What you don't build is what makes it work. Every feature you remove creates a cascade of simplicity that makes the whole thing possible.
The cascade
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No comments means no comment moderation, no harassment tools, no abuse reporting, no content ranking.
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No DMs means no spam filters, no blocking system, no encryption infrastructure, no predator detection.
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No likes means no engagement metrics, no dopamine loops, no content ranking algorithms, no vanity economy.
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No payments means no PCI compliance, no financial liability, no transaction disputes, no regulatory burden.
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No real-time features means no WebSocket infrastructure, no presence indicators, no typing indicators, no push notification service.
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What's left? Blogs behind a gate + an event calendar. A solved problem. The entire backend complexity of a social platform disappears.
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Simple enough that a bounty developer can build a feature in a weekend. Simple enough that any city can run it. Simple enough that it's sustainable on €5/month creator fees.
Subtraction is the product strategy.
Every feature removed makes the platform cheaper to run, easier to fork, harder to abuse, and more focused on what actually matters: real people discovering each other's creative lives.