RE: Corruption On STEEM : What Do You Do?
A VERY GOOD POST!!
Obviously, I'm still new here, but having gotten just a sample of everything wrong on Steemit, my opinion of it has changed, somewhat drastically. Don't get me wrong, I still love it, and it's much 'better' than succumbing to Google, and Facebook's BS. However, what I was initially valuing as one of Steemit's greatest strengths, TRUE FREEDOM of SPEECH, may actually be one it's worst features. Sure, you're free to post what you want, but as you touched on in your post, it could very well be the end of your Steemit career if you happen to tick-off the wrong individual, or gang. Especially if you're a minnow.
"...we see some of the same sort of real-world corruption happening here on our beloved STEEM it can be disheartening. Is it just human nature to be self-serving and deceitful?" <-- Never before has so much been said, in so few words. I'm not a young man, and I've watched the world that existed only in my mind's eye, go from a FREEDOM and JUSTICE for ALL type of fairy tale, to a massively corrupt, extremely violent, and intensely chaotic place...and getting worse by the day. Is that the way I see the world? Nope, there's still far more positive things going on, than there are negative. When it's crunch time, and people need help, we often see the good side of man, but there's always ample opportunity to see the bad, also.
So, I guess it should be expected that Steemit would function somewhat like our world does, but only on a much smaller scale. It seems very logical to me, at this point. I just don't like the fact that anger/rage, greed, and the abuse of others seems like par for the course, for some on Steemit.
One thing I have learned from well over a half of century on the planet is, when you have more than one person, you're gonna have problems, and those problems grow exponentially with an increase of the population. All living creatures have a survival instinct, and the manifestations of that instinct in humans goes from working hard, and doing the best that you can to take care of yourself, and your family, within the confines of laws and what is considered ethical and moral behavior, all the way up to, 'I'll cut that guy's throat for one Steem!'
So, what do we do? We do what (most) humans have always done; we continue to grow, to (hopefully) learn from our mistakes, to implement better laws and practices, and for those of us that actually give a shit, continue to try and maintain some sense of normality that is at least more towards The Golden Rule, than it is complete chaos, and a get ahead BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY* mentality.
Lastly, I do believe that the overwhelming majority of people, both on Earth, and this tiny sub-section of mankind called Steemit, are fundamentally 'good.' To believe anything else would leave me existing in a state that I wouldn't want to live in.
Again, A VERY GOOD POST!!
Thank You
Thanks. I also agree that most people are fundamentally good. What is disheartening is when I see good people get taken advantage of and I guess this is the core of our issue. In our old-world systems it seems the less ethics and integrity you have, the higher you can climb. So we end up with a world where the power and leadership comes from people devoid of ethics or integrity. I am hoping that STEEM can be different. I don't know if it'll be because of the transparency of the blockchain, the ability for like minds to connect with this kind of technology or the culture of a new generation which now has upward mobility (via Crypto wealth) but I try to be optimistic. I don't always succeed :)
"In our old-world systems it seems the less ethics and integrity you have, the higher you can climb. So we end up with a world where the power and leadership comes from people devoid of ethics or integrity." You hit it on the head there!
I, also, try to be optimistic, but man, they make it difficult. I remember when congress had it's lowest approvl rating, and the media presented it as though it was shocking that it could be that low. The only thing I found shocking was that they supposedly found even 1% of Americans that approved of what was, and still is, going on. I'm sure they polled about 30% of those "devoid or ethics or integrity," however.
By the way, you have a new follower.
Thanks for following.
It really does my head in that the disapproval rating can be that low. The people are voting for these guys! Or is the democratic process in America so broken that it isn't really democratic any more?
You're welcome, and yes, there is obviously a HUGE division between many (most?) Americans and the federal government. I can understand things being horrible when a country has a single tyrant, whether it be an abusive king or other dictator in charge, but the US has been on a dangerous and scary path for many years now.
The corruption is insane! We have the Pentagon, which seems to basically be a Roach Motel for money - It goes in, but it never comes out! Also, don't even get me started on the Federal Reserve. lol This country is actually going to borrow it's own money, at interest?!
To see this ridiculous national debt, when there should be none, is an understandable place to start a division between the people and it's corrupt, warmongering government. I'm all about having a strong military in place for self-defense, but we act in ways that are much more than just self-defense. We have perpetual wars on both drugs and terrorism, and that's straight out of '1984.' We should just have a single, "War on Bad Stuff," throw about about a trillion dollars a year at it, and be done with it.
There seems to be much more of a division in the people themselves, too. I'm neither Republican, nor Democrat, and there's really only been one somewhat strong candidate in my lifetime for POTUS that I thought would have been a good leader (besides JFK), but since Trump was elected I figure he should at least be given a chance to do the job without the vile hatred, and non-stop attacks. Many in today's society seem to only want to create problems, even in places where there aren't necessarily any. I get the feeling that some that aren't really able to think for themselves, jump onboard the Hate-Trump-Train because it's the popular thing to do. Although I do understand some of the valid complaints.
The corruption, childishness, and ineffective crap in D.C. just needs to come to an end. Hopefully, that's something on which we can all agree!
I don't like peddling fear, but I believe things are going to get a whole lot worse before they (hopefully) get better. A festering boil needs to burst before it can heal.
I know that if our forefathers could see what the US has become, they'd be disgusted!
I tend to agree. When I worked in the Public Service I learnt that often "If it ain't broke then it don't get fixed" so basically it HAS to get worse before the public will get the determination to do something about it.
I just hope that Crypto is advanced enough to provide a genuine alternative to both our financial AND political systems when they do break.
Yes, I think some of the crypto technology, like the decentralized nature, and smart contract capability, is something that could change finances, the political system, and governments themselves. Not to mention, enable poverty-stricken people around the world to be able to send and receive money, and help in many other ways. Suddenly, the poorest could join the modern world.
Personally, I believe blockchain technology has the potential to be one of the most important technologies ever developed by mankind. Therefore, I can't see the governments just (somewhat) sitting by and watching it threaten their control, corruption, and their money machine.
I'd like to replace the federal government with smart contracts. lol It sounds crazy, but I'm sure it would have to be a major improvement. It sure as heck couldn't do any worse.
"I'd like to replace the federal government with smart contracts"
It doesn't sound crazy to me. It would be awesome to have society runs by rules that we could trust and were fair to all. That's what an egalitarian society looks like to me.
I wish everyone thought like that. I don't believe most people are that far along in their thinking. The technology is here, and it would be a perfect application of it. Actually, I mentioned it to a couple of friends, and they both busted out laughing. I think I remember hearing the word, "Idiot," also.
I believe nearly all governments are evidence of the fact that governments don't generally work so well. They usually become corrupt, bloated, wasteful, abusive, and well, what the US Government is today.
We are supposed to trust people that we know we absolutely can't trust! Why keep going through the motions?