In this issue, the beneficiary for 99% of the rewards will be @double-u. I had him in mind for one of my next posts of this nature, and due to a comment he made to me yesterday I took that as an omen to make him next.
First, I wish to discuss the nature of the comment and my thoughts on it. Then I will get to the edification part.
As many of you know, there has been a growing concern among some of us regarding those who are delegating to upvote services. It detracts from the community, in so far as it leaves those delegating to these services with less (or crumbs really) to curate others. This is not a dynamic that is healthy for a community.
Before I go any further, I need to disclose that I'm personally the beneficiary of two large delegations. One from michelangelo3 and more recently from jacobgadikian. I'll be returning to this shortly, but wanted to make it very clear that for those who don't know me there could be the appearance of a conflict of interest in my position. One I hope that I can dispel by the end of this portion of the post.
My own concern over it has seen me begin identifying those doing it and cutting off my own vote support for them as I would rather my support go to those who value and can see their neighbors success is their own. Instead of the short sighted grab for what appears to be an immediate profit.
It was suggested in a post yesterday, and shared with myself in comment by double-u the idea of taking away the ability to delegate to stop this.
I'm against this idea, and will explain now why.
For those who know me here, or care to look if you don't, I'm a strong advocate for personal property. I defend others right to use their stake, having even stated many times that I defend ones right to self vote 100% of their stake if they wish.
I personally find such a notion to be short sighted, and I invite all to inspect my own voting habits to see I mean this.
https://steem.uber.space/blurt/outgoing-votes/?Acc=practicalthought&Anzahl=5309
As you can see in my time here I've self voted a total of 1.3% of my total votes cast here. It would be even less, but in my actual first edification post I voted 100% and the system credits all of that for myself despite 99% of it going to another.
Yet, I'll still defend ones right to do shortsighted, greedy actions with their own stake. It's theirs. Not mine. Not yours.
I will say that there are several I regularly support who actually vote quite a large percentage to themselves. Some close to 20% or maybe even more. But I not only defend their right to do so, I still heavily support them because I witness firsthand the many actions they take that benefits so many here.
It's A Fine Line Between Self Voting And Delegation Self Voting.
Not all self voters are selfish, not all delegations are made for greed.
Are there some self voters who are operating from pure greed?
Are there some delegators who are operating from pure greed.
Of course.
However, there are also many self voters and delegation awarders and recipients that respect the community, and seek to leave the community better off where they touch.
I like to believe I'm an example of this.
When I received my first large delegation, I knew instinctively that when I posted, I needed to scale my self vote way back. Because it wasn't given to me to maximize my own profits. It was entrusted to me to see if I could make Blurt a better place for when this person returned.
I found myself expanding my investment here afterwards in time, searching for more people who appealed to me to support.
When I received my second delegation a week ago, it immediately made me once again rethink my role here. My responsibility to the community. On the question of how much was enough for myself.
With such honor that comes with large delegations also comes large curation rewards.
It was with this in mind that the idea for edification posts that names others the beneficiary were born.
I felt it the perfect solution to best use the blessings bestowed upon myself.
It helps build community, in several ways.
It exposes others to quality members they might not have known about.
It demonstrates that one need not have a large wallet to implement a strategy that benefits others here with greater reach than ones own wallet can offer.
Now back to the fine line between the self voter and the for self vote delegator.
I believe that those who are delegating to these self voting schemes are worse in some ways than the self voter. The self voter, even those who vote larger percentages than I think is healthy can still choose at any time to vote their stake on another.
Those who are delegating gave up that choice and go all in on the self vote.
In my eyes making them less community worthy than the large self voter.
And yet.
I defend their right to do so.
It is their stake.
It is their reputation.
It is their loss of being accepted by others for support.
If we shun these people, which is our right with our stake, then they will see (most of them) that the loss was more than the gain.
I've looked at several of the accounts I've dropped recently from my follow list, and I can tell you for sure that the amount they have gained from their upvu scheme has been less than the support they would have received from myself alone. As more make this decision on where they stand on such things, I believe the loss these folks will incur will greatly be larger than their gain.
So having said all of this, I unequivocally am opposed to any restriction on delegation as a means to put an end to these schemes. I am opposed to any such restriction on personal property rights, and as stated before, am tired of the growing restrictions in real life of freedom of property rights because of the actions of the few.
In wrapping this up, I'm hopeful that my own actions here on the chain can be viewed as an argument not to restrict this action of property right, that my own conduct has been and will continue to be viewed as a responsible stewardship for the argument for delegations.
@double-u
Some may be wondering why I would pick such a person as double-u for my edification series. One of the richest here at Blurt, I have witnessed firsthand how so many view him with the eyes of please vote me, please give me a hand out.
In a recent comment I made, I cast a light on one problem that I see plagues humanity, and by default we see carried over here at the blockchain.
One must approach those here as an equal, understanding stake doesn't confer some form of superiority. Social interaction best takes place among those who have mutual respect for one another, not haves and have nots like some form of caste system. Some of the most heavily voted accounts by myself are ones that are not the largest stakeholders. But what they offer is genuine and because of that I see them. Their energy invites one to see them, to see the life in what they share.
There is a reason why people tend to avoid areas of cities where beggars are numerous. Much of it has to do with approach really.
In a social community that has value, it is important to note to fit in one must not seek a hand out but instead demand a mutually beneficial hand up because we see one another which leads to caring for one another. It's so easy to see the pain of those who have not, but all to often this same respect is not extended to those who have. A grave mistake in my opinion many without make.
I left out half my comment, as it wasn't pertinent to my point.
I mention above how so many without desire and often demand for those who have more to see them, to see they have wants, desires and pain. Yet so very often, they refuse to see, are unable to see that those with also have desires and pains.
They are blinded to the very humanity of the person with as they can't see past their own hunger, both physical and mental.
This dehumanizes those who have, which is a pity.
It's often said that we are as strong as our weakest link. However, another truth that is often overlooked is we are also held back by the restraints we place on the most gifted and blessed.
One can witness this at play strongly in the case of double-u. Which is a shame. I'm going to qualify what comes next, and those of you who know me will agree, if you don't just scroll through my posts and you will see. I'm not shy when it comes to criticizing something or someone I disagree with. Regardless of their stake, because I see everyone here as a potential equal regardless. So you can believe and take to heart what I'm about to say.
I doubt there is any person outside of the co-founders who has done as much for Blurt than he has.
His heavy investment helped keep Blurt afloat in those early days.
His investment in the community through his weekly pub draws more users, more comments than any other publication that exists here.
Moving past the financial investment, he invests his time. In US.
Not often, but there has been posts I've made where he not only voted, but commented intelligently indicating he read my post. And as all of you know I sometimes can get long winded. :)
I see him often weighing in on others posts as well.
There has been more than one occasion discussions on direction for the chain were made on Discord, and he made sure that they were brought to the chain where we ALL could see them and take part.
There is so much he does here, so much I think so many can't see. So much I don't think others can even expand their mind to see because it doesn't dawn on them to wonder about the welfare and frailties that someone who is doing well could have.
I wish to personally thank double-u for all he does here, and hope that this post will give those of you pause to reflect on how deserving he is of the same compassion as those you view as having less than. That he is also due much thanks from all of us for Blurt existing in its form today, and for how much he cares about it and us. About all of our success.
He weekly displays he understands his success is dependent on all of our success as a community. He needs acknowledged for this.
Regardless of where the talk of delegations go and their impact on myself, I'm thankful for all double-u does here as should we all. That's the beauty of this system too. We don't all have to agree on something, we can discuss topics such as this as adults and not feel threatened nor take it personally.
I'm glad that double-u understands this, and values the input of those of us with less. It's a testament to his value at Blurt and for all of us. he could just try throwing his weight around in the shadows of Discord. But he values our input, even if he might disagree. So he doesn't do that.
Thank you for all you do here double-u.
Hello, dear @practicalthought,
you have set me up as a beneficiary for 99%.
Thank you very much for that!
I have no experience how these rewards flow to me.
Because I would like to give this beneficiary to @elkezaksek for Uganda.
Would you please tell me how the blurt will arrive to me and how much I will give to Elli then?
Thank you very much!
Many greetings and have a nice weekend!
Thank you very much!!
Ich freu mich!!
LG
Gerne!
Wow! Thank you so much for this very great recognition you give me!
You've earned it. It's obvious to many the financial contributions you've made and continue to make, which misses a much larger picture as to your contributions to Blurt. I can't imagine how much time you are spending here between putting together the quizzes to bring the community together, the time you spend curating and the behind the scenes time you spend on the Discord.
I see so many come to Blurt (and to be fair the other chains before this) thinking that by just showing up riches are going to fall into their laps. Only to grow frustrated and disappointed when that doesn't happen, and in the case of Blurt that didn't have the massive initial cash for startup falter in valuation.
Those people need to understand that the only reason there is a Blurt, the only reason it will manifest into something that could manifest much riches is from selfless actions those like yourself take to make it so.
That perhaps instead of gravitating to a leader such as yourself with their begging hat out, they should see all you do and ask themselves how they can contribute and add quality and value to what you've helped build here.
Thank you for all you do here. I see your pub, the vast amount of interaction that takes place there and am in awe. I appreciate your investment into what I consider the only true free speech, respect for property chain in existence now.
Those of us here in these early days will always associate the success of Blurt to those like yourself who regardless of how bad things got in chain hacking, sites going down, almost no valuation etc, stuck with it and demanded by sheer will that Blurt wasn't going to fail.
Thanks a lot!
And I have often thought to myself, "when does this man have time to sleep when he writes such long posts and comments and also has to go to work." ;-)
Hahaha,
that is exactly my thought.....
Eliminating delegations would be from my point of view telling users that they can't do what they want with their money and that's not right. It would also affect all the communities and users who have delegations and are dedicated to helping others by doing manual curation.
I like that whenever these sensitive and important issues come up everyone is willing to discuss what is best for the future of the chain and the community. I understand that long debates take place in Discord since they are given live and I like that then pass to the blockchain, to be of the knowledge of the whole community, because in the end we will all find the best way to give long life to Blurt.
Although lately I am short of time to comment I have read your posts, I find excellent the work you are doing bringing users that you consider that we should see, it is very interesting the idea of placing as a beneficiary to that person, to give visibility and reward him for his good content. Today you have brought double-u, without a doubt a beautiful act, we have a lot to thank him, I also consider him one of the pillars of Blurt, not only for putting much of his money to Blurt, but for always being ready to help others, for being a noble person and treat us all as equals. I always thank him for opening a space for us in the Pub, a place that at the beginning was frequented mostly by the German community and he kindly included us all, even creating special questions for each community as a way to integrate us into the group. That brotherhood that is being created every Sunday makes Blurt, our blockchain special, different from all the others. So thank you double-u and thank you practicalthought for every day demonstrating how valuable you are and showing us that every day we can change the world from our actions.
Hi Vicky,
thank you for reading and sharing your perspective here. I'm glad you are in agreement with my thoughts on personal property rights and point out the affect this would have on communities. I thin it's long past time we stop punishing the majority for the actions of a few and hold the few accountable for their actions.
Blurt is a special place where indeed we can have these discussions as adults with respect even if there is disagreement.
Yes, we have so much to be thankful to double-u for. He does so much for Blurt and it makes me sometimes sad how many I see flock to him with the eyes of a parasite, not seeing he is a man just like the rest of us. So many go to him with the intent of what can he do for them, not so many with the intent of what they can do for him.
Thank you for your kind words. I did the beneficiary thing at Hive and was very pleased with it. I was part of a larger community that helped families (mostly single mothers) who were targeted by government child trafficking agency that is renowned to use police and courts to take children to place in foster care.
These families are usually guilty of the crime of being poor and uneducated with their rights. The group I found there helped educate them while aiding them with eating, paying utility bills and buying diapers and such. I donated quite a bit of my earnings while there, and this way is the better (beneficiary) as the direct donations are taxable where when done this way I can escape any tax burden.
I believe this way is best as well as it serves as a demonstration to the community that we can have an impact on anothers account using this beautiful system that is far larger than our own stake/wallet. There are many ways we can build community here, creative ways that makes us all neighbors and not beggars. It's all a matter of taking the chains from our imagination and caring enough to want more for the community. In the real world we are taught fear and scarcity so unfortunately so many cant imagine these things, so we need to show them. :)
I am already afraid that at some point we will have conditions like those at Steemit.
That's why I wouldn't mind abolishing delegations.
Many people just want quick money without effort.
I'd rather they use other blockchains for that....
It's like analog life as well.
You have to maintain friendships and invest time.
Then community develops, friendships develop and through that also mutual support develops.
I have written this before.
I will watch this very closely and if at some point it is no longer fun for me because I only see bots and plagiarism, then I'm gone....
Thank you for weighing in.
I think those who use the service should certainly be shunned by those who believe in community, and as for plagiarism there should be stronger action. But it shouldn't punish all for the actions of some, in my opinion.
If you don't sort it out at the very beginning, it's too late....
Great, you shared all points one may miss. Forcing restriction on delegation is like taking away freedom.
In other words it's saying do take money and eat bread but not a pizza.
Also, for @double-u if I say, he is the most humble and best person I ever interacted with. He treats every one equal with equal chances.
I also expect a vote daily from him, but I know it's not possible as he is just a human and he may be giving the vote somewhere wisely and with equality.
Thanks for your detailed writings
Exactly.
Thanks so much for reading and sharing your perspective. :)
The community has different opinions on some points. It's normal and part of a decentralized community
Yes, we all have opinions. Some better than others.
I do however wish to dispel you of the notion this (or just about anything) is decentralized. Rycharde sums it up best when he says a more apt description is really one regarding dependencies.
I haven't until reading this post come across @double-u thanks for bringing him to my attention.
I think in large part because he usually only posts once a week at the same time, and being German his interactions lean towards comments within the German community much the way English speaking people gravitate there. I discovered him as when I came almost a year ago there wasn't a lot of English posts, and many that were here were boring. I noticed that many who would visit my posts would honor me in translating my writing, and then often a comment of theirs for me. It made me reconsider how much I had allowed a language barrier to act as a cage keeping me from much quality and interest here.
He was active at Steem with his pub, but because of the large English speaking community there I believe is why so many of us missed it.
He is quite different than what we grew accustomed to whales being at the other chains. He willingly invested here knowing there were no flag controls, and spends much time in witness activities and of course his pub that all are welcome to. He has several times brought discussions from Discord to the chain, where as we know the fate of the chain and accounts are determined at the other chains.
He has genuine respect for property rights regardless of size, and his actions bear out that he believes the community should weigh in on issues, not just a few large wallets in the shadows of Discord.
I could say so much more about him but will let my words rest here and his actions shine his truths.
Congratulations, your post has been curated by @r2cornell-curate. Also, find us on Discord
Felicitaciones, su publication ha sido votado por @r2cornell-curate. También, encuéntranos en Discord
I have also delegated half of my bp to upvu. But Now I feel it is not too good and I see negative opinion from almost al of the users of blurt. That's why I decided to revoke my delegation. Your pist also encourage me to rovoke it. Thanks a lot dear.
Thank you. As soon as I see your posts are free of the delegation for votes I will begin curating your content again.
You are absolutely right. I also want everyone to benefit.
I’ve alwyas thought self voting is part of a healthy platform to a point. Because it encourages people to invest into the platform and make interest on that investment. Most people don’t upvote their full capacity daily anywyas. Obviously anyone upvotIng only their own posts and not curating isn’t healthy at all but I think people forget no platform can make a better society. Only people can. You can create something decentralised but if people are not ready to behave wifh conpasison and awareness then the platform can not stop them abusing the system. There will always be someone with more money and stake than others and it’s up to them if they abuse it. At the end of the day blurt gives people more freedom to choose how to be as a society where as platforms like hive try to force it with draconian rules by a few large stake holders who are the very people they say they hate. They claim to hate zuckenburg and centralisation but then they just become him but this time at the top of the chain. Same as crypto has loads of advantages but then you have whales manipulating markets and abusing it.
Ultimately how could anyone invest money into a platform like hive though unless they are top dog as although there are amazing people and communities the draconian few make it so you couldn’t possibly put your money in and believe in its future. I’m sure at some point everyone will experience being on the other shoe or they will fight amounts themselves again and it will implode. It’s a shame. I think the fact this platform is more open will make it more adopted. Fb did v well and it didn’t have a small group of people removing posts ... now it does and slowly people are losing interest in it.
Thank you for sharing such a great content!
You can delegate any amount of blurt power to @blurtconnect-ng to support this curation.
We all have to work together. Being able to work together is good for all of us.
And everyone will benefit. Then everyone will be interested in work.
So I think if we all work together, we will all be better off.
I hope everyone stays well and healthy.
Hi my brother a little late to see your post...
And this is a little extra.
What you say makes sense.
I like your criticism.
But what you said you need to know too. Is the blurt coin created from crypto coins/crypto tokens as a reward for creating content?
If you say yes, it's definitely true.
So the delegation is a business in investing for those who like it. It can't be banned. If evil spirits are still living in the world then it cannot be stopped by good humans. Money can regulate the mindset of humans.
Actually I want to explain more. But I sure don't have to!
I hope you can think intelligently and broadly. Regards.@aronexxon
Edification is necessary for all new comers and some old users as well.
I'm 💯 percent agree with your thought "Not all self voters are selfish, not all delegations are made for greed"
Because I know at least two delegations who are really doing excellent job; @tomoyan and @droida. Both share their delegators profits and they have free upvotes' tool.
Thank you so much for bringing this outstanding idea.
Hope many will learn from your thoughts and ideas.
I'll be blunt that I'm not a fan of the tomoyan delegation for vote model either. I'm unfamiliar with droida so will refrain from saying anything definitive other than if they are like the others I won't be a fan either.
Let me ask you this.
I have another commenter asking me if it is really wrong for them to be delegating for upvote. I haven't responded to them yet, but I took a quick peek at their wallet. It appears they are delegating almost half of their stake to this service. This means that they wish to only give half of their potential support to those they will upvote choosing instead that they would have more than those around them.
So my question(s) are this.
Why should I value that person more than those who wish to reward others with the full value of their stake?
Between the person who want's more than 50% rewards from their stake and uses this service and the one who wishes others to benefit the full 50%, which one is more valuable to the community and growth of others?
What if all the richer accounts decided to do this, no lets say all accounts did this. And the only vote you ever get were the delegation vote scheme votes. Will this build a community? If so, please explain how.
Sir you know better because I have recently joined this community about a month ago and don't know more. Your questions have moved me thinking. I think I haven't answers of your questions. So, I wish you to explain what should to do.
I would ask you to read my words until you can understand.
But ponder this. I just gave you an upvote. Imagine if I had delegated half my stake and instead of the reward being 17.92 as it currently reads, it was half that at 8.96. Or I delegated 3/4ths of my stake and instead it was only 4.48.
Which of those numbers is better for building a loving community?
I don't know better than you or anyone else. It's a simple issue of whether one asks how much one can extract or asks how they can help build.
I understood and released it. Thank you very much for answering me and making me understand.
This is very useful post .
Do you think it is not right to give a delegation in the hope of getting an upvote? Is it a wrong decision? I have seen many users who have delegated to some users in the hope of upvote.
Which happens in steem. I also rarely followed. But if you can give me the right decision then I will return to the previous state. That is, is it right to give a delegation?
Obviously I don't believe it is good. As for right or not isn't my place to say for another. My right ends before your decision begins. However, I choose not to support those who do this, because it displays a level of greed that demands more from ones neighbors than one is willing to give to those same neighbors.
Thank you for a good suggestion. I was confused about giving the delegation. Thank you. I have withdrawn all my delegations. Have a good journey on blurt....
Hi. Nice to meet you. Me and @maskuncoro are growing a community for the hashtag #blurthumanity. Something that would be great if managed properly. I hope to get support from all parties, especially the delegation so that @blurthumanity has the ability to reach the Blurt community around the world. Thank you so much.