is content really important in a social media platform? i am not sure at all. i was never on facebook but i have seen enough posts there. i think the quality of content over there is very ordinary. i see better content over here but there is no one to read them.

any writer will wonder about that a lot.

the other relevant question that needs to be asked is monetization of content through ads far more effective?

when i read this post, my first impression is this:
>we have tried our best to bring new users along. we have done enough or much more than we should have. right now, the ones who are holding a lot of stake must band together to retain collective value. the rest may do what they please.

there is a perception that keeps coming across on that i feel i must point out. it is not like the people who write good content will exit because they cannot make money. i dont think they are making much money anyway and i agree that it is relative. i think quality content creators will exit if they dont get people to read their stuff. those upvotes that we always obsess about dont have to result in money all the time. but as a community i would think we are obliged to help them get better. that comes with generating viewership and quality criticism. 

if any community wants to be successful, i dont believe that it is by showing solidarity with people who have stake. they dont need it. money is unsustainable in the long run as a incentive. 

right now, what is steemit's identity as a community? maybe that is still a work in progress and we have no idea at the moment?

"There is drama from the trending page to promoted." No one should promote drama lol.

Today is looking a little better than when you posted this so that might lift everyone's spirits a little which is good because I have noticed a pretty grim mood around here too. 

I don't know, the price is a bit depressing but I am loving the more favorable ratio of Sp to SBD in the payouts. With less competition for attention it has been easier to engage with the others who are dedicated to the site. Plus some of the larger accounts are doing things like you mention here and helping people who seem to want to stick around and in doing so they are "grooming" the next crop of successful users. I guess what I am saying is that it isn't all doom and gloom. I, personally, almost doubled my sp and bought sbi for some people who I thought deserved it and put myself in a much better position for whenever the price does creep back up.  

There is always opportunity in crisis for those who know to look for it.

I just watched this great video from Jimmy Song about dealing with the Bitcoin bear market - it was really good. 

https://youtu.be/EPmgwfLiroE

Hope you find it helpful. 👍

Thanks for share this . You have a new follower . Thanks 
Upvote and resteemed it

well i don't even see trending too now its more like a money based promotion page

<p>This post has received a 20.20 % upvote from @booster thanks to: @whatsup.</p>

It's an Social Business Networking Platform and no matter what we are facing, we have to expand our Networks and Engagements because if we can engage with people then that creates strong bonding in long run and that's the important aspect and i am doing that for sure.

If we compare our work to prices then it will going to demotivate us so the most important aspect is continue your work and don't take an back step by watching the market condition. And i am continuing my work and i am powering up my rewards.

We should have faith because nothing is for permanent so we have to understand one thing and that is keep going on because you can do your work and don't think about the forces on which you don't have any control.

Wishing you an great day and stay blessed. 🙂

Good to see some positivity. Theres lots of flagging going on at the moment. Maybe people can cope with the price going down and are taking it out on others

Hi whatsup. Price will not change the way I operate on here. Like you it is business as normal. A little depressing maybe but that is life. You can't have the booms without the dips and I know a boom will be back soon.

Am working towards increasing my engagement on the platform. If I wasnt so busy, I'd have made significant progress by now. Just on the look out for like minds

I still feel there is plenty of potential to make money here, you just have to ride this out.

Knock, knock!
Whos there?
Whale experiment.
Whale experiment who?
You know, the one that wouldve had more than a year of middle class growth by now but had the door slammed in its face by abuse loving whales?
O.o

i'm continuing to post four times a day and comment and engage as much as possible.

I'm continuing to focus on my SP and not the $ amount of my account. it's hard not to notice how little my posts are earning compared to what they were but I try not to dwell on it as it's too demotivating.

Getting paid in Steem and more SP seems to be working in my favour (although I've heard others say that's not the case). either way I'm just keeping on keeping on and trying to find new accounts worth engaging with. 😊

I'm also watching the Steem price and will definitely buy if it goes below a dollar.

My "people in the know" told me to get out months ago. But I figured nobody really knows anything.... so I stayed because I like it here and what goes down must come up.

Today there was another article in my news feed. This time stating it thinks Bitcoin is going to head down to $2,500. Well that would suck. It might even happen. We might not even _break even_ by the end of the year.... or ever.

Still, I enjoy writing so I will continue writing my fiction and posting it here.

Recently I won neoxian's fiction contest. I plan to release a new piece later today.

This low price of Steem and cryptos is pretty scary and it's getting really discouraging, but I just keep on doing what I'm doing and trying my best and keep on powering up and building my account.
I also try to look on the positive which means it's time to buy, so it's all good.
I love your contribution and support to this plantform, so thank you @whatsup

Tbh, after such a prolonged bear market/correction/manipulation/fire-sale, I feel quite desensitized to any more price fall. In fact, "I have become .... comfortably numb."

I dont have massive earnings, a jump from 50 cents to a dollar makes me happy because I doubled my income, without caring about how small the earnings are. So may be for me nothing has changed as far as steemit is concerned. I follow a simple strategy - keep calm & create and curate.

It is tragic that steem prices are going down daily. Currently steemit one after the other continues miserable in our mind. I do not know where the end is.
  But I believe it will end soon..

I will also adopt this way of engagement with steemit no matter where the steem price goes.  Better not to look at the steem price at all.

I agree with that sentiment, and feel the same way.  Those of us sticking it out during the down times will hopefully see the fruits of our labor. Supporting those active still is crucial in my opinion.  Thanks for sharing @whatsup!

Since you follow me, u would have seen my meaningless posts for bug hunting, but thats the route i have chosen. I am expecting a good growth from it. If steem stays low for longer, i will hit dolphin status sooner than expected.

Hello @whatsup

The subject you picked is really hot lately...
Many people are expressing their concerns...and I think it is absolutely natural...
What “bothers” me actually is witnessing lots if whales powering down lately...but I keep reminding myself that most of those people were the first ones that bought when steem’s price was below .10
So even nowadays...they might consider selling because hey....it is still 10x their investment...maybe more. 
I am only 5.5 months here but I believe in this project in the long term. 

>Also, I will remind myself and others that this is the time to accumulate and when the price goes down more people can elect to buy in if they believe in the project.

That is why I bought 1.3K steem yesterday and powered all up. And I will continue to do so if the price keeps going down. 

Maybe it is an opportunity...maybe a mistake...we’ll see