Wow, I guess that really is the question.. a great question. I agree, it's the real feature of Steemit.
I posted about this. 
<a href="https://steemit.com/bitcoin/@surfyogi/the-group-wisdom-and-meeting-new-friends-is-the-true-power-of-steemit"> HERE </a>
I said: 
Group Wisdom and the Power of Making New Friends is the true power of Steemit. Making posts, just facilites these two main objectives.

I like your point that it is very hard to make a living creatively. I am first an artist and musician, and I became more technical to make money. Not sorry I did; it can also be very creative to design software!

But it was not my first love; but I am influenced by my family of musicians.. music teachers for parents in fact. So that's the family tradition.

And teaching can feel very uncreative over time as well. Not wanting to be a music teacher ;-) I set off to do something technical and make a living. But what? 
I have always simply investigated new tech, and made a living from it. A very good living. And it was me for a long time. that's exactly what I wanted, once I found it. Very empowering to leave behind the life of a pauper..

Now, later in life, I'd like to be an author and vlogger. So I started out; just to understand Steemit. It became my focus because I did not trust that FB and YT would create a  reliable income stream over time. Not reliable..

First I started blogging; and trying to get in touch with my essence and my journal. I just wrote down ideas every day, expanded on some of them and posted my ideas. Rudimentary but readable. Of interest to some; but hard to get noticed.

STeemit did inspire me to invest however. I decided I should invest in the new tools of a new era for creativity. I like investments I believe in and support! And also pay dividends and grow over time.
So IF Steemit gets serious about this platform long term; then they have a long term investor.

Once invested into my blog; it helps me see the light better; from several angles: author, reader/curator, investor. I think I can create better knowing those 3 sides of the equation now.

I try very hard, not to get dejected that nobody sees my posts; I have very few views right now..
That will take some doing to get past; when there are 1 million users it might get worse, not better?

I think it needs some massive re-org to grow and be able to get readers where they want to go, finding what they want to read, watch and listen to; and actually grow into many communities, that allow for more intimate interaction among people that know each other better that way.

To answer: 
Steemit made me much more vocal about how I see the world, what I like and recommend to others in the way of new tech, comedy, music, film and many other subjects. I just bare my journal to the world so far. That's a big step for me, and just the first few steps in a hopefully, long journey of decentralization and prosperity ;-)