I follow lots of cool stuff but also notice that none of that cool stuff gets any sort of interaction whatsoever. That's because discoverability is shit. Search is broken. The only thing that gets any sort of attention is TRUSK BAD.
BSky has the right idea with user-configurable/sharable algorithms. So there are still algorithms, but you the user are entirely in control of them.
Yeah, I don't have that problem, because I just don't follow those sorts of accounts but popping over to the search column also coincidentally throws you into the "trending" posts and holy balls.
I tried searching my interests of hockey, guitar, and recording music. There were a few things, but not much. I don't have the highest expectations either. I know we are in the Fediverse.
Be the change you want to see, man. I lurk on mastodon and love hockey. Surely we're not the only ones (bit of a do as I say, not as I do moment on my part lol)
Have you tried doing things like following hashtags? That's the best way to find content, I've found. If you write your own comments, you should also use hashtags so people can find you.
None of that will happen by default, and there's no algorithm that will do that for you.