I think that as a result of the size of reddit, it was unlikely to have engagement when you commented, and it was common to get unkind engagement if it did happen. It’s nice to have a fresh start, but since there’s less of us, it is also a much more intimate experience.
'Unkind' is such a diplomatic way to put it! I used to post a lot on Reddit say around 2008-12, then it began to get a bit intolerable. Some subs you were guaranteed to have an 'unkind' response or a deluge of downvotes I think because people were so hyper-competitive about their comments being seen over yours, because of that engagement issue you mention.
You nailed it. I joined reddit circa 2011 and what the site has become is just night and day by comparison. It used to feel actually engaging to interact with folks. If I’m understanding the UI correctly, lemmy doesn’t record an overall “karma”. This should discourage farming.