Relative obscurity is an aspect of it for sure, and I imagine networking effects are a big part of it as well. Accounts with a lot of followers tend to drive where people migrate. When a big account leaves twitter to bluesky they can pull thousands or even millions of users along with them. Meanwhile, people moving to Fediverse end up having to abandon a lot of the people they were following as a result. It's also a lot easier for an account to grow on a centralized platform which is another reinforcing factor here.

I think ignorance (in the non pejorative sense) plays a big part. I can't really blame my non technical friends for not fully understanding that ditching Facebook for Instagram doesn't help. Even if they know it's the same company, it's still a totally different product, right? There's also a certain apathy or need to just get something done.

I'm sure I've purchased things at Home Depot that would make a plumber cringe, but I know nothing about that sort of thing and I just need to get my sink working.

Still, I think those of us who do know should continue to lead by example. My friends know my stance on these things and some of them are coming around.

It's possible that we'll hit a point of critical mass where Fediverse becomes the dominant social media platform, but I don't think explosive growth is necessary either. Growth for the sake of growth holds little inherent value. Unlike commercial platforms reliant on VC funding to survive, Fediverse thrives on sustainability. What really matters is that there are enough developers to maintain the platforms, people to host the servers, and users to create content. With these elements in place, platforms like Lemmy and Mastodon can continue indefinitely without the need to attract users at a rapid pace.

In fact, rapid growth could do more harm than good. A sudden influx of users often brings toxic behaviors. When new users trickle in slowly, they adapt to the existing norms and culture of the community. But when a horde arrives, they risk overwhelming and reshaping the community in ways that trample over its core values. A steady stream of users allows for organic integration, preserving the essence of what makes sites like Lemmy pleasant.

Unlike commercial platforms, open-source projects don’t rely on profit motives to survive. They’re driven by people who directly benefit from their work and are passionate about their vision. When disagreements arise, projects can be forked, allowing different groups to take them in new directions. Even if a project is abandoned, it can be revived by a new team as long as there’s a dedicated community. This flexibility and resilience make open source inherently more sustainable than commercial platforms, which can vanish overnight if funding dries up.

The Fediverse, and Lemmy within it, only needs a large enough user base to remain self-sustaining. I’d argue that it’s already well past that threshold. There’s no rush to grow rapidly. Steady progress ensures the community retains its identity and values, while the open-source nature of the platform guarantees its longevity. Lemmy isn’t just another platform; it’s a sustainable, adaptable ecosystem built to endure. I’m willing to bet that Lemmy will still be around long after sites like Reddit crumble to dust.