RE: The core problem with Steem is the community
I've stopped participating. I still stop to see what you have written occasionally, but maybe you aren't hearing from people who left the platform...
I didn't want to 'build community', or buy a lambo off my steem - just wanted to use it as a blog.
It didn't really do well as that.
I'm about to start a blog through the winter, detailing 90 days of running in a northern environment. It won't likely have any commercial effect, but only a curiosity for my friends and other runners. I'll likely use wordpress over steemit. Various reasons for this, but I'll try to pop back in and answer if you have questions.
I love the idea of steemit, it's free speech support was pretty exciting. Later, I learned that money will provide something very much like censorship, and it took the shine off a bit.
It hasn't been a great blogging place perhaps ever. I am hoping that in the mix of dApps, there will be one or two that support a decent blogger.
Check out @steempress as you will be able to run your wordpress and still post to steem essentially automatically. It might not be attached to an economic incentive but it is activity that could lead somewhere later.