosphere, but is it sincere? And regardless, what are the drawbacks?
Following on from @dan and @ned's recent discussion on transparency, I've been thinking today about how the Steemit paradigm incentivizes certain behaviors, for better or worse...
One such example sprung to mind later today when a friend struggled to accept constructive criticism on their creative efforts. I thought, how odd that this person doesn't realize the immense value in honest constructive feedback. It is my belief that creative people, should they wish to master their craft, should not only be hard on themselves, but actively seek out critique from all quarters, be the critic "qualified" or not.
The opposite doesn't bare thinking about. Delusion. Being enabled, pushed toward mediocrity by well meaning, (or financially incentivized in the case of Steemit) "supporters" who tell you all your creative work is wonderful. I think this is a trap that could potentially stunt your progress if you rely solely on Steemit for critical feedback. I fear the simple concept of hard work is being undermined more and more these days.
Whatever your creative dream, whether you are into photography, music, painting, or something else, the only way you will ever come close to mastery is to continuously seek to better yourself, hone your skills and embrace criticism. It is not enough to simply have talent, or to just "believe in yourself". It is not enough to have faith in some mystical destiny that excuses you from any personal responsibility or hard work. These are cop outs, and cop outs are DISEMPOWERING. The truth will indeed set you free.
Stop believing in yourself, start working your ass off.
I don't think we are going to see this paradigm change any time soon. It's nice to be nice, especially on Steemit, where being nice pays off, quite literally. So if you are a creative person and want to improve your skills, learn to be pragmatic, and seek criticism where you will get politely ripped apart. Over time, you will get a thicker skin, and become naturally more objective, ultimately leading to the shortest route to creative mastery. If you find yourself hating everything you do, you're on the right track.