Nobody said it was meant to be easy. I'd hope in three years those people starting today have gained traction. Many give up far too soon. If they're starting today and expecting to be in the same position as a three year veteran within a few weeks or months, they will be disappointed. This platform and Youtube are similar in many ways. Every channel starts with one producer and no subscribers. Some have worked for five years and have yet to see a dime over there.
I should add since advertisements are a thing now, I do hope more begin to see the true value in all types of content and treat it fairly, since that variety now helps pay the bills, potentially placing everyone in a better position financially. The community is only shooting itself in the foot if people act like a work of art, fiction, comedy, whatever, are of less value to the platform than something like an announcement of new developments. All forms of entertainment, from the humourous shit post to the most detailed essay about quantum physics are equally important now, since each contribution has the potential to keep the attention focused on the platform, and those ads.
RE: Announcing the Steemit Newsletter