Agreed, gotta think long-term before Steem dies, and it can die, and http://Vid.Me died in 2017 and things do die and can die and I am concern with all of this as well. I had an incentive of using Steem when I turned my Steem into Bitcoin in order to buy a plane ticket. But some people would say it is too complicated to do that even.

I didn't know nodes are not paid. How can we get them paid and why aren't they rewarded with some Steem or Bitcoin or something for their work? Are Steem Witnesses paid? I guess some nodes can brag about it in some Steemit posts and maybe make some money that way at least.