Recently, @theycallmedan decided to delegate 10,000 STEEM (for a year ... God Bless his soul) to a worthy group here on Steemit. The names of many nominees were submitted. The Top 10 were determined and the winner will be chosen, via a poll, from amongst those names. (There's a Poll Link at the end of this post.)
My nominee for the delegation was Steemitbloggers (recently re-branded: The Power House Creatives). It seems to be down to three groups, one of which is Steemitbloggers. I am requesting that readers of this post take a moment to go vote for one of these worthy causes.
The argument I made to @theycallmedanin in support of Steemitblogers, I will now make to you:
My Comment:
@theycallmedan,
Dan, yours is a generous gesture. Thank you. There are many excellent nominees and I'm sure whichever you pick will be a worthy recipient.
I am here to make the case for @steeemitbloggers (recently re-branded as The Power House Creatives).
Theoretically, Steemit has the ability to be a transformational technology. It has the ability to generate income, full or supplementary, for millions of people in countries all over the world. And, it has the ability to do the same for a host of charitable causes. Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime.
But Golden Eggs require the existence of a Golden Goose and, unfortunately, at the moment, Steemit is falling well short of its promise.
The entire system is predicated upon a Central Premise, that Content Shall Be Compensated Commensurate With Its Quality.
A complex Curation Process, comprised of a series of re-enforcing feedback loops, is supposed to quickly elevate high quality content, gaining it additional exposure and additional financial support. The Best of the Blockchain (posts in TRENDING) would then spread out across the Internet, drawing attention, creating new audiences and attracting new users.
The additional users would help absorb the issuance of new currency (payouts from the Reward Pool), offsetting the inflationary nature of STEEM. The resulting increase in demand would increase the price of the cryptocurrency and everyone from Whales, with their large stake-holdings, to Minnows, with post-payouts now made more valuable, would benefit.
That's the theory. In reality, the system is broken to its core. Earlier today, I published a post comprised of some of my recent comments and replies on the subject. I'd encourage you to give it a read:
Every one of the august ambitions of the blockchain and its users rests upon a singular dynamic: The Creation and Curation of Great Content.
Absent that dynamic, all the rest will crumble.
Steemitbloggers (The Power House Creatives) is a group of content creators of singular distinction. It is not merely the highest concentration of raw creative talent on the blockchain, it is a group of content creators fighting, tooth and nail, to preserve the soul of a dream.
On the interior wall of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. is an extract for Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural Address:
"On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago, all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it, all sought to avert it. While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war, insurgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war, seeking to dissolve the Union, and divide effects, by negotiation.
Both parties deprecated war;
but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive;
and the other would accept war rather than let it perish.
And the war came."
There is something in the soul of old soldiers that is moved to tears by such sentiment. At least, I was. I sense a similar conflict peculating for the soul of Steemit. Just as a nation founded upon the principal of freedom cannot co-exist with the institution of slavery, neither can a system based upon merit co-exist with one based upon manipulation ... for the existence of the former, negates the existence of the latter.
For the soul of the endeavor to survive, a great many will have to decide in favor of merit. The great and the small and everyone in between. Individuals will have to stand and, perhaps, as price for their standing, suffer the slings and arrows of life's outrageous fortune. For, as all old soldiers know, that for which no one is willing to fight ... dies.
Steemitbloggers (The Power House Creatives) are arrayed upon the field of battle, shoulder to shoulder with muskets at the ready. Come what may, we will fight the good fight, but, admittedly ... we could use a few more bullets.
Quill
Member, The Power House Creatives
Quill
dPoll
How to vote?
- Click this D-Poll Link.
- Login to steemconnect
- Select 'Steemitbloggers'
- Return to this post and type in the Comments, "Alright Quill, I voted for Steemitbloggers. You owe me, you bastard ... and I intend to collect.
You guys know the QuillDrill. Be verbose ... but articulate.
And remember ...
Go Love A Starving Poet
For God's sake ... they're starving!
:)
You have made a very compelling case for Steemitbloggers. I have been following you and other members and I have had the most intellectually stimulating conversations on writing, arts, politics Steem/Steemit, and life in general thus far.
I agree with your approach on merit as a value that must be salvage from the wreck if Steemit is to survive and grow. Communities like Steemitbloggers provide a challenging and encouraging environment where steemians can interact and develop.
@girlbeforemirror,
Marg, as per our email, this is the kind of advanced training that the French government provided me for 5 years. This is really important ... so pay attention (and, no, that's not "mansplaining" ... it's simply "situational awareness expertise:"
.
.
I expect this provides additional insight into the peculiarities of my personality and behaviors. They turned me into a jungle cat, always on guard and sensitive to my surroundings.
En Garde!!!
Quill
I hope my vote help this community.
@snowy-june,
Thank you very much, Snowy. Your vote will most certainly help the group. Right now, it's a pretty close race between the Top 2 groups, with Steemitbloggers slightly behind. But, have no fear, I know for a fact that we've got more votes coming ... but, time-zones do play a part and some people are having issues with SteemConnect (it took me almost two days to get it to work so I could vote). Arrgh.
Incidentally, I visited your blog ... you are a fellow poet! Followed.
Quill
Alright Quill, I voted for Steemitbloggers as has @azurejasper, you can stop harassing me now. You owe me, you bastard ... and I don't intend to collect. But you are still a pushy opinionated bastard.
That is what I like about steemit. Strong opinion and the respect and educated reasoning to engage in informed discussion. Creative, fun, amusing and interesting posts. I have follow many of the members of this group, some for a long while for these reasons too.
I cast my vote with confidence. Good luck team.
I have been a keen free writer, it has kept me engaged in steemit and I am so grateful to @mariannewest. Seeing the free write house show their support and get behind steemitbloggers today in there latest post makes it an easier choice, I'm also very proud of their generous spirit.
You can see the post here.
https://steemit.com/freewrite/@mariannewest/day-467-5-minute-freewrite-wednesday-prompt-wild-and-woolly
@girlbeforemirror,
And she's one of my BEST friends on Steemit. It's not easy being The Quill. :-)
Thanks Marg.
And, from Our House to Yours, thank you @mariannewest and all the Members of @freewritehouse.
Quill
😄 ❤️
You are the best!! Thank you!
OMG @quillfire
If anyone reading this were NOT to vote for #PowerHouseCreatives then, you never wrote and I never read....
@fionasfavourites
Hi Fiona. I loved that barbecue grill (but most certainly not-a-braii for @jaynie) story. Upon its completion ... I went to McDonald's. No turkey ... and their Chicken McNuggets did not possess the same gravitas as a "Freddy."
I ended up buying a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese (with mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato added).
It was not the same. :-(
You're ruining the 'bachelor's cuisine' to which I've become accustomed. Make ham sandwiches. :-)
Congrats on the Curie. For those who haven't yet read Fiona's award-winning, wealth-inducing Magnum Opus:
https://steemit.com/ghsc/@fionasfavourites/twenty-oneyearstwenty-twoturkeysandalifetimeinbetween-0vm8mhz6l1
Needless-to-say, Fiona is a Member of The Power House Creatives (which is why she's always winning writing awards) ... and, why she possesses the power to, unapologetically, devastate hungry bachelors all over the world with her damn culinary blogs.
Bachelors ... proceed with caution.
Quill
Ah, @quillfire
I have a message for you from The Husband: he advises that as much as he is a Weber convert, his preferred method of cooking is on an open fire, i.e. THE BRAAI and why we built the braaikamertjie and I will let @jaynie or @braaiboy explain that to you.
He has also said that he will provide me with a photo opportunity in said braaikamertjie, of him in action. Probably cooking a large chunk of beef. Or a lamb chop. And most definitely boerewors which will also most definitely be eaten with the fingers.
And as for McD's. I have only ever had one burger, and funnily enough its memorable more for the fact that it was with a friend when he helped me pick out the other necessary nice to have - a little music system - with the balance of the Weber windfall!
Henceforth, only ever coffee and balloons from McD, and that 20 years ago. Never before or since.
You poor man, having to descend to that.
You should have come to my house!
I'd have fed you....
@fionasfavourites,
One of the prices one pays for being in the Power House Creatives is having to be repeatedly braii-brainwashed by @jaynie. You'd think she was selling ... what ... firepit stones. I was watching the news the other day and there was a big forest fire in California. I mentioned to my daughter. "Jeese, that's a big braii." She looked at me funny.
Googled it. Distance between Sarasota, USA and MacGregor, S.A. is 7,917.45 miles (12,741.91 kilometers ... and that's as the crow flies). That is a long delay when you're hungry. :-)
Quill
The Husband needs no braai-brainwashing. He was doing that with mates (not parents) as a 10-year old with fish, next to a dam in the then Rhodesia. He MUST light a fire at least once a week or withdrawal sets in.
We shall have to do something about this long distance relationship!Posted using Partiko Android
Alright Quill, I voted for Steemitbloggers. You owe me, you really really really old bastard ... and I intend to collect.
@littleblue,
Thank you so much for your support LittleBlue. We made substantial gains over night and it's because of good folks like yourself. It is greatly appreciated.
Really ... three really's!?! Old though I may be ... I've still got fight. :-)
Quill
Alright Quill, I voted for Steemitbloggers. You owe me, you bastard ... and I intend to collect ;)
@old-guy-photos,
Thank you BlueRinse. You know, that's a username that's conducive to being used in poetry. If only you knew a poet. Some talented wordsmith who could use their literary genius to immortalize you throughout the ages. Hmmm ... but who?
Double entendre, n'est pas?
Quill
Our resident GENIUS! ;) Well... in respect, one of so many...hehehehe!!! This is fantastic! Thank you!
@jaynie & @fionasfavourites,
Jaynie ... long story ... do you have a financial interest in a company that sells firepit stones?
Quill
I cannot brain that question right now hahahahaha!!! - ok back to grinding! LOVE YOU!!!!! Thank you for EVERYTHING you have done and ARE doing!
I am part of Steem Nurse, but I appreciate you!
@old-guy-photos,
It's OK, Ol' Guy. At 53, I understand why you would want to get good with medical professionals. :-)
Quill
Oh my God, Quill!! @quillfire
That was the old man's own Little Secret! You're not supposed to say it out loud. Insert smile here.
@dswigle,
Denise, I'd be surprised if the old bugger can even read anymore. He'll never know ... and if he does, he'll forget by next week. :-)
Quill