My question, really, is how is this crypto scam nonsense any different from just paying premium apps and services and using them? What is the point of this extra steps and hassle of creating crypto wallets and buying crypto coins, and then using them as payment?

What value does the crypto stuff add? Blockchain? Security? Immutability? Permanency? Transparency?
What transparency? It’s a social app for Christ’s sake! Everything is meant to be public! Public posts, public forums, public blogs… What extra transparency features does blockchain add?
“OMG Dude, you can verify who posted what and when on the blockchain… duh duh duh!”
Can you? Can you? And how exactly does that benefit me? Hmm?

Security? Please! The only security needed on the user’s end is a password. And some people are too lazy to even create and remember those. They have password “managers”.