Communities Come Together During Challenging Times - And Things Get Better

As the prices fall and various people and groups have different views on how to deal with the solution.  We are still a young community, and in some places the stress is showing.

 What is a community?  According to Dictionary.com:

1. a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality,share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage.

We can take that definition and apply it to the residents of SteemIt”.  We reside at least part of the time on Steemit, although we are decentralized, there is definitely a power structure we could call government, and our cultural heritage is what we are currently creating.  We have some things in common - at least some computer skills, blogging, reading, and whether it is new to us or we are experts the element of Steem as a currency is also involved.

Despite what we have in common, as with any community we have many differences.  We have different personality types, different goals, and different visions and approaches and ideas on where we want to see SteemIt go.  Personally, I think those differences are good and ultimately add value to the platform and will help create a diverse and interesting social media platform in the future.  I keep hearing people saying that we are going to need lot’s of users, this being the case we need welcome and include new users, even those we disagree with.  We need to broaden the topics, and make it easier for new users to feel part of the community.

In our diverse community we have people from different nations, socio-economic backgrounds, vastly different careers, ideologies, politics, etc.  We have suspended our differences to come here and participate.  As vast as our social differences are our motives for being here.  Some are here to express themselves via, blog, vblog, cartoons, jokes, art, political statements, investigations, programming or coding, we all have a medium.  Some are here to make money, blog in privacy, or without advertisements, some do not want to be censored and some are just “testing” the waters of something new.  

There is occasionally some conflict in our community and some are distressed by this.  My position is we are ironing out our different roles and finding our place in this community.  We are getting to know each other, we are learning to manage our expectations.  Each one of us is seeking what role we can play here, and we are questioning the structure of the very community we live in.   Some like visibility, some like quiet, some hate conflict and others use it as a way to find their place.  Everyone wants to achieve or accomplish what they came here to do.  Things rarely go as planned, so when you plan isn’t working out, adjust.  I am going to say it, we are in Beta.  I get tired of hearing it too, but it is where we are.  This is a young community and we are still building a culture.  It is also attached to a young “Start-Up” company.  

Every Start Up Company I Have Seen Has Had To Make Adjustments in the Plan.

                                

I am a people watcher, I love social dynamics and I am always curious about what drives other people.  I am not of the “Everything is Perfect” so, just sing praises crowd.  Yet,  I am certain the phase we are in is necessary for growth and the overall health of the community.  As a community if we just keep the conversation going, keep participating and keep respecting the experiment as a whole we will find our places, our roles and our voices.  SteemIt is to each of us, whatever we make it.  someone else is going to do it for you.  I have commitment for SteemIt and I believe with effort, participation and yes, even some drama we can be successful.

For each one of us, that means find your niche, experiment, speak up, if you are wrong apologize, if someone wrongs you forgive, if this isn’t your thing, people come and go from communities all of the time.  If you need help, find a mentor, ask for feedback. Do not forget to be a mentor as well.  Remember, not everyone was meant to live on the Block Chain.  Not all of us are cut out for this social and financial experiment.  Not everyone can handle the ups and downs of the price.  However, many of us are here for the long haul.  You don't have to like everyone, but respect the community.

Keep Showing Up  -  @whatsup