If buying a single unit costs me $0.10, a large portion goes to the creator and I don't ever plan to sell because I'm happy with the memento, then it's not zero sum. 

Not saying that's the reality on the ground today, but it's possible that people shift their point of view.

Content coins make the most sense when they're bought to support a creator and their work, not just for profit. It’s like contributing a small amount to something you enjoy and use daily, helping it grow.  
While it’s still a kind of investment, the goal isn’t financial return, but appreciation. If it feels more like supporting meaningful content, like paying for a useful subscription, it becomes both natural and valuable.

Crypto learner/ Web 3/ loving teravel, coffe and nature🌱

"While it’s still a kind of investment, the goal isn’t a financial return, but appreciation"

Spot on! 

Lots of folks feel it's made by the creator with the intention to "invest" and spit fire when it doesn't go that way.

👨🏿‍💻 I am a frontend web and blockchain developer.
✍🏿  I also write eye catching, clear and concise articles.

True, but the prices need to stay low, and a big chunk of it should actually go into improving the content, that way, people feel like their money isn’t just going down the drain..