Envy and Resentment
Yesterday night there was a live stream by @stever82. Dave McCoy and a few others joined the livestream. I and not going to give any link to that content, because that stuff is NOT going to get any publicity from me. My reason is not the content, but the way people complain these day. Just to give people a bit of background. Steve bought a max Regular Foil deck for the new conclave arcana edition. He bought standard and potentially starter packs. I do not know the distribution. However, his expectation is (keyword: expectation), since he bought a max Regular Foil deck, he MUST get close to a max regular foil legendary airdrop card, which is 11 copies. His argument is he got that during Rebellion, so he must get it now. The fact that he is expected to get 4 cards, based on current math makes him upset.
Just for the record, this is the current expectation of airdrops based on number of accounts. Yesterday we were getting 3566 total cards, today we are getting 3662 cards (these are all estimates). Yesterday there was 1021 accounts who staked cards but will NOT get any airdrops. Today 1692 accounts have wagons with cards but 1208 accounts will NOT get any airdrops, so 71% of the accounts who staked cards in the wagon will not get any cards as of now.
| Guaranteed Airdrop | No of Accounts July 16 | No of Accounts July 17 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 96 | 69 |
| 2 | 155 | 109 |
| 3 | 59 | 55 |
| 4 | 37 | 45 |
| 5 | 28 | 34 |
| 6 | 33 | 32 |
| 7 | 21 | 21 |
| 8 | 10 | 11 |
| 9 | 21 | 18 |
| 10 | 10 | 13 |
| 11 | 4 | 5 |
| 12 - 15 | 25 | 26 |
| 15 - 30 | 20 | 21 |
| 30 - 50 | 19 | 19 |
| 50 - 100 | 8 | 9 |
| 100 + | 2 | 2 |
Steve's Grievances
Following are the summary of Steve's grievances, and I don't have a problem with this.
🎯 Top players with black foil cards receive disproportionately higher rewards than max-set regular foil players. [this is Steve's main issue]
💸 The cost and complexity of wagon repair disproportionately burden dedicated players, discouraging continued investment. [this is Steve's second issue, Dave fixed it]
⚖️ The conflict system’s reward calculations heavily favor “whales” with rare cards, undermining fairness. [I say whales didn't design it, and all stake weighted game will favor whales]
Dave offered the following solutions:
🚀 Dave McCoy commits to improving communication, incorporating community feedback, and evolving the ecosystem.
🎮 New free-to-play and land-based modes are expected to broaden the player base and improve economic sustainability.
📉 Current declining SPS prices and shrinking player base contribute to a challenging economic environment.
🤝 Community involvement and transparency in game design are crucial for addressing system imbalances and boosting player confidence. [this was suggested by Tales, and is a great suggestion]
Analysis
Let us analyze Steve's behavior last night. To his defense, he mentioned that he had some flooding related issues at his house so that can totally cause some mental distress. However, any adult will likely deal with it, and not throw an tantrum involving the community.
My main problem was some of his comments, that I felt doesn't align with my personal ethics. Steve mentioned, he is unhappy not because he didn't get the cards he expected, he is especially unhappy when he saw others like bravetofu, vugtis and ducecrypto getting a lot of cards. Wait what?
Don't we teach our kids to NOT think like this?
When you see others' perceived good fortune, it can trigger feelings of envy. This isn't necessarily a malicious desire for them to fail, but more a longing for what they have. If unchecked, this envy can fester into resentment, making it harder to appreciate your own circumstances. As an adult, we should always control our emotions especially before we start a blame-game!
What Steve later added, every time when he sees the notification that others got a black foil card, he gets mad! He thinks that will be another person who will get more airdrop because he/she is lucky and he is not!
I mean, seriously? Are you sure wanted to say this on a livestream and still feel no one will say anything to you? I am sorry, Sir! That will not happen on my watch. Yes, you can vent if your stream, but other people can to0.
the other side can do magic too, Prime Minister!
My Recommendation
This is to Steve and anyone else, who feels this way, I say slow down and take a time out from the game and discord in particular. This will be good for your mental health. When you come back, IF you come back, I suggest the following:
Practice Gratitude: Regularly reflect on the things you do have and appreciate in your life. This can help shift your focus inward and highlight your own positives.
Limit Social Media and especially discord: If social media is a trigger, consider reducing your time on it or unfollowing accounts that consistently make you feel inadequate.
Focus on Your Own Growth: Shift your energy towards your personal goals and progress. When you're actively working on improving your own life, you'll naturally feel more empowered and less focused on others.
Cultivate Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself. It's human to compare, but don't let it define your worth or happiness.
Understand Everyone Has Struggles: This is a key part. Yes, your troubles are big to you, but mind you others might have troubles too. Remind yourself that everyone faces challenges, even if they don't publicize them. What you see on the surface is rarely the full story.
