On Substack where I am now, the number of writers who are moaning because nobody reads them, and the platform is at fault because it's such hard work to be recognized, to have one's work validated, to be 'connected,' etc., is astounding.

They moan endlessly because they only have four or five readers.

You would think these people are dying for lack of affection, have an endlessly low sense of self-esteem and they need millions of people to tell them what great writers they are.

So Tony Stubblebine might well be right.