When mindlessly browsing Reddit, I found that I usually just jump directly to the comments, read a couple, and continue. Lemmy seems a bit more curated (read: smaller), and therefore it’s easier to actually engage in discussions, which leads me to read the article, think critically about it, and respond (if I have something to say) in the comments–bigger is not always better!
Yes. There’s less fluff/firehouse level of content. I’ve mentioned this to friends as a selling point. It’s also much easier to feel like your comment might actually be seen.