If you take a good look at the world and the way we live, there's little doubt that there are inevitably reasons why we take any given action.

In other words, it is pretty rare that people do something "just because" in that moment.

Meaning and Incentives

So I'm guessing we could therefore conclude that there needs to be some sort of incentive for us to take some kind of action. Of course those incentives can vary hugely from person to person.

To make money?
To gain visibility?
To be entertained?
To experience a sense of affiliation?
To engage in a challenge?
To have a thrill?
To find meaning in our lives?

I'm sure there are more things you could add to this list.

Regardless, however, it seems unlikely that we're going to get up and do something without there being some kind of tangible or intangible reward.

Where are my treats?

Hive-Engine, Communties, Cryptocurrency and Incentives

I ended up down this particular line of thought after thinking a bit about the strange world of cryptocurrencies this morning.

As a species, it seems that we are extremely reward oriented, and yet there often seems to be this sort of idealistic denial of the reality that the vast majority of people in the crypto and blockchain field are involved because they are looking for some kind of reward for taking an action.

More specifically, and more locally, I've been watching this play out in terms of the way Hive-Engine powered communities and their associated tokens rise and fall. It seems painfully obvious that if people aren't getting something out of it, it's pretty much a given that they're going to leave the room.

And then the project crumbles and fades away, and there's very little that can be done to stop it.

People Expect What You Promise Them!

Of course, you have to be careful with incentives and rewards... because if you promise participants "incentives and rewards" you are expected to deliver on that promise.

And that's where so many projects fail: there are many grand promises and plans up front, but reletively littl substance behind them. Or, as some might say, "vaporware."

"Delivering" what is promised — whether directly, or indirectly — is definitely a challenge. But one thing is for sure: If the promise is to "provide the framework for an engaging community of like-kind individuals" I'd be a lot less likely to be upset about dwindling rewards than if the promise was "earn rewards for creating content about XYZ interest."

The "cautionary tale" here is the dubious wisdom of "make money/earn rewards" as the centerpiece of a project... because how do you plan to back that up?

Within the Hive microcosm, LeoFinance is one of the few that seems to be beating the odds... perhaps because the emphasis is more on building a repository of financial information and services, rather than just "earn money."

Alas, most projects fall by the wayside. Maybe there is no "out of money" in the crypto/blockchain world, but having your token become worth $0.00000001 is effectively the same thing...

=^..^=

Posted using Proof of Brain