I dreamt X had a feature called "The Ring-Bearer". It was a way to promote anonymous people, such as myself, across the platform. A recognition for those who played the long game yet stayed behind the curtains, sharing their interests and passion without public recognition. Those selected to become ring-bearers had a badge on their avatar that lasted, at least in my dream, one hour.
During this special hour, not only did my follower count increase, but I began receiving likes on past posts. If this feature existed, I imagine we'd want to discourage people from going "out of style" and shitposting to capitalize on the attention. Instead, we'd want to highlight their already-demonstrated but previously unnoticed qualities. People who didn't chase the spotlight, but quietly left something valuable behind.
It was fun. Even though I don't care much about followers - and in some ways I believe that kind of attention is akin to having the Eye of Sauron upon oneself - I briefly tapped into what must be the feeling of being "online famous". Whatever you post, people like, share, reply. You're at the center of a big audience. Just like the ring: an incredible responsibility.
I've got to be honest. I don't want to be famous. However, I do like the attention when it feels earned.
If the mechanisms are right, we might see an economic trend emerge. One that's already begun. I saw a glimpse of it when I joined Nostr as an early adopter. One of their features, via the Damus app, was a kind of "tip jar", in which any user could send money to another as a token of appreciation for their profile or a specific post. Just a few cents - yet far more meaningful than kudos. A way to recognize "good moments" and reward the quiet quality behind them, not for attention, but for resonance. There's something humbling about a stranger choosing to send real value.
What I really liked about Damus's tip jar (I forgot the feature name) is that I never felt the pressure to become a "content creator". Whenever I had something interesting to say, I just said it. That's how I used X in the past - simple sharing of interesting things, pure writing. In fact, I often scroll back through those posts and rejoice in rediscovering them.
Still, we are not there yet.
I write this post, thankfully still away from Sauron's gaze, but imagining a thriving community where this kind of reflection could spark real conversation, meaningful change, and perhaps, some quiet reward - not just in likes, but in lasting value.
Thank you for reading,
During this special hour, not only did my follower count increase, but I began receiving likes on past posts. If this feature existed, I imagine we'd want to discourage people from going "out of style" and shitposting to capitalize on the attention. Instead, we'd want to highlight their already-demonstrated but previously unnoticed qualities. People who didn't chase the spotlight, but quietly left something valuable behind.
It was fun. Even though I don't care much about followers - and in some ways I believe that kind of attention is akin to having the Eye of Sauron upon oneself - I briefly tapped into what must be the feeling of being "online famous". Whatever you post, people like, share, reply. You're at the center of a big audience. Just like the ring: an incredible responsibility.
I've got to be honest. I don't want to be famous. However, I do like the attention when it feels earned.
If the mechanisms are right, we might see an economic trend emerge. One that's already begun. I saw a glimpse of it when I joined Nostr as an early adopter. One of their features, via the Damus app, was a kind of "tip jar", in which any user could send money to another as a token of appreciation for their profile or a specific post. Just a few cents - yet far more meaningful than kudos. A way to recognize "good moments" and reward the quiet quality behind them, not for attention, but for resonance. There's something humbling about a stranger choosing to send real value.
What I really liked about Damus's tip jar (I forgot the feature name) is that I never felt the pressure to become a "content creator". Whenever I had something interesting to say, I just said it. That's how I used X in the past - simple sharing of interesting things, pure writing. In fact, I often scroll back through those posts and rejoice in rediscovering them.
Still, we are not there yet.
I write this post, thankfully still away from Sauron's gaze, but imagining a thriving community where this kind of reflection could spark real conversation, meaningful change, and perhaps, some quiet reward - not just in likes, but in lasting value.
Thank you for reading,
Erick