I can only control my own actions, nobody else's. I’ve said this before, that this all needs to stop as it’s like a playground argument. If everyone would just stick to downvotes being used to control plagiarism and fraud there wouldn’t be a problem. Instead we now have a ridiculous flag war and petty name calling. As for me, I’ve read many comments from people on both sides. Acidyo raised some good points which actually made me reflect on what I bring to the table as an author. Is my content original? Am I just parroting what’s already out there? Quite valid points that I have to agree with to some extent. Unfortunately the only other person I’ve spoken to and asked for reasoning came back with absolute arrogance and a huge amount of ego. There is a circle jerk amongst many hive profiles that appear on the trending page, that’s quite indisputable. Saying that, is there really anything wrong with constantly upvoting your friends without assessing the content of there post? I’d say the answer is no, unless you're downvoting others for the content of their posts.
I’m very aware and appreciative of what hive offers to me but that doesn’t mean I have to be a good little boy and remain silent when there is obviously bullying going on. It’s obvious people on here don’t agree on covid, conspiracy theories, vaccinations etc etc, but that doesn’t mean one is right and one is wrong, absolutely. At that point there should be debate in the comments section, not downvotes. Downvotes should be for the reasons we all believed they were intended for. If not we end up back in the playground.
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Who are the people in the 'circle jerk'?
I’m not getting into naming individuals. Go check out the trending page and you’ll see plenty of posts that have massive rewards for very little effort or imagination. Like I said, I’ve nothing against circle jerks, it’s natural to want to support your friends. I just find it hypocritical when people bemoan others getting over rewarded.
'Social Circles' would be a natural occurrence on a 'Social Network', yes. The over rewarded concept confuses me at times as well. And I can agree sometimes it appears very little effort is being rewarded heavily. In a sense, those posts you're mentioning indirectly would be the over rewarded content. But then someone else might look and want to add more. With so many minds involved, I try to not letter bother my mind.
I didn't mean to put you on the spot. In the early days on Steem there was a prominent 'circle jerk' sticking out like a sore thumb. When I look at trending these days, I see a variety of support circles pushing a variety of content up. Compared to the old days, I'd say it's a least a little more organic these days.
“Social circle”, I like that turn of phrase and it’s more appropriate. The whole issue with over rewarded posts is something that I try not to focus on or get involved in. It’s a positive problem to have and I do agree with you completely when you talk about many minds. For me, it’s the negative edge of this sword which bothers me. The ones in a position to offer such great rewards do so as they see fit and that’s great for those in receipt. Sometimes I think these votes are deserved and sometimes I don’t, but I’d never downvote a post because it wasn’t to my personal liking. Who am I to cancel out other peoples opinions/votes? And if it’s a post about a subject I strongly disagree with then I’ll leave a comment.
Sadly, we seem to have come to a point where certain people are abusing the power they have. They now make the decision on whether a certain subject or author is to be rewarded, solely based on their own opinion or ideology and that really stinks. Fuck! have an argument. Call someone a cunt if you really disagree, just don’t cancel out the authors supporters. They have every right to support whatever post they like and see that author rewarded. My point is that it’s one persons opinion against another’s and both sides have the right to voice those opinion. Things cross the line when one persons opinion has the power to cancel out those who support that author and remove the rewards they saw fit to offer.
By far the worst effect of all this is that good authors who post interesting content(IMO) now spend their time writing about being downvoted.
Anyway, I think I’m beginning to ramble on so I’ll leave it there.
My work is mainly entertainment based. I'd hope people support it only because they like it, or me, because that's how this business works. Art and jokes at times can be confusing for some. It would be incredibly awkward to get downvoted because someone didn't get a joke, for instance. That's more on them, than me. An artist knows in advance, whatever is created then put on display, the people who won't like it or take no interest at all far outnumber those who will. I've had a good run here. The people are awesome and I adore many. The only flak I've received comes from folks who only looked at the rewards. Then judge me for something I had nothing to do with. Set the goal to do well and create something people might enjoy, but there's no way of knowing in advance if they will or not. For instance when writing humor, you don't truly know is something is actually funny, until you get the reaction. So you either entertain, or completely bomb and feel humiliated. Yet do it all again...
Content of political nature, by design, is meant to impress half and piss off the other half. Then once one half is totally pissed, then they sit around being pissed off all the time, feeding off one another. Spirals downwards. By design. People fight.
I've been downvoted heavily before. Wrote a couple posts on the topic and happenings. The outcome was typically quite civil. No real fighting. No dwelling. No blaming everything and everyone. No demands. No constant barrage of posts insulting anyone. The one who was downvoting me (big downvotes) actually came along, left me a joke, and the downvoting stopped on the same day.
So yeah lately I've been seeing a lot of sensationalism, gaslighting, finger pointing, arguments etc. A lot division created, enforced and maintained. A post like this above I see as just a big show; a spectacle. It doesn't exist to actually solve the problems.
There's a lot of people out there having fun as well. They far outnumber those experiencing drama and maintaining it. Those mixed up with the drama don't really know about that world, out there. That's natural for social circles though. People become products of their environment. I personally like to be involved or at least informed so I'm all over the place silently observing or offering my two cents. I just wonder where this crowd was back in the day when what's presented above was discussed, explained, argued, and so on. But again, that's a natural effect of social circles. People keep to themselves but suddenly there's a problem so they step outside their comfort zone only to discover an incredibly confusing new world.
Oh shit. I'm rambling too.
You have a great handle on things. One thing I will say is that those writing political post really don't intend to piss off 50% of their audience. I think they honestly want to educate those who might not understand or agree using reasoning and evidence. At least I think that counts for most but I guess there may be a few antagonist. As for posts like this one, I think it's the kind of post that is written when someone is backed into a corner. If I had most of my rewards removed and felt targeted by whales I'd probably react the same. This is why I get involved because if it ever happened to me then I'd like to think there are people on here who would stick up for me too.
Besides the issue at hand, I have to note how funny it is that we've come to meet under such circumstance. I'm now following your profile and look forward to seeing your posts in my feed. You sound like an entertaining person to have around (my god that sounds so patronising, but it really isn't meant that way).
Anyway, before we hijack this comment thread with an impromptu bromance I'll bid you farewell. Be seeing you some other time in one of your own comment threads. Peace out ✌️
BUT, here's where society runs into problems.
For one, social media is business. Business requires happy customers. So, it's fair to say, most of the time, there two factions, two teams, divided equally. On almost any topic these days (there's a massive middle ground but both teams hardly notice it). These big web2 billionaires would never be billionaires if their customers were constantly at each others necks, fighting. SO, with the help some fancy algorithms, they began positioning the voices/content/message in front of only those who'd prefer to hear it, that way. If you were to go to a place like Youtube as a member of the 'visiting team', and said your piece, there are thousands ready to pounce and shout them out of the room. Go to Youtube as example and look how 'peaceful' those comment sections are. That's artificially made peace. Try your hand at joining a Facebook group if you don't think 'the right way'. You're gone.
So you say the viewpoint does not exist to piss off the other team, but to educate. Unfortunately, in order to 'educate', you'd need students from the other classroom. But they're nowhere in sight. Too busy in their neighborhoods, talking to each other, and nobody else. If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound. Can't educate if everyone agrees and find the other team obnoxious to the point of avoiding them. Nobody wakes up and thinks, "Damn. Today looks like a good day to go somewhere and be mocked all day."
So some groups are now getting pushed out of some networks, correct? But at the same time, the other group in a sense is being pushed further away as well. A new platform springs up. It wants to cater to all those with 'that' viewpoint, since they don't have a home. Now, will that 'other side' be around on that new platform? No. Now it's not an imaginary line simple called a division. It's eight brick walls. Each team gets four. Locked in. Now the savvy billionaire businessman, who's just doing his job and being good at what they do, can profit from both sides, since everyone is happy. Would you ever go to a restaurant a second time if the chef yelled at you for ordering the wrong dish? No. But you'd go there almost daily if it was the best service possible and everyone around you was in the mood you prefer to be around.
I hope you're following what I'm saying because I'm rushing through this like a madman.
And to touch on your point, again, yes, it boils down once again to social circles. People had my back when I was downvoted. Even way back in 2016 I wrote a comedy bit based around the word 'fuck'. Made people laugh. Felt like I finally got noticed around here. But didn't really know anyone. The biggest account in all the land at the time, downvoted me, massively. Community stepped up. Had my back. Made me feel welcome. I didn't even know what to think back then but I still tried to be professional. So yes, it's to be expected people will come to help out.
But I don't agree with Kenny and Urasoul's approach to all this. They have a dispute to settle with individuals here. There's no need to SMASH the entirety of Hive, constantly, because they've been inconvenienced. These are not professionals. It's a time when you need to reach the proverbial 'other side'. A time when you need people to have your back. Why push them away?
Modern social media political conditioning. That's why. Everyone is the enemy, in some minds, and I've witnessed this behavior firsthand.
Thanks for bringing this thought out of me. It's still a bit rough. But it's there.
See you around.