Oh boy did I open a can of worms!! Where will I go with this one? Collectivism, group think, hive mentality, Anarchy, Steem. Yeah, that's a good start. I was planning on writing this post once I was clearly established (more followers) in the community but I read something today that stopped me in my tracks. I am writing this to be confrontational to the point of waking a few folks up to a potential train wreck from happening. I also have a free mind and I'll be damned if I am going to let it sit there and collect dust.
Anarchy doesn't have to be feared
Anarchy is an interesting concept. Most people think anarchy means - without rules. The truth is Anarchy is not the lack of rules, only that no other man or woman should be given more rights than anyone else. Let us walk out of Plato's cave, into the bright beautiful sun and learn that laws and rules are not equal. Anarchists can create businesses with rules. Laws can not exist in an Anarchist society only because there is no Government to carry out acts of violence against others. You might be asking about destruction of persons or property in Anarchy. This post is discussing the use of Government coercion in non-violent circumstances and the transition between our current world and the new world (no, not the NWO). Everything else will be discussed in future posts. Don't worry, there are answers for malicious intent in an Anarchist society. Lock-n-load! Kidding!
Government is the answer!
Pedophiles, narcissists and Satanists run our Government. (Probably a gross understatement.) What is the answer? More laws? More law makers? Do I really need to paint a picture of how more Government and laws have NOT made our lives any better? If you don't understand that, please go look at the Government laws and IRS tax laws in 1900 versus today and let me know what the difference is. Take a look at Chicago's murder rate, tough gun laws and the mass population exodus out of Illinois. Laws create law breakers.
Good Ol' Days
Remember the stories of our grandparents and how life didn't seem as dangerous - walking to school, biking around town? Baby boomers were successful because of the lack of business laws. Today, no one would be able to create a competitor to the iPhone without at least three Government agencies raining on your parade. I'll continue... Prohibition created bootlegging. The war on drugs promoted drugs. Venezuela legal tender laws created a currency black market. A LARGE part of societal breakdown is directly contributed to Government.
What does anarchy have to do with Steem, @Haejin, @BernieSanders, @RANCHORELAXO, @RandomWhale ? It starts with one of the core beliefs that crypto-enthusiasts have countlessly drilled into the heads of the early crypto-currency adopters. 'Take down Government', 'Governments can't stop us', 'Cryptos will free humanity'. I did NOT and still do NOT believe cryptos will ever free humanity. Why? The old world mentality and the remnants of duality. How does humanity evolve and become less destructive and more harmonious? Adopt a new form of currency? New technology? Not even close. It starts by individually shedding the unconscious greed, understanding that you will remain a slave of the Government until you resign your part. Basically, education and true historical education, specifically. We must stop using Government to inflict critical damage on our opponents. A disagreement of a chess game shouldn't be followed by crying to your mother, turning over the board and making a mess of the pieces.
Before we get to the core Steem problem with the players mentioned in this post, let us delve into an article that really disappointed me.
Excerpt of this ill intended post...
In my reports I gave them everything I had including the exchanges Hgin uses, his personal details, the 360,000 USD he has moved in crypto and not paid tax on (in this I clearly stated I suspected), his website, (I have also reported his website to the Korean Consumer Protection Agency for fraudulent practices as well, though they don't really enforce much, they give great advice) and of course his Steemit account as it is a store of wealth of sorts and used to generate revenue. Though he is cautious with this and how he uses it.
I read the article by @Iknowwhoyouare, demanding @Haejin stop 'raping' the pool rewards. Technically, the term "rape" was not used in the above referenced article, but I have seen the term thrown around loosely in terms of Haejin. Is 'rape' an accurate depiction? Let's see... @Haejin posts content, 20k+ users and himself upvote his content, @Haejin takes the reward and trades the coins on an open market. The market created Steem, the rules were voted on, a user is utilizing Steem to their advantage and a few of the users are upset because this person is taking too much money? Is that 'rape' or is he playing within the rules? Do the people hate Haejin or are they projecting their dislike for the way Steem runs? Is Haejin breaking the rules or is he breaking the community's ideology of how the system 'should' be played? Are you upset that rich and large corporations exploit tax loopholes to avoid paying taxes, or are you mad at an unfair system?
I want you to watch a short movie. If you watch anything today this movie should be it as it changed my life for the better. It's not very long (18 min). I do not want to give anyone a synopsis because some things you must experience to understand.
The Lottery
I watched this movie my Sophomore year in high school. I didn't completely understand it at the time but today it's probably one of the scariest movies I have ever watched. Did you notice that the woman cheered her husband, early on, laughing and enjoying the lottery? After she was selected what did she say? "It wasn't fair. They didn't give him enough time to choose... It isn't fair". The woman was willing to have another man, woman or child killed IF the drawing was redone! She happily participated right up to the end where she did an abrupt about-face as the 'Game of Life' spinner stopped on her families number.
Do you want to live in a China, North Korea or Islamic State where money buys Government to suppress opposition? Where one wrong move and you are on the wrong side of the losing draw? Do you want to be the one saying 'Redo... it's not fair'?
What Steem Means to Me
I came to Steem because it has a couple of my top passions: learning and making money. I can't tell you how much I enjoy learning. In any given week on Monday I can learn how to start a fire using primitive sources, Wednesday I can learn about technical analysis, Thursday brings me secrets of hollow earth ;) and Friday teaches me different ways to meditate. Truth is what I seek. I weed through the never-ending silly cat videos, click bait and "Dr's say to eat this" ads to find an OUNCE of truth about the lies we have been living in this world. If you ask me what the number one takeaway that the social media age has brought to the foreground is, I would have to say the thumbs up button. The individual single action of up-voting information, collectively, pushes truth to the top of the list. It's simplistic in it's idea but profound when you see the collective notion this little button brings. Steem has it but what is lacking? What is the crux of the issue?
Steem Problem - I don't have a solution YET
A steemian carries majority vote inside of their Steem Power. EVERYTHING else is pretty much useless. As a multi millionaire (I wish) I could buy my way into Steem and become a HUGE WHALE!! If I could, I would. Not many people would pass up an opportunity to be on the ground floor when technical analysis says that SBD and Steem are about to have a HUGE jump in price. The only thing that stops most of us is cash or the lack thereof. YouTube, Facebook and Twitter have a very different model in that the more votes and subscribers you have, the higher you are rated. Steem is quite the opposite as it uses the model of the more money you have, the more you control. How does Truth get upvoted? Do we trust the current elite to educate the masses? Just because they have more money or more Steem Power, does that mean they have our best interests at heart? How does the truth of a 'plankton' voice ever reach the upper echelon if that person needs to pay her or his bills? Steem is currently a reflection of our current system and it does sadden me to have to say that. The argument I bring forth is not about Haejin, RANCHORELAXO, BernieSanders or Randomwhale. Their arguments are merely a symptom of a system that has a glaring flaw. If a few succeed in removing Haejin then what's there to stop the next person? Until more weight is assigned to subscriber count, upvotes and reputation score in factoring our standings, truth will always take a back seat to money.
Very well said and thanks a massive lot for sharing the short film.
100% upvoted and resteemed.
Thank you, that means a lot!
Sure thing. I too was earning cents and wandering with a tiny reputation just few months ago. I support those who can bring the right sensible thinking to the platform. The memetics are paramount to everything. Cryptos could only be developed and popularized by free market thinkers. You are doing good work.
Good Luck!
The thumbs up or upvote brings the truth to the top? (You said that is the greatest gift of social media)
So collective opinion = truth?
Consider most of us have been brainwashed in some form or another. Each of us have opinions and biases.
I would have to say that community upvotes don't do much at all to reveal truth.
We can see this in so many places where polar opposite opinions are equally supported by 50:50 split. Where is the truth revealed in that?
Lots of good points in this piece.... But I disagree that the "upvote" has done any better job of freeing us or allowing "truth" to be revealed.
Peace
I don't understand the moral of the story of the video.
Would you be as kind as to explain it to me?
Thanks
Sorry for the late reply. The moral of the story is that government is a weapon used against the people. Is turning over the chess board a way that we as a society want to conduct ourselves? Calling the IRS because you don't like someone figuring a way to make a lot of money in Steem is a loosing bet for humanity. We need to stop using Government as a way to bend people to our will.
I read with interest your perspective on the post by @Iknowwhoyouare and clicked the link you provided to the expanded version of your POV. The video 'the Lottery', is very intersting and illustrative, and, as you say, scary! There may be parallels with the haejinhunt on Steemit, but I don't care to speculate further on this.
"Pedophiles, narcissists and Satanist" and the dark energies they engage with do indeed run the Matrix show (as I see it). They prey on fear and scarcity and such stuff. I too liked the decentralised nature of Steemit, with what I see/saw as potential for enactment of different types of energies, especially 'abundance'.
I'm not the least bit interested in taking sides. I don't feel drawn to it - I can see what Iknowwhoyouare is doing, and must say I had misgivings enough to refrain from voting the post, even though it was a fascinating read. There is implicit violence in that position. I leave it alone, it has to play out the way it will, I cannot control it and I don't wish it to control me (emotionally, by getting worked up either way). I wonder how relevant it even is to anything real....we make it what it is through our collective engaged energies (just like in the Matrix).
So wtf am I saying? :) ......well the notions of 'scarcity' and 'abundance' are what I'm on about. It is the 'scarcity' mindset that positions one against those seen as cheating the system - coz then they are taking from everyone else and there isn't enough to go round, so people complain that they are being unfairly treated and people want a share of this limited pie....this is a perception though numbers can be sewn together to make it look like convincing fact (maybe it is!?). However, if there is abundance (pls excuse the link to a post by me on this subject, but it's relevant I think as it expands the view I'm trying to present here) ....if abundance is a thing, then it means that there is enough to go around - that's it! No need to worry or play games. Perhaps most people don't realise this yet - and certainly don't behave as if it were the case :D ...... so maybe this is the one question to consider - is there abundance or not? .... If it's just bullshit, then it's back to the old games of the matrix, fight, kill be killed, guntotn' or not :)))) ....but if there is abundance, well all this stress and chasing and worrying about hoarding and hodling and entitlement is nothing but a distraction from full participation in life and creativity.....such is my perspective.
Cheers
🚣
I've been thinking about your comment. First off thanks for the great comment! I think we are shedding the skin of the old ways and the new ways will bring in a 'heaven on earth' with abundance. I still think though that scarcity is going to exist only because I believe it's a lesson we need to learn.
Quote from a post I am working on...
So above, so below. To measure accuracy with ANY theory in our world you just have to look at the relationship between the upper and the lower (our world and the spirit realm). Does the idea resonate and complete in both worlds? For example: The physical world manifested the internet. The spiritual world connects EVERYTHING by an inter-connected web called the collective consciousness. (Ever think about someone and then they appear?). So above, so below. The physical world created the video game Contra (showing my age here). The spiritual world created a system of reincarnation and spiritual leveling up. EVERYTHING in our world has a connection to the spiritual realm. Like a tree and its roots, a relationship is manifested in the physical realm.
What I am getting to is this. If scarcity exists in this world there is a reason for it. Conservation of forests, water, air, land are all hot topics in our world. Just like personal protection, another huge topic. If God didn't want us to learn these things then why 'program' us this way? Why allow us to learn about these things if the spirit realm has no concept of a gun/protection or scarcity?
You've got me thinking too :D. Thanks for your reply, it's an interesting angle on this, expecially your concluding line "Why allow us to learn about these things if the spirit realm has no concept of a gun/protection or scarcity?". This sentence seems to relate to "scarcity is going to exist only because I believe it's a lesson we need to learn".
I agree about the lesson and the learning. However, I don't know that something has to exist in order for us to learn from it - I mean, we assume many falsehoods throughout life (illusions and false notions) which we take for truth, and then realise we were misled (by whatever learning process/life experience). The realisation and shedding of falsehood is IMO, the learning. In my experience, the greater the untruth one has played with, the greater the potential for learning/growth/expansion when one sees through it.
The notion of 'scarcity' being mirrored in the spirit realm is an interesting one, but In my opinion/experience I cannot agree that it is so. For me, the veils that conceal reality are removed the closer one gets to Source (God, Universal Energy, or whatever the label/concept of ONE), or the further away one gets from the illusion of external reality/identity. Pain and Suffering - the greatest of teachers - are of this physical plane and they are factors of the illusion that we are brought up to believe is the Truth (that we are powerless; we have to be slaves to the concepts of the mainstream Matrix, competition is natural/necessary, we don't deserve Love, we need to work on it coz we are imperfect and flawed etc etc). The physical plane is the realm of illusion, of negative emotions and desires, fear and control etc which, when we perceive, understand the workings of within us, and transcend our enslavement to - raises consciousness through a process of seeing through the illusions. The raising of consciousness reaches towards the spiritworld - one can become spiritual in this physical world, not the other way around!
At the level of spirit, there doesn't seem to be the same possibility of the playout of the energies and fears that make up the scarcity mindset when in a physicality - there is no need. Additionally, the game of incarnation on this physical plane could be specifically to interact with the illusion as if it were real, such that the experiences to be had when entering into a state of complete forgetting would be vastly more expanded than if one had the awareness of the game and one's role in it (there would be less discovery). It is here, to my mind, that scarcity comes in - not as a reality, but just as a perception, a tool of learning through the apparent experience of lack. There may be no such thing as scarcity, but saying this sounds like bullshit in a world where one's experience is largely of pushing (and/or seeing everyone pushing) for maxi-profit. Is it not the case - frankly speaking - that negative feelings and perceptions around versions of he earns undeservingly taking away from me, unfair, I may not get a piece of the pie can be said to influence/give birth to ALL the activity currently taking place on Steemit re the flag-wars?
So that's back to my initial statement, so maybe this is the one question to consider - is there abundance or not?...or to turn it around and ask 'is scarcity a thing or not?'. I think this reveals itself for a multi-layered question if one looks into it from an individual and personal perspective.
I'm pretty sure I am mostly in agreement with your second para. Alignment is a multi-dimensional thing, yes, agree that an idea can resonate and complete in both realms, but IMO, only if it is a bearer of truth, and not falsehood.
Wanna conclude with quoting you: I think we are shedding the skin of the old ways and the new ways will bring in a 'heaven on earth' with abundance....yes sir!
PS @ldacey-laforge, thanks :D
Holy shit, great post. The movie was terrifying!
Thank you!
Hello @guntotnhippie, nice to Steem you! Thanks for delivering us such a worthy article (and thanks to @vimukthi for echoing it to a larger audience :-)).
There would be an entire book to write around the topics you tackle here. As far as I've seen from my limited Steemian experience (3 months of activity here, in 3 different linguistic communities), Steemit's "original sin" is the same as in any "State-framed liberal society": making us believe that through this network we can at the same time meet economic / financial success ("sell our creativity and be clients to other Steemians creativity") and fulfill our political nature ("be an electronic citizen"), all that on the basis of individual desires / interests.
If it could work - to a certain extent - among a group of like-minded persons, with the same level of institutional understanding (ask 10 randomly selected Steemians what are actually doing the Witnesses, and what are the guidelines of the SBD monetary policy, you'll see the results...), in a mass of 750,000 people with so diverse cultural background, social conditions, educations and intentions regarding this platform, it's vowed to failure. Steemit is currently a victim of certain "universalist integrative vision" quite common amongst informatics developers, not to say amongst blockchain-enthusiasts. What is supposed to be accepted - and somatized - by all Humanity, after having been catholicism, psychoanalysis, marxism or liberalism, now is "algorithm regulated democracy".
I'd advocate for the creation of a " Minnows Steemit", where the first 6 months of our interactions with the ecosystem will be oriented towards social rules, economic mechanisms and self-empowerment learnings (through NON monetary means), as a mimimum measure to discard the powermongers, the mentally disturbed and the sociality destroyers Steemians to be...
Interesting and thought provoking piece.
I tend to keep out of the politics here but agree that without a hefty SP a persons voice is drowned out by the wake of the whales.
@barge kinda gets it right to my mind ~ fear of scarcity kinda skews perception. I will keep on keeping on and hope that somehow/someday/someway what I have to say adds value to others and a few quid in my piggybank!
xox
I wish I could keep out of politics lol. Mostly I stay away from politics but I've noticed that eventually the ignored politics are the ones that end up infringing on my rights.
I think you just have to let the voice and idea inside resonate. I think we all have something to offer someone else. Thanks for the comment!
Not easy to find a good answer. As long as we use this platform we are a part of the problem. And we feed the big ones.