'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.
Haha! Did you take some mushrooms before writing this? Yep, I’ve experienced the Facebook group mentality first hand and it one of the main reasons I ended up here. Steemit claimed to be censorship free and a place for everyone to voice their opinions. I think the way this has turned out not to be the case is why people are feeling disenfranchised. I feel for the likes of kenny and urasoul. Yes, they might be attacking hive now but that’s not what they are about and their actions come after much provocation. If we’re going to bash people for their behaviour that must go both ways. I would much rather they didn’t attack hive and instead return to what they were doing before all this started, but how can they do that if what they were doing is now a punishable offence?
Moving on…
This is a fair point and you’re probably right 99.5% of the time. Nonetheless, there are still those out there who have not chosen a side and if hive only promotes one form of education then it’s no better than a controlled platform such as Facebook. I mean who needs clever algorithms when you have whales directing the plays? I remember when I found alt media/news and I’m very thankful to have discovered it. The same goes for steem/steemit/hive. It’s just a shame that people could be put off joining hive due to what’s happening right now(and that goes for people sharing the views of either or neither of the people in this dispute).
There is one way this could all end well…
Why yes, I did take some before, several times, but none recently. Still experiencing side effects perhaps? LOL!
Kenny and Urasoul claim it's censored, then the social circle followers believe it and repeat it, yet here we are, talking about whatever we want, however we want to say it. I question that narrative. Others believing it do not, and can't see the forest for the trees it seems. They want everyone to be afraid to talk. They're the only ones saying it. Everyone else is fine.
"Punishable offense" would be propaganda. Not fact. I see others freely speaking. Challenging a message isn't punishment. Only one feeling like everyone should be agreeing with them would feel punished. People challenge my words sometimes. I don't feel punished.
Choosing a side isn't necessary. Only those on either side would think it is.
Claiming people will be turned away from this platform due to this particular situation is rather self-centered. But I realize it's part of the groupthink. Not all groups think the same. This platform also attracts many who don't fall into any groups and enjoy independent minds. Not many platforms have those people. They're silenced in all the noise coming from the 'sides'.
And you're right about the handshake. But that's not the direction some chose. Once one chooses their path, it's often hard for them to turn around. That's life.
Fucking hell! You still rambling on? 🤣 In that case I’ll carry on too…
Now I certainly want some of what you’re smoking!😉 Hive advertises itself as somewhere to earn for the content you provide, does it not? Therefore it’s quite fair to say people might be put off when they realise that the advertisement doesn’t live up to its name. I also wonder how your perspective would stack up if, for instance, the haveyoubeenhere community were targeted in the same way? I’m guessing anyone looking to write and earn from travel blogging would be put off from coming here. And that’s not me being self-centered, nor is it any form of group-think, that’s just common sense. Because why would anyone stay in a place where they’re made to feel unwelcome by the most influential of profiles, or where they are treated differently to everyone else(in the way of rewards I mean)?
Also, challenging a message is what we are doing now with each other. We are not going on to downvote one another’s posts out of spite, we are being adults and having a conversation. If someone is challenged they get a fair chance to defend themselves but when someone is punished via a silent dv they’re not given that same opportunity.
Lol. Yes, like mindless zombies we all obey and think the same. They’re not the first to question this behaviour you know… Quite patronising if I’m honest, but I guess I could say the same about you now you’ve trotted out the mantra; “you’re not censored because you’re still free to say whatever you like”. Next you’ll be telling me to go build a second layer token if I don’t like the way things are run around here.
Ramble over.