I don't think you can get away from the fact that most people will be inspired to join Steemit, or other Steem apps because of the pptential for payouts. If they were just inspired to create, there are plenty of other places they can do that. But money, where it's available, will always be the overriding factor.

I see the Steem platform as a big experiment - it's the first of its kind, and is still evolving, so it really must be. What will be most interesting to see is where the community, who on the whole are left to self-manage and govern will take it. There's so much potential, but greed will always play a part when money is involved.

Here's keeping my fingers crossed, because I'd love to be an early adoptor of the social platform(s) which change the world.