I have become increasingly convinced that there is systemic misunderstanding underlying nearly all of our ecosystem, starting from the lowest of new users all the way up to some biggie buddies that use our blockchain.  No one is immune, although there are some that have seen through the veil.

I will come out and say right off the top that this idea is not fully fleshed out.  I need you - all of you steemians and friends - to help me develop these ideas.  

<center>![perception.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmd7QuABna43yhy64p9CKBTZKTAbVjJUFvR4wyxMD1Q2Fz/perception.jpg)</center><center><sub>[Source](https://www.newyorkapologetics.com/misunderstanding-moral-argument/)</sub></center>

So let's get to it, in order to understand what STEEM is, we must first break down what it is not.  Let us **empty our cups**:

<center><h1>Part 1: What STEEM is not</h1></center>

>There has been a mistake. None of our content is 'worth' anything. Quality is not the purpose of steem. Yes it probably was sold that way but its not that, and it never was even in the beginning. There is no commensurate compensation, just stake weighted votes.


This might sound harsh at first.  Surely **you** value your content, because you put so much work into it.  But if you think it through, you will realize that this is only an extension of **"Quality is Subjective"**.  

What's more, I hope to be able to convince you that **no one is paying your for your content**.

Nope.  Nobody.  Never.  You have never been paid for your content.  

<center>![steemnode2.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmTpiLN8sPji4rptrcyFA1NPBavWarTkVKS3ZdPpJzAGZ4/steemnode2.png)</center><center><sub>[base Source](https://coinnounce.com/steemit-steem-steem-power-and-steem-dollars-tokens-explained/)</sub></center>

>Don't get confused! You are not being paid for your content! And you are especially not being paid because it is 'valuable'. You are being released 'stake' in the platform that you are using, stake that just so happens someone else will pay for. Maybe one day no one will buy it. Maybe one day they'll pay $100 dollars. I don't know.

Ok, I know this is a big blow to some of you.  But if you are still with me, we'll make it through this, I promise.  Here is  a **TL;DR** review:  Steem does some stuff good but it is not a place to reward quality content. It is a place where some people try to reward quality content, and that's okay. But that is not the purpose nor the principle reason nor even a very high priority of this place.

Now, the same goes for the community.  "Come for the crypto, stay for the community" is equally misleading.  Look how upset misunderstandings make people: (**WARNING** Bad Language)

<center>![](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmcyTRAo8WvQ213pPMYxK1XCCdVJfSZMKhw1DAbuesoMpd/image.png)</center><center><sub>Mis-representing STEEM hurts people - let's stop doing it.</sub></center>

<center><h1>Part 2: What STEEM is</h1></center>

Steem is a blockchain (not a site). Our blockchain has a lot of uses, in my humble opinion most of the best ones haven't even been thought of yet. There are other blockchains, and some of them are trying to do cool things too. I suspect the smart ones are learning lessons from our steem experience.

>Want to do a pension plan? Put together a group of friends, buy some SP and vote yourselves until you're all dead. Want to take advantage of 3 second blocks and zero transactions fees for your trading card game app? Use the custom json features! Want to reward people for taking worthless steps they do anyway? Use our reward pool function by locking up Steem Power!  Want to complain about how one thing that's voted to 1 dollar is really better than some other thing voted to 2 dollars or 35 or 500 dollars? You can do that too - and you can even get votes for it. And yes, these votes give [stake] rewards. And yes, [this stake] can be sold for money.


The STEEM blockchain has 3s blocks and free transactions, which it can do with it's creative use of DPOS, which we will get to in a moment.

A blockchain is a way to store INFORMATION.  We live in the so-called **Information Age**, and it is no coincidence that blockchain storage of information is at the forefront of the Information Age.  STEEM is a piece of **infrastructure**.  

Different sites, apps and d.apps can be created to visualize, interact with and store information on this blockchain.  


<center><h1>Part 3: But but....Steemit!</h1></center>

I know that there is some classic confusion between STEEM and Steemit, Inc.  They are different, both in concept and in nature.  STEEM is a blockchain, Steemit, Inc is a company.  Got it?

Now even those that understand that, still are tempted to get confused.  I can tell by the number of people who talk about what Steemit should/could/needs to/ought to do.  They might ought to do a lot of things, but that's completely besides the point.  

<center>![ned.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmeEwFzt2N6B2qNrgy4k9b7cPkhk7Cj6S3DXM78w4tgWH8/ned.png)</center><center><sub>Credit: @ackza</sub></center>

Here's an example:  
>Steemit needs to do something about bidbots!

This is wrong on *structural* levels.  The concepts don't line up.  Yes maybe they could change code, they have before.  I haven't been around since the beginning, I don't know all the little details - but I don't care.  Maybe Steemit, Inc will mess up STEEM, maybe they already have.  But that is besides the point.

STEEM **is**.  

Each node on STEEM is an owner.  Our stake is our ownership, and each of us is building.  Steemit, Inc may or not be building.  Obviously I would prefer that they do awesome things with their stake, the same way I prefer all witnesses, communities and users to do awesome things with their stake.  

Steemit, Inc controls the code base.  That is true.  But this is besides the point.

STEEM **is**, and we are owners and we are building and maybe in the future all these lessons will move onto a different chain or maybe they won't.  The future could be anything, but it will be the future we build.  

Steemit, Inc is besides the point.  STEEM **is**.

<center><h1>Part 4: Core Product Value</h1></center>

STEEM's core product value is HOSTING information.  Free hosting.  Censorship free hosting.  

I love saying **FREE FOREVER HOSTING** because as someone who has had blogs in the past, as soon as I stop paying squarespace, aws or any other hosting service - that website is down - FOREVER.  I have lost content in the past that I spent valuable time on.  I have turned in papers in college that are GONE FOREVER (so this phenomena is not limited to the digital world).  

If only I had hosted them on STEEM.

Now, some of you might have a problem with FREE.  People are accustomed to 'complaining' about how you 'need money' to have success on steem.  But actually, you can grow organically on steem.  Stranger things have happened.  A lot of things are easier if you put some money in.

But guess what?  SP generates RC.  RC let's me host my content.  Then, I can sell my SP!

<center>![sp-think.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUvDojaJw9EtRpPzS62MSZeHdN4K2GEYLNMqtRjCs31NL/sp-think.jpg)</center>

FREE HOSTING!

And no censorship!  I know people get frustrated if, due to flags, they get minimized.  But your content CANNOT be removed.  Any website could be used to show it prominently, including a simple wordpress blog.

This stuff is powerful.  I know I have a lot of work to do expressing it better, but that is where you guys come in.  Challenge me.  Comment me.  Question me.  I need to get this post out because I need to get YOU GUYS involved.  Help me focus this laser, so we can stop damaging our own platform by describing it wrong.

Love and Light!

Alex E.B. Trapp