"Silence is Acceptance."
realistically, the dolphins and minnows can't have that much impact in speaking up. If Steemit fails it won't be as a result of a system flaw...unless that is interpreted as considering the human factor as part of the system
humans have an intrinsic percentage of scumbags...and we see that play out here
Well, there's an entire research paper in there, somewhere. Indeed, it may not be the system that's flawed, but the builders of the system.
As you may recall, I've studied-- and been part of-- some 50+ "content sites with rewards" since 1999. Many were great ideas, and well executed. The SINGLE common thread behind why every single one failed was a certain naivete and/or gross underestimate by the founders of the sheer depth of human greed and selfishness. The "scumbag factor."
In a sense, nobody's to blame... it doesn't show up in "studies" or "market tests;" only direct observation reveals it. In a single paragraph, think of it like this:
If you announce "I have a cool new site that offers rewards for content!" you might draw 10-20% of the "legitimate" users out there, who will use your venue as intended... and could make it thrive. However, you will also draw close to 100% of the scumbags and exploiters... they will literally "cross the seven seas" if they catch the scent of even ten cents "for free" to be had.
Because you don't think that way, and I don't think that way, and I'm sure Dan and Ned didn't think that way... we end up with systems full of holes that can be exploited. And unless the scambags and bottom feeders are smacked down hard, they'll keep coming, bringing ever more ingenious automated exploits. Best thing we can do to ensure survival is to develop a reputation (in the "mining for freebies" community) for having ZERO TOLERANCE of any kind of spam/exploitation.
I agree with @stevescoins that this is worth a post of it's own.
this comment is worth a post of it's own; you should consider expanding on it a bit and posting it ;> let me know if you do so!
Thanks. I'm working on it... it's suffering a bit from "creeping elegance" because I decided to merge it with a couple of other rambles about the destructive power of spam.
I agree.