Dear Friends, Fans, and Followers: Where Will You Be?
@NoNamesLeftToUse The Writer/Artist Himself,
The light at the end of the tunnel.
I realize that's what many of you were looking for.
I'll start out by mentioning how I intend to use my influence responsibly. I'm not writing this to sway any opinions. Your life is yours. You, and you alone, are responsible for your decisions.
I do not represent anyone but myself, and I think that's where my main problem stems from.
These past few weeks have been nothing but chaos yet I consider myself to be incredibly lucky. I showed up on the scene a little over a month ago, after enjoying my yearly vacation from all things the internet.
If I showed up today, I'd be so bloody confused about what's happening here and would've most likely shut this off. You'd never see me again.
As many of you know: I am a writer, an artist, entertainer, humorist, the rest of this long list, all-around cool guy, and maybe even an asshole (depending on who you ask).
I bring a wealth of experience to this world where cryptocurrency joins forces with the entertainment industry.
Potential.
I see potential. Always have, always will.
Let's be honest though. I don't want to rain on anyone's parade. Prepare yourself. I'm about to write down a fact many refuse to acknowledge.
Ready?
For nearly four years, that potential has been squandered by profiteers, opportunists, manipulative bastards, scammers; selfishness, dishonesty, broken promises, broken hearts.
That element, though a minority, has cast a dark and seemingly inescapable shadow of despair upon what could have been.
So now the community wants to move forward. What's in the past is in the past.
But will it stay there!
Sorry for yelling.
You want to dangle another carrot in front of my face and expect me to bite it so I can spend another four years of my life getting fucked up the ass? Losing everything is supposed to be appealing to me?
Calm down no names you're supposed to be kissing everyone's ass and smiling right now.
Some of the same people who contributed to making my experience on Steem a living hell with their goddamn vote selling will now take their profits somewhere else and leave me here with nothing!
Thanks?
Do you even know how much it took for me to be able to forgive some of you people? It's etched in stone on this blockchain. I will not be holding a grudge.
What's in the past stays in the past but that does not mean I can't go there to look for clues that point to my future.
I learned a lot. Did you?
I spent the last few weeks watching everything, closely.
I watched people sell their souls for a teensy tiny little taste of power. Weak-minded sycophants — who will place their potential profits (living in dreamland) before their integrity — literally painted their true colors all over a goddamn blockchain with permanent marker, and for all to see.
You were being tested and you failed!
Next time simply piss on an electric fence if you crave a shock and want to look like an asshole.
Unfortunately, I didn't expect to see any less out of people in this crypto meets entertainment world.
And I'll tell you right now it wasn't the REAL entertainers/content creators here causing or contributing to any of this madness.
Hive
Do you like me or do you just want to fuck me?
Let me guess.
- A steady stream of trending posts talking about how great Hive is.
- A steady stream of trending posts talking about platform politics.
- A steady stream of trending posts published by witnesses making top dollar to tell everyone what they want to hear.
- A steady stream of trending posts published by "investors" making top dollar so they can pretend to be popular for a day with a massive self vote and a trail of mini self votes.
- Some weird shit post that doesn't make any sense at all but it's trending because some shady profiteer felt like taking advantage of someone because it pays fifty bucks.
Or have you learned your lesson?
Where I stand right now, I've come to terms with the fact Steem will never be the same.
I have a strong feeling if I stayed here, I'd lose half or more of my viewership. The support I worked so hard to earn, will be gone.
I already see people talking about how they're going to burn the house down. Insult to injury. Piss on going on four years of my life. Make those wounds sting, thank you very much.
I didn't ask for this fucking disaster. I didn't create this fucking disaster. I didn't support the fucking disaster. As a matter of fact, nearly four years of earned SP went into attempting to protect what we all worked so hard to achieve. 99% of what I earned here, stayed here!
You're welcome!
I'm faced with a massive decision right now.
So far, I'm leaning towards taking a bit of a break. As you can clearly see, I am in no mood for more shenanigans.
Hype doesn't work on me. Results. I need to see results. I'm convinced promises will only be broken.
My work is nothing without eyes. I don't want to be writing about my frustrations every single day. I don't even want to be frustrated. I do a better job of entertaining people when I have my game face on and I know damn well some people enjoy what I do, when I do it. I don't want to be wasting my time talking to myself just so some mystical crypto fairy can come sprinkle me with tokens like I'm some kinda loony in the park begging for change.
I won't be double dipping. Exclusives are incredibly valuable to both myself and the platform I post on.
I don't have the time to be in two places at once. Even my shit posts can take an entire workday to produce.
I'm not interested in a platform where the content is just filler and only a few at the top or a few behind the scenes are the ones making real money. I'm not interested in a platform where exploits earn more than hard work. I don't need a knight in shining armor and I'm not going to be kissing anyone's ass any time in the near or distant future.
The only thing I need in order to be successful is an audience and a platform that allows me to focus on my craft.
Where your eyes are is where I'll be.
I needed to get this off my chest.
I see potential in a fresh start; but I also have a broken heart.
I reckon it's worth a go, HIVE I mean. You've put so much effort here on steem and with (seemingly) most of the cool kids moving over to HIVE...Well, move over and see what's up I guess. I will be. I'll drop past steem from time to time and who knows, maybe there's something to be said for posting/engaging on both? HIVE needs ya mate, the community needs ya.
There. A straight answer. No beating around the bush. I write a post. I hate the world. And it didn't scare you away.
I won't have the time to be on two though. Maybe I'll just curate on Steem. I dunno.
I needed to know where everyone is going to be. I looked around all day. Everyone is moving. EVERYONE. I'm having flashbacks of the time my ex took everything including the fucking shower curtain. All I had was mattress on the floor that stunk like camper, for three weeks! Now I'm just trying to be funny but it's true...
I can't do both though. I'd just end up being lazy on one. I can bring eyes to Hive. If it's working out maybe I will use my influence to nudge a few folks. For now though I just don't want to be responsible for setting someone up for failure. Do you know how many people I got pumped up about Steem? A lot. Now I feel like I've let them down. I'm rambling. Sorry man.
You haven't let anyone down, they did that themselves. It was their choice. Steem sucks mostly, but I'm still here enjoying it and wouldn't think to blame the person who on-boarded me...Some dude called @tarazkp or some such stupid name. Lol.
HIVE needs people like you to guide, direct and show a good example...I'll be honest, I sort of see myself as one such person, but not to the degree of the cool kids and high-flying accounts that exist far above me in the stratosphere. Still, we all play a part and together we can make a difference...Maybe...
I mean look what we did...The Community, when Sun came along...Boom, HIVE exists. That was the community, and some of those high-flyers I mentioned above.
I don't know man, let's see...We may end up sleeping on a mankey fucked up mattress with no shower curtain...Or not.
Thanks for the upvote. Unnecessary, but appreciated.
Steem was starting to suck. I didn't even feel comfortable posting in a community because I saw people groaning about how anyone who does is just chasing votes and sucking up.
My on-boarding attempts were mostly fails. I was shooting high though, contacting some established talent. It usually boils down to not having time to create exclusives. Most folks don't want to double dip and they can't halt their usual stream of content to create a PSA asking followers to move over to a new platform, as that might hurt their current space where they're enjoying success.
I was talking more about motivational posts. I encouraged a lot of folks to stick around. Now if I did that I think I'd look foolish.
I see STEEM is pumping now. That'll mess with a few minds. I'll get to watch folks who were all in on Hive suddenly shift gears. It's never about the money it's the community LOL!
Today I looked around and did the opposite of what everyone else was doing, with this post. I'll try posting some actual content and if its ignored and the brownnosing cheerleader type posts get all the play, I'll know it'll be like that forever. I don't want to see that happen. Wasted potential. Rambling.
I didn't actually mean to upvote that high LOL! I haven't set the default comment vote weight and forgot to slide it over... LOL! I bet you felt special.
Haha, yeah very special...I can return it if you like...Steem is pumping after all. Lol.
I think it's early days man. Let's just see where it goes...I'm thinking of opening a toilet paper factory so if HIVE or steem doesn't work out maybe you can come on as head of the testing and development team. Lol.
Did I pass the test?
Dear Mr. Nonames
We are pleased to offer you the position of chief toilet paper testing coordinator. We feel confident you will thrive in this demanding but rewarding role and that you will lead your team with the same efficiency and solutions-driven ethos in which you have interviewed.
Congratulations.
Regards,
The Steem-Tron Toilet Paper co.
Hey. Listen. About that. Yeah. I can't come in to work tomorrow. I know it's my first day, but I'm not feeling well and won't be able to perform my duties.
Constipated.
The holding pattern is still in place, how to judge a thing that is not available yet. I am looking forward to see what develops, i have even maxed my SP out as much as I can for the new chain. I like some of what I have heard, but as you know hearing and seeing, reading and reality are two different things. I did caution one person about burning bridges, I have seen a lot of bridge burning post. The simple fact of the matter is no one at this point really knows what Hive is going to look like.
I have a hard time being in two places at once myself, I have never seen the fascination with twitter that so many people seem to have, I did not like it from day one tried it for I think a month and never looked back at it, yet a lot of steem user have been talking about it during the last month, trying to get people to re-join what I feel is a failed platform.
Talk/type/hype, we have a lot of that. When we have a product and I have used it for a bit, then I will be able to see where I want to be. I don't think things will get better on Steem Block Chain, but they might. I don't think Hive is going to stand up to expectation but it might. As it stands right now the most important word is might. So I will just have to wait see and evaluate when the new chain is rolled out. It could be a dream come true, or just another twitterverse that goes nowhere for me.
So you not jumping the gun is a good thing.
I don't really have anything to add to this. Just agreeing.
Hive is a revolution! The steem proletariat overturns the dictatorial status quo and marches to a brave new world, singing songs of victory :)
You sound like a guy that you have read a lot, probably that's why you are a bit depressed. Even if history is not your strong suit I am sure that you know what has happened to every single revolution throughout the centuries.
But it doesn't really matter because every revolutionary act leaves behind a small legacy and that's how we evolve.
There are many hints that hive will not be the decentralized heaven that many of us are expecting. But it can and probably will, be better than what we have today and I intend to be there and support it as far as I can.
And I really hope I'll have the pleasure of seeing you there too!
The typical crypto approach with all the initial hype, as history shows, means nothing, once everything is said and done. Some folks will come out of this with a nice chunk of change. I assume I'll just get burned. Since that's what usually happens in crypto. Sit there and hold the bags while promises of the future are consistently broken.
I want to be wrong.
You are far more experienced than me and you are probably right. But I'll give it a try anyway and hope that you are wrong, indeed.
Anyway nice meeting you, even in the end.
The entire problem with the platform that is the global economy.
I will likely mostly be on Hive, but will continue knocking around here too, as I have put a lot into this place and think it is worth at least observing, if not participating directly in what could happen to it.
I don't see a future for me on Steem, at all. Maybe it'll be fine for those who'd prefer to piss away the true potential. Maybe I'm wrong. Too many maybes, my friend. If there was a roadmap placed in front of me today I'd assume it's bullshit. I never thought I'd lose faith in this platform...
I am interested in the "what'll happens" and "what ifs" - my content will be predominently over on Hive. I will add stuff here if I feel there is a reason to.
The platform is much the same on Hive - and it is looking pretty good if people can hold their shit together.
Dude I just don't want to see people make the same damn mistakes all over again. I want to give it a try. I'll be on edge though. Seems like that's where everyone will be. I'll know after one month where it's headed. I'll have no place to go if I start seeing those early warning signs.
I
♡
STEEMHIVE
Now that this is out of the way and my post on the subject, I prose to mostly just dance for the hive whales, write about governance and continue my photostories (all appropriately tagged for yor avoidance pleasure).
Take a break and godspeed (or whatever pace you want) on your future endeavors.
Hope to see you somewhere in due time.
I'll be where the eyes are. Plain and simple.
I'll go where my friends go, which is likely to be Hive but may have to take a break myself!
Or just have more studio time and work on my own website seeing as I'm paying for that 🤣
I'll take a break from spending hours producing content for this platform. I don't see the point right now. Too much work, for nothing.
I could have said the same thing but is it really nothing?
I've learned a lot about blogging, met some incredible and eccentric people but I mentioned on another post that there is definitely an "insular" feel about the place - pretty much what you were saying.
The userbase is wafer thin and it seems oxymoronic for a musician to try and gain a following on a site where the user numbers are fractions of a fraction of what is on Spotify...
For you, there must be an equivalent feeling.
Guess it depends on what you want to get out of it.
I'm already cutting losses with the 24k Steem I bought... Might as well use it now to boost myself up to trending with bid bots here then 🤣
It's like this: I spent years building a business, and it's gone. I didn't make any disastrous mistakes, I didn't forget to pay my bills, I did everything I could to make it work, it was successful, and now it's gone. Just like that.
They don't get to make me pick.
I haven't been posting much anyway.
I can't do what I do on a stage that's ready to collapse. Maybe once the dust settles I'll have a better idea. I'm not blind to the fact the future looks bleak. And I can't see what the other option is, because it does not exist.
I also hate it that I have a negative outlook on life now. I'm also not going to win any points for being honest.
Yeah, but it's going to take some time for this to settle out. So, choosing too soon is a bad idea.
Especially if you will not double dip. (I don't want to either, it cheapens both platforms)
It's easy to get a crowd to YELL... Let's do a new thing, but when supporting it gets tough, things change.
You know I can be patient. Did you now I ran out of patience? LOL!
I have realistic expectations, unfortunately. Been in this game a long long long time.
I suspect there will be quite a few cross-eyed people mulling about in the short term...
Short term I think it might be best just shutting it down, for now.
<3
Take the break. See what happens. I'm hoping but not knowing there will be one place that feels more familiar and with the most known faces. I'm hoping to meet you there.
My feelings about all of this are changing a bit too often currently, wasn't even able to post the thing that I had written as I didn't know if I felt that way after writing it anymore.
Maybe tomorrow.
See ya <3
The hype is what's really pushing me away, from everything. It's everywhere I look.
Aye, I could have written this myself.
Where will the eyes be? On Hive by the looks of it. But will anyone else's eyes in the outside world be there? I dunno.
I will take a chance. I will post something there, might just curate. Still not sure. I still don't feel ready to give up on steem. Things arent that different on Hive. Not yet. In fact. I see a lot of the shouty trouble causers from here being now the heros of Hive.
Hmm. Still dunno
That's a big problem. The outside eyes. I don't want to be in a bubble sold to me as a safe space.
And yes, some of those folks are emotionally unstable and somewhat socially stunted at times. It takes all types to make up a community.
If it's just a place for a clique to have fun while everyone else is just nice so maybe they'll get a vote on their post someday, then there's no point in being there. Unfortunately I'm expecting to see professionalism and a place that cherishes the true potential of what Steem once was. I say unfortunately because I feel I'll be let down. I want to be wrong.
I think you are right.
However I did just see a post by the markymark there which has given me pause for thought. Cant stay here after seeing that.
Have you seen it?
https://steempeak.com/steem/@themarkymark/steemit-inc-now-censors-posts-from-the-ui
Unfortunately I still think the place we will be moving to will be as you have desribed above. I will do a tester post and if it just bounces in the wind I might just curate. Sigh, so much effort gone to pot
That's it.
Goddammit. I expected that to happen. I touched on it briefly with my Decentralization and Toilet Paper post. I can't be on Steem now if they're censoring content. I talked about this a little bit with @freebornangel in the comments here as well.
So I'm noticing a pattern. What I fear could happen often turns into reality. All the years you've known me, how many times have I hit the nail on the head.
So yeah, fuck. I want to be really fucking wrong about Hive. I don't want history to repeat itself. If I'm to invest time in anything, it has to be done right the first time. This Steem nonsense caught us all off guard. With only one chance to get things right, that makes it really easy to fuck it up. Some folks will want to fork away from Hive if they don't get their act together straight out of the gates. This could turn into Tribes. Small little groups that nobody really pays attention to anymore. Not good. I wonder if they'll listen to the people with ideas or simply act like know-it-alls...
You have been right in the past. We have seen a lot of these things coming.
This thing you are saying has the ring of truth as well unfortunately. If people don't like Hive they will fork off, and fork off. An ever decreasing circle of consumers. If there are many consumers in the circle to begin with.
But aye. Can't stay where censorship happens. Just not on at all!
My response is in my new post.
I shall be looking. Kids bed first but I will be back!