I really understand what you mean, especially about YouTube. I have been creating there for a very long time, and breaking through today is so hard. The competition is huge, and reaching those monetization requirements feels almost impossible now.

In that sense, Hive is definitely different because you do not have to wait for permission to start. But I also wouldn't say it is easy to earn here. As someone who puts a lot of time and care into creating good quality content, it can be very discouraging when the payout after all that effort is very small. The learning curve is one thing, but staying motivated when the rewards do not match the work is another challenge.

And regarding downvotes, to be honest, I really do not like that system. I think if people do not like a post, they should just ignore it and move on. If people appreciate your work, they will support you. If not (for whatever reason), the post will simply be ignored, and that should be enough. Maybe that's what is happening to me! 😂

Still, I believe in HIVE and will do my best to keep creating good content.