It can be quite brutal sometimes. Especially when you get pricks like @leprechaun having a pop(just from looking at his page it shows how self-serving he is, hasn't re-steemed a thing in ages) Like you have said this is a community and if you have the right attitude you will eventually do well. A lot of the people you meet will come from the comments section and your interactions there. Much like you probably do, folk like it when someone leaves CONSTRUCTIVE comments, whether that be for or against the original article.
I will look out for you and will always try to help promote new users. If you send me a link to you introduction page I will happily re-steem it for you :)