Same here, i joined at the promise of real money, and even if the actual money is quite low its still more than i'll ever get out of facebook and co.
However I am really enjoying the interactions and conversations thus far, and I suspect the 'community' will be the reason I decide to stay in the end
You could spend 5 years on Facebook and never earn a cent. Even if you can get to $50 a month from hive I think it's a great opportunity. That's enough to buy something nice or pay your insurance for the year.
If the price rises at any stage that $50 can quickly become a $100 and if you build your account large enough you can earn just from voting good content. What's not to love. That and the fact that you can have fun while doing it is a win-win in my books. Three years down and I have no intention of leaving.
I want to see where we are in three more. Then ten more.