Disclaimer: I trigger.
I ran several draft titles before settling for the above lines. It seems writing about how engagement and entitlement has now become an evergreen content on the platform. The topic has been so staple that you can never run out of drama to use as an example monthly. Excuse me for using a lot of words, I just need an excuse to lengthen my post and flex my doodling for kicks and giggles.
How much would I get upvoted this time? How much would I get downvoted this time? I’m sure the only people that cares are the ones that actually generate me invisible views and not the bots the follow the leader. If you’ve been on the platform since the old blockchain started, there was a public views counter for each post done displayed at the bottom. It used to be comical to see a post reach trending with a hundred votes but less than ten views on the counter. How can that even be possible?
It was too depressing to see your content have so much votes with little engagement. For those that aren’t bothered by the view counts, I supposed it’s just $ that they’re after and I could honestly say good job for meeting your quota. Listen, any self respecting content creator would be bothered by the lack of engagement on their content. Peakd may have opted to keep those stats hidden from public view but it’s just brushing the issue of lacking content consumption under the rug. We just have too many creators and less consumers that care.
I’m not fond of how YouTube policies work now but I at least respect them for the amount of reality slap they give to their content creators when it comes to the view counter. The view counter can be gamed but most of the time, it tells the truth of how much the creator has been progressing on the platform. You would see viral content being able to speak for itself when the amount of views correlates with the amount of engagement the content gets be it likes or dislikes. Newsflash, even dislikes are also factored in the algorithm and the more people react to a video (like or dislike, comment) the greater the chances for that content to be brought to trending. We could learn a thing or two about valuing engagement though that system.
I’m just posting for Dopamine using the platform like any other social media where I validate my content’s worth with the rewards I’m getting which I also consider an extension of me. So when people downvote my stuff, it really hurts my ego and I go reeeee over rewards I haven’t yet earned through the 7 day post payout period.
LoL Joke I only go reeeee when on the 69th day when I don’t get my 7th day post rewards.
It seems people have caught a terrible illness where they consider the rewards that have yet to complete the 7 day post payout are theirs, and the validation of their content’s worth are tied to the post rewards they earned during the period. I may have to consult the experts for this kind of pandemic. A terrible mental illness that plagues the ecosystem called Karen’s Hive Syndrome. You’re right, I’m not being funny, I should respect the disease as what it is, it’s called Entitlement.
I'm'm betting on good old Marcus Aurelius for some insight to alleviate this sickness from his Meditations.
Hmmm I stop to think once in a while and consider, are the rewards I receive what I really deserve? I’m not complaining if I get several $ worth of upvotes. Those are nice. I love those. But why should I be mad about not getting any or getting my potential rewards reduced?
It’s not like I’m churning out content that are masterpieces each time I post. Just do a few paragraph and scribble here and there boom, $ handed on my post then wait for that 7th day payout for kicks and giggles.
When I started blogging for kicks and giggles, I always thought of long term growth, expand my hobby and think less of the $ dopamine trap everyone else seems caught up with. Feels good to see those digits rise on your posts right? Well curators/patrons/followers can eventually change their mind on who they want to support anytime. What will remain with you is the brand you made for yourself and and your content. It’s not always Christmas so enjoy the rewards while it last, be thankful and be less of an ingrate.
I’m no content creator. Wow, much surprise there. At least I don’t see myself as one anyway. The mental image of qualifying for that requires me to put in the work to expand and improve constantly on the platform and cross platforms. But the reality is that I can’t even breath when flooded with work tied to my career (more of that info you can find here). This is all hobby done on a hobby chain.
I have much respect for people that really put in the work when it comes to their content. At least they know how to respect the time of anyone that comes by their postss. But for people that just content dump on the place and be on their merry way somewhere else, I wonder what people with stake here think of supporting those kind of creators? Are they hoping the author would promote the platform by spoiling them staple votes or something? I still see authorss that have their last comments done last year yet actively post here. Looking at their cross platform profiles says no mention of Hive anywhere.
I ramble again. It happens.
I needed to extend the posts with some words to make it long form. The whole sketch was just a sketch with no commitment. I just wanted to flex my drawing muscles to avoid getting some rust and decay on it. I don't know what I was thinking when I made that sketch but ok. I guess that's my state of mind is I suppose.
Clearly I'm not hanging out where everyone else is hanging out, I have a feeling that there's something going on but I don't know what it is and I'm too lazy to find out XD
I remember the views counter and being amused at some of the posts with their massive disparities between views and upvotes. On the one hand yeh it's probably depressing but on the other hand sometimes I feel like it's needed to really show us what our interactions (or lack thereof) are like.
I do somewhat wonder about people I hear about having tantrums over lack of rewards. Makes me wonder if they have ever posted anywhere else for years for nothing (like a lot of artists specifically would have, I don't know about anyone else but I was pretty stoked when I started making cents, wasn't much sure but was a lot more than I was making previously which was sfa). Though I suppose maybe they could also be pretty popular on some other site and just somehow expect that to translate over to a completely new one.
Anyway fun sketchy, I feel like a recognise a few of the characters there but if it's a portrait of your imaginary friends then perhaps they just bear resemblances to the characters I think I recognise XD
Don't bother, it's not worth stressing over. And yes, there's plenty of drama on the network if you want to find out. I don't go look for it but I end up finding it as it's part of the perks with my network.
I like the views counter back. Make people have a slap with reality that their content ain't all that and it's really human interactions that brings views and less of their content here on Hive at least. It's a bubble of an ecosystem where content here can be overvalued and the author can still be a nobody elsewhere.
I think most just started here trying to be content creators and have yet to be slapped back to reality when they try out cross platform self advertising. It's one of the most humbling experiences I got when I tried out other social media sites. Hive is a small place and when more content creators flood here with better content, the ones overvalued without building their network are going to have a bad time.
At some point the monsters I see just take shape unconsciously. I think they might have been resembling the characters you saw or I saw somewhere else. I'm more particular about form than remembering other details so end up having a mix and mash of the images. Thanks for stopping by :D
Hm didn't think about it going the other way, but hive is definitely old enough for that to be happening now.
I'm still a nobody elsewhere XD
Not worth being somebody if you got no plans on keeping up appearances long term. Branding is a conscious 24/7 effort and people can have a habit of digging up your origins cross platforms. Never happened to me. Only happens to people that earned that double edge fame.
I got pissed off about downvotes once. I watched a 'curator' scroll the trending page and downvote only arts, entertainment, photography. All within minutes of each other, sometimes seconds. Then they'd upvote the boring internal Hive style and crypto content posts that barely had any engagement. One of the art posts was reblogged over 70 times! Comments galore! Downvoted. Massive downvotes wiping away up to sometimes 60% or more. So I spoke up, ended up being downvoted automatically LOL! I wasn't griping about lost rewards, was simply pointing out how irresponsible those downvotes were, and unnecessary. And one can't say, "It's overrewarded," then give another post more. I mean, they can say that, but that doesn't mean it's honest. Eventually things calmed down though and I got to end it all on a good note with the 'curator', with some humor.
I see one being really loud about downvotes lately. And I sit and wonder if they've ever actually sat down to talk and settle the dispute. But in that case all I see is an agitator, playing the victim card, throwing insults around at damn near everyone. It don't see how that's productive.
I have seen bits of that drama in those days but can't be troubled to dwell on stuff I got no control of. Minding my own small stake bothering with small grassroot level drama. The bigger picture was still foreign and beyond me. I know it's bad but I never had the drive as I'm just one of the freeloaders (before I committed to buying some stake).
I got this idea that we get what kind of platform we deserve as a community and the ecosystem reflects that. If we had more people with stake that are out to do good for everyone it would reflect on the ecosystem eventually. The same way bad actors would try to milk the nice things about the system we have. The community will correct itself, find a common ground and more on to the next conflict. I like the drama/chaos this chain often has, maybe too toxic at times but it's all part of the sell of being decentralized where people can do the hell they want and have consequences for that.
It's nice to have order, everyone not being a dick to everyone else but that's not human nature at work. This is better than the ecosystem the old chain has going, anyone with a skill and a drive to connect can be rewarded. The old barriers for visibility grossly removed (Bid Bot Era) and it's up to people to really put in the work if they want to be noticed more.
The recent downvoting drama over overrewarded posts was part of the inspiration. It smells high self opinion to be so entitled to rewards that they haven't yet earned. I would think it comes from being habitually spoiled with fat upvotes that people are conditioned to think they deserve it or it's Christmas forever.
The chaos is or at least can be quite appealing. I gave one guy a downvote recently, and that's the most views that guy ever had.
Ran into another one doing the same crap spam approach, earning automatically, flying under the radar.
It was so weird how both of them, no matter how it was explained, simply refused to acknowledge their behavior as something that could be deemed distasteful. One was a straight up narcissist, who could do no wrong. True colors shine bright when you put someone in the spotlight.
Normally I stay out of it. I do like to ask some hard pressed questions though. That catches folks off guard. Try that someday. Ask questions and watch how, rather than a straight answer, they'll go straight for your character. And when you don't give a fuck what people think, that doesn't really work well.
I think I've seen that drama unfold, but never stuck to it long. I lurk a lot as part of the gig to spot milkers.
I had one instance this happened. They go content dumping and when called out they go reeeee. Suddenly friends of theirs started giving a fuck and they get more upvotes than usual. No comments for weeks. Just content dump cross chains. Had someone with substantial stake message me that they'll just double down on their upvotes if I keep going after their friend.
It all started when I consumed their content and it included a strip of statement mentioning how happy they are with their friends here on Hive. 0 engagement. Couldn't resist and you know how it goes when people are called out. Only stopped downvoting due me ending up doubling their rewards because people take the victim side.
Better preserve that internet face because that's all they have going. It's rare to see anyone racking in rewards to openly admit their self doubt or thinking their content ain't all that. This ecosystem has been a bubble world where people are convinced that the social rewards matter. I'm just a nobody on another platform with the same content being run elsewhere and that's a humbling experience.
Did you hunt them down and proceed to put their balls in a drawer then slamming it shut?
No? Well you're welcome to the idea.
Wutang babee!!!
That sounds like something I'd feel, too, if I did it.
Yes yes, now we are talking real sense here.
If you need plyers I got plenty just holler and I will ask me mate Elon to drop off on his starship.
Fucker owes me
I enjoy reading your content but I wish I could see more of your art, too!
Nice usage of Marcus Aurelius. Great reference and when self reflecting it helps me remember sometimes that you don't need praise and good jobs (rewards) to know you did a good job. Reaction and direction (forward hopefully) is what really matters, I think.
I have a habit of self sabotage where I draw and think my drawings are crap then toss it and never be seen again on my computer's recycle bin. Other than an exercise to curve my ego it's also part of being aware that my tastes for art is beyond what quality I can produce. So I just end up using my second best card: writing.
Thanks, the image came from a friend that shared it on their page. It was there when I needed the push so I kept it. People selling their efforts short when they are doing a fantastic job. Sometimes a good punch in the face to those for a wake up call (no malice intended but some people need more than a jolt to wake up from their self pity and doubt). I'd punch myself if I had a double most of the time. We all need that inner yes man when things get rough because no one else can understand a big chuck of us and our work than ourselves.
Hello, I read your post and often the situation that is generated is what you describe and I imagine that for many authors who really want to deal with users, it can be bad to know that they were not really read, but only voted because a trial follows a vote, I'm writing to tell you that I as a curator I enjoyed and read your post (I also found funny your sketches)
Maybe we should try to interact more between users to bring people to develop a greater interest in the content.
Thanks for taking the time to drop by, read and comment. It's appreciated :D
There's a lack of incentives to engage that contributes to the problem. People are conditioned to think that when someone says I like your post it has to follow with an upvote or a reblog of some sort. This kind of thinking puts me off so bad. I can't give compliments without a corresponding upvote now when it's perfectly fine for other social media platforms? I mean, I could like the post but I don't find compelling me to upvote it kind of thing. A pet peeve of mine is finding user behavior playing lottery when posting hoping for that big upvote but the content looks meh in comparison to the value being given.
Of course, I understand very well what you mean, this time in fact reading your post I preferred to stop and write a comment telling you that there are people who read your content and appreciate them, and I avoided to start the command of the trials of which I am curator because it seemed extremely off-topic.
One of the few things I can say is that even if 5 people out of the 100 votes you get have actually read your article, those 5 people have appreciated your content and you don't have to put yourself down for the 95 who haven't read it but have followed the trial.
In the end you made me stop on the other side of the world to read your article and even if I'm only worth an upvote you deserved mine and I appreciated your content :)
Thank you for the kind words. I apply that way of thinking after realizing the whole system is bonkers but out of my control. It's not like that is going to change anytime soon and as more people enter the platform, they may still be hope to change an old trend.
A really really interesting post. Personally, I'm not a good content curator as well (I say as you referred yourself, but personally I think you are great at it, look at all your replies), I like to draw and my english isn't the best. I do get that dopamine...disease 😅, and I always thought it was funny as I'm not going for revenu, but for practice...yet, I doing exactly as you describe. I like the way you expressed your point of view, I was thinking about thoses lines lately so the timing it great, it could almost be taken as a sign 😀. Anyway, love your drawings (even the rusty ones)