Preparing For The Masses

What if there were no borders?

In some ways, a borderless society has already come to pass.

On STEEM, and on other blockchains, value is being exchanged from one end of the earth to the other, across national boundaries, despite the regulations of various intervening governing bodies, free from the taxes, inflation and debts associated with all their fiat currencies.

What if there were no countries. Not an overarching one world order, but no major structures at all? Instead of everything centralizing into one massive whole, the opposite—an utter deconstruction of every instance of concentrated governance into nothing more than individual sovereignty and whatever communities, tribes, or entities these individuals might choose to create?

In my mind, that's already happening to, at least on STEEM. It might not be quite as entrenched or as firm feeling as the power of a federal government is now, but for all intents and purposes, the building blocks for something more than a social media platform, an investment vehicle or even a blockchain already exist.

It might seem absurd to think like this, especially given what goes on around STEEM everyday (it's a bit like herding cats), but here's the thing:

Someone keeps talking about onboarding the masses to STEEM. The overhauls under the hood over this past year in particular have been done with the eventuality of there being millions of active STEEM users. However, the catalyst for bringing on the masses, other than some potential from SMTs and the shifting to Communities, doesn't seem to exist yet. Not in its entirety.

To my way of thinking, the likelihood of millions simply gravitating to crypto, any form of it, is going to take more than social media, or online gaming. It's going to take quite a bit of ease, intuitiveness and the ability to use crypto for every day things, from apples to zippers.

But how do we get there?

Some would say that the sheer awesomeness of technology, and the blinding speed at which it happens, will overwhelm all resistance from the status quo, and that hundreds if not thousands of years of doing things will be swallowed up in this mighty technological wave.

More likely, though, it's going to be a lot more painful than the above scenario suggests. People, governing bodies and financial institutions aren't just going to gravitate to crypto because it's cool. They may end up there because they have no other place to go.

Meaning, the financial meltdowns that federal governments and lesser governing bodies have been staving off for decades will finally hit with such velocity and intensity that everything fiat will be wiped out. Inflation and debt will just utterly consume them and no amount of tax hikes will be able to keep the existing authorities in power.

The people will rise up, and they will no longer be able to look to a government for help. They will have to find a way to do it on their own, or by forming alliances with other individuals, groups, or organizations.

STEEM could be one of those places. The ability to transact is already in place. So is the ability to communicate. There is governance, as loose as it may be. We've been able to rally around a common cause at times, especially when it's come to the needs of some users.

The thought of there being no centralized regulatory body telling us what to do, then how and when to do it, might seem a little far off if not farfetched, but in reality, aren't we impart interested in STEEM and other cryptos because the current system—banking, government, culture—is lacking in true stability, substance or equity? Are we not wondering how long things can keep going as they are before it all comes crashing down upon us?

I hope most of us are awake to such an eventuality. I don't know how it's going to happen, or when. I just know that it has to do. Something has got to give, and since it's least likely that a majority of nations will all of sudden turn around and become fiscally responsible with the people's money, the scenario I describe is actually the better bet.

It would be nice if the masses would just come to crypto because it's cool. I mean, people have adopted smartphones and social media on their own. Why can't they just make a similar leap into a modern way of transacting without third parties?

Well, the powers that be might not actually mind their citizens being consumed and distracted by phone and social media usage, because it keeps us ignorant or numb to what these powers are doing. Of course, if people are just doing it on their own, all the better.

However, leaving fiat behind for crypto isn't quite like adopting smartphones or joining Facebook. Crypto takes away money and power. Those are two things that can't go lightly. That's why countries have been moving to come up with some kind of regulatory stance, and throwing things into confusion and throwing up obstacles for entry until they can come up with more.

The more I think about it, the more I believe that STEEM will become much more than it is now. It will become lifesaving to many.

The question is, are we, the existing users, ready for such a thing? The underlying technology might be, but how are we going to handle the masses? Are we going to be able to provide the needed guidance and direction? Or if not that, a means by which people can figure out what's going on and what might be the best possible way to proceed and succeed?

I think there's been some of that happening with the STEEM token tribes. I think there's more potential for it taking place within Communities. SMTs will probably have something to do with it. Since financial collapse may be close or another decade or more away, other tools may be in place by then.

In the meantime, we need to figure out how to get along with one another. We need to take ownership of our own little corner of STEEM, and make it more welcoming, understandable, and helpful. We don't need to wait for code changes to do that. Many have already been trying to help others here and doing so for the better part of 3.5 years.

It will probably require all hands on deck, finding ways to accommodate the masses beyond the blogging or social media aspects of STEEM. Fostering goodwill and providing a crypto home for the former fiat only will mean more than just tips on what to curate and how to upvote.

Are we ready? What will it take to become ready? Are we willing to do those things?

I hope so. STEEM could easily become the home and refuge for millions. We need to start thinking about it in such terms, and not wait for the masses to be here before we do.

_{Images source—Pixabay}