I also think that fandom has definitely adopted LJ as one of its premiere meeting grounds and we're all loathe to leave it. So fandom doesn't just represent $26,000 dollars a month, it represents a possible LIFETIME of organized, supported use and subscription, which I doubt non-fannish users can promise.

I disagree. I think LJ is a stepping stone to something else. Just like usenet, Bulletin Boards, and e-mail groups were stepping stones to LJ. I think it's become increasingly clear that we're all just waiting for the next big thing. We're here because our friends are here, not because LJ itself is inherently better than IJ, GJ, etc.