Wow this post has been stuck in my editor since shortly after launch-time... I just knew I was gonna struggle with the Hive keychain. With hindsight (which is always bloody 20/20 right?) It was sooo much simpler than I made it. 😃
So! Here We Are!
Now I gotta be absolutely honest folks, I too have reservations, desperate hopes and aspirations that remain unfulfilled and a few unresolved trust issues that sprung up throughout the last couple of years.
Yes it would only be true and honest to say that part of me, the most optimistic part of me if truth be told, has become slightly cynical and more than a little jaded by the things that transpired throughout the fabled realm of The Democratic Republic Of Decentraliasia.
What On Earth Would George Think?
It seemed oh-so-simple back then, we were all in love with the vision for this whole decentralized, communitycentric, blockchain based cryptocurrency dealio. We bought in to the concept, the ideas and the feelings it conjured up within gave rise to a golden hued vision of a new way of doing things, a new manner of being and led to the most heartening belief and vision.
We positively knew it would sustain us throughout the early days, soothe the inevitable teething pains and show the world that people could unite and walk forward together in to a technological and interpersonal dawn experiencing ultimate freedom from censorship. This would enable liberty for criticism of governmental, establishmental and societal issues and be a hotbed of alternative solutions and a new way of combining ideas and collaborating on projects with friends from even the most far-flung corners of the planet.
It would allow us to actively take part in the global resistance of FIAT at grass roots level, it would give us a method to shield ourselves from corporate behemoths, banksters, corrupt governments and data harvesting social media conglomerates.
we knew that we were the pioneers, we knew this was a movement still in it's absolute infancy. We knew the principles were almost untested and that there was much work to be done. BUT we kept looking toward the horizon for the almost fabled mass adoption certain in the knowledge that those steering the ship were working ceaselessly on this from behind the curtain.
Finally we had found a way to beat human greed, bad actors and the Scammerati who frequent cyberspace in greater numbers everyday, exponentially weaving their insidious web operating from the shadows, exploiting poor web security wherever it could be found.
In this Brave new world of ours only the best examples of humanity would come together to create something utterly magnificent moving mankind toward a new unprecedented age.
Oh but the reality was so, so different!
Don't get me wrong... We forged friendships, made connections that have become priceless to us over time and as far as community spirit was concerned, families were formed, groups so tightly knit that even when we had no business on the platform we called home we were engaging by means of voice and video elsewhere in our downtime from our day jobs and real lives.
Projects were indeed born but the ever present in daily life spectre of human greed and humanity at it's very world crept in to our inner sanctum and Utopia was postponed until after the revolution. Whilst we had some truly immense sub-communities born who existed for altruistic purposes and thinking of others, a whole new seedy underbelly began to become more and more visible for all to see, it's ends were nefarious and self serving.
Mass adoption gave way to something more akin to mass migration, some headed for the doors a little slower than usual as they were weighted down by their wheelbarrows full of crypto-soon-to-be-FIAT spoils. Others headed for the doors with a once bitten twice shy mentality and a feeling of having been badly burned because they dared to believe. This has been the saddest lesson of all and could have massive ramifications in ever reaching mass adoption for any similar community springing up in the future.
Utopia was dead... Or was it ? ? ?
All the while a hardcore of people, people who really believed with all their hearts that, there was a better way, existed, carried on analyzing, discussing and pondering together on how it all went so badly wrong and what lessons could be learned, what safeguards could be put in place to halt it's progress in bringing other such ventures to their knees.
Just when it seemed that the strongest of these communities was learning and trying to change course things took an even more insidious turn and everything changed forever. In an environment which could be described as hostile takeover meets death knell plans were formed, debates were held, the answers that were forthcoming did not speak to the heartfelt early vision that so many imagined.
Decentralised is not exactly the way I would describe the governance that jealously guarded the collective reins of POWER.
Sometimes after the rodents take over your home and the landlord lets out half of the rooms to pirates, undesirables and thieves, the only thing to do is leave home and start again armed with the knowledge that you wish you had known much earlier.
After all who wants to bunk up with cockroaches, bedbugs and woodworm?
Many of our friends stayed behind, hoping, dreaming and wishing for a turnaround in fortunes and still more than a little fearful of nailing their colours to (a new and oh-so-reminiscent of the early days) mast.
We promised them that this time it would be better and committed to come back for them and help them reach brand new shores once we had the situation in hand and prepared a solid foundation.
I guess what I am saying is patently obvious by now. I hope it is said in a tone that resonates with many and is reminiscent of the way they are feeling right now, today.
- Do you still believe?
- Does your heart still yearn to create that which we dreamed off in the early days?
- Can you still believe in the enduring spirit and the indomitable belief of those who share a similar vision?
- Do you still believe in ALL of those wholesome guiding principles we shared in another place and time?
- Do you dream of sharing this worthwhile journey with the masses and pledge to welcome them when the time arrives?
I hope the fact that so many have stated openly their desire for this new home, have publicly voiced their excitement and belief that ALL of these tenets and principles can still be within our grasp if we will just reach for them means we will start day one here with a shared goal. To learn from the mistakes, be open to the signs of that which went before and genuinely evolve as a result of our collective shared history.
Let me be as unwavering as I can and say it LOUD AND CLEAR
I STILL BELIEVE!!!
We are not dead, we are not buried we were not beaten down by the constant chip, chip, chip of those with a severe lack of morals and the ethics of a crocodile offering help to a lost baby duckling. Some of us are above being infected by toxic and self serving practices.
Moreover, the recent hammer-blow that served as the ultimate betrayal has not beaten us down in any way, shape or form. We will not succumb to those who believe we should all get down in the dirt because "everyone's doing it right?" and grab our share before others. You see there's some things that those people just don't get, we are not all the same. Some of us will not sacrifice our beliefs and firmly held principles for a quick buck or a self serving narcissistic money machine that works for us and us only.
But d'you know something? I'm wasting my time, they just wouldn't get it!
I would go so far as to say that many of the more slippery events that occurred and some of the seemingly soul destroying things that happened served to do just on thing.
They shaped our desire even more, made us even more determined to create that vision that sustained us for so long. We ARE the people and we will NOT be denied.
The future we dreamed of in those Utopian, semi-naive early days will come to be. We WILL create the sort of ecosystem that the majority of us here now craved. Will it happen overnight? NOPE! Will it be easy and without setbacks and hurdles? NOPE!
I sincerely hope I speak for us all when I say...
I'm not saying it's gonna be easy... I'm saying it's gonna be worth it!
I am incredibly happy and extremely optimistic for the next chapter and let me say I am delighted to be among those who share a common bond and a vision of just how it needs to work. May new friends and old come together to form new, exciting, fulfilling and rewarding sub-communities and networks within the greater structure of the Hive.
I still believe, I know you do too! Let's get to it after all... Together we are just better.
The future is back on again...
Hive is alive!
To my friends of old and those I have not yet met, may I take this opportunity to wish you all the very best from me and my family to you and yours for the crisis that has pervaded every corner of the globe right now. My greatest wish it that life can return to normal as soon as possible and that suffering is eased for us all quickly.
After the darkest of nights comes the most majestic of dawns...