RE: Speak Truth to Power Tuesdays: Some speculative 'truths' about Steemit, and what can be done
Definite different views of steemit, but that is okay. I myself do not feel tread upon by anyone, in fact I have been having an absolutely wonderful time on steemit. I have read a lot of what I feel are well written fiction stories, I have traveled to exotic and not so exotic place via my armchair, and I have been having a blast playing a game in development.
Voluntary income inequality reduction
That is something people really need to look into, and that is look into the past and see how long "Voluntary" anything last. Can you say Voluntary military service, how about voluntary income tax? No redistribution removes every and all incentives for a person to want to do anything.
But your post does offer things for people to think about, I just do not really see a problem any more. Either the builders are going to let it die, or it is in danger from the current activities or they would fix/change them if it was.
I could organise 100 pissed-off people to throw in 4 SBD each for something like this
Convert this to having 100 pissed off people giving you 4 full 100% votes, and then when you get to a sufficient level from those 400 full powered votes you would be more able to support the new users.
Ideally, none of what I describe will happen, because it won't be necessary.
I agree that steemit is pretty great, and I've found my short time here to be very intellectually rewarding. But I don't really need the money I could earn from here. So while I might be cranky about what ends up trending, when even the worst of my students could write something more coherent in their sleep, I am never going to be out on the street if my posts don't get enough upvotes.
This is not the case for all steemians, and as more people join, this will be increasingly true. Paying rent so that you are not homeless is not voluntary. Buying food so that you do not starve is not voluntary. Earning money so that you can supply your children with the necessities of life is not voluntary. Does redistribution remove some of the duress and coercion from such 'voluntary' transactions? You're damn right it does!
I know you are OK with voluntary associations that do not redistribute earnings. I would characterise this as a difference of degree, rather than type. Anyway, if the conditions on steemit are favourable enough, then people will not form such associations. But if the reward is too low for the work people put in, such groups are inevitable. That, or people will leave.
You do not see a problem. I respectfully submit that not everyone agrees with this assessment.
You are probably correct about the 100 people and their votes - if they have sufficient SP at least. But, the spectre of less-wealthy people undertaking collective action and not simply doing as they are told does tend to produce a more pronounced reaction in my experience.