Recently, there has been much discussion on two different topics. Topics that often are classified together although they are two distinct areas. I wish to discuss today one of these, playing devils advocate to some degree as I’m prone to doing.

Before delving in, I wish to let those of you curious know I’ll be resuming my edification posts soon. I’ve been really busy and tired lately, which is why it’s been nine days since my last actual post.

So now onto the topics at hand, and my urge for us as a community to not be to hasty in our zeal to correct what is surely a problem. So very often when groups target problem(s) to solve, the result can be worse than what was being targeted to fix, hence the saying the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

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Fighting Plagiarism

There has been much talk recently on fighting this crime here. A discussion that is necessary as not only is it a crime punishable by law, but more importantly (in my opinion) because its the decent thing to do.

There has been talk develop in the last day publicly on the raising of fees to combat this. I understand how this will combat it for sure. However my concerns in this are for those who come here with no resources. I’ve noted in my year here that there are some I’ve encountered who were greatly impeded in their ability to post and interact due to not having any liquid Blurt, and no means within their economic chains in the real world to actually purchase some.

I saw in one of the threads on this a comment that by raising the fees it would serve to force others to purchase Blurt. I will state now that in some cases this very well could be a result.

But I see it much more likely that it will further act as a deterrent for those of little to no economic means to be able to join and participate in this wonderful system we have at Blurt.

Now it’s possible that for many these folks who find themselves in such dire straights are viewed as leeches, as they are perhaps so desperate in their struggle for daily food, clothing and shelter that they are always extracting. Extracting to try subsidizing the shitty hands they have been deal, and perhaps even children they have who by no fault of their own are also chained by extension to the poverty that they were born into.

I understand completely the idea that for Blurt to flourish, that we need more investing than extracting for the project to work for everyone, investors and those who are extracting, Yet there is not only room for both, I believe/view Blurt as a means that we can demonstrate that an economy can work as we lift our brothers and sisters up from their local economies that are rigged to keep most in chains of poverty.

My apologies I don’t have the source for what I’m about to say next.

Many of you who follow me know that I researched Blurt heavily before coming, which led mostly to an investigation of Jacob as he was the predominant voice online for Blurt.

I did the same thing when I joined Steem over 4 years ago. Which involved researching Dan Larimer.

There was one thing (actually many things) he said that I’m hopeful is a view that has carried over to Blurt. He was discussing how Steem originally wasn’t being designed to be a blogging platform. I forget what the original intent was.

But he said that they ended up going with blogging as it seemed the best method to distributing the most coins into the hands of the most people.

Nowhere in that idea did he mention the need for one to have a certain level of economic success to participate. It was inclusive for all men and women, regardless of race, country or economic means.

Like many, I’m trapped to a degree into a level of poverty. And obviously if we were to raise the bar economically to exclude certain groups of lower means, who are trapped in much worse poverty than myself it would minimize those who are extracting. Extracting to put food in their mouth today, as unlike myself they can’t afford to wait for some future possibility on the value rising. A rising that for sure is going to take longer, or maybe never happen due to the extraction taking place now.

Yet, it doesn’t escape me that for many, their need is now, not in the future as I dream of manifesting for myself.

I entered Steem as a crypto skeptic. It didn’t take long for me to see the reality of the unique reward stake system we have here. To understand that it allowed someone of even my modest means to help another much worse off now, and get rewarded for doing so. I’m still a crypto skeptic, but when it comes to this community driven system we have here, I’m a believer. I’ve seen it in action, seen the lives impacted.

So after having said all of that, I’m hopeful that in our fight against those who for whatever reason are copying others work, that we not price out the many honest desperate folks who we can help right now.

It bothers me immensely when I see actions being taken that will negatively impact more good people than the bad people it is implemented to stop.

Before moving on, I wish to give a real life example of another good intention that led to hell.

Years ago, I was in a bad place and worked for about half a year at a convenience store on the graveyard shift.

Tucson had enacted a law for those with disabilities, with good intentions for sure. The law said that every public space that offered a public restroom must be wheelchair accessible.

The store I worked at would have had to tear down one of the foundational walls and perform major reconstruction to accommodate it. So their response, as with many businesses, was to close the public restrooms to the public. Now no one could go to the restroom there, all were now on equal suffering with those few in wheelchairs.

I’m asking the witnesses who are raising these fees to please be mindful of those being impacted who’ve done nothing wrong, and could very well be priced out of participation here.

I also wish to say I’ve seen another account set up to fight content theft who is actually trying to demand accounts take a selfie holding a paper that says Blurt. This is bullying, and in my opinion has no place here. I’ve never shared my picture here, never will. I also noted the account demanding this from others has no selfie of themselves on their blog.
Steem and Hive went to shit because of these self appointed police who take things to far. I’m very thankful there are no flags here, because we know they would already be flying at this point, traveling at top speed towards the hell here for those targeted.

There must be civility in how we handle this. With clear care and concern for any innocents who can find themselves handicapped or targeted.

I also keep hearing of a COAL list. I would like for there to be a post on COAL, how it works please and who has the authority to place one on such a list, are there any ways to get off such a list, or appeal being placed on it to begin with etc.

I thank you for reading this, and am hopeful that we can all figure out ways to combat this while not setting a bar to high for many to join and participate. As well as see if we can implement an action that is more of a call in rather than a call out. I’ve counseled a few here on wrong actions in my time here that have changed what they were doing as we discussed the issues at hand. Some folks don’t mean the harm they cause, and if given a chance with understanding and patience, are willing to change.