Steem Wars: The Free Market Functions Beautifully. (Don’t beg for restrictive regulation!)
Summary of my thoughts on what does and does not constitute flag “abuse,” and why as long as Steem is a free-market enterprise, the platform has nothing to fear.
Thank you for watching.
~*~
~KafkA
Graham Smith is a Voluntaryist activist, creator, and peaceful parent residing in Niigata City, Japan. Graham runs the "Voluntary Japan" online initiative with a presence here on Steem, as well as Facebook and Twitter. (Hit me up so I can stop talking about myself in the third person!)
Thanks for the multiple shout-outs and the support brother! All in all, today has definitely been a beautiful example of what's possible on Steemit, and in society in general. One "dedicated asshole" can only do as much damage as the rest of the community allows them to do.
I hope a lot of new adopters watch this vlog because it's Steemit 101.
A great explanation of how the platform is supposed to work for those who are new and encouragement for those feeling dissolutioned.
Those of us who have had time to network and gain a following will absolutely be able to fight against downvotes but there will always be those who write posts that are worthy of attention that get flagged out of existence who have no support. It's a shame but a reflection of the real world and life in general. Those are the Steemians I hope will hang in there and keep going until they do get noticed. The market will prevail.
As I stated earlier none of us want to see Steemit turn into a shitty blockchain Facebook clone which it would if the true freedom of expression we seek to defend is compromised.
Great post Kafka, you're a top bloke.
Thanks, @tremendospercy.
Are you saying that by allowing him to destroy us (as you very well know, most new posters already find it an uphill struggle without you agreeing to it being made even more difficult for us), in the name of free expression - whose free expression, the posters, the talents who are our treasure, or these vindictive small-minded people.
Nobody is asking you take away freedoms, what we are asking is that you wise up and get rid of rules you've made for empowering people to harm others. As a matter of fact, downvoting is NOT needed. If I do not like a post, I can post a negative comment, or just ignore them. By being ignored they are punished.
Under the guise of promoting free expression, you are encouraging these people. You are telling all those who have enrichened Steemit with their talent, that they do not count, only the sick and perverted do!
Thanks, @tremendospercy.
(Though my thanks is not given in the same manner as below, by @kafkanarchy84)
I like the logic you are using arguing the free market. But even in a free market there has to be some kind of regulation. Instead of government regulation we the people will chose to regulate what we buy and consume...but from what I’ve read there never has been a free market, big government, big money moves in and tries to control the ecoomy to protect their investments and investors.
Yes, precisely, that is non-violent, non-coercive, free market action.
I just watched your video -and you did speak well and much of what you pointed out is true and right. However, as long as ANYONE is empowered, through flagging, to coerce others, then flagging can only be considered a form of violence.
Yes, we must not ask for rules that take away our freedoms, but, stopping the flagging or limiting it to one flag per week, for instance, that does not take away our freedoms, it actually helps to guarantee our freedoms. Aslso, I've asked before, we must have a group of moderators who check each flagging and if there was no good reason, thne the flag should be reversed and the person who flagged should be flagged and the sum taken from him awarded to the intended victim.
All freedom comes with responsibility, but to assert that we should get together to form a strong group to fight against berniesanders and others like him, that is totally impractical. I am still at the early stages of trying to make myself a part of he community and am struggling to get ANYONE to read my posts - so how, in practical and not just theoretical terms, am I supposed to be capable of gathering posters by a number great enough for fighting people like him? None of this would be a problem if the investors make the change so that flagging costs or they stop it completely.
Flagging is only a tool for abusing and bullying those I do not agree with; it is not needed as a right!
Goddammit! Would whoever drops by this post please please "listen" to this man's words and take in what he is saying.
I was getting chills listening to it, he was that damn accurate. I felt like putting together a post about this very same issue, but when this extremely reasoned guy has done such a perfect job, why bother? Pearls of absolute wisdom and just the pure "truth" the way it is...
Thanks, @ezzy. Really appreciate that.
i think flags are okay, the problem is in emotion aspect and in the name of flag, i think we need downvote and flag separate functions. So people will not be so emotion if someone downvote their content . Ye i understand that money means a lot, but still if we have flags separate from downvotes then people will use them more and not be so shocked, like its bullying and so on. In youtube for example video can have a lot of likes and dislikes its ok, but if someone see something bad then they flag it.
I second that. It makes no sense that the same button works for expressing opinion on payout and for tagging spam. That's some bad UI right there.
To many the term "flag" is offensive. If there was an upvote and downvote voting scale in the same interface, people wouldn't get as hurt by said flagging. I know I wouldn't. But as it is now, flagging by users who have more power than they can use feels like a kick to the face, especially to newcomers who invest a lot in their work.
You may be on to something there. I have had similar thoughts before, as well.
Sir Percy sent me this link, and I love him for it. @kafkanarchy84, you nailed it. This is one of the best discourses on this issue that I have seen. Best 8 minutes a Steemian could spend.
Thanks. I really appreciate that.
The vested interests will always resist "Free Markets". We need to expect opposition.
In many ways, this is so true, but as long as the vested interests are not violent, as they are in the real world, the vested interests are a necessary and vital part of any free market. Self-interested, individual economic actors are what allow a market, and thus individuals to thrive.
That's a good point I had not considered.
Thanks Graham, another great post. Totally agree. Upped. Resteemed
@dakini5d
Good advice @kafkanarchy84. I agree, the market will decide the content that people want to view. Generaly though, if something is not for me....I just move on to something else. Not my place to decide what others believe.
That’s what I do too, usually. Or just comment.
I don't really know anything about free market but it sounds about right to me what you are saying. I also celebrate the expressiveness of people here. Asking for regulations is really bad. However, the blockchain could be improved with better flagging mechanisms.