A post-apocalyptic Steem

The doomsday clock is 100 seconds to midnight, the closest it has ever been.

The Doomsday clock is a representation of the likelihood of threats to humanity through man-made scientific and technological advancement - nuclear war, climate change, viruses...

It seems that the Steem blockchain has its own Doomsday clock ticking away in the background through the witness ranks. The threat is complete centralization of the chain, the death of dPOS.

I find it interesting that what Justin Sun and Tron were likely hoping to add to their portfolio was a large and active userbase, a community of diverse people, not bots. Yet, their process of going about securing the community is all but killing it - strangling it to death through siege warfare. A siege does not win hearts and minds, it creates animosity and disdain that will last well into the future. Maybe it is cultural.

It seems that some believe that as long as there is a chance of their holdings increasing in value, that is all that matters, but they seem to forget, that most users do not have the same levels of stake that they have, most users are just living their Steem lives on much less than they. When a top witness spot is held with only 32 voters, it should give alarm bells.

The warning bells should sound in the ears of the 32 voters.

What will be left of a community that has been commandeered and held hostage by a minority, a community that has been disrupted by a small group of users which other than their votes to extract value from the pool, barely interact on chain? It is interesting how they consider keeping a global community when they themselves have hardly interacted with anyone else for four years.

What would a post-apocalyptic Steem look like when after the last 2 years where finally distribution was starting to improve, it has been ripped into the blockchain dark ages?

Of course, some will see it as an improvement - Slum lords.

Their chosen savior is someone that despite having a huge arsenal or resources and a great deal of publicity, has failed to build a community of humans. This has always been the problem when focusing on the economic reward of crypto, and this is what is incentivizing those now - a tiny sliver of investors looking to cashout - not build a community. They aren't the idealistic looking to free themselves from centralized control, they are the ones who want to buy a better position on the ladder - no matter who's fingers they have to crush below.

Perhaps thy are right. Perhaps this is the best humans can be.

At least, it seems to be the best they can be.

Yet, this is the value of blockchain and the unlimited digital landscape on which real estate can be built. While a budding flower can wither and dissolve into ashes, a new set of roots can take hold and propagate itself into a new garden to house a better community, one learned from the past and hopeful for the future.

I do not expect, but I do hope - Protected from disappointment, with the opportunity to be surprised.

How close will we come to midnight?

Resistance may be futile, yet there is very little option other to resist. Being under siege and being sold out by neighbors reminds a lot of what has happened in the past and the pattern repeats. A centralized power that promises security and value in exchange for information and help to destroy its enemies. Dark times persist when a community chooses profit over community.

The climate is changing, the virus is spreading and the nuclear option draws near.

When the dawn arrives - who's eyes will survive to open and see what remains?

Tick. Tick. Tick.

Taraz
[ a Steem original ]