I got started in early 2017 too. Things were more socially active back then (even when you ignore all the "Nice Post" comments you had to wade through to get to genuine interactions). But a whole lot has happened since then and Hive still has a community, or multiple communities, and massive potential for growth. Sometimes it can feel like there isn't much point to commenting, especially when not everyone responds but I can envision comment rewarder making a difference over time.