Hive might not be for everyone but it is for everyone, I.d say, based on wandering around groups and profiles. When I was listening about Hive from a friend that "dragged" me here, I imagined it very similar to your description, somewhat idealistic. After getting to know Hive community closer, unfortunately, I was disappointed that is actually very similar to other soc med. I might be wrong but seems that there are two fractions here, one that advocates massification (more ppl, more content, more attention, more money) and other more progressive and more idealistic (and majority is going with the flow).
Anyway, what ever scenario, Bell curve distribution should be on mind since it is a tool for good predictions of people.s behavior. Now to connect with critical mass, only around 2% (strictly speaking) or 20% are those who are beyond average on certain characteristic; that is why is so hard to gather critical mass for (almost) any kind of change. It is not about intelligence or education, just sets of personal characteristics combined in a way that makes very hard for people to 1) accept necessity of change 2) makes it one of their priorities. So, what we have in so many cases are soc med "revolutions" but when it comes to taking that to RL ooops. Further, even if they end up with concrete actions, usually not enough support, media spins or invisibility. In my country we had that so many times, that people stopped believing in anything. Which is actually the point of corrupted leaders, disorientation and fogging so you eventually redirect your energy to something else...When takeover happened on Steem, people who wanted "packed their suitcases" and came here; IRL leaving your country and start over somewhere else is so much harder...
Can.t quote it all, basically agree with what you said :)