sure, it's the incentive that's at the core of it, but that doesn't mean that's what they should be pushing all the time ... the effects of it; people bahaving is a much better sales pitch
as long that's the first thing they hear about it, come to steemit because of it and then they find out they might be making some money themselves as well ... that would create a totally different perception ... and less people will feel like they got screwed, but simply enjoy the politeness instead
You do raise a good point about selling the sizzle. On the other hand, you can't underestimate the effect even the possibility of earning can have on bringing people to this platform. The pathway of appreciation I most see people writing about is that they first came for the money, but then came to value these other benefits as well. I'm not sure that those other benefits would be enough by themselves to bring them over specifically to Steemit. I could be wrong, though.
People who do come here do need to have realistic expectations, which is that you make money here pretty much the same way you do anywhere else on the Internet.