First let me say happy anniversary π
I read this all the way through and thoroughly enjoyed your analysis.
I've been stuck in that Facebook addiction loop in the past and now it is one of the only social media I won't interact with much at all.
Hence, we get caught in what she calls the dopamine-seeking loop.
Believe me, I remember how debilitating and tiring it was.
But I think steem comes with it's own problems, one of which is that it is more like a gambling addiction, if you have an addictive personality, which I do. Once you throw money into the equation, that thrill when many upvotes $ come is even more powerful, but after a month or two, you discover that it is curie that is making that happen lol. This creates an uneasy psychological effect where you get the gamblers thrill of a win, but the dopamine response is fake. The analytical mind tells you that this isn't rewards from many people for your excellent work, just from one person and an organisation.
I think the dopamine response comes from the comments and the genuine interaction, but you're right in what you say at the end, most people have little interaction at first, which makes for an unsettling introduction to steem for many new users.
I don't know what the answer is, or what the future of Steem will bring. But I've just attended the witness chat discord show, and I can tell you that it seemed uncertain for content creators on steem. Especially those with low Steem power.
Funnily enough, andrachy from steemit.inc kept saying that content creators were key, and he quoted the advertising they have implemented as a key reason for the importance of good content. But a certain proportion of the witnesses were expressing the opinion that content is very much secondary in importance and that steem is going to evolve down a different path.
I found the whole thing pretty frustrating to be honest. But, as you say it is the community and people we interact with that is the real value in steem. I made the mistake of believing I could earn enough to live from writing on steem and that is the only reason why my experience has been so frustrating. I wish I'd arrived on steem at a different time in my life when my health was better and I was more financially secure. Then I wouldn't have got caught up in an impossible dream.
Ha ha, but there I go again! Getting that good ole fashioned dopamine hit from banging on about myself πππ
Hi Raj, Thanks for 'celebrating' with me. You were an important part of my first year. One of the encouraging voices that made this an enjoyable ride.
I think any business has to decide whether short-term gains benefit long-term health. While it seems that charging for every move on the platform will yield profit, what it actually does is choke off the participants. An old saying: Penny wise and pound foolish. That's actually quite apt here.
If you look around you in the physical world, people pay a lot for entertainment. After the basic needs are taken care of, they want to enjoy themselves. Call it a dopamine fix. Call it fun. But entertainment is big bucks. Steemit should tap into that appetite. That's where the long-term profit is.
I hope this turns around. I hope your great writing and other contributions on the platform get the material rewards they deserve. Know that I am always rooting for you.
Funnily enough, I have a feeling that's where it's going... Probably with games. I've started playing this new one drugwars and I know steemmonsters is very popular, although I'm not sure I could get into it.
I've been experimenting with vlogging on steem instead as I lost the spark of inspiration for creative writing, don't get me wrong I still write poetry and fiction, but I don't post much of it on steem anymore. It's saved for potential publishing elsewhere. Also, I've been freelance writing and most of my dwindling drive goes towards hitting those deadlines.
What you say about people paying a lot for entertainment strikes home to me right now. I sincerely hope that steem's future includes talented authors on here being paid well for their time, it's debatable if that is the case now. Anyway, I'm sat on the couch now watching Vikings on Netflix... and honestly, I'm thinking it's time to get really serious about this writing malarkey. There are so many opportunities out there if you just believe in yourself, especially for fantasy or historic fiction. Also, any writer needs a bucket of luck even when they have talent but that's the way it's always been.
My oyster is the world π
I hope you return to creative writing soon. I find that if I draw (no I can't draw!) there's a stirring in the part of my psyche that generates ideas...words. Sometimes, we have to relax and let the thing flow. Remember the joy of writing.
You're right...if you don't just simply do it, nothing will happen. Read, listen to great books, look at art. There is so much creativity in you. Let it out.
I'll be looking for your stuff :))
Your big fan, ag.