A reflection of engagement

A little while ago, someone mentioned that when it comes to posts about the community, it is like there is a meeting that goes on about the topic of the week. Well, there is. Of course, not directly for the most part but, if someone is interested and engaged in the community, they are going to have a network of people who are also interested and engaged in the community which means, ideas are shared and then based on this information, personal perspectives can then be developed.

This is something that I brought up well over a year ago as @denmarkguy, @dwinblood and I seemed to have topics that would overlap very close together. Even though the three of us have very different views on some things, we are all quite prolific writers and, we are also quite interested in how the platform operates. This means that when we see something of interest, we are likely to develop content on it and when we come across the same things of interest, it is going to look like collusion of information in some way.

In my opinion, the ones who are putting out random information that doesn't follow the common discussion threads are likely the ones who do not actually have much of an idea of the broader community or, do not care to investigate that area. Either way means they are less likely to be a part of the community. It is a reflection of their engagement in my opinion and their willingness to stay in the loop. This isn't a problem but, it becomes a narrow view that could be adhered to strongly even if a weak position. That is their choice though.

However, these overlapping and seemingly repetitive conversation clumps are exactly what will lead to the solutions that need to be implemented. It is the public discourse that means in a very short time frame, someone can get several perspectives and hold it all fresh in their mind as well as read/ take part in the discussions under the posts to further build a global view of the case at hand. What these information clumps do is give an intensive overview with nuanced positions in a way that gives an interested reader the chance to look at many facets and from many positions of the same conversation.

Now of course, it doesn't mean all content has to be Steem related or part of the common discussion thread. But, it is only natural that in a community that is in the early stages of the maturing phase, platform specific discussions will dominate the interest, especially from those invested in the future of the platform itself. This is a good thing for all users as it means that those who aren't interested in doing much of the thinking work in this area themselves, they can outsource the energy to those who are and if they chose a good cross-section of perspectives, they can build a well-rounded visualization quickly and relatively effortlessly.

Many people seem to avoid understanding the platform from many perspectives because it is not their area or, they aren't interested in the everyday functions and technical details. Even if not interested, at least read up from those who are because they have likely done the work for you. I got a comment form someone who said they didn't understand the market but love the platform. This is fine but, the market has a very large influence over the platform so even if one isn't interested in it per se, some understanding should be built.

Some people see that all the talk is just talk and they want action but, without the talk first, the action is rarely going to be good in a system as complex as this. Yes, it would be great if some decisions could be made faster so that experiment, fail and learn fast can take place but, not all are possible in this way. Also, for the most part, the solutions themselves are not made on platform, they are made off.

On platform however is where the discourse takes place to build understanding so that hopefully a solution that gets developed will have a positive influence on the ecosystem as a whole. Many don't of course and all have unintended consequences but, that is part of the growth of a community. That is the growth of a community.

This is the social aspect of the platform and unlike a real world community that meets face to face in the town hall, people interact word to word through their blogs and comments, even if not directly. One reader of one blog may leave a comment relating to what they have read on the blog of another, which in turn inspires someone else to explore that same topic from their perspective. I do this a lot and much of the time it is unconscious however I am trying to pay more attention to the chain of information that the community provides.

I enjoy writing about topics that are currently talking points but perhaps even more, I like writing about topics that are going to be talking points in the future. It is not that I create the conversation itself but, I (and others) pull threads from various sources and realize they are all the same color. This is seeing a trend and will of course mean more thought and discussion will begin. Pretty soon, we all meet at the same points, similarly to Lady and the Tramp eating spaghetti. Now kith.

Real discussion is one thing that is missing in this world as more and more people silo themselves into echo chambers where they only get what they want to hear in the way they want to hear it back. People throw their opinions onto the internet as if they are authorities yet, get upset if anyone disagrees. There is no discussion there, there is no problem solving there, there is no community there. It is just an individual who thinks that their way is the best way without having the experience or wisdom to explore alternate paths.

This is one of the things that I love about Steem, that there is freedom in what is presented and what is available to pick up and explore. Rather than have only the mainstream media dictate what is going to be discussed, discussions can discovered in the community itself, the people who live and experience the world. As people start to become part of the community and investigate and discuss widely, most of the problems will start to be solved as people not only start to care about the future of the platform but, the people who make up the community that resides here.

It is our disconnection from each other that allows authority to dictate terms, guide discussion and choose what is and isn't appropriate to talk about. It gives them the chance to build and satisfy their agendas on fragmentation and polarization by driving a wedge between groups. They become the middlemen of conversation and they are able to develop the conversation into a he said, she said position and encourage a wall to be installed so he and she are unable to speak directly.

We live in a strange world because we have been convinced that a community of strangers is safe while still having the need to rely on each other. It is difficult to trust in what you do not know but with a little discussion, you will know a lot more and perhaps, the world will become a little less full of strangers.

Taraz
[ a Steem original ]