Steem is indeed different, but not ncessarily different in the way some will proclaim it is. Steem is different in the sense that it is one of the potentially most disruptive blockchain currently active/operational.

Venturing in the community, and everything that comes with it, is both interesting and pretty awesome. I’ve said it before, the whole Steem community reminds me of the blogging scene pre-2007 when blogging truly started to gather pace and became commercial an activity.

One of the great advantages we have with the Steem community is that since the Internet became mainstream we have learned a lot. That also because much money has been spent over the years on developing solutions, many of which are now mainstream and even open sourced.

But the most amazing thing about Steem is the ability to spread _wealth_. Steem will disrupt not only technically but also politically. Especially third world and development nations stand to benefit, at least its citizens will. 

That’s what crypto currencies, and even more so Steem, will do. While everything will slowly but surely be always more regulated, Steem has the amazing potential to elevate people out of poverty.

Steem will elevate people out of poverty. Already does.

And that’s because there is an amazing community on Steem. Reminiscent of the Internet even before MySpace. The Internet when it was still ~~ALL~~ mostly about helping. When a question was answered without thinking twice. 

<center>![CE175A75-F936-4F49-9665-B88B5C7F5CD5.jpeg](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1512919452/jzqrwivda2y44zwu9z4k.jpg)<br><em>Photo [via Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/photos/3BK_DyRVf90)</em></center>

Twitter was the same in its earliest stages. Before hashtags. But once there were hashtags, `#lazytwitter` quickly became a popular one. Because somebody would probably reply with a solid answer, or link, soon. Then the automated accounts took over. Then the bullies joined Twitter.

Steem is amazing and we have the luck that we have _guardians_ who have their heads up and think about the long term potential about the chain, and its economics. The ecosystem around Steem.

I’m happy I discovered this blockchain, and community, many ago. I’m happy I did my home work before joining, and just as glad I didn’t ~~get forked with HF19~~ join before HF19.

When I joined Steem(it), I gave myself three months to decide whether I would go all-in, starting next year. It’s been an interesting ride already. I’ve gotten to know many people. I’ve discovered lots of political dynamics.

More importantly though, my landlady takes since not that long ago BTC. Yesterday I converted her balance she still had (a majority of everything received since April) to local currency, at $16,500. Somebody got a very decent early Christmas present. Another friend of mine recently joined Steem, after blogging for around a year. Some days ago she for the first time converted to BTC and then to fiat. 

Both ladies are 60 plus, AKA #technonoobgrannies. They now fully endorse crypto currencies. 

The compound I live in will soon change in curiosity about it too. Once the landlady actually sees the cash (until now I managed her balanced and used it to pay utilities bills with) in two days everybody else will also be constantly yapping in my ear about BTC and cryptoes (it’s getting hand delivered to her door, because present value is just more awesome that way).

These are exciting times and Steem is an exciting community.

A community of humans. Let’s not do what we do best, let’s not ruin the awesomeness that is Steem. Let’s not be typically human.

Thanks for everybody and for everything so far. Let’s get this party started, we have tons of work to do still. Let’s make sure the world, and its inhabitants, all know about Steem and let’s change big dynamics all around the world. Because that is truly what Steem can be and can achieve.

I’m all in btw.

PS: To some, specific, new followers I gained in last ~~24~~ 18 hours: have you heard about Gina and/or Steemify? Stalking is now also possible without needing to actually follow. But let’s make this an awesome ride and think about what we _can_ do and _should_ do instead. Rock on. 🤘