I know not many people will bother themselves to read whatever I have written here. Hence, I will have to use bid-bots to promote this post so that this post might reach as many fellow steemians as possible.
I will use bid-bots on next day of posting this article so that the up-voters will have enough chance to earn handsome curation reward.
image source
Well, before starting this discussion we should make ourselves familiar with the term ‘democracy’.
According to Abraham Lincoln-
Democracy is of the people, by the people, for the people.
👉Similarities between the Steem ecosystem and a democratic nation.
Steem whitepaper depicts Steem ecosystem similar to a democratic system on which everyone has voting right and with this voting right he/she has opportunity to evaluate the quality contents of the fellow users and help the content creator earn profit on his/her contribution. Also, the voters (users) can choose witnesses (just like our political representatives) among them to run this system smoothly. If someone indulges in plagiarism or spamming, the community has right to punish him/her with downvotes and flagging. Here everyone has equal opportunities to earn profit according to his/her contribution towards the community. So, this seems quite similar to a democratic nation where everyone has a right to vote and choose his/her representative and even express his/her opinion freely. Hence, this is a self dependent and democratic environment where everyone is his/her own master.
👉 Traits which are against the concept of democracy.
This system seems perfect till we don't notice the shortcomings of this social media platform cum blockchain. Some persons are receiving huge profit for low quality stuffs while many others remain empty handed here even after producing high quality stuffs. Many users are complaining of this grave injustice but no one is here to resolve these issues.
Here are some problems which need to be addressed as soon as possible so that this platform my not collapse under the pressure of them:-
- Multiple posts on daily basis: A few users post many times daily and earn huge profit on these unimportant posts which amounts to loss for others as these users’ multiple posts drain off the maximum of the reward pool. These multiple posts also inhibit others posts to be noticed.
- Trending posts: Most of the times these posts are jugglery of the vote buying and self voting. Overexposing of these posts render other quality contents unnoticeable.
- Self voting: Self voting is not a bad idea at all but when a user only upvote his/her own posts and comments then it becomes a problem. These users have no concern for the overall benefit of this platform and community. Instead of it they are busy in draining off the reward pool and letting others to confine on crumbs.
- Automatic voting: Big whales and likewise use automatic voting tools to upvote/downvote their own and other users’ posts and comments. This is not in the interests of the community as these automatic voting tools render this platform a place of bots rather than a place of friendship and social interaction for humans.
- Voting circles: Some users have formed groups in which they upvote each-others only. This is unethical practice because it discourages people to interact with the people of different categories. These types of groups can also turn into a racist groups or a group of hatemongers.
- Herd mentality: Many persons in this world don’t apply their mind to follow other persons or things. This platform is not an exception. People here rush after a trending post just because others are doing the same. They don’t judge the post; they just follow the herd and make an average post a profitable one. This herd mentality is against the concept of democracy.
- Bid-bots: Bid-bots have become an inseparable part of Steem ecosystem. But their use is the fact that in this democratic system votes can be purchased and hence democracy remains limited only in words, not in spirit.
- Flagging: If a user has different opinion then that user may be flagged just for expressing different opinion. In a true democratic system different opinion also matters and be heard, and everyone has a right to express his/her thoughts and ideas without any fear.
- Bullying and gag order: Some users posses enormous Steem Power which is not a bad thing but when they use that Steem Power for flagging anyone who carries different opinion, then it becomes a matter of tyranny and bullying. These bullies can destroy any weak persons account (account having low reputation and SP) by just downvoting him. In this way they have become autocrat rulers who can impose gag order on anyone who has different opinion. They can even compel someone to obey them. This is very dangerous.
- Earning without creation: Some accounts and bot owners earn huge profit without contributing even a single post just because it has become almost impossible to be noticed here without their help. This is not a democratic thing at all.
It’s apparent that the users are aware of these issues and so are the developers but nobody cares to tackle these problems. It should not be forget that everyone has joined this platform for earning profit. Money is the driving force behind the success of this platform. When sincere users see a small number of people collecting the maximum out of the reward pool and letting others only to live on crumbs, this platform suffers. Certainly, this thing distracts sincere persons to join this platform who see this as an innovative social media platform. Who, would like to invest his/her hard earned money on a thing which profits only a few? Most of the people won’t risk investing in this situation. Obviously, this is not at all good for the future of this platform.
👉 This platform is relatively new and definitely has a potential to become a true democratic system in nature as well as in spirit; a welfare state of virtual world but can this feat be achieved without addressing the numerous problems which are seeking an opportunity to destroy this excellent world?
I think the situation is still under control. In spite of these problems in reward system, these problems are not so untreatable that they are beyond the limit of the developers. These problems will diminesh if certain amendments are implemented on the reward system. In this post I have mostly focused on the problems. In my next post I will focus on the way by which the feat of amendment in reward system may be achieved.
If you like this post, don't forget to upvote, resteem and comment.
Thank you for reading.
@akdx