Yeah, it's about the money- but not just the money for YOU, but the fact that I'M GIVING IT TO YOU, (and other people are GIVING to me) even if it's only a penny or two, because I like something about the post or comment- or maybe it's just that particular person I want to boost in general. Don't discount the value of caring for others and altruistic (or at least cooperative) endeavor. The BIG difference here at Steemit is all our engagement is building EVERYBODY up, that IS unique so far.
If Steemit doesn't gobble up the internet in the next few years, it'll be because this business model has spawned an entire throng of communities, apps, services, and whatever that has, without any single winner- and that'd be a wonderful outcome, decentralized as all get-out and all.