I’ve been on Medium since 2020. I typically make $300-500 per month and read a lot of people, clap, comment, etc. I did 2 presentations on Medium Day. I agree with you. There are people looking for cheap shortcuts to make money the ways you mentioned. I won’t read shoddy work in exchange for promises of reciprocity. I won’t follow-for-follow either. And I am generous in blocking people who suck.