This is a simple game of numbers: what is our import, what is our export.
What we do is specific and fragile. We can't reach the masses, we don't write pseudoscientific crap that will be attractive to 5% of the people no matter what.
All we can do is to this for ourselves. Because we like to do this and because we have a passion.
This is a crypto. It can fall to zero - and I'll be ok, this is my blog.
I could sell all my steem for 3$ - and do what? Buy a laptop, a few lenses :D and change tires on my car.
It a small amount to betray all of you.
But, if we keep the quality maybe we will get some attention from the outside.
Maybe we will get some new idea.
Maybe we will attract some good new people.
Maybe we could make some "real-life" collaboration and boost our careers.
If we make the community - we could do something we can't even imagine today.
I feel like outside attention is not necessary unless we want to do something along the lines of what @mobbs suggested in this post: Steem could transform...
But you're right, we need to just stick to doing this for ourselves and not for the payment.