People associate blockchain with cryptocurrency and they associate cryptocurrency with gambling.   Not gambling like casinos, but gambling like the stockmarket.  They say "Oh you mean like bitcoin?  I'm not going to take that risk."

People feel betrayed when they were "sold" on blockchain technology and invested in bitcoin.  After Bitcoin dumped in price, people felt scammed and lost trust in the technology.  After they sold, Bitcoin rose again, so now it's sour grapes.  If this is their only impression of blockchain, no wonder they're not excited about STEEM!  "Pssspht, Bitcoin knock-off, altcoin garbage, bla bla bla"  

Most people agree the future is blockchain, but nobody knows which chain will win.  We know the chain that SHOULD win, but as history shows, the best doesn't always win.  

The internet itself wasn't a big thing when it first came out, it took almost a decade for mass adoption.  Names like "Netscape" and "America Online" and "MySpace" and "Napster" have now faded into history... but at the time they were the winners!

Even if Steemit.com becomes "MySpace" and fades into forgotten memories, what will become of the STEEM blockchain?  Will the apps keep it alive?  Will gaming?  Will businesses invest?  Will the STEEM blockchain ever become mainstream?  Only time will tell, but in the meantime we do what we can.  Right?  I believe that if we keep at it, the preconceptions will change and industries will adapt.

It's likely the anti-censorship movement that will eventually cause blockchain to flourish.