To Steem or Not To Steem?
A friend of mine has been REALLY frustrated with the current price of Steem. So frustrated that kept messaging me on Facebook last night (REALLY EARLY in the morning where I live), asking me if it's worth it after all.
I won't even lie; I thought of cursing him/her (won't reveal my friend's sex) out really bad for waking me up so early. However, I couldn't do that. You don't treat people that care about you (and you care about them hopefully) like that when they need you or seem to be desperate. You have to be a really SELFISH PRICK to treat "your people" like this!
To make a long story short though, the main question of my friend was: "To blog or not to blog?" Or to be more accurate, "To steem or not to steem" with Steem's price being so low at the moment?
Since I am not capable of answering a question like “To be or not to be” – which many sophisticated and WAY smarter thinkers than me have failed to answer – I attempted to analyze the much lighter topic of Steemit.
After all Steemit is just another human invention; nothing too complicated or "of great purpose" really. It will vanish from the face of the earth one day just like every other human invention will (humans included).
To begin with, to me it seems that the only purpose of life is to live, and because evidently there is no other purpose, individuals must give their own lives meaning.
Of course blogging (steeming included), just like every human activity, is still a subcategory of the meaningless life mentioned above — which means that it’s meaningless too really. But, oh well, let’s not start with existential questions just now; let’s keep it light.
In my not so humble opinion, the purpose of online blogging for most people (including me) is to say “Heyyyy! Here I am! Take a look! I exist.” I am blogging for the past 20 years pretty much (with the past six making a living from it), so I am quite confident about the role of blogging in MY life.
It’s always nice — and usually constructive — to share ideas and information that can be accessed by an increasing number of people for no more than the cost of an internet connection. So considering that we live in the 21st century, that we are experiencing the most intense technological revolution of all time, and that we are transitioning into an age of High Technology, is there a better way to improve the quality of our lives than by using the Internet? (check my article about internet btw).
So why wondering if Steem worth it my good friend? You and EVERYBODY ELSE (including me), is here to make some money, no? No? Really now? NO??? You ain't no Van Gogh or Homer and let's be realistic; YOU WILL NEVER BE ONE!
Otherwise you wouldn't sell your "art" so cheap in a website where it can be heavily abused and plagiarized. No? NO???? So, should we steem or not? If you ask my opinion, my answer is: YES!
Can you find a more fun way to make money by sharing and exchanging ideas, information, facts and pictures? If you can, then tell me about it too and I'll be there!!!!!!
So, let’s join forces and make all these things that separate us bring us closer instead. Your life and story could be mine in a parallel universe. Just because I can’t see it, doesn’t mean that it can’t be. So what’s the purpose of Steemit?
Other than MAKING MONEY (Viva la Sincerità!), it is to share ideas, beliefs, and stories with people all around the world just like you are doing on Facebook or through a common blog. To make humanity more connected and to be noticed, while making money. That's a good deal to me!!!!!
To Steem or not to Steem after all? To STEEM of course… it’s really a beautiful and PROFITABLE thing.
T for Theo-Cracy!
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I really enjoyed reading your article!
You made me laugh with your brainstorming over the topic.
I arrived at this post from one of your previous ones (if you don't mind if I'm calling it or retitling it into) - Do or Die if English is Not Your First Language! - just because, that "Do or Die" sentence glued to my mind. (Unfortunately too old post to upvote it, so I didn't leave there any comment either) but which post I would still warmly recommend anyone to read (especially if English is not their first language).
However, arriving here after the above-mentioned post was just another delightful experience that brightened the start of my day (today) and gave my mind several new ideas to juggle with.
Never the less, I agree with your closing thought and final answer to Steem on! 🙂
Thank you very much for the kind words @ana-maria! I am really glad you enjoyed these two pieces I wrote. It's always nice seeing other writers liking your work :)
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In the end, blogging here still gains income. Yes the price is all over the place right now, but at facebook, instagram, twitter, etc. you do the same thing without an income. If you are going to Invest, Spend or waste time on social media.... dang you may as well earn something for it. The real waste is for those that gave up and went back to other social media.
Agree. I never liked the social media, never personally used them in the past.
When steemit caught my attention it was clear to me that I could do many of the things I really looove doing and actually get rewarded.
If someone comes to steemit exclusively for the rewards, perhaps they should consider a different activity (potentially more rewarding) for their time.
It all has to do with the 'why' some are here 'how' they are educated to use the platform and 'what' they are looking for the future to come.
Thanks @tkappa for another great article and @kyusho for a constructive comment!
Plus, you can always be patient and save (patience....what a GREAT virtue, huh?). When it will eventually rise/pump/grow (call it what you like), you'll be like......
Thank you dear @katerinaramm
Thanks for this comment @kyusho
That is what keeps me going. My thinking is fixed at: Don't i spend more time on Facebook and others and earn nothing? So why quitting steemit all because the prices are all over the place now?
It doesn't really worth it. I'll stay.
I have gained over six figures from Steemit earnings.... why would a little pothole stop people from driving?
Money is the biggest motivator. And in Steemit, once you pass a certain threshold, your content gets a fair amount of money.
Which is all good. Above all, the interaction is amazing among the community. Because the people at the bottom needs to interact - to grow.
And people at the top, interact because they find it valuable. Either way, your blog might thrive. Once it reaches a certain threshold.
Until then, build up. And if you have reached a sweet spot, go all in. Good luck...
To steem it is!!!
Even the few ones that will spare the time to listen. Where else would you get such an instant response and exposure to your work, words, pictures, music?
So steem on! :)
"Where else would you get such an instant response and exposure to your work, words, pictures, music?"
You forgot to add "and get paid so well" otherwise I can name around 50 more online media where you can do the same for free ;)
I've been thinking about that line and the context there for almost six hours. Still don't know what to say.
Hahaha!!! I hoped to cause some controversy with this line (as well as with a few other "existential" argumements there) but it has been really peaceful in the comments.
I make a valid point though, don't I? If any of us truly believed or thought that he/she gives birth to the next Mona Lisa or Illiad etc. would we just post them so lightly out there without any real copyrights? Think about it... I think the VAST majority of steemians are self-aware, no?
I'm still proud of what I've been able to accomplish. I'll just leave it at that.
It's not personal, mate. It has nothing to do with your work on steemit, which as you know very well I truly like.
Furthermore, I never said the "product" of a steemian is crap or trash. What I said is that realistically none's work here (from what I have seen) is on the level of Homer or Van Gogh. You realize that I picked these two for a GOOD reason, right?
Scholars from Harvard have concluded that the production of Illiad and Oddyssey would take over 2 decades of daily writing, editing blah blah. Lyrically and technically it is considered PERFECT!
Again experts agree that the way Van Gogh combined colours in some of his masterpieces is unmatched in art history. For any steemian to consider his work superior or equal to such titans of art that paved the way for millions that followed them is blasphemy to me.
I used the specific two examples for a reason as I said. I could have said "You will never be funny as Chris Rock" but I didn't. Now i think this man is a product of mass media. He's not even funny to me. He's grossly overrated. I do not see anything "genius" in his art.
Last but not least, taking pride in your work is a totally different thing. I do too and I am quite proud of what I produce on steemit to be honest. That's why you will never see me post a single picture just to make some money. Still, do I think I am the next Homer or Proust or Hemingway? HELL NO!
The only real judge is time...So, let's see how time judges our art ;)
You're the next you.
An article which motivates, thanks :) I am also a blogger and in my opinion steemit is an additional platform where you have the oppotunity to spread your content. Getting money for that is an additional „nice to have“. What I like the most is to get in touch with other blogger and writer.
Friend, I remind you you can turn your phone off at night. I actually highly recommend it, your body needs a rest from wifi. I just might need to do a blog on that!!
hahahaha, see this is the thing. When I go to bed I always charge my phone outside my bedroom in silent mode. Last night, however, I was SO TIRED that I did fall asleep without following my daily routine.
PS. I wouldn't change those rare moments that I fall asleep like "a baby" though. It usually takes me from 30 minutes up to an hour to fall asleep! Falling asleep as I did last night is SO RARE that is almost sacred to me, so I overlook the early wake-up from a friend :)
yes, those are precious moments
Thank you for encouragement and clarification but some times u work on building relation with steemit member to vote for each other instead of concentrating on writing article i do not know if is this right or not??
steem on!!!
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Awwww, thank you for making my voice as sexy as a female computer. That's super cool in a bizarrely geeky way :)