The value issue is to me the greatest issue in my opinion.
I saw the steemit photoshoot a few days ago, and I just couldn't stop thinking: How does this add value? What does taking a picture with someone who looks good and have steemit on their shirt do for steemit? I couldn't find anything good that it did, it didn't seem "valuable" to me. But I'd love to hear how it could be valuable if you think it is.
You're talking about the professional shoot?
It's not valuable to me either as far as content. The case has been made that in order to generating excitement and exposure it isn't bad in the short term to have big payouts even on content we don't see a value in. I agree but I also think that there is too much voting based on attractiveness of the photos and whale following.
It would be more beneficial for someone who has a genuine interest in Steem or the community beyond the SBD rewards to be rewarded with a large payout. The community needs distribution, so it needs more whales & dolphins to spread their upvotes around to minnows as well as create content. Users only reciprocating upvotes in their own little circles won't do this.
It's also detrimental to the market if these users immediately cash out large amounts of Steem or SBD and dump it on the market. This user withdrew their first big Steemit SBD reward to an exchange, it's logical to assume they sold it immediately.
One of the biggest growing pains is going to be popular content like this that earns big bucks. Value is subjective. And sorry to be sexist but there are users that are playing up to those that will vote for a pretty face with poor or mediocre content. Also there are always going to be nitches, photography isn't my thing so I can't really appreciate it. Give me a really good sci-fi writer or someone who I can debate and converse with on certain topics and I'm more interested.
So after looking at the user's history I don't think that the post was anywhere near as valuable as it was rewarded from the viewpoint of contributing to the community either.
My other concern is what will happen to these one hit wonders when (I'm optimistic) users start moving toward better quality content? Those that become discouraged my dump their Steem, depending on how much is dumped it could devalue Steem considerably.
Some of this goes back to site vs community viewpoints. Sigh, and I need to learn to condense my thoughts better. Still too many words. :D
Thanks for the conversation.
Ya, I was talking about the professional shoot, I don't think the people who did that shoot are in it for the long haul. They definitely just make some money, then cash out and move on. I hate seeing those sorts of posts.
Also followed you back because I like talking to people who see eye to eye with me.
I agree with both of you. Seems the only "value" being rewarded is promotional material with marketable faces doing marektable things. Thats all well and fine if it is done so to bring in the masses so we all can win eventually. But if it becomes a cycle, then the entire idea behind steemit is another hollow, corporate nothing. Big wig pays ad agency so a mass of nobodys buy big wigs' vested product. Only to find the only value in it, is for the guy who sold you on it. In which case, every minnow, flounder, and tuna becomes nothing but sucker fish.
Hope that makes sense