Ah yes, the "different cultures" thing does play into the mix, and very much so. I often used to wonder why our members from the Nigerian community seemed able to figure out "posting and engaging" while others from certain Asian countries often "begged for votes." Different cultural values.
Being Danish, I find "self-promotion" loathsome; yet it's an essential part of social media. If I had a "more American" (meaning US, more than Canada) mindset, I'd probably be doing a lot better with my blogs and even my Steemit efforts.