We've all heard about "gateway drugs".

Gateway drug theory (alternatively, stepping-stone theory, escalation hypothesis, or progression hypothesis) is a comprehensive catchphrase for the medical theory that the use of a psychoactive drug can be coupled to an increased probability of the use of further drugs.

wiki

It's the idea that most "hard drugs" are not attractive to most people, but those who end up becoming addicts start by taking "safer" or seemingly less dangerous drugs and move their way up into the hard stuff.

It also is used to dissuade people from doing the softer drugs out of fear that it will inevitably lead to worse, more addictive drugs.

Personally, I don't really buy the theory.

I've had experience with and known lots of people who've done soft drugs and never have an interest in doing harder stuff. I've also known people who jumped straight into hard stuff. However, I have also known people who have followed this path stereotypically.

So, in the case of drugs, I don't think the gateway theory is entirely strong.

However, in the realm of cryptocurrency, I DO believe that Steem is the gateway crypto.

Lowest barrier of entry

When it comes to cryptocurrency, there are definitely things that can make people reluctant, hesitant, or unlikely to get their hands on it.

With cryptocurrencies, exchanges can be a big problem.

For instance, my father in law has been interested in getting his hands on some cryptocurrency for at least 2 years. I tried helping him get set up on Coinbase, but there were hurdles in verification (they had him take a picture of his ID, front and back, and submit that for review, which he didn't hear back on and eventually had to do again a year later) that were annoying enough to him that he gave up.

Because of this, he missed out on the big rally at the end of last year.

Then there's the price.

Soooooo many people still think that you can only buy a single bitcoin on an exchange. They simply don't understand that cryptocurrency is the most divisible and fungible form of money ever invented, and that you can get however much you want at whatever amount you desire. For other people, even though they know you can buy it in fractions, they simply like the idea of owning a whole single unit, and for that alone they will miss out on this technology altogether.

Well, with Steem through the platform of Steemit, that's not an issue.

Honestly, the sign-up process has its problems, but I hear it's something they're working on.

But after that, your access to the Steem and SBD cryptocurrencies is limitless.

By simply interacting with this platform you can acquire and accumulate a highly-ranked cryptocurrency which you can use to exchange for any other crypto that you might want.

It removes so many of those psychological or actual barriers of entry into the larger crypto economy that exist. It puts people at a maker-level where they can trade their skills or time instead of their money get get involved with the exciting and volatile crypto market.

Time for money and lifting people out of poverty

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I've spoken before about the promise of Bitcoin.

It was supposed to provide an ease of access to modern money and lending systems that would allow people from impoverished countries to have a newfound ability to access networks that would allow them to start business and employ people when it had previously been impossible.

With Bitcoin, at least, this has been a rather empty promise.

It seems as though the development of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies has been more about market prices than providing cheap and easy access to money systems for the poor.

Steemit, however, delivers on that promise.

Steemit gives anyone with an internet connection access to a monetization system that doesn't require legal permissions or approval.

Someone in Nigeria or the Philippines with internet access can begin producing content and easily make more money with Steemit at $5 per post than they could anywhere else in their local community.

I've seen many examples of this lately. And I'm talking about non-scammy stuff, too. Actual, real people, producing content and supporting themselves and often their communities, too.

Steemit IS ACTUALLY LIFTING PEOPLE OUT OF POVERTY.

It's doing it right now, as we speak.

Steemit is the only reason I have any crypto at all

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Back when I first got into Bitcoin, Steem didn't exist.

Bitcoin was still cheap at $474, and I was able to get a few of them at that price.

However, I wasn't able to hodl like I wanted to. Life was hard and I couldn't afford to save. I ended up selling those bitcoin at a profit, but still under $1000.

I don't regret the sell because it saved my ass financially and I still was able to better than double my money, but it does kind of suck in hindsight.

But since that time I've been able to acquire orders of magnitude more value using the Steemit platform.

The last time I bought any crypto was over two years ago, yet - somehow - I've been able to earn more crypto than ever before.

I wonder how that happened....

What do you think?

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I used to be a bit of a Bitcoin maximalist.

As much as I still do love Bitcoin for being the first and the biggest, I have to say I love Steem/SBD more.

Steem is simply a better crypto technically than Bitcoin. It's orders of magnitude cheaper and faster. It's an actual money that is ACTUALLY BEING USED every day. It has a blockchain that was designed for a specific and practical purpose beyond transactions.

Steem is still cheap! You can buy a full unit for only a few dollars, meaning it's ROI when it moons is so ridiculously massive that it makes me drool thinking about it.

Steem is easy to access. Via the social networking and content sharing system of Steemit, people are able to easily monetize their creativity and earn a few extra bucks. And for impoverished peoples, it could spell a life-changing opportunity that can lift entire communities up into the modern world.

Share your thoughts below.

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