I have never been on substack, but if many users go there to create, there ends up being more creators than payers. I have never been on onlyfans either, but it is a good example of what happens, since all the articles of performers earning millions, hundreds of thousands and tens of thousands each month, the reality is that the average creator gets between $150-180 per month. That is the average, so once factoring in all the high earners, most creators get far less than the average.
And this is the problem with these platforms that have the only reason to be there is to earn, because once it is popular, it gets flooded and kills it for the majority of users. None if it is sustainable.
A platform has to be compelling enough for people to use it, without expecting to earn, or survive off it. Hive is pretty good at this, though it would be far better with a few more hundred thousands of users who are willing to put a little bit in, and interact a lot.
And as far as countries go, they don't die because people are invested into them. They have their houses, property, their family, their businesses there. On the majority of the platforms, the user owns nothing, not even their own content. And when it comes to earning, the platform can take that away with a click. So it is easy to move from platform to platform, because ownership isn't there for creator or audience. Everyone is a renter, beholden to the platform gods.
Again, this is why I like the concept of Hive, where everyone can be an owner.
You’re right that platforms can fail when they chase only earnings, but Substack works differently than the examples you mentioned. Most content there is free, and the whole system is built on long term relationships with readers, not mass monetization. That is why even creators like Dolly Parton use it. The ecosystem is built around trust, connection, and direct ownership.
Also, about the comparison to countries. Governments absolutely can destabilize a whole society and take everything from citizens. History has shown many times that national systems are not guaranteed safety or ownership either. So the difference is not that countries are perfectly safe and platforms are not. The difference is where real agency lies.
Substack gives creators more actual ownership and stability than most platforms, because the audience connection is direct and not dependent on algorithms or ads.