What Does Hive Mean To Me? The End Of The World As We Know It

You Know, But In A Good Way

The world is becoming more and more centralized every day. Power is being drawn from the people to coalesce around the few. We need go no farther than what's been happening around the world to deal with the spread of the coronavirus to see that our lives can be upended in a virtual instant, and not just by the illness itself.

I think we need to decentralize that power again, reverse the trend. I think we need to cut out all the middlemen that get in between us and the lives we want to and should be living. I think we need to be able to think and act more for ourselves, rather than be told what to do and how to do it.

Which means we also need to be responsible and accountable for our own actions and suffer the consequences of them, if any.

I think HIVE has a central role to play in all of that.

What Is HIVE?

HIVE, to me, is a host of second chances. A second chance to get things right. A second chance to make the dream of decentralized governance, of transparency, of trustlessness, of anti-censorship, of true individual ownership, become reality.

It's a second chance to prove that DPOS, or what might morph from what currently exists of it, works better than any other form of governance.

It's a second chance for all of us here to have a greater say in our own direction, and in our own destiny.

It's a second chance for the world to have a place to go when it inevitably falls. A second chance for a global digital currency.

That all is probably some ways off yet, but in the meantime, it's a second chance for us to all be involved in a grand social experiment that STEEM started.

It's also a chance for most of us to double our stake instantly, and continue to work and build on that stake, if we choose to do so.

It's a second chance at building a better future for ourselves, our families and beyond.

In addition to all of the positive second chances, it's also a second chance to fail. I don't know if anyone wants to dwell on that aspect, but I believe it should at least be acknowledged that while many good things come to this platform from the beginning, there is baggage and dirty laundry as well. Both will need to be addressed and there will no doubt be a need for at least short term compromises. I hope people are ready for some of that, and that those compromises can be mitigated in such a way that they do not disproportionately reward or punish.

I've seen it said a few times already, that we don't have the shadow of Steemit Inc as it was before Justin Sun, or what it's become since, looming over us anymore, getting in the way of progress, slowing us down, or dictating how things will go.

So, we need to show just how much of a hindrance that was. We need to capitalize, and continue to capitalize on the goodwill and PR the conflict and the split has brought us.

We have a few chances to get that right, but the amount is finite.

What Should HIVE Evolve Into?

I think it should be the safe haven for all freedom seeking people everywhere who are not afraid to use their talents, knowledge, diversity and experience to build a decentralized society. It should be a Galt's Gulch, where innovation is rewarded and abilities are showcased.

I think it should become a thriving center of commerce that goes way beyond social media, gaming and gambling apps. I think it should be the global digital cryptocurrency its sister chain was meant to be.

As far as governance goes, it should become like a hive in nature, without maybe the queen bee or the drones, but all worker bees, who each have some say in what the hive will look like. It needs to be able to reward all those who wish to put in the time and effort, while minimizing how much can be siphoned off in any of the ways that currently exist.

It should become the home for investor, developer, witness and common user, where all of their interests are served. Ultimately, if everyone is looking out for everyone else, rather than solely their own interests, this can be achieved. There should be no need for charity if things are done right, and there should be none who feel like all they do is give.

Obvious, there are haves and have nots. I don't think it should become a place where everyone is equal in every way. I think it should be a place where everyone can earn according to their own abilities, time and resources. And people need to be able to see and acknowledge when that is happening.

I don't expect HIVE to become Utopia. Such a place doesn't exist. I expect it to be a work in progress, achieving and growing, always striving for excellence, yes, but never quite arriving or resting on its laurels because there's always something to improve upon.

My Thoughts On A Large Funded DAO

I guess my question is, where do the funds for this new DAO come from? Inflation? Donation? The HIVE stake that was created when Steemit's accounts and a few hundred others didn't get the airdrop? Some other source? Any combination thereof?

I haven't really seen this discussed anywhere since the fork, but from what I can tell, that large portion of STEEM Power is sitting idle in the DAO. I understand there is supposed to be a discussion and decision made about it. If so, I would like to have that communal discussion as soon as possible and arrive at a decision.

There were many different ideas as to what should happen with the 'ninja-mined' Steemit stake. Prior to the fork, there were all kinds of proposals, from using it in a HIVE DAO, to burning at least some of it, or even distributing it among the users.

I think having a DAO that can fund future HIVE development is a good thing. It would be nice if developers coming in brought some backing, too, and could be viable with or without it. We saw dApps come and go, taking advantage of delegations and either going to other chains after they developed sufficiently here, or never really getting off the ground because something on their end was lacking, be it development expertise or providing a product that few users wanted.

We've also seen other projects thrive and be good for the platform and users alike.

For me, there needs to be away to maximize development that actually benefits HIVE and the community, while minimizing the downsides of cut and run, or other undesirable things. How projects are chosen and governed is just as important as the funding.

To me, that's an issue that needs to be addressed along with whether or not there's a pot of HBDs for development.

What Does HIVE Mean To Me?

HIVE means the second chance to build a life I've always wanted, but never quite achieved. It means another opportunity to help provide that same chance to as many others that wish to take hold of it.

It means a second chance to end the world as we know it, to actually make the world a better place by allowing all who seek after it the freedom to make something of their time, resources and talents.

HIVE means family. Sanctuary. Community. Home.

It means work. Dedication. Perseverance. It means less self and more selflessness. It means watching each others backs. It also means being able to discuss what's wrong and get to a solution. It also means agreeing to disagree and moving on if nothing else can be achieved.

HIVE is what we choose to make it.

Thanks once again to @theycallmedan for another initiative and opportunity for community members to share their thoughts on topics that hopefully are important to many of us. It's cool to have initiatives like this to participate in on a regular basis.

_{Image source—hive.io/brand}