[Series] Achieving financial independence with Steem 2 "Escaping the Salary Worker Lifestyle"
Steem Power as a means to an end
Steem and it's Steem Power are merely means to an end for those who are in pursuit of financial independence. Steem is a valuable tool politically, philosophically, and is an interesting experiment academically, but it's really at best just a social computation game to generate and curate quality content. To the participants in the game there are points which we measure in terms of vests, but these points have value because of the utility Steemit provides combined with the faith the participants put into it. The ideal of financial independence is based on the belief that freedom is possible and that financial freedom is desirable.
Some people say that Steem promotes anarcho-capitalism. In my opinion the Steemians who are crypto-anarchists are marginal. What Steem does promote is finanical freedom and this is a concept that crypto-anarchists are naturally acquainted with but it is not a concept exclusive to crypto-anarchists. In my opinion capitalism itself is just a tool to achieve some and, and in that respect I can only define myself as a pragmatist. I seek the best conequences for myself and all who care about me, regardless of ism, because in the end it's the outcome that matters.
In some cases capitalism produces subjectively better outcomes. When I introduced a certain few from Bitnation to Steemit it was not to promote "capitalism" or anarcho-capitalism. I introduced them to Steemit to attempt to share with them an opportunity which could help them achieve financial independence, and ultimately become financially free. Their political aspirations at least for me were secondary, as my intentions were (and still are), to help genuinely friendly people achieve the goal of financial independence through Steemit. What they do with that is left up to them and politics at least for me do not interfere with friendship.
Politics as a means to an end
Just as Steem is a means to an end, so are politics. Most people that I interact with do not live life as political robots. People care about political issues often because they care about other people. They usually want life to be better for themselves, and other people, and see politics as a means to an end. When politics become the end in itself then in my opinion it becomes problematic. If a particular political ideology is better, then it should be reflected in the lifestyles of the adherents who live it out. For this reason, if we are in the decentralized voluntary blockchain era, then each may feel free to try out their politics and really show what works and what doesn't.
But if the end is a better life for people, then looking at the tools objectively, we can see Steemit is creating a better life for people living under capitalism. This isn't to say the Steemit (or Bitcoin) models are the only models that can work, but it is to say that by looking at measurable results, people are now able to blog, have fun, and make a living for themselves on Steemit. Steemit is clearly superior to Reddit, Facebook and others which concentrate all wealth, which take value from user contributers and of course you end up with situations where homeless individuals have Facebook and Reddit accounts but no money to pay their cost of living.
Financial independence is a means to achieving liberty
Liberty is an end. People in capitalist societies have more liberty when they have more money and there is no way around this truism. In court, the individual who can afford a lawyer can literally lower their probability of loss of liberty in the most direct and literal sense of the word. Individuals who don't have a boss, who don't get coerced into working longer and longer hours without over time pay, who don't get told where to be, and made to be around people they don't like, there is a lot of value to having a liberated lifestyle. Unfortunately the only way to live that lifestyle in the United States in 2016 is through capitalism, and there is no way to avoid money if you want maximum liberty.
But it is also important to note that achieving maximum liberty doesn't always mean maximum money. The point is to have enough money that you can do whatever you want or need to do during your time alive. If money begins to get in the way of being free, or being able to enjoy life, then it's not "good money" anymore because it's no longer a means to an end. For example if you're sacrificing so much of your previous time to a job in order to make a little bit more money, or if you're sacrificing your happiness for money, then maybe money is getting in the way of what you really want to do? Money has to be a great enabler rather than a disabler.
How do you escape the salary worker lifestyle?
It's not easy but first it requires finding a new alternative lifestyle. At least one poster here that I know has achieved this, @kaylinart who has taken the step to quit her job. She now is on the path to financial independence by using Steem Power as a means to an end. With every upvote she comes closer to her goal and at this point in time she no longer has a boss. Follow her if you'd like to see from her perspective what it's like. There will be others who also go down a similar path and it is through these blogs that you can watch and learn whether or not Steemit is helping them achieve the goal of financial freedom.
I think you're right to mention Lin @kaylinart as an achiever who seems to me to be one of the hardest working people on this steemit adventure. She has set goals for herself and meets them everyday. It can't be easy, but the results are showing. She is doing very well here.
I desperately want to escape the life of a salary worker. Unfortunately, at this point, I would need to adopt a new alternative lifestyle that would include not eating and living under a bridge to accomplish it. Maybe a couple more years of Steeming and I'll be able to have my cake and eat it too.
I just posted this of which is of great value to becoming free and empowered in the current system. Hope it helps empower you~
Knowledge is power~~
I would also like to add that while finding a way to be your self and do what you love while being compensated for it is very important, it is also very important to take a look at how the world works. In regards to this post the topic of politics and of money I would like to address some very important points.
Politics and money are very influential in our daily life. While they are really not supposed to be one and the same unfortunately they are. Almost every single government in the entire world is corrupt and this is because they are all bought by global elite .01% ers. Because this is true even running your own business comes at great limitation. The amount of regulation, taxation and code enforcement syphon off peoples hard work no different than a mafia.
Next is that the monitory system of all major countries on the planet are running on fractional reserve fiat currency systems. These systems are DESIGNED to funnel All the profit to the .01% of global elite as they are simply printing currency with no value and tricking people into working for and trading resources for. This makes it very easy for the powerful to stay powerful.
So everything you mentioned is very important and also true yet these aspects I just mentioned are actually far more influential and very few people are even aware of it.
I just published a very extensive article on the history of money and how it works in the world of which I hope everyone reads as it is life changing.
I also want to mention that one of the main reasons I love this Steemit Platform is that it bypasses both fiat currency systems and lots of political control. The reason is because it is not working with a fiat currency at all and because it is all online, the government involvement is minimal.
So while there may be a LOT of people on Steemit who are not crypto currency fanatics it is one of the most important aspects of what is going on and I hope more people begin to see this.
Thanks again and if you want to check out my article I will link it here~
Best Regards~~
https://steemit.com/money/@quinneaker/the-truth-about-money-what-you-need-to-know-to-free-your-self-from-perpetual-debt
That's it. You nailed it. It's what everyone craves, more liberty. Money is just the tool that helps give us liberty.
I've never seen someone point that out before. Love your stuff.
Hi Dana, I just made a post, which is quite related to what you write.. It's about research of AI funded from Steem. I've been reading other articles from you and I think it might be of your interest, as AI and computer security are quite close... I would love to hear your thoughts https://steemit.com/introduceyourself/@hr1/ai-squat-manifesto
State of the art computer security actually comes from AI research.
It is so important to LOVE what you do. If you have a passion toward your "job" then you will naturally do better at it. If you have a passion for what you are doing then you will "work harder" because you have an increased motivation in comparison to others. All of this combined will ultimately give you a Greater Return
That is why I love #steemit because it will always yield the greatest return to the ones who are passionate about contributing quality material to the steemit community
!!!!UPVOTE IF YOU LOVE STEEMIT!!!!
Nice writwup. I think economics of money in conjunction with the Steemit platform would be a nice 1,2 punch. Here's my article, on a related topic. Upvoted and following!
https://steemit.com/money/@tee-em/get-rich-during-crisis-how-to-arbitrage-bitcoin-silver-gold-and-other-assets-to-maximize-profits-during-collapse-part-1
I quit 3 years ago and am glad I did!!
"Do what you Love
Love what you do."
Body Glove
Truer words have never been written "who don't get coerced into working longer and longer hours". It seems like every job I have ever had comes with a boss that needs more and can't pay.
Great post! That's exactly what I'm trying to do, as well.
A really great article!
Thank you for this valuable contribution to not just the Steemit Community but the world!
I would also like to add that while finding a way to be your self and do what you love while being compensated for it is very important, it is also very important to take a look at how the world works. In regards to this post the topic of politics and of money I would like to address some very important points.
Politics and money are very influential in our daily life. While they are really not supposed to be one and the same unfortunately they are. Almost every single government in the entire world is corrupt and this is because they are all bought by global elite .01% ers. Because this is true even running your own business comes at great limitation. The amount of regulation, taxation and code enforcement syphon off peoples hard work no different than a mafia.
Next is that the monitory system of all major countries on the planet are running on fractional reserve fiat currency systems. These systems are DESIGNED to funnel All the profit to the .01% of global elite as they are simply printing currency with no value and tricking people into working for and trading resources for. This makes it very easy for the powerful to stay powerful.
So everything you mentioned is very important and also true yet these aspects I just mentioned are actually far more influential and very few people are even aware of it.
I just published a very extensive article on the history of money and how it works in the world of which I hope everyone reads as it is life changing.
I also want to mention that one of the main reasons I love this Steemit Platform is that it bypasses both fiat currency systems and lots of political control. The reason is because it is not working with a fiat currency at all and because it is all online, the government involvement is minimal.
So while there may be a LOT of people on Steemit who are not crypto currency fanatics it is one of the most important aspects of what is going on and I hope more people begin to see this.
Thanks again and if you want to check out my article I will link it here~
Best Regards~*~
https://steemit.com/money/@quinneaker/the-truth-about-money-what-you-need-to-know-to-free-your-self-from-perpetual-debt