Vis a vis your latest musings on metrics and their place in the scheme of perpetual ego-stroking, yes, comments are far more tangible and indicative of actual engagement than any other view, read, clap, but if you'll remember, back in the early days of Medium, many people managed to give more than 1 clap if they really enjoyed a story as well.

In the last few years, it seems that the generosity of the online reader has shrivelled and parched, in spite of - or perhaps because - it costing the online reader absolutely nothing to support those who provide the content they're reading.

That might be a new concept or an old one, it's a bit hard to tell, that miserly withholding of something that costs nothing for the giver but requires generosity of spirit and some kind of understanding of the rarity of support of sharing.