Going Legit: The gap between blog and reality

Since it is Saturday night and all is quiet on the Steem feed, I thought I would write about something more discussion based. @abh12345 mentioned in his Steemfest Journey post a couple of things that I would like to build upon in some way.

Firstly,

You can get all shitty about it if you want, but networking is a large part of the Steem ecosystem. Closed circles is not what I wish to see, but you need some 'regulars' appearing with votes. And Steemfest is a pretty good way to gather up a few.

Secondly,

Why? Because you can sit having a beer with someone, play a game of pool, and seeing how they are as person. I don't want to support money grabbing selfish douche-bags, so the in-person check is good to have.

Building relationships

 
To start with. Yes, no one likes circle jerks except for those being jerked but it is true that having regulars is a necessary part of building a successful blog here and, surprise surprise, that takes networking and it comes in many forms. People don't like the idea of having to socialize which is strange considering this is a form of social media.

Too many would rather just post and not really have much to do with anyone else and then wonder why they are unable to get or continue to get support. It isn't about Steem cheer leading mind you, it is about actually caring about what is going on both with Steem and, with people.

As Asher said, having some regulars who trust you and your content enough that they can vote from time to time knowing it is going to have some value in it is an important factor and, that requires building some kind of relationship. A good relationship doesn't need a lot of words, it needs a lot of trust.

People like to talk about the quality of their content but, it is much more than that as people may like content but, they prefer to support the people behind it. The way people interact holds engagement value as here, it is really the only way you can publicly know what someone is like. In chats and off-chain, relationships can further build and grow.

However, this is Steem, this is the internet, scam is everywhere. Which leads me onto the second point.

Getting into the real

 
We read stories way too often about famous people (politicians/actors/CEOs etc) who have said this and then been caught doing that and, we are surprised and outraged that the reality of the person doesn't hold up under scrutiny of the public persona. Yet, this is how many people approach social media isn't it?

People curate their blogrolls and feeds to show a side of them, not the whole them. They are looking to get something out of their profile whether it be attention, sympathy, likes, love or votes so, they offer what they think will attract what they are aiming to get. But, the difference between their online persona and their reality can be very large indeed. The screen that protects the keyboard warrior, also shelters the keyboard fabricator.

People tend to embellish their positions like fishermen telling a fishing tale when they feel they can't get caught or there is no proof. This is why Asher mentions the "in-person check" because the reality of a person is much harder to hide when face to face. This is especially true for people who have never had to physically hide because the screen hides their true responses.

The gap between

 
For me, this is part of the reason I would really love to go to Steemfest 3 and meet people because I get to spend some time seeing people in their real bodies, not their avatars. This has nothing to do with looks though, it is about the conflicts between what is on chain and what is in reality.

Personally and perhaps tragically, I tend to be much the same in reality as I am at Steem because for me, I can't do this just for votes, I need some authenticity for myself, some self-respect. I keep the embellishments to a bare minimum because of my view of myself and my personal ethics.

This is the challenge for many on Steem though as they have potentially crafted a position and persona for themselves that falls apart if met in person. They talk the talk but, can they walk the walk? Having a game of pool and a chat over a beer, seeing them talk with others, watching how they are around the bigger fish, tells a lot about them and how large the persona/reality gap may be.

This is not about only talking about Steem stuff or whatever content is their niche though, it is just in general. What are they like as people? And, this is a very important question to ask and think about when either giving support or, looking for support considering people will support content short-term but, the person long-term.

Unedited and raw

 
I see it like any relationship, it is the looks (content) that might attract in the first place but it is the personality that keeps people reading and willing to continue the relationship. The relationships that start on lies, generally end as truths are revealed which is why, no matter how weird or freaky someone is, they should be authentic as then, they will attract people who are interested in them, not the persona they play.

Authenticity seems to be a rare trait in the online world and the reality of a person is rarely what is presented. It is like seeing supermodels without Photoshop support, much less wow with many more flaws. When applied to Steem, it is likely that many more are as Asher put it, money grabbing selfish douche-bags, then they let on in their blogs.

I wonder how many will avoid meeting face to face because they are worried about being found out? How many are not what they seem? How many are catfishing on Steem for votes?

The more I think about going to Steemfest in Poland, the more I want to go and meet people. I don't care about the uncovering of those who lie but, I am pretty sure that there will be some very cool people I will genuinely enjoy the company of and that will definitely make the trip worth it.

I just don't know how I am going to keep the monkey that writes my posts hidden from view...

Taraz
[ a Steem original ]