Come on, folks, this doesn't happen on Instagram or Tumblr, and I get waaaay more community appreciation on those platforms.

Yeah, I guess you came to realize that you weren't on instagram or tumblr, but a place that offers decentralized resilient content, and transparency. Seeing how those platforms are grandpas compared to steem in terms of age considering the relatively fast pace world of the internetz, it should be obvious that a platform that is vastly different from twiter, facebook, or any other social media in its basic functions and relatively still new (notice that little blue text under the steemit logo?) will not give you the same experience as those behemoths.

So, if not for the money, then what for?
You tell me, it seems you're under the impression that this is more rewarding than the zillion other things which make one money, as I wouldn't call it for the money, chump change maybe, rewarded more than any other social media platform yes, but for the money?. please.