RE: Blockchain: The Unleashing Of Human Potential
A good summary.
I'm going to take a chance here and play devils advocate.
Decentralization is good - except when it isn't. Perhaps the best example of this is SegWit in Bitcoin. The governance model of Bitcoin and the difficulty in achieving the level of signalling to implement SegWit caused delays and considerable animosity and hostility in the community, ultimately leading to the least desirable outcome - a hard fork and Bitcoin Cash (least desirable is a different argument and some would passionately disagree).
Before you jump all over me, it isn't hard to find use cases where centralization is a better model, just as it is easy to find use cases where fully decentralized systems are better. Further, there are instances where semi-decentralized structures perform best. A good example of this is a spoke/hub model such as used by airlines.
Deciding which model is best often depends on how you define "best". Is the efficient movement of physical product "best"? Then the spoke/hub model works really well. Anonymous transmission of messages? Decentralized TOR is the way to go.
Blockchain is an amazing technology. But it does not solve everything. It will transform and disrupt many things. But it will only occupy the parts of the information universe where it is truly the best and most efficient choice among all other technologies.
Certainly you bring up valid points and not everything is going to end up on blockchain nor centralized.
In the article, I mentioned Steemit not to slight them but to compare. To your point, some of what they are working on is better of centralized...like the automated sign up...there needs to be one process especially since, STEEM, so far, is given out. Too many cooks could be a bad thing in that instance.
The diversity that blockchain is inspiring, both in crypto projects and more traditional avenues, is really exciting. Especially when you add in the convergence of things like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, Internet of Things, and the other major tech frontiers. Exciting times.