Man With Mike Not Most Powerful After All

I’ve often said that the man with the mike rules. I still believe this is truth; but lately, I’m beginning to discern that there is a whole new dimension to this saying.

Yes, while the man with the mike continues to rule the direction a conversation takes, a recent deplatforming of many controversial channels on social media proves that the person who controls the ON-OFF switch of the mike trumps the one holding it.

Anyone who followed the 2016 POTUS election, just a smidgen, knows that it was a gloves-off sparring match. It turned out worse than any street-gang fight. I knew that with all of the 'blows' thrown, the opposing YouTube players (conservatives v. liberals) would result in a ‘whatever-it-takes-to-win’ contest. I knew also, that there would be no winners at the end of the day; because, even the winner at the ballot box would lose more than the ratcheted-up street-fighting that went on in the weeks leading up to November 11. It was the most brutal campaign I’ve ever encountered. I heard things that were so far off the mat that I could only smh in wonder how this would ever be reeled back in to 'civility' between teams.

And, then the ballots were counted; and, a winner was declared. Seemingly without a 3-minute break, a second battle began; and, it was apparent that this street-fighting could potentially get out of hand. Little did I know that this alt-media war could potentially explode into a real, gloves-off, guns drawn, civil war.

But thankfully, since people are so busy doing life, that they don’t have the energy or genuine interest to fight a war that doesn’t positively affect their bottom line, the battles remain waged primarily, in the social-media realm.

I don’t have a dog in this hunt; because, I am of the belief that politics are for politicians. But, what I have observed is, that this war is not red against blue; as much as, it is about who gets to say what…when…where…and how; and who gets silenced, the boot, the eraser (lol)...aka, you don't exist.

It’s clearly a new day in the social-media world. People’s livelihoods are being snapped into poof at record rates. I never thought I would see the day when a leader, of the internet-entertainer/alt-news, would be totally dethroned from the major platforms.

That said, the day I learned that those controlling the off-on switch were showing a growing interest, in the Chinese-media platforms, that it was only a matter of time before censorship would be a real word in the vocabulary of content creators in the U.S.

I was reminded how colleagues who worked in China, often sent emails with cryptic lettering to avoid triggering algorithms that would shutdown their communications. This was about a decade ago; and, little did I know, at the time, that this would potentially become the new norm for the U.S. However, recently I’ve been seeing U.S. citizens start cryptically dropping letters, and altering letterings to avoid triggering social-media algorithms.

Media suppression is not an illusion, and it becomes increasingly clear that slaps on the wrist for platform violations are now being replaced with nonnegotiable take-downs. These drastic measures remind me how popular blockchain social-media apps are getting. Since the dismantling of some of the more popular YouTube channels, I notice that even I visit bitchute.com a lot more than previously. I’ve noticed too, that people are uploading Infowars/Alex Jones channels onto DTube.

I’ve also noticed that Jones has been crashing media jaunts of politicians to make his case for censorship. He’s getting zero respect for his efforts, to the point of, some ‘pretending’ they have no clue who he is. That’s called cutting one down to size; all part of the war to bring down everything alt-media; those primarily in opposition of what the controlled-media outlets ‘report’.

So, that’s it. It is clear that the blockchain will serve as a powerful tool for vloggers, as there will be no flushing the content of creators, nor censorship of the work done. I have to say the ‘realist’ in me believes the blockchain is too good to be true; and, remain reminded that, as this post began:

While the man who owns the mike controls the conversation; the developers who control the on-off switch have far more power than the content created. In fact, I've observed how the Steemit 'flag' has been used as suppressed opposition; so, my reticence for believing censorship-proof platforms will ever fully exist is met with support.

Hold on to your hats fellow citizens; as, this feels a bit like a calm before the storm.

Peace.