It is interesting because market cap is a direct measure in another currency like USD, but the reason many coins exist to facilitate trade among people in a way that decouples us from that thinking. I'm probably not making sense because this is not my area of expertise by far, but its kind of like micro-GDP's , but we want to stop allowing outside forces dictate our ability to trade within certain markets. Steemit is trade in ideas/teaching/art, and we are simultaneously trying to stop putting a dollar value on it while also trying to figure out what our teaching value is in relation to rent or groceries. I love the crypto space because we are shaking our current systems to their core to see what aspects need to be removed as a give. @biophil, your students will be very lucky to have such an interesting and thoughtful teacher!