Keep Your Mouth Shut Or Else!

I made the mistake of trying to give MY OPINION on a new battle that seemed to be starting between @berniesanders and @fulltimegeek. I wasn't vicious towards anyone (other than maybe @ned), and frankly I think the message is one that everyone should hear. I was trying to get people to focus on Steemit and the reasons why people are leaving.

And for this, not only was that comment downvoted, but so was almost all of my payout of my post coming due downvoted. I guess speaking your mind and offering constructive advice doesn't sit well with some folks.

Here is the exact unedited comment I made so that you can judge for yourself (link):

Bottom line is that all you guys need to realize that this place is going to die without new blood. You can take what you can, but the "take" is getting smaller every day. When I got here 10 months ago, Steem was $8... Now its $0.80 ... That means its lost 90%.

You and @fulltimegeek can fight all you want (and add in @haejin too), but the bottom line is that people like me are leaving in droves. You can fight for the scraps and maybe live another year, but I'm telling you this place was loved by many at one point. It was something that kept us coming back religiously. Now... not so much.

And if you think that limiting people's ability to be "social" (like @ned wants) is the answer, then you are in the "grab what you can" phase that he's in.

Its ok to do what you want. All of you. This is life and people should be free to make their own choices. But if you don't open your eyes and see what is happening below you, then you will wake up one day and say "wow, why didn't anyone tell me".

I suggest a different path...

I suggest that you and @fulltimegeek and others like you quit bickering and talk some fucking sense into @ned. Steemit was revolutionary... That made Steem attractive. If you turn it into another cryptocoin, then it will suffer the fate of the other 99% of alt coins out there. Think about what makes Steem special, and you guys have the answers if you focus on what your competitive advantages are.

Good luck to all... I'm out.. Thanks for listening to those that got this far!

Flags Used To Punish And To Keep Control

The funny thing is the post he flagged to send the message was actually upvoted by the same accounts at the time. But now when he didn't like what I had to say, then I guess "I must be punished". Taking away not only the rewards of the comments, but flagging me of what payout I had coming definitely worked to send a message. I got it loud and clear:

conform or be destroyed

Sadly, there are only a few that will try to fight against this message being "the message" that tons of people receive here. Most like @ned and the whales won't do a damn thing to their fellow whale buddy, nor will they attempt to fix the message. Yes there are a few like @fulltimegeek and @lyndsaybowes and handful of other that will try, but the bottom line is they are too few and not strong enough to do it on their own.

And They Wonder Why We Left...

This place has some wonderful people and many with awesome intentions. To them I say you've earned my respect and I'm truly grateful we crossed paths.

This place has some greedy and mean assholes too. To them I say you having to live with yourselves is punishment enough in this life (both here and in the real world).

And finally, this place has a lot of ostriches as well. To them I say nothing will ever get fixed if you (and your fellow ostriches) don't get your head out of the sand.

A few ostriches are tolerable, but when leaders like @ned and the whales don't do anything to stop the real abuses that are obvious, then please don't wonder why we left.