So true!
To further support your comments, I have noticed that of the over 200 accounts I have followed because I loved the original content they posted, only 20 or so are still actively sharing new content two years later. I think the rest of them left because they got tired of having their content being unappreciated.
Even after the last hard fork, I think some of them closed their accounts. Many people set their accounts to autovote on trails, and probably didn't know how badly the HF would impact their decision. I think some of the people who followed me back only set the autovotes up because they probably thought it was easier to earn money that way than to create content.
July has been a wonderful blessing. Finding new rewards springing up in the steem engine wallet every day without even trying, it's a budding utopia right now.