It's true that when you first get on here, the glaring reality is that shitty content that makes a money appears to be king. But I've found communities on here where hard work and valuable content are truly supported, and I've built up my standing on here that way. I've only put a little bit of money into the platform (basically, I transferred over some of the crypto I already had in altcoins and projects that didn't seem to be going anywhere--not actual dollars), but the majority I've made off of my content itself. And good content occasionally gets noticed and rewarded. The big thing here is finding a community where you're valued and where you value others, and putting in the time and work to foster those relationships. It's not just rewarding financially; it's also rewarding emotionally, and through this you can become a better writer and find opportunities in the "real world" as well. I've become a believer in this platform, but it does require ignoring the surface "injustices" (as you say)--and I don't disagree with you on that point.

Good luck!