Big picture, Mastodon isn't just Twitter minus the moderation -- it's Twitter minus the algorithm for promoting the most "engaging" content. That's a big win, because it's the competition for the most engaging content that always ends up as a race to the bottom.

The dumbest, silliest, and rudest comments and commenters get promoted on Twitter (and Facebook etc), because that gets the most clicks. Get rid of all that manufactured promotion, and what's left is a quieter space where users can self-organize their own communities -- more like a chill party or friendly conference hallway than a staged political rally.