That alone is enough motivation to try, just to see what happens. In a way, it parallels the SETI project efforts to listen to outer space, just in case there is something to be heard and the efforts to place special identifying materials on some deep probe space craft, just in case someone out there may someday find the probe. I also suspect that as the new ham becomes experienced, two things happen. First, wonder turns into curiosity, especially as replies become routine, but from where they come and from whom they come remain unknowns until the reply actually happens. Second, the first response has an excitement that can become addictive in the sense of one wanting to repeat the first experience over and over again.
Every reply creates a new strand in a web of links among widely separated but still kindred spirits.
Amateur radio, despite its internal disputes and diversity of activities, is still a community of human beings that cuts across all divisions of race, nationality, religion, and other things that divide us around the world. Such interest tends to mark a person out as an individual, someone a little different from most of his or her friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Hence, there is a natural desire for camaraderie, a sense that one is not alone, but linked to a community. Linkage to a community brings out in us at least two different and opposing urges, and they occur in different proportions in different individuals. One urge is to compete with others in our broad community.