I guess my point here is, it's not a "platform" when no one can hear you. I have half that number of followers here on Mastodon and yet I'm heard but - more important than that - I listen. I take in posts by people wiser than myself, and/or at least with different backgrounds and experiences to myself, who I learn so very much from. Mastodon (more specifically, Todon) makes that possible for me. It brings out the best.