Dear Everyone - We Are NOT Fish, We Are STEEMIANS - It's Time To STOP Superficially Labeling And Judging Ourselves/Others Within A Fabricated Social Order
I've detested the cute aquatic social class labels pushed on Steemians since my first day.
I've been a "minnow" since August of 2017 with my eyes firmly set on being a "dolphin." (cue: eye roll)
I've blogged almost every day since and went to SteemFest, but I'm still referred to as puny little fish.
Let's stop taking the bait we're fed because there's always a hook.
This social class system constantly conditions people to value or devalue themselves and others based on how much Steem they hold. It also forces people to judge in the same ignorant fashion.
That's a terrible metric and overall concept...
- If Steem's price rises or falls 20%, does that mean we're 20% more or less valuable in this ecosystem?
- Does our worth, merit, or the due respect we deserve fluctuate with market price?
- Are we inflationary as more tokens are made daily?
- Does a minnow who just got a huge delegation immediately become a better person, deserving of a higher title, or worthy of more respect?
The answer to all of the above is a resounding HELL NO!
It feels like borderline insanity to not have this discussed more, but that's how people are trained (and potentially not by accident).
The system calls for obtaining more Steem Power to work up the fabricated pyramid social system.
Earn higher fish titles! You'll have more pride! You'll garner more approval and respect! You'll have more influence and less asses to kiss! Buy Steem to achieve this paradise since earning it is virtually impossible with the way many major stakeholders inwardly use their Steem Power!
It's sad when great people get conditioned to consider themselves minnows with aspirations of becoming a dolphin or a whale one day. It's complete nonsense. It's not just a funny or cute moniker, it conditions more than enough people to be a cause for concern.
I think this needs to STOP immediately so people learn to respect each other more as the talented human beings and equals they are.
Steem holdings mean nothing when it comes to talent, class, character, abilities, potential, intelligence, ethics, morals, etc.. The list is endless.
This gif sums up how many new adopters make their big splash on the Steem blockchain via Steemit:
This recent well-intentioned comment from a positive post stood out to me:
"Give the small fish a voice by ensuring that everyone is informed about all proposals and changes so that more people can join the informed discussion."
First, nobody should be referred to as a small fish.
Second, we all should have had equal access to proposals and changes, and a voice people care about at all times.
Furthermore, considering someone or seeing oneself a "whale" immediately gives them a big head and a sense of superiority they don't need. It incites the potential for delusions of grandeur.
Steem Power's influence as body paint in today's system:
Steem Power is like beer goggles:
If I had a lot of Steem Power, would anyone off the chain know or care?
My point exactly.
Steem Power holdings don't correlate with your class here.
Wait! Was that an accidental triple entendre?!
Some like to blame a broken system as an excuse to rationalize selfish behavior, others want to stay in their lane and accept the status quo, and the few left prefer to proactively act and try to do something about it. We need much more of the latter.
Anyway, we're all real people from all over the world on the forefront of a revolution. We're an army with everyone as equals.
That's the key takeaway.
Unless you prefer to buy your way to "respect," "influence," and a "whale" of a new title...
In all seriousness, if anyone ever felt insignificant because of their stake or social class here, now's the time to shatter that emotionally abusive mold.
Let's drain the swamp ocean!!!!
Very interesting perspective. I fully agree that the "fish" labels system is a unnecessary class system.
Respect should be earned not from how much SP you have, but how much you have contributed to the community
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Yup, even at SteemFest some scanned the badge and looked at the wallet first... Like 'Should I give this person my attention or not?'
I learned yesterday that about 90% of my upvotes go to accounts that have less SP than me so I'm glad with that, interacting with the people and not the account numbers.
The sea creature ratings always seemed a bit predatory to me, big fish eat little fish.
Socially enforced rank for civilians has always seemed wrong to me, it implies that we are all subservient to a class of overlords and that's what's held humanity back for millennia. There can never be true sense of co-operation for the greater good while that mentality exists.
It's been imprinted in our nature to have a divided system of class and that's almost always predominantly based on wealth . I've never really bought into those class systems much myself anyway. I judge people on how they treat me and others not their bank balance.
It's easier for a whale to pass through the eye of a needle than it is for a plankton to become a whale here.
Sounds like communism, everbody the same. Your Intention?
Many german steemians powered up massively in the bear Market to influence the Future Content of steem more. I like this Development of a "Steem middle class".
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Not at all.
I'm talking about being respected the same. Not called and viewed a type of fish class to put them in a bucket. Steem Power should not be the way we rank people. That's not communism at all.
We're all people and we all deserve equal respect, not to be classified or put in a lower/middle/upper class.
Sounds like communism LMAO!! I just can't even put much thought into a, response to that. How one goes about missing the message by so much as to ask you to state your intentions on a post clearly about appreaciating the individual beyond their monetized value is laughable. In my mind I see a man holding a ferret on a leash asking us all where's the money?
Felix is a great dude and a big pro-Steemian. Met him in person. I think it might've been a misinterpretation.
Thanks for your rebuttal. I may have edited my post after you saw mine, so can you check my work. Did I just nail a triple entendre with the South Park class comment?
No doubt there was something lost in translation, and yep u nailed it!! I sincerely find the seriousness with which many take this ecosystem amusing, and thus enjoyed your post as well as the first responder. I guess since we can't all see what kind of car each another is driving there had to be a replacement blockchain version. You never know in the real world though, some people that could buy a G5 opt for a Camry because it gets them from A to B. I'd like to believe the blockchain attracts that more humble,pragmatic, and logical personality type that sees with jet and Bentley money they could improve more than their own existence..
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I can't say I'm a fan of these fishy analogies either.
I mean starting off as 'plankton' is hardly motivational!
Although the whole platform is built on inequality... it's built into its ecosystem.
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Thanks for stopping by and your spot on feedback. It's one thing if it's just a fun thing, but people are religiously called this stuff and I think it sinks in for both those looking down on them and those feeling lesser than they should.
I think it's just part of the capitalist mind set here... also very American... the belief is that it motivates people to climb the ladder. It's also part of @steemmonsters.
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I agree with the sentiment of this post!
I want to be a great white shark.
Fuck this red-fish minnow shit!
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I haven't paid that much attention to who's a tuna and who is salmon. You are deaf right.. we are all Steemians. Still, I wanna be a dolphin coz I like them.
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It's late here and I have no food at home. I was trying so hard to fend off the urge to go out to get something substantial by just going to bed. Now we're talking tuna and salmon and I'm back where I started.
True that. Seems like you're already a dolphin in spirit.
Oh sorry!!!
ps making chicken tacos
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Ruthless. At least you didn't post a picture or anything.
Lol, I wanna be a cosmic sea turtle..
Peanut butter n crackers or cheese and crackers is my go to late night survival grub BTW..
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Cliché - but I can go fishing now.
Its not inspiring to start off as plankton, but i never got a strange feeling about it but putting minnow on my resumé isnt a dream either.
Dolphin or whale is better explained cause in every job interview its asked do yo compair yourself to an animal and which? So thats the goal to have an great (preferably a swimming mamel ) answer. Goal dolphin
Well, if prices trickle down some more, you can pad your resume to dolphin status instantly with a sensible fiat investment!
Did you do that? I am still thinking about it....... would be great
For real.... who the hell wants to be a fish lol!!!
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Right on. Sounds like good inspiration for lyrics in an upcoming mix of yours.
You sound quite right to an extent. I guess the purpose of labelling with a fish name is to know your class and weight reputation also but I can see some truth in your post, you are right. We are not fish but we are human