Good writeup!
I agree that steem has the potential to be so much more than FB/IG/reddit -- but its ambiguity might be part of one of its shortcomings right now. At the vrry least, it seems to light a fire under peoples asses to speak up and try contributing / creating, which in itself is a victory. People spend a lot of time just observing, and creating could help people grow.
Absolutely!
I've already found myself training better, doing more and basically trying to live a more interesting life since I jumped on the Steem train. I've made more plans because they'll help create content, but these plans also totally improve my life... so I think there is a lot of benefits over the Facey's and Instas. Those social media platforms are so good at the short little snippets of a manicured life... while Steem is excellent for longer, more indepth and thoughtful posts - which is something I really think we need more of. No more soundbites!