Stitched together
I've been thinking about Hive over the last couple of weeks and what it's meant to me over the years I've been around. I'm into my seventh year now, six years and six months more specifically, and I was thinking about all the posts I've made, the comments and interactions over that time. They're not countless, Hive Buzz tracks them, but there's a lot. I'm not counting them as the valuable thing though, it's the people I've interacted with that deliver the value, the quality of them, and that's what's kept me around. Of course, like in real life, there's people who are less valuable and some that are utter garbage but they're ignored or avoided and life moves on.
I don't think I'd be around still if it wasn't for the multitudes of people that I have enjoyed interactions with.
Most of you may know one of my brothers is also on Hive, tarazkp, but none of you probably know that one of my other brothers was also on Hive from a very early stage, much earlier than myself and around the same time as tarazkp. He kept his account very anonymous and now does not post or comment at all and I the other day I asked him if he missed it. He said no.
We spoke further and because neither of us are social-media-dependant, (neither of us uses it), I was unsurprised to hear his answer. He doesn't miss it because he has other things in life to focus on, real-world things, as do I. Having said that, I have enjoyed my time here so make the time in what really is an extremely busy life too be around, run a few concepts for the community and generally engage where I can...but I understand why he doesn't post or comment; there's better things to do.
This made me think about others like him who may be in the background or who have simply vanished and how I can list names of many who I miss having around.
I'll not list them here but there's been many who I've engaged with along the way who seemed to be interesting, intelligent, funny and personable individuals and whilst not all had the exact same interests as I do we seemed to connect well which made being on the blockchain a lot more interesting. Hive isn't just about gathering magic internet money, in my opinion, it's a place to connect with others and it is a far better place to do so than other social media's which I have discarded years ago.
Hive has a way of stitching us together in ways I think other social media platforms cannot but I wonder what you folks think about it, the connections you make, why they happen, how they form, what elements cause that coming together and where those connections have led. Is hive more than magic internet money to you, have your connections built here spilled over into the real world, have people you interacted with left the blockchain and do you miss them? With that last, how do you think things would go for you if you were to leave? Feel free to comment on this , or anything, below if you'd like.
Design and create your ideal life, tomorrow isn't promised - galenkp
[Original and AI free]
Image(s) in this post are my own
If theres one thing im most grateful for this year, it would be being in this platform. I too dislike social media just because i dont feel like its a safe place for me to share my interests. But when i discovered this platform, i truly felt safe to share anything and everything under the sun that are of my liking. I was also surprised that some people also find my hobbies interesting when i thought people think its weird or boring. Thank you for keeping the hive ecosystem alive thru your posts, @galenkp😊 Have a good day!
How much a person enjoys themselves here probably comes down to their approach, attitude and reasons for being here. Many see it as a way to make some fast money but I believe that to be the wrong attitude as they tend not to bother building solid relationships which when the whale votes stop never works out well.
I'm glad to hear you've found a place you feel safe and welcome and keep up the good work.
Interesting display. How are you today friend.
I'm pretty good today, thanks. I hope you're well too.
Oh yes, there are several I can think of who have gone on to pursue other activities in life. A few I just barely remember but there are several who pop into my mind quite often.
When I joined back in spring of 2017 I was unsure how long my stay would be. Wouldn't you know...I'm still here lol. Moving on hasn't entered my mind so I would have to say, life would just go on as before, but with a big hole in it, you know?
There's a few I really miss, but they move on and I can't blame them, if they don't want to be here then leave; it's pretty simple.
It's good to see you're still here and that you enjoy it. Same with me.
I think a lot of us started here for the magic Internet money, but depending on when you started, you quickly learned there was nothing magic or lucrative about it. Not in the short term anyway. Those who took the time to stick around and build something here quickly found a community, an outlet, and maybe a little bit of money.
Yeah, that's exactly right...I think that focusing on the money would have seen me disappear pretty quickly; the engagement and relationships is a more sustainable benefit. I'll admit I tend to find less and less interesting people to engage with these days, do you find the same?
Every now and then I find someone. I've added maybe five people in the last year that I follow regularly. I think if we were to see an influx of users, it might help the communities grow and then it might be easier to find like minded or people with shared interests.
The right users...
For sure! I do a lot of manual voting, but I do some autovoting too. I just went through my list yesterday and removed a lot of accounts that were just spamming. I'm not sure where the shift happened, but I'm glad I eventually caught it because I don't make a habit of adding that sort of user to my autovote list. I've actually got a post I am going to write in the next couple of weeks that I am going to mention you in.
Clearing out the follow list or auto vote list from time to time is a good idea as people change their behaviours and it may mean they're not valid anymore.
I'll look out for that post, I'm intrigued.
Well said man. It’s not quick but if you stick around the pay off in the future is a lot different and better. Exposing yourself to many different things and being kind of on the cutting edge of stuff is pretty incredible!
I like this comment - sums up my thoughts too! 👍
I'd really miss everyone. There's people who have disappeared here and I still miss them. ❤️
Yeah, I can name a few also, more than a few really.
I originally came here for the magic internet money, I'll admit. I was writing a fairly successful Wordpress blog that was making me a few hundred bucks a month, which I thought was pretty low because I was comparing myself to the guys in front of me, as we all tend to do but shouldn't. Then I discovered Hive and the idea of making even more came to me.
If that had continued to be my main motivation, I would have left long ago. Just in my first year here I don't think I had a single post that made more than 10 cents. But I stayed because I quickly met a lot of great people, got involved behind the scenes, had more great conversations. And because of that, I'm still here.
If all of crypto, including Hive, disappeared tomorrow, I'd be fine. More time for other things. But I would miss some of the great conversations I have here with people.
And yeah, I do miss a lot of folks who have left over the years. So many of my writing and poetry buddies who dropped out when Justin Sun came into the picture and that whole mess. I keep them in my friend list because I keep hoping they'll come back.
I came to it after six months of resisting it, being told to get involved; I chose not to though until one day, probably to stop the haranguing I was getting, I decided to join. I didn't get good financial payouts but, like you, found a better reason to stay.
I agree with you on the crypto thing; if it vanished I'd not be at all concerned as my income streams do not rely on it. I sometimes wonder how it might go down for those who are taking and using Hive to sustain their lives; probably not well. It also makes me wonder what they did before Hive income came along. At the end of the day it's the relationships that keep me here and there's some who have crossed over into my personal life, people I value.
Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.
Yeah man I hear you on the different elements of hive and what it’s done for us. I know of a number of people that I wish would be around to chat with still but life has other plans sometimes and you just roll with it. They may come back, or they may never but the important thing is that they leave their piece of themselves in us like friends often do.
It’s interesting your other brother has an account here too, I’ve got a friend who I helped create an account for and got him set up but he never stuck around which is challenging but we all have our own prerogatives so it wasn’t in the cards for him.
I think one of the great things for me is the conversations and different perspectives and worldviews that I’ve been exposed to. I wasn’t a sheltered person in life by any means but I didn’t have as diverse of a perspective as I do now which is incredible!
There's not much to do about it other than move on right? It's their choice. I guess though, it would be nice to have received a message rather than have them simply disappear but it is what it is, and life will go on.
My other brother posted regularly but when life needed his attention had simply stopped. The account is still there and he (or someone on his behalf) may do something with it, but it'll be an anonymous account by his choice. (Maybe you already interact with that exact account.)
You mean you have the keys to the account and are in control of it. Another account for you to terrorize people with.
Lol an air of mystery! Perhaps I do……. 🤔
My friend, I really liked your reflection, and I'm going to give you my opinion. Although I have little time for everything involving Hive, I always make room for it. The best example is that a few months ago, I stopped creating (during that time, I lost some "followers"/friends like you), but there wasn't a day when I didn't want to return to Hive. There was something inside me that often made me think about coming back. Many times, I was in the mountains or on a beach, and when I had a moment, I read some of your texts or those of other creators I value. Every day, I had the idea of returning. I realized that in Hive, there is human quality (of course, there are also bad apples), but here, I have met incredible people from my city whom I wouldn't have known if it weren't for Hive. I have met people from other countries who teach me from economics to their daily lives. I entered Hive for the money I could make (I won't deny it), but I realized that the hive is much more important than the money itself, and I believe this is what keeps us together. Many of us no longer even maintain social networks, yet every day, we comment (maybe we're obsessed with Ecency points 😂). With it being a more personal interaction, I think we all connect more. It's not like other platforms where speculation is the most important.
I hope I've made my point clear, and although this is my opinion, I respect those who distance themselves and choose other paths, for that is life and freedom.
I remember that hiatus you took, no harm in it really, although losing followers often happens.
I'm not surprised you have found something beyond magic internet money on Hive and I think (with the exception of the idiots) there's many people out there with like-minded ideas, that is, the desire to engage, learn about others and their cultures or experiences and to participate on deeper levels. You've clearly found such people.
You made valid points and they were clear, I also feel that your interactions are genuine and heartfelt which is why I interact with you - Those that interact with me for the vote they may get are easy to spot.
In addition to 3 ST***/HIVE Fest, I made 2 trips to visit people that I discovered on the blockchain.
The first trip was to Arkansas, to visit @papa-pepper for several days.
The second trip was in Europe where I visited people in Germany, Denmark, Poland, and Czechia. In particular, I went to see @katharsisdrill in Copenhagen for 3 days.
That's really cool, and I think would have made the platform seem more real. I've been to many events in my home city with otter users, picnics and BBQ's and there was a monthly meet-up arranged at a pub which I attended many times also. It's not to put faces to usernames and it's a great way to build better relationships.
I don't use social media as much anymore, and I find myself spending more time in peakd than anywhere else. I think it is the substance of the posts here, or maybe hive just has an older demographic of authors. There are a lot of different topics and communities that can cater to different tastes. Compared to other social media like FB or Insta where it is mostly just sharing what I did/wore/ate/etc today.
I think it's the older demographic here that makes a difference, sets it apart from other social media platforms; it's not perfect of course, there's good and bad, but each has the chance to find a niche and people who they relate to and to operate in that space. It's a decent place to be.
Good morning Galen my experience is the following: I come from another social network, the first one I have been on, which I left because it consumed what I considered a lot of time of my life and it was not contributing much to me. If I stayed longer, it was because of some of the people I interacted with on it. I said goodbye to it a few months ago leaving a post thanking all the people I met on it. Of the supposed almost 1000 followers I left only one person bothered to keep in touch with me. She was the one who brought me to Hive and afterwards we had the opportunity to talk sometime, I got to know her voice, and she turned out to be as wonderful as I imagined her to be on the web. In Hive, for some reason, I have found very generous people who have helped me, without asking me for anything, almost since I started to make some comments. That's what encouraged me to post something, it's a way to give back to Hive and to those special people I have found here what they have given me. Now I have breakfast with Hive which is quite better than doing it with t.v. news. This is my story. A very big greeting.
It's amazing the time people will invest to scrolling a feed on social media and how little time they invest into creating genuine and lasting connections in the real world. I think the other social media platforms rely on such people.
I'm glad to hear you've had a nice introduction to Hive and that you feel you've found a place of comfort; it's also nice that you've managed to find some good people along the way and been the recipient of their help which you seem very grateful for.
It's a nice place to connect, to find and interact with like-minded people and those that may not have similar interests but whose values align with your own and you find common ground in respect of thoughts, values, ethos and other such things.
I hope you have a nice day. My work day is finished although I'll work on a little, maybe a couple more hours before dinner. All the best.
Thank you very much Galen. And now, in a few minutes, my working day begins hahaha! Have a great afternoon
😉
thank you I couldn't agree more. made quite a number of friends from here~
If i were to leave im not sure, the time spent would probably be on real life things I think like taraz and many others that you mentioned quit, either that or maybe games and tv shows ;x
I didn't say that tarazkp quit, he has not...I was talking about my other brother, I thought I'd made that clear in my text.
I sometimes wonder what people would do if the platform (blockchain) disappeared; I guess they'd just spend more time on their other social media platforms.
Aww man I blundered I just reread it. "that one of my other brothers was also on Hive from a very early stage"
Honestly, probably yes for most people but for me I'm not really that into social media. I rarely use facebook or instagram. The only thing I still use is youtube which is usually a mix of educational purposes and entertainment. I try to stay away from the shorts even tho they are convenient because I lowkey feel they are poisoning and end up draining a lot of time even tho they are "short videos" you end up watching a ton easily
No worries, I thought I'd better clear that misunderstanding up.
I rarely watch YouTube although now and then will look for new music there, or old. Let's just say I look for music there. Lol.
Yea Youtube is great for new music as well. That's where I usually find new songs thru some random recommendations sometimes. i guess other social media i use is mostly for messaging and contacting not really for entertainment
Well, I've only been on Hive for a short time, but I love some of the people I've met here who make my life even better. Being able to have my morning coffee reading them is a luxury. Or going to bed now, after reading you, is very satisfying. And I feel that yes, indeed money is flashy, and it is needed, but honestly, I really enjoy the interaction with people that I find interesting, intelligent and add value to my life. On the other hand, I always try to contribute with my knowledge to some people who show interest. For me Hive is like life itself; you simply meet many people along the way: some will leave, some will go elsewhere and some will always stay with you. You form friendships that can be very valuable and may even transcend beyond the computer screen.
As in life, we will also need to protect ourselves from bad vibes, bad thoughts and people who are only in this world and in any other to do evil.
This is my opinion in broad strokes.
I also suppose that as in life sometimes Hive overwhelms us a little and we need to take a little distance... but in short, people, what is valuable, is, I mean, exist. And I believe in that maxim that says: equals attract.
As you have alluded to above, one will get out of Hive commensurate to what they put in, and I don't mean financially put in and that's exactly like life in the real world. Once can choose not to build better relationships or not, it's up to the individual.
I think you have a few relationships with Hive people off the blockchain and that's nice, but it's impossible for people outside of your location to build that and that's where Hive fills a gap, it brings people together, those who take the time to foster relationships and in that lies value.
Thanks for commenting, I hope you're going well.
You're so full of crap you complete Hypocrite. You know full well that's not how it works on Hive or the real world.
Yup, I know your brother tarazkp is also on hive. You both have a similar kp on the end of the name so everyone can guess that😅
And coming towards the relationship on hive there is an interesting thing, one of my classmates was also here before me and before joining hive we never had any special interaction except some hello and hi but after meeting him here on hive we are now a kind of buddies 😄. This is all because of hive.
Yes, hive does impact our life, I also have met some other good people here, some mean too but have filtered them from my friend lists. Lol
It's a social place and despite there being some negatives it's generally enjoyable...if a person makes it so.
And if you don't push them off the platform as you have done with so many users who didn't do what you wanted exactly how you wanted and demanded.
The technical stuff like the WEB3 traits and incentives are alright, it keeps the journey interesting, but it's the people that I've gotten to know that keep me coming back for more. Check who has posted something new, and who has commented or replied, browse and post in the newer communities, and get to know new people from all around the world, these are the vital parts of my 2-year Hive journey.
Two years and still enjoying it, that's a good effort. You seem to have a good handle on what you're doing, the way you want to approach it, and that's important. Keep it up.
Yes sirrr! Still a long way to go.
I remember those days when I just started "Hive" back in the Steem days. I was in Cebu, Philippines where they had a wonderful active community and I met so many people from and through the platform and even travelled with some of them. It was really wonderful! Nowadays, most of those people from the early days quit hive sadly, I miss them around a lot, but I am grateful for the people who are still here and for all the connections I made through the platform!
I miss the old crew as well, it was a different place back then, more enjoyable in my opinion. Still, time moves on and so do people so we have to deal with what we have, and there's some good folks out there, yourself included.
Hey man~ yes it’s been a very long time. Similar to your brother even for myself, life has been moving in meaningful ways which for a time being I was more engaged in the physical world more often than previously. However thanks to notifications I have been able to still read some posts here and there along the way. The mass majority of social media is a boiling pot full of desperation need of attention in my opinion and it got me thinking back into our Hive community. It’s a community… not social media… I like that. :) Giving me some time to show others what I learned and want to share is what I love about Hive.
Hey mate, I hope you're well and life is moving in the right direction.
I understand the comment about being in the real world (off Hive) and that's where a person's priority should be in my opinion. Hive is good, but it's not life and there's so many other things that need to take one's focus.
Having said that, it's a good community and there's value to be found for those who want to...value beyond the monetary I mean.
Thanks for commenting man, and I hope things continue to be well for you.
It's true, Hive has something that makes it a totally different platform from the rest, and I love that. I have been on two before Hive and they are totally different, especially because of the connections we create with people, which although they are not close, it is a connection at the end.
The relationships I've created are mostly based on similar ways of thinking, art, likes for kittens, ways of conducting myself in life.
Some people have drifted away, but maybe that's because we didn't coincide so much in the end. There are still those people with more affinity.
I'm very... selective with the word friendship, so I don't know if I should call those people friends, but I could call them like-minded people. Especially those with whom I converse outside hive and others inside hive but with whom I have daily contact and deep thoughts or reflections.
Some people I have contact with in the real world but not in person, they are far away. And if I were to leave Hive, the truth is that I would miss very much what has been generated, with all those great people. It's hard sometimes to find people who are similar in many ways and nice people to chat with.
I know... extra long comment🤣
Hugs Galen!
You say what many could also say. There's something about the relationships here that keep it interesting and from what I know it's not found on other social media platforms, not in the same way anyway. I'm not surprised you have found this value here as you are personable, intelligent and interesting. That helps.
You said it yourself, I found interesting and intelligent people here. I think it must be because of the platform. I don't know how to explain it but it goes with your personality. Discipline, perseverance and hard work. I think it can be, that's why we find like-minded people.
Three of my favourite concepts.
They are also mine, from all my life.
Your point is very lit🔥 Hive is not just a place to earn magic money I agree with youvery much on the point highlighted. My little engagement on Hive has given me the opportunity to meet different kind and caliber of people.
Engagement is what makes it more interesting and enjoyable right?
Yeah, the fact you are been replied with veery comment make it interesting and also busts once morally to engage more.
I value the international connections that I have here. The only other social media account I was ever active on was FB, and my friends were mostly, if not all, Americans, who all think alike really. I find it fascinating to see how other cultures think! I left FB for steem, because FB had become such a hostile place to me, given my questioning nature, even back more than five years ago. Here, I found many of like mind in that regard, and from all corners of the earth. It's been comforting.
I think you'd not be the only one who could say this or who has found something on Hive that was missing elsewhere. It's a nice reason to stay around.
I'm curious about what @steemed-open's been doing. It's five years already since she hasn't been active at all. We used to have some stuff in common and interact a lot.
I get your brother though... Dunno if I could ditch Hive entirely, although probably if I had a normal life I'd be way less active than I currently am.
I've never heard of that account to mention but maybe she's living a fulfilling and happy life and has no need or desire to be on Hive; I hope so anyway.
On leaving Hive...I think if something compelling enough comes along most people would leave it without question. It comes down to priorities I suppose.
There are quite a few people who no longer post anymore on here, that I'd love to reconnect with. But that's just how it is and I'm happy that I connected with them in the first place.
I"m very grateful for what I have earned on here, it has helped and continues to help me a lot in my life.
But the community is what matters the most. I'm made some great friends, some I've even got to meet and it felt like meeting an old friend. Xxx
It's wise to celebrate that those relationships happened rather than spend too much time lamenting their loss; that shows they really mattered.
There is no such thing as "I don't have time for Hive"!
That can only be said by someone who at no point in the day picks up a mobile phone and does not look at FB, Instagram or TikTok, who does not watch a series or TV program in the evenings (not to mention a movie or some reality show).. .
He can say: "But I look at people I know and follow"... Well, even here on Hive, people who know each other are followed.
It's only 7 years that @galenkp is celebrating here. Is it a little...?
How many international friends (as mentioned by @owasco), different religions and cultures did he meet during that time... Much more than on Fb.
And the usefulness of web3 over web2 is clear to everyone.
I guess I meant, don't want to make the time for Hive for people who prioritise different things.
I've lost count of how many people I've met here, a huge number for certain, and I know I'll meet more. Not all of them interact all the time, some come and go then come back again (or not) but that's the same as real life, people drift in and out.
Overall it's been enjoyable though. How about you?
Oh Galen I could answer to this post from personal experience as I had a long time away from Hive with moments of short presence and then absence. I did miss the interaction and the cute comments shared everytime when a friend posted. But real life happens and can take us away. Sometimes a detox is good. A question appears in the mind: would my absence make any difference? Would it matter? Could I come back after missing for a while like nothing happened? I do now know.
For example I just opened a book contest. And I thought piles of members will want to participate. But the enthusiasm is moderate. I wonder why. Is my absence a contributing factor or is it because the topic is books?
So I would need a bit of help in spreading the word because the point of a competition is to have enough competitors to try to bring the best out of them for the reward. I want to make this contest a yearly one. I know you are the master of engage the weekend contests, maybe you could share a tip or two, I am at my first serious attempt to organize such a thing because now I feel that I am finally at a moment where I can give back to Hive. Thank you🤗
https://hive.blog/hive-148441/@creativemary/books-and-life-annual-competition-win-100-hbd-and-a-secret-surprise
Life happens for sure and it takes us in different directions, pushes, pulls and sometimes keeps us in the same spot; what matters is that we get the most from it, or try to.
All the best with your book contest, I'm sure it'll get some good traction with a 500HBD prize on offer.
Thank you Galen🤗I am glad to see that people start to share more of the book they have read, I think that it can be powerful to know that one book changed someone's way of thinking at some point.
The prize definetely attracts for sure but I hope on the long term that the participants will share more stories between themselves while being in the process of competing. It all will take time for sure . How have you been?
I've been well, pretty much the same as the last time we communicated, not much changes for me I guess, except I get older.
I remembered a quote from a meme I saw way back, it said : I'm not old, I'm vintage. Oh and I started to feel so much better because vintage sounds so posh
Vintage isn't bad, they say all things come back into fashion but...well, I guess humans just die eventually and that's the end of it.
Death is certain for sure:)))Neither of us are getting out alive from here
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