Good story and understand your point here. However, I also think its hard to always distinguish between genuine likes and comments and "pity" reads. For example, I've seen a lot of read for read posts on Facebook, Discord etc, and there is a big CHOICE of whose stories to read, just like on Medium. In those groups there is a mutual reciprocity expectation but people cop on sooner than later and don't force themselves to read something they absolutely don't want to, as they can choose the next story, they like better, to read. I've gone to read stories seen on FB, with some trepidation (oh I "have" to read this in return for mine being read), but many times I've genuinely engaged with other's stories and enjoyed them. Had I seen them on Medium, I might have read them too. Other times I have done nothing and seen people reading my stories. Words by themselves are powerless and every writer needs to take some action to engage, and on a platform like this mutual engagement can pay off. Doesn't mean it's a "pity" read. I know no-one can force me to read something I really don't want to, pity or not.