Great take! Thanks for the reply!
There's definitely logic in your argument: having one USP could limit us. Hive is pretty open to all and offers different incentives to different users. Maybe I need to jump a little deeper into the social aspect, creating those bonds and bringing them into RL!
I've certainly met some interesting characters through Hive, and I'm thankful for them. I'm beginning to reshape my views and appreciate the social aspects more. For the most part, I was too data-driven and focused on 'building' instead of simply 'growing'.
You're right, communities can grow and flourish without those whales' support (or downvotes!) It's easy enough to fly under the radar as a 'normal' user using Hive for what it is, whether that be the content creation for money, the friend-making, or the community building!