Bitcoin Forum

This thread is about the things that we can to strengthening the Bitcoin Community itself.

I have been involved in many Community Projects in my life, both top-down controlled projects and decentralized communities like Bitcoin.  I would like to share some thoughts on how we can strengthen, build, and extend the ‘Bitcoin Community’

I write this as there is lots of focus goes to the quantitate qualities of Bitcoin.  Such as its price, number of posts, hashing power, and the quality of the exchanges and the quality Bitcoin software itself.

However there is the other element that we geeks often miss:  The Human Element.
 
First, before I can suggest ways that we can maximise our ‘human element’ I must define what constitutes a good community.


A Good Community has the following features:

1.       Every ‘member’ is a member by consent.
2.       Has respected leaders who lead by example, but don’t control.
3.       Multifaceted and organic.
4.       A place where one can find support, comfort, and belonging.
5.       A structure that is built upon the sharing of ideas and teamwork.

In essence, a good community is an organic structure where a member joins on their own accord and strategically commits their own resources to where they believe would have the most benefit for the parts of the community they care about (including themselves).
 

Some suggestions for the Bitcoin Community:


Be Friendly!  But not fools.

The Bitcoin Community will be under constant siege from Scammers, Spammers, and Trolls.  When those who see an open, playful, and venerable new community it is like sweet pudding to the evil traits of the wider world.
Welcome people in. Be honest about the risk of Scammers.  However don’t be nasty.
The most powerful weapon that this community has is execution.  Use it.  Troll’s don’t feed it them.
When somebody is scammed, don’t tease them.  Comfort and educate them so they may not lose all hope in Bitcoin itself.


Support Charity; Bitcoin Charities.

Jesus once said “Why do you try and take the spec out of our friend’s eye, while you have a log in your own”
And:  “Let Dead will bury themselves”
(Wise words, either way, no matter you stance on religion or the history of it.).
 
Yes.  Charity is extremely important.   However let’s get this straight; we have enough work in our own back-yard, before helping the back-yard of other communities.  Lets focus on caring for those whom need help and are vulnerable of our OWN community.  Not focus on other communities who don’t care about Bitcoin at-heart.

So I ask?  Why isn’t there a Bitcoin for Bitcoiners Charity!?
See someone in the Community who you think needs help:  Go out of your way to help them!
But be wise… We don’t want scammers getting our time, energy and Bitcoins!
 

Make your own mind up! But don’t be pig-headed.
Do not ignore wisdom, in whatever form it comes in.

If a so-called ‘leader’ comes to the community and starts saying ‘you must do xyz‘; ignore him/her.
If a wise man/woman comes and suggests that you can, in self-inflection, change what you are doing to become more effective.  Do listen, think about it, and choose your action based upon what you think is right for yourself!
Listen to people who have experience, for they have more-often-than-not been through it before.  Maybe you can learn from their mistakes?
 
 
Finally:  Be Creative!

There are no bounds to the ingenuity of the human mind.   Use this! It is your greatest tool, pick something where you will be happy, and fell-like you are the most benefit for extending your goals.
Find like-minded people from both within the Bitcoin community, and for others, who are outside and offer assistance, don’t reject it.

“A hammer is a hammer; be it a friend’s, or your own.”



Please commit on your thoughts about this community.  Maybe suggesting some more practical ways this community can be strengthened.

Note, my spelling, grammar, and English language skills in general are not particularly good.  Please pm me if you can find a better way to phase something.

Reserved.

Excellent post.

on that note, (nice post btw), i was just accused of being a scammer by one of this communities hero members, Matthew N. Wright, and he has yet to tell me what the basis of this was. i reported him to the moderators, and sent him a pm with all my personal information so my identity could be verified. you can view the thread for yourselves.
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=79730.0 (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=79730.0)
his post doesn't seem too accusing now because i sent him an angry pm and he agreed to change his accusatory post to something of the less. regardless, i think that members with valid credibility in the community have a responsibility to make sure they know what they're talking about before they tarnish someone else's. i'm really concerned about it, my credibility is short lived as it is.

just a thought  :-\

Matthew is like one of those love hate relationships with the Bitcoin community... Some hate'em, some Love'em.

well you seem to know him pretty well, do you think it's safe to entrust him with my ssn, because he asked for it and i gave it. i'm not too happy about it either...

Well contrary to belief ssn arnt as secrect as we think they are. However they are secret enough to be a reliable number to give someone a legal identity and steal your identity (which you may have already known) would i give matt my social security number? Depends on what it was required for. I trust matt wont do anything to your identity or illegal with your ssn. But i personally would have went with a scanning a utility bill along with a black and white copy of your drivers license. But i trust NO ONE no matter how much good will theyve brought towards me so consider all this advice from a constant skeptic with an empty cup.

there is a thread titled "trust no one": https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=33835.0

that might have been a good article to read before giving out a ssn.

there are forum moderators but i don't know if he is a moderator.  either way, i don't know if it is appropriate for someone to be asking you this info ... whether it be a forum moderator or not.  would you share how this request was worded?  was done through a private message?

it was a pm

Your account is completely anonymous and not linked to any real identity. What credibility are you talking about anyway?

the alias "drknow" it's just an alias. and the credibility i am talking about is the one i WAS building before you tried to tarnish it. it hasnt really been established yet, but i was working on it. and the last thing i need is someone making false claims before he has all the facts. so, again, thank you for making me out to be the villain. now i've put you in the position of power, and you can do with it as you please. but just know that you'd be damaging an innocent player in the bitcoin game if you choose to abuse it. i hope you won't share the sensitive information i provided you with. just remember how much power you have, and try to avoid abusing it in the future.