Because I spend a fair amount of time looking at "investment stuff" and crypto related information — and Google knows it! — I get served up the invariable does of advertising and offers relating to these fields.
I don't actually mind. Whereas many people tell me that I should be using an ad blocker, truth is that I would have missed out on a couple of really important pieces of information, had I had an ad blocker in place.
Personally, I believe advertising is one of those "give-and-take" situations in our world. Sure, we can shoose to lock out ads, but on some level, that's a bit like driving through the toll booth on the highway without paying... but still expecting the highway to be maintained.
Anyway, I got to thinking about how almost all these "offers" I come across invariably involves great promises, but you only get to test that idea out if you pay out a good chunk of money, up front.
Barriers to Entry
It's what economists and marketers might describe as a "barrier to entry."
And whereas there maybe be legitimate situations where such barriers are appropriate, many of us end up foregoing an assortment of opportunities because we simply can't afford the "price of admission."
In few places is this more prevalent than in investing, I would submit.
"Minimum investment, $10,000" is definitely a barrier to entry!
How Hive WORKS for Us "Microinvestors!"
As I contemplated this, it also made me realize that one of the reasons I am so fond of Hive is precisely that there are no barriers to entry for the opportunity to participate in the world of crypto.
In most cases, crypto has plenty of barriers to entry. If you want to be part of other blockchain projects, you either have to spend a hefty chunk of cash on mining rigs, or you have to spend a chunk of cash to buy a stake large enough to be more than a dustmote.
Sure, you could perhaps just buy a little Bitcoin or Ether... but (in some ways counter to the original spirit of crypto) chances are you'd get eaten alive by transaction/gas fees on a small amount... making it not a whole lot different from the legacy banking and investment world.
Of course, I am only referring to the opportunity Hive offers. There's no guarantee, here! And simply sitting on your duff, staring out the window is not going to make you a Hive Whale. And those $100 posts you see on the front page? That's not going to happen just because you "dabble in blogging," a little!
Modest Beginnings Matter!
But what I am grateful for is the way you can start with (pretty much) nothing here, and work your way towards "being in crypto" primarily through the "Proof of Brain" concept... or "Proof of CAT" as the case might be, for me!
I don't expect I'll every become rich as a result of being part of this gig — heck, I've only had a small handful of posts even pay out $10 — but just the fact that I can create blog posts, engage with others, learn something and participate... and earn a little bit of Hive as a reward is a huge step up from other social media!
And yes, some of us get a kick out of just seeing that our account has become worth over $150! Not because that's a significant amount of money, but because it's $150 we wouldn't have built, otherwise! And that ays a lot right there... and it's why I keep coming back and adding my few cents worth to the information stream!
Meanwhile, I also have the opportunity to dip my toes in the "crypto sandbox" that is Hive-Engine and trade around a bit in Hive's Layer Two community tokens. And what could be cooler than that?
Thanks for visiting and having a look at my blog, and till the next one!
=^..^=
Posted using Proof of Brain
I have a similar opinion about ads and adblockers. They are one of the channels to receive information I may need but did not know to look for. Only the ads which demand my interaction in order to use the main content of the page are disturbing or when the ad network lets advertisers deliver malicious Javascript code to visitors’ browsers.
Hive is a very easy and affordable way for people new to the crypto industry to enter the cryptocurrency world. Though the Hive reward alone is quite small, they also build their public image profile for the ecosystem. Their high quality content will also boost the visibility of this blockchain on the social media and on the search engines which in turn should generate growth. This growth then often converts to a higher market valuation of the economy and increases the value of their own $HIVE stake.
Some people can end up being so "independent" that they end up disconnected from reality, itself. I believe we can in touch with the mainstream without feeling forced to participate in anything we don't believe in.
The thing that's cool about Hive is that it allows people to do something they already do: participate in social media activities.
And yes, if you add something worthwhile, it becomes the "front window" to the world that draws others in. Which is how I ended up on Hive, in the first place... reading an article someone had share on some external site.
=^..^=