Birth, life, death: The fate of all things.

People talk about the Steem experiment but really, it is a test of faith. We want to believe that it is all going to work out and benefit us in some way and we invest ourselves in hoping for a chance at that future. It is not so different to someone putting their faith in the words of a random book that speaks of a magical place full of plenty, and a confusing road map if how to get there. Until 'there' no one can really know if the map provided leads anywhere at all and, so far, no one has come back with proof.

For Steem and cryptocurrencies in general, no one can come back from there because there hasn't happened before, much of it is new. And even though similar things have happened in the past, they have never happened on a global scale with the technology to connect and communicate quickly and broadly. Like scaling issues where small scale success doesn't necessarily extrapolate to mean large scale success, potentially the problems in the past were that the volumes were too small and the critical mass point was unreachable with that weight.

What if this time it is different?

That is what we are banking on isn't it? We are investing into a prediction that this time the critical mass will be reached to unbalance the status quo and overturn centuries of authoritarian rule. Doesn't seem very likely when put like that but, here we are, giving it a go all the same. Stranger things have happened after all.

The thing is that no matter how history is looked at, there is one thing that is always constant, well actually two. Change is always present and, all things end. Change is present until everything everywhere in all that is known stops moving completely which would be, the end. But everything within those boundaries will have a life cycle akin to birth, life and death, no mater if it is a sun, a mountain, or a chirping cricket.

So, by the rule of nature, all things created will disappear and that includes civilizations, the strongest of nations or, the most oppressive of regimes. No political party, nor financial institution will survive time. This not only means that they will atrophy into nothingness though as like any organic organism, a life cycle can be manipulated and influenced to prolong or, shorten life span.

Perhaps, we are not the cure to the ills of the earth, maybe we are the poison to the oppressor, the miners who undermine the castle walls, one brick at a time. Would Steem still be a success if instead of becoming the play maker for economic revolution, it was the life taker of financial status quo? Would you be happy if instead of personal freedom with the stake you have so painstakingly built, that stake went through the heart of the oppressor to free others?

It is interesting to think about for me as essentially, instead of being the pioneers on the frontier of making history, we could be the martyrs on the front line of becoming history. Is it still worth it if there is no personal gain other than being a part of changing the course of the future?

When we are evaluating the revolution and investing into the future, we are seeing ourselves as the victors, not the fallen on the battlefield who's bones pave the way for others to walk safely and freely. If we recognize the risks of reality will you still rush in to the fray, flags waving, chanting for a better world?

No one except in myth and legend is born a hero. Heroes are made by being in the wrong place at the right time and being forced to act. No matter the fear that constricts their belly or the sweat of effort that will pour from their brow, as the fight for survival of themselves continues for long enough to defeat the beasts that threaten the survival of others.

No matter how we look at the battle however, the war cannot be one unless that critical mass point is reached where there is enough to tip the scales in favor of the many, instead of those who control the weight of resources. At the moment, we are severely undermanned, under-supplied and lacking the cohesion to even stand upon the plate to be accurately weighted.

The test of faith isn't in the investment alone, it is in the trust that the community will cooperate enough to come together and be counted as one for long enough, to take down the threats. There is no one person who can do it alone, there is no small group. Everything has a life cycle, how long ours is is going to depend on us, not them. They are happy where they are, feeling safe.

Taraz
[ a Steem original ]