Not your Hive

With the countdown to a new home less than four hours away, I will keep posting on Steem for the time being. Let's see about after and whether I drop by to see what it going on here. I am an observer, and I think seeing what happens on Steem post-Hive not only fascinating, but potentially a very valuable learning experience.

Speaking of valuable learning experiences; a few weeks ago I wrote a post about the simple choice for SCT moving forward would be to support the decentralization of the chain. This was before I had heard of HIVE, but I suspected that the two outcomes were fork to a new chain or for the Steem witnesses to get control back.

If they got control back, it would be a very difficult road forward and there would be a lot of drama and blaming, and the reputation of Steem will always be tarnished anyway.

A fork would give a fresh start.

However, that start would be developed by the same group of people who had been forced out of governance and could have been put back into governance by SCT. Instead, the group which is essentially a Super Pac, decided on a power play as they were unhappy with the status quo of the chain, namely, downvoting and other factors.

People, including myself, see the blockchain as a home and therefore, something to be protected, with decentralization being a core aspect of the structure. Attack the hive and the swarm will look to remove the threat. In this case, the threat is the stake that was used to attack the blockchain by either looking to centralize it or, withholding the ability to ensure decentralization. The new normal was a stalemate and while there are valid reasons for this, the creators of the new blockchain do not have to actually consider them at all, as it is up to them to decide what is included and what is not, as they are the ones doing the initial work, and carry the costs and risks associated with it.

The exclusion list for the Hive honeydrop that is coming up shortly isn't about ethnicity however, it is based on who supported the centralization of the chain by choosing not to support the decentralization. It was a political move based on trying to extend influence over Steem, but as a swing voter, eventually a decision has to be made. Indecision is still a decision and holding the stalemate was a decision that forced others to make their decisions - namely, creating a new blockchain.

It really is a pity it has come to this in my opinion, but it is a pity it ever got to this point at all. The damage that has been done to the reputation of Steem is likely irreparable, as are many of the relationships and chances of relationships if moving to Hive.

And I think the future on Hive has to be considered, because if there is angry and bitter stake that gets ported over that is going to work in combination with whatever Justin Sun has managed to get his hands on, we end up in somewhat of a similar position again - not from the risk of centralization - but through the poison of past baggage. As has been mentioned many times before, the way we conduct ourselves is important, and the Steem blockchain (at this point) doesn't forget.

While I think we can be measured by how we treat those who have trespassed and destroyed our homes, excluding them from an airdrop means that they are free to go the way they choose, but do not have to be carried the way we are going. As far as I understand it, their accounts and all of the information they have put onto Steem will still be available and they will be able to apply for the equivalent stake later - how many will, I am unsure.

However, the same rule applies on Hive as it has on Steem - until it is in your wallet, it is not owned. Some people are seeing the Hive airdrop as an entitlement, but it is not, it is a privilege granted by the developers. However, once that HIVE ends up in wallets, it becomes owned by those accounts who hold the keys. At that point, behavior with it and on the Hive blockchain becomes important again - and it will be this that will eventually be the indicator of value and economic price of the token.

The value of Steem the blockchain was always the community itself, but that doesn't mean that all members of the community are value adding entities, with some being very destructive forces. If you were building a new civilization and could pick your team, do you choose players who are already proven to undermine the integrity of the community?

Hive is a new colony and if we are going to populate the stars, perhaps it is best not to carry people who are already looking to hinder the journey before takeoff. There is going to be enough drama and pain as a fledgling blockchain without having to deal with those of the past. Exclusion will have ramifications also, but we all have to deal with the consequences of our actions and inactions.

Until it is in your wallet, it is not your Hive.

Past that point, it is all an opt-in process, participate or don't - that is your decision to make.

For me, after putting in what I consider a massive effort on Steem only to have the foundation of everything I have worked toward ripped away beneath me, I am looking forward to a fresh start and I hope that everyone else in the Hive has matured and learned enough to know that the value of a social blockchain is the community itself.

It is not your Hive, it is ours.

Taraz
[ first generation Hive ]