Why does steemit suck so much?

Sorry to start my first post here with such a cynical title, but as I started browsing the topics I found many, if not most, were just fragments of ideas that didn't really contribute much, and didn't spark any meaningful discussion. Is this because people are desperate to just post anything in hopes of getting some upvotes and some Steem currency?

Let me counter my impression with the statement that I do really like the idea of Steemit. The fact that they have created a platform where writers and contributors can earn income on the very merit of the content that they create, without littering it with advertisements or polluting it with marketing, is pretty compelling. And in theory, it should encourage higher quality content.

If I were to wager a guess, I would say that the monetization aspect of Steemit both hurts and helps. Let me start with how I think it may hurt. People want to have interesting and meaningful conversations. They need no incentive to do this. Normally, the experience of having those conversations is inherently valuable. You learn new things, develop and modify your ideas, and hopefully leave with a warm fuzzy feeling that your words were appreciated. If you put a $ sign in front of every little interaction, it may serve as a distraction and divert attention from the inherent meaning of the exchange.

Then again, almost all of life could essentially be viewed in material, if not monetary terms. Perhaps you have little money, but people value you as a person enough to help you with shelter and food and care when you are in need. We tend to not think of these relationships and informal exchanges as being different than what money buys, but the truth is that almost every gift of time, attention, or provisions draws on the same resources that people could use to earn money. It is a trade of your personal resources, whether physical or mental, to preserve and develop what another person says, does, and is. The only issue with formally monetizing this is the creep of ulterior motive and distraction from the actual experience.

So, that is how I think it may hurt, and why I think there is what seems to me to be a lot of low quality content here. Maybe Steemit just needs to tweak their algorithm or platform a little in a way that encourages better, more honest conversations. But on the other side of the street, I think Steemit is probably great for cultivating high quality, formally written articles or essays. Have you noticed how painful blogs have become to read and visit? It's nearly impossible to spend ten minutes on someone's personal site without being pestered to turn off your ad blocker, subscribe to their newsletter, and share the article with all your friends. Steemit can effectively wipe out all those distractions that are caused by monetization models, and let people focus on value.