Hello Dear Readers,
And here it is, a non-psychology post! Can you believe it?
The things is … there is a social experiment going on on the Steemit platform: The Steem Torch.
The creator: @geekgirl
The participants: Whoever receives the Steem torch, which happens to be a given amount of Steem. In other words, the torch keeper.
The purpose: In @geekgirl’s own words it is about:
is an experiment to demonstrate the speed and trust in transferring value on Steem social network.
The final goal:
When Count reaches to 1337 the experiment ends with success. 1337th Torch Keeper can donate the total amount to Steem based charities, Steem projects, distribute to minnows, burn it by sending to @null, or ask the community what to do with it.
As I had difficulties accessing the original post today, I’ve decided to copy and paste the rules of the experiment here for those who are interested in learning about it. Please note that within rule number 3, you’ll find the direct link to it 😊
Steem Torch Rules:
- Add 1 Steem or lower amount or nothing at all to the amount received in Steem Torch transfer.
- Do not decrease the amount received.
- Use the original memo Steem Torch Experiment! Count: 1. Please read the Steem Torch Rules at: https://steemit.com/steem/@geekgirl/steem-torch before passing it to the next user. and change the count number by adding 1. For example, if the received memo is Count: 20, your sending memo will be Count: 21.
- Choose a Steemian who you would like to pass the Steem Torch to. Preferably someone you trust will follow the Steem Torch rules, is active, and you believe will pass the Steem Torch to the next user.
- Not required, but recommended to inform the next Torch Keeper of the transfer and follow up after the transfer.
- Send the Steem Torch with the new amount and memo to the next Torch Keeper as soon as possible.
- Try not to send it back to the previous Torch Keeper or someone you know already was a Torch Keeper.
- When Count reaches to 1337 the experiment ends with success. 1337th Torch Keeper can donate the total amount to Steem based charities, Steem projects, distribute to minnows, burn it by sending to @null, or ask the community what to do with it.
- 1337th Torch Keeper must not keep the funds or use for personal projects.
A Few Words From Me…
Then there is the trust side of it, the one that interests me the most out of the two.
The steem torch has been passed on 180 times (including me). Here I see commitment and responsibility. If only people “out there” got to know what Steemit is also about.
I spent months away from the platform, but I could not wait to return. Upon my return, however, I noticed much resentment around. On my feed, on the tags I browse. I find it heart-breaking. The price of Steem is, of course, the chief contributor to this “vibe”. I understand we all need rewards to keep on going, to feel motivated, reinforced. And the main reinforcement here on this platform happens to be financial.
It appears to me, though, that this kind of reward puts people on a “product orientation” mode, rather than on a “process orientation” mindset. This is not good because people, within Steemit, consequently seem to evaluate their own efforts and performance, as well as that of others, solely on the outcome of their work here, that being the magnitude of the upvote received.
But, what about all that is achieved during the actual process of blogging? Of being on Steemit? The learning, the skills that are practiced and refined. The interaction with those who are kind enough to take time and pay attention to what you have produced. The relationship you get to develop with these people. The stories they tell you and the opportunity they give you to tell them your own stories. This is what Steemit is also about.
This is why an experiment like this can work 😊 You see, 180 people, irrespective of their stake value within this platform, had at least someone who thought of them and someone to think of with regard and respect. Someone they probably never even met in person and yet are willing to trust with the reward that is considered to be the most valuable in this platform: steem.
As for me, I have a dozen of those “someones” to whom I could pass the steem torch, and I am very grateful for them, they are a result of the “process”. Still, I have to choose one: @saminator, Sammi, as I like to call him. A clever, loving and respectful young man from Nigeria, who is consistently dedicated to his blog about technology and life-reflections.
There you go Sammi, the torch is yours 😊❤️
Image Source:Pixabay
Congrats on receiving the torch. It couldn't have gone to a better person. It really is a unique and interesting experiment.
Very well said regarding the steem platform - re: trust and mindset. I totally agree :)
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Hey @leaky20 :D
I've seen that the torch was also under your care a while back! :)
Thank you for the nice words!
I'm honoured to receive the Steem Torch from you. You've been an amazing friend Abbey.
...Let's keep the lights on 🔥
Much love from Nigeria
😃 Thank you Sammi. You are a star!
Steemit and other social platforms often have the problem of losing trust in them. Since I don't know the technology so well, I wondered the other day how the server capacity is actually provided for so many blog entries and whether Steemit runs a central server, but I guess that's what the Witnesses mean when they talk about their server costs and hosting. It's spread across multiple users, if I understood it correctly. So since on the one hand the operation depends on the ability and the financial possibility of the operators and Witnesses, people are probably afraid that one day this will no longer be possible and will cause more costs than revenues. ... ?
As we know, markets that have a virtual product often only work in good faith. If the belief is disturbed and a majority is impressed that their financial profits are going down the drain, it becomes clear what their intention behind the commitment was. It is always more problematic when money is the only motive to do something. It is too weak as a driver.
Habit is the second. If you've been through a peak and experienced a rich commentary and interaction section, the creative people, the content bloggers, are encouraged to be patient and not be impressed by the fact that the readership has shrunk drastically. As a blogger, I can just sit it out and wait or play it in the long run. But since I don't have any financial risk, that's easy to say.
Those who have invested, like you, can consider it risk money (as long as it's not ruining them). It's a bit like going into a casino and saying to yourself: A hundred are there to spend. Either I win or I lose everything. It will be worth the fun.
And although I like Steemit and have learned a lot here and found friends with whom I enjoy regular exchanges, I must also say that the hype about some content here is very exaggerated. The internet has so much excellent content and authors to offer that are much better than I often find on Steemit that I would say that compared to quality journalism and well written texts and productions Steemit is still quite insignificant. Which doesn't bother me.
From my point of view, the strongest barrier is the hurdle of registration. If it is as complicated as it was at the beginning to set up an account, there will still be few new users or the patience to stay with it.
Nevertheless, I'd say it's a good thing that everyone has given up or stays away who just runs a blog for a profit and not because they're passionate about blogging or producing content.
Investors and bloggers are often not of the same species, but it's good for them to join forces. What one can do, the other can finance.
It's good that you're passing the torch on. :-D
I like it a lot that you made an excursion to another topic.
Greetings!
Hello @abigail-dantes, thank you for sharing this creative work! We just stopped by to say that you've been upvoted by the @creativecrypto magazine. The Creative Crypto is all about art on the blockchain and learning from creatives like you. Looking forward to crossing paths again soon. Steem on!
Thank you :)
Oh, just because it fits in here a little bit, an additional thought: What bothers me most about the platform as a blogger is that it's not possible to influence the organization of my blog posts in the way Wordpress does, for example.
Summarize the blog posts in months and years. So here you have to scroll through all the articles to find something older and nobody does that. Neither do I. Reading older articles again or commenting on them is a nice occupation and it would counteract the habit of always only paying attention to the latest.
I love this initiative. And I love your analysis...we are ready for these words. We need to be reminded of the value that we get from Steemit, besides the extrinsic reward of Steem. It's not Steem that drives me to do research, or to create a blog. It's not Steem that prompts me to comment here. The quality of relationships and the experience of being here draw me.
It tends to be the case in a group environment that people can look to others to assume responsibility. The health of Steemit is not up to others, it's up to each of us.
Thank you, @geekgirl, for taking a lead. And thank you, @abigail-dantes, for carrying the baton.
Steem on!!
You are a wonderful example for all of us, within SteemSTEM and beyond, to follow. You make our community a more worthwhile place to hang around my dear friend. 💕 :)
I love everything about this.
Yep! I think it’s super cool too :) Thank you very much for re-esteeming it :)
Greetings appreciated @abigail-dantes.
This is simply Great!
What a wonderful idea it has been to create this torch. The 1337th Torch Keeper will have the major responsibility. I would do a consultation or perhaps a Dpoll survey among all the Torch guardians to decide what to do with those funds.
I would be honored to have the opportunity to be part of that journey.
All best, Piotr.