(Note: This is not meant to be a fear-mongering, anti-Steemit article. I am very enthusiastic about Steemit, and am hoping for only the best outcomes and success for this platform. It is, rather, what I consider to be a dose of realism.)
What happens when Steemit.com becomes inaccessible?
When purchasing Bitcoin with a credit card becomes impossible?
When the state decides to pay you a visit and saddle you and your family with debt, imprisonment, or worse?
We need a network so we can carry on, continue to trade with another, and help each other in times of "shit hitting the fan."
That's what the CON (Circle of Noisemakers) Voluntaryist/Anarchist network is all about. Decentralized networking.
Steemit is great. Bitcoin is great. Barter, trade, and healthy, robust communities of strong human relationships and networks are great. The problem is, we are not decentralizing things enough. The problem is a lack of real awakened knowledge of what the entity known as "the state" ("government," for all practical intents and purposes) really is, is capable of, and will almost certainly do in the face of unregulated free market productivity, innovation, and prosperity.
If Steemit continues to be successful, violence-backed regulations and censorship will soon be coming right here.
But wait! You say, The Steem blockchain is immutable! They can't censor content on Steemit or take away our funds! In some sense, you'd be absolutely correct. The blockchain cannot be "erased" as long as individual witnesses and nodes around the globe still support it. It is essentially an indelible record.
This platform however, is an entirely different story, and this platform is what most users depend on as their main access and entry point to the Steem blockchain. All that is required to give the Steem cryptocurrency and social network a massive kick in the nuts is the regulation or termination of this platform. How many average Steem users do you know with knowledge of how to access the blockchain outside of this everyday, normal, internet site called steemit.com? My guess is not many.
Once the state smells the money being made here, it is game over for the wild west free market we have come to know and love. Look at all these copyright and IP infringements! Better regulate and prosecute! These people are indiscriminately sharing music, photos, and news articles without proper intellectual property licensing!
Then come the "regs." Wanna make a new Steem account via the platform? Sure. Identify yourself with three forms of ID and we'll see if you're eligible. Did you post something we don't approve of? We'll pressure the folks at Steemit (the company) to disallow the display of said content on their site by threatening massive Washington-power-tier lawsuits.
If you think all this is too extreme, just take a look at what happened to YouTube. Take a look at what is happening now with several major credit card companies prohibiting card holders from purchasing Bitcoin. It's already here. I mentioned in a recent post that the climate is changing drastically in Tokyo, too, with ATMs being shut down via unsustainable licensing fees and regulations, and mainstream, centralized exchanges now being pushed on huge billboards in the city. Once the smell of the Steem apple pie reaches the regulatory noses, get ready. It's time to go "underground." Or rather, even less centralized.
CON: Our network.
In the case of the aforementioned abysmal scenarios, what should we do? Well, I know what I will do: carry on.
In order to carry on trading (crypto, gold, fiat, rabbit pelts, you name it), networking, and supporting one another both locally in "meatspace" and as decentralized international networks of friends, family, peers, and colleaugues, we need to be sure we are not overly dependent on any one platform, system, or communication template, and to diversify our connections and networks (just as we do with financial investments) as much as possible.
We need to be able to "make noise" for one another when the state foists its slimy hands on any one of us. This means supporting the families of those who may have been kidnapped and placed in a cage as best we can, with whatever resources we can. This means buying directly from farmers and producers of food and other such essential goods and services for living. This means spreading the news and waking people up to injustices occurring at the hands of the state by MAKING NOISE and pestering the shit out of our local mainstream media outlets.
Here's the updated directory. Be sure to keep a copy of this in cold storage (on a USB stick, for example) and also to write it down the old-fashioned way using pen and paper!
(NOTE: Encrypted chat apps are hugely useful tools which are not being used nearly enough. Please note users in the directory that have listed their handles for these apps and add them once you verify their identity!)
Name: Graham Smith (@kafkanarchy84)
Location: Niigata City, Japan
Family on Steemit: @mslight2016st (wife)
Children: Son, 5 years old.
Email/Contact: voluntaryjapan@protonmail.com
Wickr Me App (preferred encrypted chat) Username: kafka7 (feel free to add me!)
Signal App (encrypted chat) Username: KafkA
Name: Herbert Holmes
Location: Vermont, USA
Family on Steemit: Working on convincing them
e-mail: herbertholmes0988@gmail.com
I don't have a Signal, but will make one for these purposes. My username will be the same as here @herbertholmes
Name: JB
Steemit: @jbcoin
Email: jbcoin1969@gmail.com
Location: Central Ohio, USA
Name: Kali Ju (@kaliju)
Location: Daegu, South Korea
Family: @hannaju + son 1.5 years old .
Comm through Signal > Username: Kali
Steemit projects: @steemfleamarket (closed for winter)
Name: Michael Lai (@plushzilla)
Location: Australia (for now)
Wickr Me App (preferred encrypted chat) Username: plushzilla
Signal App (encrypted chat) Username: plushzilla
Name: Nick Sikorski
Location: Saku, Nagano, Japan
Family on Steemit: wife, waiting for account to be created
Occupation : farmer over at @potagerdescerfs
Email/Contact: nick.sikorski@mykolab.com
Wickr (encrypted chat) Username: nicknakane
Name: Rutchel Macabodbod
Location: Cebu City, Philippines
Family on Steemit: @gorgeousiel, @kimrene, (friends)
Student : College student
Email/Contact: chel.macabodbod@gmail.com
Username: @baebiychel
Starr (Leslie Starr O'Hara) (@lesliestarrohara)
Location: near Asheville, NC, USA
Children: daughter, 12 years old
Contact: (email) lesliestarrohara @gmail.com
Name: Todd Borho (@steeminganarchy)
Location: Nomad, currently in Malaysia
Email: steeminganarchist@protonmail.com
Occupation: Boldly attempting to survive on steem generated from writing
If you wish to join the support network, please add your entry (use the directory entries as a guide) in the comments below. If you use the Wickr or Signal encrypted chat apps (a big bonus) please add your handle/username.
This is a voluntary, unofficial network of voluntaryist anarchists. Please only supply info you are comfortable with others knowing. Look for the #con tag here on Steemit!
With that said, see you guys....
~KafkA
Graham Smith is a Voluntaryist activist, creator, and peaceful parent residing in Niigata City, Japan. Graham runs the "Voluntary Japan" online initiative with a presence here on Steem, as well as DTube and Twitter. (Hit me up so I can stop talking about myself in the third person!)