RE: Niches in the city and the infrastructure needed to support it
I've been writing a comment to your previous post, but since this is the chapter 2, here it goes... a mix of topics ranging from our earlier discussion and the two most recent posts of yours:
It's all about the people. The content is just a conversation starter.
As a member of a niche community (sports betting), in my short time here, I saw a lot of promising tipsters quitting after a few weeks. Yes, some of them were under the illusion of getting easy money, but most of them quit for nobody cared about their content. A meager vote here and there and a few views on the post they'd spend hours to write.
I'm a poster child of what can happen in the niche community when you are greeted by a member that cares. Do you want to know what my first post was? Here it is in its entirety:
Celta Vigo to win and both teams to score.
Odds:
decimal: 3.0
fractional: 2/1
american: +200
That was 3 months ago. The bad news is that it meets no quality standard that I know of, but the good thing about it is if you've placed a $100 dollars bet on that tip, you'd walk away with $200 dollars in pure profit :-)
Now, enter @costanza with kind words and his Getting Started on Steemit (Sports Bettors Edition). There's someone here that's showing a genuine interest in what I'm doing! It may sound funny (or even bizarre), the reason I'm posting each and every day since I've joined is that guy. I don't want to let him down, to piss on the trust and support he showed me. I had many falls starts (many yet to come), but I try to improve and do better because someone cared 3 months ago.
Long story short, I'm depleting my voting power at an alarming rate having discussions about the future of the platform that just 3 months ago was something to drop a tip on and see what happens.
You must remember my rage earlier this day... Ever since I was the beneficiary of the @costanza's warm welcome to the steemit's sports bettors community I try to do the same and pay it forward. I saw yours and @timcliff's proposals as something that will screw my actions, hence the rage :-)
Regarding spam and bad actors, nobody has eliminated them from their platforms, it's hubris to thinks that we can do it here. All we can do is to police it. It's boring, it's tedious, it takes resources that could be put to better use, but it is the only thing that works (as far as I know). Cheers!
I have some entire articles on this ;)
It is amazing isn't it? My first three or four months here amounted to very little financially but, I was building some really good friendships, relationships, audience. Many are still here posting much like I am. That network, the feeling that someone cares if you are here or not is what keeps many people engaged.
This is why something needs to be done as the spammers are stopping many of the interactions that kept you here. Again, I don't know what the answers are and even when witnesses like @timcliff mention these ideas, rarely are they going to get traction in the for they are presented and the discussions go on a while.
I understand the rage (although not necessary) but think about all the cool things you have learned and will learn on this platform that would have been missed if you decided to only drop your bet comments. There are values here that go beyond Steemit also and being part of the conversations (even when nothing changes) adds a level of connection that most miss out on because they decide, 'it isn't my area'.
Talk soon :)