new here :)

First : Lemmy is not A site but multiple interconnected by the same protocol

You make an account on one of this site (instance) and live by their rules if you’re unhappy you can transfer your account on another instance

This is it, it work mostly like Reddit without the karma

Try searching for communities related to your interests.

I like the countries analogy

Reddit is a one-world government that you have to obey otherwise you are exiled from all communication with anybody

Here on the Fediverse it's a loose confederation of "sovereign states" (the individual servers). Instead of an Imperial Peace, there is constant conflict and negotiation about what speech should be allowed in what places.

Reddit does not allow inter-factional conflict to develop, it just bans all the communities and users when it gets too hot.

See https://lemmy.ca/post/40668574

!newtolemmy@lemmy.ca

Thanks for asking I’m new as well as a Reddit cast off