(Note: This is not meant to be a fear-mongering, anti-Steemit article. I am very enthusiastic about Steemit, and am hoping for only the best outcomes and success for this platform. It is, rather, what I consider to be a dose of realism.)
What happens when Steemit.com becomes inaccessible?
When purchasing Bitcoin with a credit card becomes impossible?
When the state decides to pay you a visit and saddle you and your family with debt, imprisonment, or worse?
We need a network so we can carry on, continue to trade with another, and help each other in times of "shit hitting the fan."
That's what the CON (Circle of Noisemakers) Voluntaryist/Anarchist network is all about. Decentralized networking.
Steemit is great. Bitcoin is great. Barter, trade, and healthy, robust communities of strong human relationships and networks are great. The problem is, we are not decentralizing things enough. The problem is a lack of real awakened knowledge of what the entity known as "the state" ("government," for all practical intents and purposes) really is, is capable of, and will almost certainly do in the face of unregulated free market productivity, innovation, and prosperity.
If Steemit continues to be successful, violence-backed regulations and censorship will soon be coming right here.
But wait! You say, The Steem blockchain is immutable! They can't censor content on Steemit or take away our funds! In some sense, you'd be absolutely correct. The blockchain cannot be "erased" as long as individual witnesses and nodes around the globe still support it. It is essentially an indelible record.
This platform however, is an entirely different story, and this platform is what most users depend on as their main access and entry point to the Steem blockchain. All that is required to give the Steem cryptocurrency and social network a massive kick in the nuts is the regulation or termination of this platform. How many average Steem users do you know with knowledge of how to access the blockchain outside of this everyday, normal, internet site called steemit.com? My guess is not many.
Once the state smells the money being made here, it is game over for the wild west free market we have come to know and love. Look at all these copyright and IP infringements! Better regulate and prosecute! These people are indiscriminately sharing music, photos, and news articles without proper intellectual property licensing!
Then come the "regs." Wanna make a new Steem account via the platform? Sure. Identify yourself with three forms of ID and we'll see if you're eligible. Did you post something we don't approve of? We'll pressure the folks at Steemit (the company) to disallow the display of said content on their site by threatening massive Washington-power-tier lawsuits.
If you think all this is too extreme, just take a look at what happened to YouTube. Take a look at what is happening now with several major credit card companies prohibiting card holders from purchasing Bitcoin. It's already here. I mentioned in a recent post that the climate is changing drastically in Tokyo, too, with ATMs being shut down via unsustainable licensing fees and regulations, and mainstream, centralized exchanges now being pushed on huge billboards in the city. Once the smell of the Steem apple pie reaches the regulatory noses, get ready. It's time to go "underground." Or rather, even less centralized.
CON: Our network.
In the case of the aforementioned abysmal scenarios, what should we do? Well, I know what I will do: carry on.
In order to carry on trading (crypto, gold, fiat, rabbit pelts, you name it), networking, and supporting one another both locally in "meatspace" and as decentralized international networks of friends, family, peers, and colleaugues, we need to be sure we are not overly dependent on any one platform, system, or communication template, and to diversify our connections and networks (just as we do with financial investments) as much as possible.
We need to be able to "make noise" for one another when the state foists its slimy hands on any one of us. This means supporting the families of those who may have been kidnapped and placed in a cage as best we can, with whatever resources we can. This means buying directly from farmers and producers of food and other such essential goods and services for living. This means spreading the news and waking people up to injustices occurring at the hands of the state by MAKING NOISE and pestering the shit out of our local mainstream media outlets.
Here's the updated directory. Be sure to keep a copy of this in cold storage (on a USB stick, for example) and also to write it down the old-fashioned way using pen and paper!
(NOTE: Encrypted chat apps are hugely useful tools which are not being used nearly enough. Please note users in the directory that have listed their handles for these apps and add them once you verify their identity!)
Name: Graham Smith (@kafkanarchy84)
Location: Niigata City, Japan
Family on Steemit: @mslight2016st (wife)
Children: Son, 5 years old.
Email/Contact: [email protected]
Wickr Me App (preferred encrypted chat) Username: kafka7 (feel free to add me!)
Signal App (encrypted chat) Username: KafkA
Name: Herbert Holmes
Location: Vermont, USA
Family on Steemit: Working on convincing them
e-mail: [email protected]
I don't have a Signal, but will make one for these purposes. My username will be the same as here @herbertholmes
Name: JB
Steemit: @jbcoin
Email: [email protected]
Location: Central Ohio, USA
Name: Kali Ju (@kaliju)
Location: Daegu, South Korea
Family: @hannaju + son 1.5 years old ^.^
Comm through Signal > Username: Kali
Steemit projects: @steemfleamarket (closed for winter)
Name: Michael Lai (@plushzilla)
Location: Australia (for now)
Wickr Me App (preferred encrypted chat) Username: plushzilla
Signal App (encrypted chat) Username: plushzilla
Name: Nick Sikorski
Location: Saku, Nagano, Japan
Family on Steemit: wife, waiting for account to be created
Occupation : farmer over at @potagerdescerfs
Email/Contact: [email protected]
Wickr (encrypted chat) Username: nicknakane
Name: Rutchel Macabodbod
Location: Cebu City, Philippines
Family on Steemit: @gorgeousiel, @kimrene, (friends)
Student : College student
Email/Contact: [email protected]
Username: @baebiychel
Starr (Leslie Starr O'Hara) (@lesliestarrohara)
Location: near Asheville, NC, USA
Children: daughter, 12 years old
Contact: (email) lesliestarrohara @gmail.com
Name: Todd Borho (@steeminganarchy)
Location: Nomad, currently in Malaysia
Email: [email protected]
Occupation: Boldly attempting to survive on steem generated from writing
If you wish to join the support network, please add your entry (use the directory entries as a guide) in the comments below. If you use the Wickr or Signal encrypted chat apps (a big bonus) please add your handle/username.
This is a voluntary, unofficial network of voluntaryist anarchists. Please only supply info you are comfortable with others knowing. Look for the #con tag here on Steemit!
With that said, see you guys....
~KafkA
Graham Smith is a Voluntaryist activist, creator, and peaceful parent residing in Niigata City, Japan. Graham runs the "Voluntary Japan" online initiative with a presence here on Steem, as well as DTube and Twitter. (Hit me up so I can stop talking about myself in the third person!)
Count me in (hope to see more people join soon!) :)
Name: Michael Lai (@plushzilla)
Location: Australia (for now)
Wickr Me App (preferred encrypted chat) Username: plushzilla
Signal App (encrypted chat) Username: plushzilla
Welcome!
I’ll add you to the directory now.
Been following your posts for a while now, but didn't really find a chance to connect until I saw the posts about #con. I have visited Japan and Korea previously, and it would be great to have a network of people from around the world that are bigger than just the steemit family so I'd love to help spread the word :)
I do find curious the fact that having access to the steem blockchain is made using a centralized site like steemit. Thanks to busy I was able to make this comment because steemit wasn’t loading me at all.
We should start to apply ways to guarantee the access to the steem blockchain is always available, easy to find and reliable.
Agree 100%. Yes, ironically perhaps, right after posting this, the site seemed to be down/not fuku functional for about an hour.
I have been working on this very problem for 6 years... www.tetla.com -- I've posted about it a little bit here... It's a local currency that is designed to keep the same price/value as the local fiat... but which is also traded in electronic format on the counterparty exchange. So far we have about 200 people participating here in Victoria BC Canada, and 30 or so busineseses including some restaurants, high end clothing store, medical marijuana business etc... We were also endorsed by world famous environmentalist activist and scientist Dr.David Suzuki.
Very interesting indeed. Looking forward to following you here on Steemit!
Could you please add me as a member?
Name: Yasumoto
Steemit: @yasu24
Email: [email protected]
Location: Tokyo, JAPAN
Wicker ID: yasumoto
Will do!
Thank you.
よろしくお願いします。
Resteemed this post.
Yes! Know anyone on Steemit in Nagano? 一人じゃ寂しい~!!
Sooner or later this all will happen. And we need to stand together to face it. Why do ur posts always leaves me sad and frustrated!! 😞 I know you show us the truth. But its all so depressing.
Ah, I don't mean to depress anyone, but yeah, I feel the same way sometimes. I'm actually pretty hopeful about this platform, but just wanna keep it real..
I understand. I too have so much faith on steem. I am gonna kill them all if they come in my and steemit's way !!!! -_-
🔥🔥🔥🤣
Whoever has made billions from crypto need to get their own island called Crypt Island, the place where you are free to flourish with the island's currency being crypto of all sorts! :D
Rather hope that chance doesn't come. We love steam so much
Thanks! It is always a good idea for the just in case.
Don't you think if this happens they could also attack gmail accounts? I see some of the people recommended have this type of account.
For sure. We are just trying to diversify our connections as much as possible. The more avenues available to help one another, the better.
Really true what u just said even though it's scary... But don't these government bodies want the masses to get rich?
I keep wondering... They keep getting richer and want the masses to keep getting poorer....
Nice idea you got here
Just updated my info:
Name: Nick Sikorski
Location: Saku, Nagano, Japan
Family on Steemit: wife, waiting for account to be created
Occupation : farmer over at @potagerdescerfs
Email/Contact: [email protected]
Wickr (encrypted chat) Username: nicksikorski
Duly noted. Will update the directory soon.
This is a great looking network. On the whole face to face thing I was recently offered the opp of some part-time work (from August) from a mate in the pub (I mentioned the fact I'm quitting my full time job) - It felt great that this was so 'organic'. You cannot underestimate the resilience in diversity!
Know exactly what you mean! Funnily enough I worked at a pub last year for a friend and never felt cleaner money hit my hands! Best of luck!
Cryptos won't be done anytime soon. The then-they-fight-you-stage is coming and that can mean only one thing: the next step is the general acceptance of crypto use...
One would hope so, but I think the “fighting” is going to be more like slowly boiling the frog that is crypto freedom via massive regulation.
The proper citizens of western countries are the ones being slowly boiled by the increasing regulations on/legislation of everything. Those who started using crypto are mostly people who realized that they have to search for alternative solutions to what are governments failing to achieve. These are not the boiling frogs: they have been just thrown straight into the frying pan. I am pretty sure it's going to cause even bigger outburst of new ideas, bigger distrust for traditional solutions.
The old system is dying. It can't stop the next industrial revolution by force.
Well, that is exactly what I am seeing happening now worldwide. Nevertheless, I hope you are correct.
When we think about it its all so depressing.
I like it... Plis vote me..
I don't vote for spam, sorry.
Interesting view this one. Keep it up
I pray not... because i just started on the platform
how nice is your video
I think we should start to practice directly make connections with each other so that in time of need we can help each other.
hmmmm, this is a real call to thought, anything is possible, but clossing down steemit will really affect lots of life negatively.