I'll admit, I was originally attracted to Steem because of both the ability to "own" what I post (which is really important when sharing art and photography) as well as the possibility of making some money on such artwork. As the days turn into weeks and into months I've come to think of "earning money" more as "making tips" and, honestly, that's fine. You point out the community aspect, and it is one that I really enjoy. I have met some really good people here and I enjoy talking to them. And, honestly, I enjoy sharing my art, photography, and stories, and will do that wherever I am, so making even a few cents in a tip is, to me, more enjoyable than making Mark Zuckerberg even richer. Steem/Steemit isn't a monetary investment to me; it's more a personal one.
Thanks for the thoughtful post.
!tip