Steem seems to be the thing.
Dreams seem to be a means.
Beams of light through fiber strings.
10 years ago, while attending Rutgers University, I had an idea of starting a social media network that paid users. Unfortunately, this was pre-cloud, pre-monetization, pre-blockchain world. So to the computer science department my idea seemed "preschool". Everyone else just thought I need a "prescription". Though I may have been naive all of my assumptions were validated in coming years. AWS made it possible for people to launch, run, and scale programs without buying expensive servers. Facebook monetized at the "high" valuation of $54B and has grown over 700% since the IPO. Now, due to blockchain technology, it IS possible to pay users for creating, curating, and distributing content.
I've been a part of several experiments in this arena. The most successful of them pales in potential to what Steemit can be. The white paper is concise and I agree with it's insights. The network is growing and so is the value of Steem. People are earning and redeeming their Steem with ease. This is the BIG ONE guys.
Why am I so interested in being paid for social media? I see a coming crisis and I don't see any other way to overcome than to change from a task-based economy to a value-based economy. By 2020, 40% of the American workforce will be made up of "freelancers". Of all U.S. jobs created in the first quarter of 2016 80% pay minimum wage. Furthermore, robotics and (AI) could cut HALF THE WORLD's jobs in the next 30 years. Together these statistics, among others, paint a bleak picture of the future. One that our educational system, government, and economy are unprepared for. My goal is to fill this gap. by creating and promoting applications and initiatives that open source income in places that are barren of jobs or "legal" opportunities.
I want to create new economic paradigms in the most oppressed minds of the world. The systems of the world we live in are broken. These broken systems will either destroy the lives of the majority of human, or, humanity will turn it's back on these systems and march into the future. Who's with me?