Most of my students work hard because it makes them feel good, and the external rewards are secondary. Hunters, warriors, queens, and everyone else who has come before us did things for recognition from their communities and peers. In the north, hunters were given wolverine furs to wear on their hoods to show that they were the best hunters and could stay out on the ice the longest. If you want to replace this system, what would you replace it with? The developers of nostr are probably doing their work because they find it rewarding intrinsically but there is no harm in external recognition from the community.