I partly agree with you. When a user stays because of the community and not just the voting, the network becomes immune to market cycles ("crypto winters"), preventing retention from plummeting when prices drop. However, we also need reward-motivated users;
both factors are two sides of the same coin in Web 3. We need reward-motivated users; that financial incentive is, in many cases, the engine that drives consistent activity, improved content quality, and initial adoption in regions where a few dollars make a real difference.
However, my opinion is that rewards attract users, but the community retains them. As the analysis shows, when the financial incentive falters (as in bear markets), users who are only after the money tend to leave, while those who have forged bonds with the community stay, protecting the network from total collapse.
In my case, as a professor in Venezuela, I experience this balance daily. I use my earnings to cover expenses, which validates Hive's financial viability, but I prefer to reinvest in my Hive Power and actively participate in Hive and InLeo because I believe in the platform's long-term value. Ultimately, the ideal is a network where financial incentives help us grow, but a strong sense of belonging makes us resilient to market cycles. I believe in a balance between the two. Significant investment and confidence in Hive from major investors would be ideal.
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The figures in this blog show that we're not actually doing that. Yes, people might be attracted by the rewards, but after a first introduction post that might get some nice rewards, following posts often get fewer rewards and even less interaction. Becoming part of the Hive community is a lot of work which a lot of new don't want to spend time on.
But those who are consitent and keep engaging, will prevail!
I agree with you and I'm trying, it's hard for me but I'm still here
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