yes and no: lemmy released in 2019, so let’s not sell the fediverse short! people decided that a federated forum-like platform should exist irrespective of reddit’s current implosion!

i think it’s important to acknowledge that these platforms exist not only because of reddit’s incompetence: they have value regardless (ie, even if reddit does a 180 ;) )!

*edit: of course you’re totally right that reddit has helped to make the platforms viable competition with their exodus