Hello!

Great to join Steemit in its early days. I hope it fulfils the promise of a decentralised platform that encourages creativity, collaboration and free thinking, in the way that the web was always intended to be.

Don't get me wrong - the centralised juggernauts like Facebook, Google and all those e-commerce giants have done great things by 'inventing' social media, new marketplaces and delivering those centralised platforms that we could once trust... but which are now just corporations that answer to their shareholders/investors rather than to us. They don't pay their fair share of taxes, like the rest of us have to. Their leaders have fabulous power and wealth and often act as great benefactors... but they decide, not us.

It's time for an open, level playing field for social media. Let's hope that the rules of play turn out to give results that benefit everyone that is part of it.... that it turns out to be something that shares the best in thinking and behaviour, .....and does not end up in abuse and excess through lack of self-moderation and respect.

Oops... sounding a bit like Dad there. Humorous abuse is OK - idiot.