> what I find awesome about reddit is its ability to connect people and really have group conversations

I am a redditor for 7 years and that was true early on. Today it is not. You can connect and have group conversations only if you subscribe to a certain dominant political and cultural narrative, walk on egg shells, and toe a line. If you don't, you are swiftly downvoted and banned. There is no escape from this even in generic, non-political subs.

Niche small subs are often ok, but Reddit is not unique to have those.