I think your demonizing Twitter a little too much. All those big accounts got big by doing something valuable and if they got big through Twitter they probably started out by commenting. 

When your account gets big you definitely change how you interact because there's more energy coming at you 

incentives are just different on each platform and for each person. 

 Too many examples of twits treating nostr like they deserve something. They follow no one, respond to no one, say they get no engagement and go back to daddy for spoon fed clicks. 

They don't want to put in anytime like you are trying to do.  

 that's any new platform

those willing to put in work early reap the reward  

 POW is all I am saying. 

 you're discounting the work people put in to get where they are far too much on Twitter  

 Perhaps. But it is an illusion, gone in an instant. 

 as is life