Not sure what individuals you're referring to specifically, but I would agree that we are shaped by economic forces - not necessarily "corrupted" or "misguided"

Not sure what individuals you're referring to specifically, but I would agree that we are shaped by economic forces - not necessarily "corrupted" or "misguided", simply shaped. Because we have limited time and energy, in general we're more likely to do what has the least resistance (e.g. what's popular or easier) to make money rather than what we want/what interests us. Tenure/Patreon/? loosens this up a bit, allowing people to focus on more niche interests & research. Sure, some of this will be garbage, but some of it may not.