Having Problems With The Steemit Platform Vs. Threatening to Leave It
Gripping about the problems of the Steemit platform is a tried and true Steemian tradition. Think of it as a type of minnow initiation, when you've finally put in enough effort to understand the underlying systems and culture well enough to complain about them.
I myself am no exception to this tradition, and I would say that most people who weren't here in the first few months of the platform (i.e. the whales, and even many of them have some pretty serious complaints about the platform) and have put some significant amount of work into it have complained at some point or another.
And let's face it, there are some things to complain about. Just go look at this post by @snowflake to get an idea about one of the larger problems with the platform.
However, it's one thing to say: "here's a problem I'm having with the platform" and "this platform sucks and is beyond hope, I'm leaving!"
Listen, not to put too fine a point on it but... no you're not. If you cared enough to write a post about leaving, it's unlikely that you will. That's the first thing that sort of bothers me, a kind of temper-tantrum lie combined with an implied threat: change or I'm leaving!!
It's true that a ton of people do leave the platform (but actually, a lot of reflection makes me suspect that that's deceptive). But I'll bet anything that most of these are: a.)people who simply lose connection to the platform because they can't wrap their head around it, b.)scammers who figure out that it's really hard to scam on Steemit for long, c.)people who lost their password, d.)people who have had life and other responsibilities and who aren't actually dead accounts but won't return for a period of months.
Notice that people who threaten to leave the platform aren't on the list.
Much like any girl who pulls something similar on me my response is the same: Okay. Leave.
That sets things straight. It says that such manipulation and tantrum throwing is unacceptable and won't be tolerated even for a moment.
Hey, I know it's hard on this platform, believe me I know. I talk about it all the time. But one thing I can't stand is posts that imply that there's no solution and end with an implication that the platform is not worth spending time on.
And much like any relationship: When you care about something, you fight for it. It's true that there's a point when the fight is over, and that sometimes it's over before it starts, but we are not there, folks. Need I remind you that Steemit has been around for under two fucking years?!?!
To be honest, sometimes I gotta remind myself.
But I don't threaten to leave. Take a haitus if you need it. Talk shit about the problems even (but do try to eventually provide solutions). That's your choice. But don't threaten to leave. Because I'm calling your bluff.
Tuesday, November 7th, 2017
Source: 1
I get it. I once dated a narcissist who used leaving me as part of his abusive manipulation. I needed to change this or that or he would leave. Of course he would never leave, and even if I did change, he would still threaten to leave.
I see people who vent that way on Steemit in two categories (and maybe i'm just being categorical, but wtv):
There is probably some people somewhere in between, and they should all figure out how to express their frustrations in a diplomatic way so that together we can work on finding solutions.
Steemit in under 2 years old as you say and in Beta mode. How many changes did, for example, SWTOR go through before it was "optimal" and then it keeps going through changes, mega once. Facebook too, no one knew about it in its first 2 years or barely.
I think rants about what people don't like here can be healthy, but it needs to be done with class and in such a way that invites people to voice possible solutions and not just threats because they don't like this or that. Someone explaining they are considering leaving but is unsure and here is why can be a good thing. Someone ranting about said feature, without threatening to leave, just ranting about it and how they have no clue how it can be fixed, that too I personally find legit.
I guess it all depends on how it's expressed and how many times said person has ranted or threatened to leave. That has to be taken into account too.
Well said. Such people are the exception, not the rule, but I saw a few posts in a short period of time that just rubbed me the wrong way and needed to talk about it.
That's understandable. It's definitely something worse addressing.
Great post, and yes I agree with you. Especially the bit about the similarities with dating.
I'll throw one more out there. I once had an employee threaten to quit over this or that; and I told him point blank: "if you don't want to be here, I don't want you here, the next time you threaten to quit you're done."
I'll bet anything that person thought they were a superstar. Hell, maybe they are. Such behavior isn't though.
Once you let someone get away with it once, it's over...
oh yeah, 100%