Values matter
Even White Knights kill. Photo by Henry Hustava on Unsplash
HF23 has received an enormous level of attention in recent days. This is, in large part, due to the reasons and results of the hard fork (seize STEEM from 65 accounts) and the actions of the "White Knight", an unknown actor who sent the 23M STEEM, obtained through the HF, to Bittrex.
With the enormous amounts of STEEM at stake (pun intended!), the wales involved in this fight, and the narrative this creates, one may find him/herself conflicted and unsure about whom to support.
In my mind, it all boils down to two things.
Logic and values.
Logically, the HF was not necessary. If the claim (that those 65 accounts were engaged in activities that undermined the STEEM network) hold any water, the claimants should have published the evidence and taken (legal) action. Without any such action or warning, the removal of assets without due process is simply immoral (and illegal if it were to happen in any other setting).
That brings me to values. We all have our own and whatever your values are, they are formed during the big experiment that we happen to call "life". My set of values is pretty bog-standard. You shall not steal, kill, and be kind to others, bla bla. You know the drill.
From that perspective, "FORK-ibly" taking the invested assets of others is not done. From where I am sitting, the reasons do not justify the means.
Why is this relevant to HIVE?
Again, logically, if one does not agree with the actions of an actor, it follows that the association or relationship ends. This is certainly true for me. Due to the actions and arguments leading up to the HF, I have decided to suspend all activity on the STEEM blockchain, convert the few assets I have into HIVE and continue engaging with blockchain on the HIVE network.
As the drama unfolds and further details emerge, I suspect that many will follow suit. This, however, is not where the story ends.
For HIVE to succeed, its community will need to confidence in its governance and future trajectory. It will also need to be assured that the actions of the white knight and any other actors in the HIVE camp, act according to the values that the community aspires to uphold.
In this context, and as more details emerge, I hope that the HIVE community will emerge from this saga without a blemish to its reputation and a clear (independent) vision going forward.