Lightning gets credit in my mind as a big selling point for Nostr. I'm more motivated to put effort into content when I can easily get paid for it.

But I agree, it's a means, not an end. There are lots of other things that sell Nostr.

Cars are great technology. Running water is also a great technology. Where are all the people constantly talking about running water?

It's not about impact of the tool/tech, it's about the development. Screwdrivers' impact is static, but Bitcoin continues to change itself and change the world.