Why can't it be both?

Technically it would be possible.
But practically currently it is not.

Why not?

You can find the answer in the behavior of the people.

Most people on the Hive blockchain currently focus on the rewards so much that they forget (do not even care) about the content, often both as a content creator, and as a content consumer too (the latter is currently a very very small percentage).

And many so called curators vote automatically to maximize their curation rewards, and they often do not even see the content they curate.

And most people focus on posting.

The ratio is somewhere around 90% (or even more) content creators, and 10% (or even less) content consumers.

Many posts are overlooked/ignored because of this. And thousands of people left this platform in the previous years because of this.

Currently most of the Hive users are literally ruining an otherwise technically revolutionary platform with their behavior.

Technically this platform is much better than other social network, but most people are not grown up to it (yet?).

To have both of the above mentioned things at the same time, most people have to change their approach to this platform, and have real, actual interest in the content.

Both as a content creator, and as a content consumer too. And much more content consumers are needed.