A very awesome post @humanearl. It's really obvious that you post quality content, and your layout is very little compared to what you post. Am glad you have a mindset of impact, that's exceptional.

For me, I feel that one of the reasons why some highly engaging post don't receive much payout is because those who make these posts don't engage often with others.
One thing Steemit differs from WordPress is that it also works like a social media platform. Hence, you have to socialize with others if you want to be noticed. Go to other posts by using the discover section. You can see all kinds of tags from #food to #travel to even #story. There are hundreds of these and you can find posts that use these tags. Even though most people tend to just engage with whales, a.k.a. the rich and powerful on Steemit, don’t just do that. Make friends with everyone regardless of how much money they have.
You’ll be surprised how far your interactions can take you. By engaging with others, you’ll find people you’re interested to network with, you may find new followers and you’re getting more eyes onto your posts. Don’t spam your links on other people’s posts. It’s rude and it gives a bad impression to others.
With that you'll get more likelihood for your post to be seen.