If people wanted instagram/twitter types of communities they would be thriving on legacy social media

Which they are, they are thriving. TikTok is one of the highest traffic sites on the web, YouTube is the world's second biggest search engine as well as competing with traditional TV for viewership, Twitter has more active users than all of the blockchain based tools combined.

how many people are actually using DeSo and why did BitClout fail if DeSo is such a great idea?

$DESO has a higher valuation than HIVE and is much, much younger, I would say it is too early to call. The two are complimentary IMO.

As soon as people realize they can earn while shitposting things change rapidly

So why is it so difficult to get people to try Hive?

How many VCs stood behind bitclot and it still tanked?

?

Like I said above, I think things are too early to call.

I remember back in 1993/1994 every speculation was based on what we knew well then. Nobody foresaw the real outcomes. Looking back, I built a web2 site in 1996, we just didn't have a name for it. The smart money in the 1990s was on Netscape!

That is why I deeply learn the tech, watch and learn. Most of what I build won't make me money but will be valuable anyway :)