[chaosmonger7]

This is the problem for sure.

I hate social media and I am someone who this site is directed at. What I like about HN is the interaction but no "followers". Of course, people want their thoughts to not be disliked but it is not a childish, high school popularity contest that if you get popular enough, you get paid for being popular.

A network without nodes and edges isn't a network.

Myspace also didn't brand itself as "super internet forum" or something like that. If you really do something different to interest people who hate social media, it will need to have no resemblance to social media.