"I would only give a couple of cents for a comment, but that takes too much voting power now."
I've never been able to give someone more than just a few cents due to my stake, but I loved to reward my audience with something. I don't vote on comments after HF21, but I try to reply to everyone, (except for spam). However, one or two cents made a difference for many users, so it's unfortunate to see that they are being affected in a negative way. Like you, I think the social aspect is vital, which is also why I try to stay positive and come up with things that will and can benefit us.
In some cases I will go looking for a post by that user to vote up, but there is not always time for that.
That is very true, but we also often get to know people and become aware of people's existence through the comment section, which is why I want people to continue to engage. I can see how it will benefit people in the long haul, even after HF21.