I have to add... I agree they're used socially... which is good. If the conversation is enriching in some way, it should have some value... to me anyway.
Discussion
I agree and from that perspective i value them infinitely more than likes. The social use case is strong and Nostr demonstrates it well, but I don’t think zaps are intended to be merely social. There is much talk about how Nostr plus Bitcoin creates a platform for businesses, artists, writers, etc to connect with and monetize content and sell products. The potential is there thanks to the technology, but I don’t think the users are there in terms of culture and mindset.
The mindset is definitely here, but the reach & opportunity are still limited. Time and participation will fix that
It’s sort of a chicken and egg situation. Time and participation will fix it, but participation won’t happen unless it’s appealing to potential participants. The appeal for social activity seems strong enough, at least for people willing to learn how to use it. Business appeal is still mostly hypothetical I think.