I hear your frustration. The writers I like to read are genuine, mostly poets, and are generally supportive as well. I started in March 2022 and made very little for a long time, hoping to break even. Took a year off and started back in October. With this new system I made double digits and then came the boosting of articles in December, after making $40 in Nov. It was like raining money, claps, responses, follows. Four boosts immediately followed. Then one in January (not so profitable). While I am making low triple digits now, if I look at it by the hour I am making shit. But I don't look at it that way. I have cut my social media way down, spending that time with ones here on Medium where we share deeply. Enjoy your writing and choose your Medium writers you appreciate and want to support. Cheers