Sucking Up on Steemit? So What?! My Thoughts...
I have seen several posts about the "ass kissing" on Steemit and I was just thinking, is that really a bad thing?
The world is full of so much negativity these days. You could go on Facebook right now and look at any popular video and see a slew of hateful comments. Even on benign topics, like recipes!
Facebook has turned from a place where we can re-connect with people that we haven't heard from in years, into a hate filled troll fest.
Yesterday when I was checking Facebook (I am barely on it anymore since I joined Steemit) I came across a video of some parents showing off the bedroom they built for their young daughter. The bedroom was extravagant, and I thought it was pretty impressive. They re-created the Disney Magic Kingdom Castle and had a projector projecting fireworks on the ceiling. I went to comment something about being impressed when I was sidetracked by the comments section.
If you ever want to hate humanity, go to the comments section of a popular Facebook post. Anyways, the comments section of this video was filled with people fighting with eachother. I hate that I wasn't surprised by what I saw. I'm no longer surprised because that is what Facebook has become now. It might as well be called Hatebook.
But why would it be any different? If you comment that a "plus sized model talking about accepting your body" is a "fat slob" on Facebook, what do you have to lose? The respect of that friend from 8th grade who's going to come across that comment weeks later? People don't even think twice on Facebook before they decide to write a hurtful comment....but most people here would.
Imagine doing that on Steemit. I don't think many people would, even though they might be thinking it. You have your reputation on the line, and your post payouts on the line with every interaction that you have on here. At least that motivates most people to be friendly and encouraging, and what is wrong with that?!
People are motivated by money more than anything else, but that doesn't mean that the "ass kissing" doesn't happen on other social media sites that offer no payout, like Instagram! I see people begging for likes from celebrities all the time, and what are they gaining from that?
Have we gotten so jaded by the constant bombardment of negativity and trolls on the internet that every time that someone posts something that doesn't include an insult or a debate that we automatically assume it's fake?
Have you ever given someone a compliment and seen their face light up with happiness? Your encouraging comment on a new Steemian's post could be the reason they keep going, instead of quitting! Especially in the beginning when you are barely getting views or up-votes and you spend hours writing and rewriting a post. You never know what someone is going through. You could be the motivating factor that gives someone the hope to keep going here on. We all need that from time to time. I am new to writing content, so every kind interaction I get on here really makes me want to keep going.
Steemit is a new concept. People are excited to be here. They want to learn as much as they can and they are friendly about it. I have not had an interaction on here that's been less than pleasant so far. And you know what? I think its a breath of fresh air. Even if some of it is "fake." Even if some people are only saying nice things for an up-vote... I am still enjoying every minute of it.
And if you have something nice to say (haha) I would love to hear from you in the comments below. I am always looking forward to connecting with new people from all over the world on Steemit. Steem on!
I agree with you but it gets annoying here when people don't read your post and their comment is just thoughtless. 2 words and a hope for an upvote on their comment. It just creates noise and takes away from the flow of a possible conversation with your readers. I'm like to interact and I think that eventually that creates a connection with the author. I also like to upvote the comments I get but I'd like to think those people would read my posts.
I know what you are saying, i've only been here for 1.5 months but I think Im getting used to just ignoring the low effort comments. I read somewhere on here that those low effort comments get upvoted 25% of the time..which is pretty good odds, so thats why they do it. The other thing I read is that they might be bots, so I'm starting to feel less guilty about ignoring them,.... :)
you are doing pretty amazing for 1.5 months. I like to read your posts and hear about your experiences here. I wouldn't feel guilty about ignoring people. You will eventually get to realize who is actually interested in your posts and who isn't. By "ignoring" those spam comments you are actually teaching them that their tactic won't work and if they smart they will begin to actually engage and become successful on steemit. So let's not deprive them of that opportunity lol.
Thanks so much, that means a lot, I actually used to respond to their comments trying to help them out but they never responded,...and then I read about the bots and I was like...oh. duh. :D
That ceiling is magical. I took a blacklight and glow in the dark paint and tried to recreate the universe on my ceiling back in high school. My room was ridicules.
I read a post on steemit similar to what you are talking about. It was asking if people were fake on steemit. It made a good point I never thought about how Steemit is more closer to real life because of the incentives to be cordial with each other. You would not call the girl at a check out a fat pig in real life but somehow that is totally cool in most online worlds. In real life people interact and depend on one another in certain ways different than online. It is actually nice to not see insult flying everywhere on here. You don't see much of that unless @berniesanders shows up
Yeah, I was trying to look into what kind of projection they were using...but then I figured id never get out of bed!
I agree, I get excited to see a comment and hopefully start a discussion with someone, so when I see a comment I get excited, I go visit my post and see it's like "what great topic for me, i enjoy" or some nonsense like that and then I'm like oh well.
Great post @emmyem84! And although I'm not a huge Disney fan, hot damn, that ceiling rocks. Can you imagine being a kid in love with Disney and having THAT ceiling! Wow. Yeah, if kissing ass = being nice and giving someone a complement then count me in on the ass kissing club! ♥️
Haha, I know right? I am 33 years old and I was looking up how they did it...(for myself, I dont have kids...:) )
When I comment on a post I always try to add something that shows that I read the article because I know how it feels if someone just leaves a generic comment on a post that you worked hard on. Truth is that you will never know if the comment (good or bad) is really how heartfelt or fake/trolling. At least on Steemit the comments are mostly positive and supportive. I know a lot of people just leave comments in the hope of getting an upvote back but at least they are trying to stay on the positive side of things. Like you said, even if it is just "sucking up", so what? On Facebook there is no incentive to leave a positive comment but on Steemit it "pays" to be nice to others. I like it even though in some cases it is just pretend! Love the article....
If I do agree with the content of the post, but I don't have anything I could possible add to the topic or to start an interaction, I will upvote the post without commenting.
If I do think that I could write a genuine comment, I will do it. This could be agreeing or disagreeing with the author but I will always keep it on the topic.
I have never seen anybody from Steemit in real life, none of my followers, none of the ones I am following, I do know personally. So who am I to post some insult to these people.
Placing genuine comments is my biggest way of income for me an Steemit. But I don't want to spam people, I just like discussions. It also is the only way to form a community.
Juts like posting I do prefer a genuine reply on my post or comment above an upvote!
I could post some banter though. Really looking forward to see what the world cup football will do with Steemit.
@xervantes, thanks for your comment! I like how you are thinking of the positives like me :)
We should take into calculation that Steemit also could be ending up the same. In the beginning Facebook was also a friendly place, where you in the beginning only were connected to your friend. Then races between people popped up to have the most friend.
I don't believe that the money part would be an issue. Look at the whale wars going on here! And this is a war between true believers of the system.
On the contrast you have a lots of begging going around. Begging for an upvote, begging to be followed. I'm sure that 99% of these people would not have the nuts to ask in real life to a stranger for a single cent. So why are they doing it here?
I myself am not getting so many comments, so don't have much of experience with the negative parts here. I do only reply on genuine comments.
Last considering the sucking up part. I don't (I hope), most of my comments are friendly and genuine. If I don't like the post I don't reply or upvote. If I disagree I will comment but explain my reasoning.
Steemit will have lots of growing pains coming but still it is a great place!
Yeah I agree, I don't think Steemit will always be this positive and so we shouldnt take it for granted :) With the begging, I think that its easier to do online than in person. And to those people (some of which might be living in poor circumstances) a .10 cent upvote might be a lot more money, and some people pity upvote...so they continue to do it.
I think all of your comments have been super friendly :) always happy to read yours!
You should give yourself credit for that. Always great posts about different topics and viewing angles. There is just no need for me to be rude of something like that.
If you open your eyes, you can see both positive and negative thing. It's up to you where you want to focus. Negativity doesn't get anyone any where.
I don't often go to facebook these days. I got the better one - steemit :)
I thought about deactivating my Facebook since Steemit happened to me. But I still have relatives who are keeping up with us through it so lately I just have been using it to send them pictures of us. I post very rarely now because its either going to get hate comments or be a spark of gossip. I know I have people on my friends list who are just snooping around. Yes, I totally agree when you say, it should be called Hatebook instead of Facebook.
Thats the thing about facebook..if you post too many happy things people think you are bragging about your "perfect life" if you post bad things, those same people think you want attention. There is no winning with facebook anymore, its ruined! Hopefully either Steemit or some other Social Media site can revolutionize everything again. We need a positive change :)
Hey @emmyem84 great post. If you want to see the most vile comments section on the internet go to WorldStarHipHop, that's some crazy stuff on their comments board.
I'm all for positivity, I'm actually trying to implement this concept into my life of being overly positive and enthusiastic about things, kind of along with the whole fake it until you become it thing like from that Amy Cuddy Ted Talk, oneof my favs by the way, check it out.
Anyhow, I'm all for positivity, however I'm also about being real, so I don't like when people act like Steemit is the greatest thing and has no issues. I think self awareness is necessary to improve so onthat front I think it's important to be aware of and point out any shortcommings on Steemit.
On the topic of asskissing, yeah I agree it happens on Youtube. There's a lot of Youtube channels in the entrepreneur space, that's what I pay the most attention to where every comment is like yeah awesome congrats your so great, and the youtuber really isn' even providing any value its stupid videos like 21 year old millionaire with a ferrari. That provides no value and is nothing more than showboating but people eat it up. I even see the bitconnect guys like Craig or Trevon or RyanHildreth and even after they scam people everyone is saying how great they are and dropping a bitcoin address hoping for a donation. Definitely goes on on every platform.
I'll have to watch that Ted Talk :) Honestly I am really bad about faking it, so I could use some pointers. I agree that Steemit still has its shortcomings but its still so early, all we can hope is that they implement the changes necessary, I can't even imagine what would have to change here to make it better, so I just have to hope that other people do, lol.
Ass kissing happens in every community, my sister told me something that made me laugh. She said that "life is like the human centipede of ass kissing, it doesn't matter if its at your job, on the internet, in social circles, the whole world is that way all the time." I think that since theres money involved here and its so obvious that people think it doesnt happen anywhere else!
The people that are successful (whether it be here or anywhere) know where to draw then line between being genuine (or seeming that way) and sucking up. lol.
what you said is absolutely right . I do agree with it . Facebook now a days are turning into hate book for sure. there they don't have any boundary. here people don't speak rubbish they know their reputation will be at risk. if steemit grows in the exponential way . we will say our next generation that "we had used Facebook". I wish I should see that. steemit the no1 social networking site and we as whales :P
We as whales? That would be amazing, right now I am looking forward to becoming a minnow :D
I hate posting and getting no interaction on this platform. I just find it tiring after a while.
If I even got 10 comments I'd be happy.
I'm not sure I like the idea of sucking up, but I don't know that some people know the difference between it and a simple courteous interaction. If I thought sucking up to a whale would actually work, I don't think I'd bother. It goes against the reasons why I joined this platform. I wanted to make some connections to something, and I wanted to feel that what I wrote was maybe of value to the greater community..... maybe one day. :)
Thanks for your post, it is refreshing to see that someone feels something along the same lines as myself.
Even 1 comment would make my day, if it is a genuine one. I'm now at the point where I will get around 3 to 4 comments a post. Apparently enough for me, to keep posting :)
I actually got no comments at all on my first couple posts... Then I spent most of the next month commenting on other peoples posts (only if I have something to say, lol) I find that the only way to gain traction here on Steemit is to 1. have a lot of Steem power... or 2. comment 10 times the amount that you post. It's a lot of work, I know...but I am having fun with it so far. I say keep going and Ill check out your stuff! :D
cheers, thanks for the reply. Good advice for anyone of us really. I must admit i've not been commenting or posting much at the moment, but then I've had a bit on my plate.
I'll certainly being following your journey here on steemit. :)
This happens to me every time I login to facebook.
I'm glad to know I'm not alone, haha.