Using the +1
To me...
It's like you using that button by habbit from using the social network Google Plus. I haven't visited that website in many years, I don't even know if it's still active. But I remember it, I used to love Google Plus, but it's community parted ways, and only the higher up, and reputable people matter. So I stopped using it's network.
This one though, Not just SteemIT, because this is just one of the many communities you can create on Steem.