I really hadn’t planned on posting again for some time. However, as I watch some very strong language from multiple positions being bandied about I felt it necessary to do so. This post will probably not gain me much favor from most, but I don’t care. Things need saying, and if certain things aren’t discussed then I think its fair to say that it will be a struggle for the Blurt chain to achieve even the adoption the other chains have had, which honestly leaves much to be desired.
I came to this chain after giving up on the others for their selfish and very shortsighted approaches. Inspired first by a comment I saw by Mr. Cornell on the Hive chain, then convinced after researching Jacob.
Despite my high impressions of Jacob and the foundation, I see many mistakes being made that either duplicate the shortsightedness of the other chains, or worse, almost place insurmountable obstacles in the way of mass adoption and upwards price valuations.
I’ve seen comments regarding the low value of the coin in recent back and forths. The mindset that if we begin reducing the supply it is the fix to the problem. And it is a problem. It wouldn’t even have the low valuation it holds now if not for Jacob buying up Blurt time and again if it falls to low. While this demonstrates Jacobs commitment to us and the project, that’s not really a sustainable long term plan.
Like the other chains, there is no clear cut vision on who Blurt is to attract and a plan to achieve success at it. Do we want
Bloggers
Instagram type users
Reddit type users
Patreon type users
Or perhaps all of the above and even more.
It’s crucial that when one starts a business, that one identify the target demographics and then analyze what they need. What tools would they need to fulfill what it is they seek to achieve. I don’t see that taking place, neither here nor the other chains.
Bloggers need to have a better control of the structure to rank on search engines. The way the current structure is designed, the only target demographic one can realistically have is limited to the users already here. Which is a waste of resource for both blogger and the chain itself.
Reddit thrives because of the heavy interaction between creators and the comment sections. Our current structure is not friendly for that either.
Basically, our current setup is set up to attract those who wish to invest and those who wish to extract, with much overlap between the investor and extractor.
This in turn creates a schism between investor and creator, of which you can see the hostility more openly displayed between these two classes on the other chains.
So this idea that we need to cut the supply is in my opinion short sighted. Why not instead analyze who we want here and how we can attract them and those who would consume what they offer.
Most folks like myself have no desire to be some crypto enthusiast who uses James Bond techniques to hold our coins and tokens, and then worry about the tax implications afterwards. Honestly, this stuff is not user friendly.
It would seem obvious to me that projects that want lots of users, specifically projects that say they are social projects, would simplify the process of acquisition when it comes to buying and selling the projects coins.
I know this isn’t done because the projects themselves don’t want the record keeping and ID verification burdens different countries demand. Well, the masses feel the same way. And the fact is, the masses aren’t sitting around wishing they could find companies and projects to make successful by making their own lives more difficult. They need to have a desire the project fulfills. And most aren't sitting around wondering how they can stack crypto coins to be honest here.
Customers and users are acquired by making something they want, then simplifying the steps for them to utilize.
Once again, that’s identifying a need then fulfilling that need.
Not once in my years of being part of this social blockchain experience have I EVER seen this be the focus. Perhaps it’s about time. Then Jacob wouldn’t have to buy a lot of excess coins to keep the price afloat as those who seek liquidation outnumber those seeking to stack. Because the demand for tokens would exceed those seeking to sell.
Right now it seems fair to say the most common user of Blurt are those who are extracting.
Nowhere is this most evident than by the average post. Let’s be honest.
No one gives a shit about what you had for dinner, or your actifit daily post, or many of the things posted here. It’s getting smacked on here mostly as a tool for extraction. There are times where those who I follow don’t post much, so I look through new. I see mostly posts no one in their right mind would ever search for, let alone wish to reward so they could see more of it.
I mentioned up above that I was brought to the chain by an interaction I had with Mr. Cornell. I’ve read his comments and many others. It’s sad when you find yourself agreeing with both sides on an issue, which I partially do here.
There should be better communication with the users, especially the ones whose holdings help Jacob keep any semblance of value to what we’re doing here. On the flip side of this, I don’t think attacking the man who is coming up with the math is the solution.
The response to the attacks is also uncalled for. Referring to those of us who don’t understand the mechanics as unwashed is pretty over the top, even if one is angry and defensive over the attacks some might have been leveling. Not only over the top, but pretty arrogant and short sighted as it might be prone to prodding those who hold you in high esteem to think perhaps one isn’t as brilliant as one originally thought. I speak from experience, as when I was younger I allowed my brilliance to under estimate those I considered unwashed, which time and again bit me until I realized that my high estimation of myself didn’t qualify me to be the arbiter of anothers possible shortcomings. In other words, them rednecks might just be craftier than originally thought.
Back to stopping the attack on the math now. While I would never call those who don’t or can’t understand it unwashed, I do think it’s a fair assessment to say many couldn’t, and those of us who could don’t wish to. I had high marks in both of my college algebra classes, and I have no desire to tear the formula apart. I think that we all need to understand that it takes a special mind to be drawn to such endeavors, and unless you personally wish to go over the formula yourself and not only point out what you see the flaw being and offer what you believe the corrected formula to be, then be patient and give the pool a couple of weeks to adjust as the math guy asks.
I mentioned in a comment yesterday that it would be ludicrous to think those who are maintaining Blurt have some goal of making us all think they are incompetent and becoming a laughing stock in the crypto world. I lean more towards there is much new ground being explored while the bulk of the costs and time to do so are being eaten mostly by the top. I believe they are thinly staffed enough that many of the current issues can be attributed to that.
So at this point, if I haven’t pissed you off by some of the brutal things I’ve outlined, I would like to ask that we all remember that what separates us so far from the other chains should be integrity and kindness. Unlike the other chains, we are allowed these discussions with being flagged to non visibility. But these discussions can be made civilly, and while acknowledging the entire problem Blurt faces. One that isn’t just suddenly here due to the latest hard fork.
We have an identity problem.
We have an exchange problem.
We have an on-boarding problem.
These can all be solved as long as we don’t have an honoring one another problem.
First let me thank you for the mention.
I have read through your publication and additional comments. Very well done. I will have to read a second time.
One thing that struck me is that of looking at Blurt as a business; at least from the standpoint of the user. Yes, Blurt is a social media platform, yet many users who come to Blurt are seeking ways to earn money to help care for their families. That points strongly to someone seeking to have their own business. I have tried to help some of those people as much as I can both through curation of their publication and offering advice of how to improve and gain a stronger following, and thus earning more income.
When I was publishing content I had the mindset of sharing high quality content, because at least in part it was to earn money. I have spent most of my adult life self-employed, and at almost 69 years old I am still self employed. I am no expert at running a business and have had successes and failures. I did change how I approached content in my early days on Steemit. I found what people were interested in seeing and reading. I adapted accordingly, because it was necessary if I expected to earn more. Maybe this helps view the users as functioning as a business.
As to Blurt itself, I am unsure how they view themselves. They sure better be thinking from a business standpoint, and maybe that is why they make the changes in Hardforks. But I see a huge flaw in the operation and that is clear and concise COMMUNICATION with their "customers" (users of Blurt). In any business one has to have the best communication possible if they wish to retain their customer base. Once they have a customer base, they must keep striving to communicate with those customers so when changes are made the customer understands this. This will attract more who wish to be a part of Blurt.
Yesterday, in a thread on someone's post, under a comment I made, it was stated that I should have asked questions before and not after the HF. I can only assume it was directed at me because it was under what I had written. Problem is that the little information I had read prior to the HF was unclear. I did not know about the amount of a vote showing double (Have no idea how long this was for). Because I did not know and assumed that the voting numbers were accurate, I paid commissions to my curators at the inflated price. The reason for noting this response here is that I took it as a very defensive response to my comment by someone who is deeply involved behind the scenes of Blurt. As a "customer" of Blurt, it did not help me accept what is transpiring or even understand. It left me feeling that those in charge could care less if I remain a customer. I got that from feeling other responses to me and to others.
The first thing I do when something is off with a "customer" is to look at what I am doing and so I can correct my action and words. In life and in business, with a situation like this typically the communication problem is partly from both parties. I cannot control anyone's communication but my own. From a business standpoint I must think through do I want to lose a customer or retain them.
I promised myself when I went to bed last night that I would not do anymore commenting, or even reading about all this. I have been feeling like I did when I downsized on Hive, and then on Steemit. But when reading your post I could not help myself, but to respond. I appreciate what you had to say. Thank you.
I'll confess to being confused and surprised by the comment left here by Jacob that Blurt is not a business. It has put some things I've questioned into context, and I must now rethink for myself many things. I mentioned above no business would build atop something else that is not a business. Especially if there are no tools targeting what would help a business thrive. If this is to be simply a hobby crypto drip mechanism, I've misunderstood things greatly.
Hobbies don't concern themselves with the others attaching themselves to the hobby that is maintained by the hobbyist. This mindset is not conducive to building any value greater than the hobbyist in charges pockets.
I thank you for coming and commenting. The one value that these chains offer that is of a non financial reward is encountering others who value people and their lives, like yourself.
I made a comment just a few weeks ago to vickieguevara that I noticed many who are curated should have the courtesy and respect to upvote the curating projects such as yours and hers when they leave one after voting the persons post. It's not only the humble and grateful thing to do, but it also adds growth to the project that found value in ones post and might be a return on future votes for oneself and all others down the road. I looked through your comments and sadly see this is the norm. :(
I'm going to stick around here since I've built up this Blurt, and if it crashes to nothing I wrote the money off long ago. It started as 420.00 out of pocket on Steem years ago, and after years of payouts it all amounts to a value now of 462.00 according to ecosynthesizer. I am going to focus my efforts elsewhere on my own blog on WordPress that offers the tools I need to be successful. I'll still vote and occasionally comment here. But this is just a hobby for me now. 😂
I'm sorry that you were unaware of the doubling of rewards showing on the front ends. It was claimed that it was the front ends faults, but I question that being the case since they all magically fixed themselves with the fork in code.
Regards to you and yours, and thank you for being a demonstration to those around you that caring for others can be a thing one chooses to do.
BLURTTER = FREESPEECHBLOG
HOW THE HECK DID HIVE MANAGE TO GET LISTED
also, a "zero value" token would be a very good thing
for example, does the fact that you can't exchange your super-mario score-points for real-world-cash-money-dollars make the game "worthless" or a "complete waste of time" ?
THE ONLY PEOPLE I WOULD INVITE ARE FROM STEEM OR HIVE
THE ONLY REASON I'M HERE AT ALL IS BECAUSE I FOUND AT LEAST ONE PERSON WHO WILL ACTUALLY TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO SKIM MY POSTS AND BOTHER TO LEAVE A COMMENT THAT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I'M NOT SCREAMING INTO THE VOID.
PERHAPS WE SHOULD FOCUS ON THAT.
"Many mistakes": Be specific, as I don't quit. The feedback will be useful.
True. But I don't really think that was @rycharde's intention here, and it takes two weeks to play that out.
Congratulations, your post has been curated by @dsc-r2cornell. Also, find us on Discord
Felicitaciones, su publication ha sido votado por @r2cornell. También, encuéntranos en Discord
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