In my view, a very big problem with today's society as a whole is that people either are too stupid to exercise their free will or do it in ways that are completely wrong or immoral. Storytelling already is something I consider to be a magnificent form of art, but most people nowadays just reuse the same old tropes and plots over and over again (such as with those damn harem isekai plots) instead of creating something actually "meaningful".
You know, "free will" includes "you can do anything to fool people and make money". Using old plots with zero good ideas isn't particularly fooling, but it's obviously created only with profit in mind. They wouldn't do this if it was not profitable, and even artists willing to be creative often fall under the charms of money
Well, I think it's safe to say that I wouldn't fall under the charms of money. I don't care all that much for it, and if I ever needed money, I would much rather work for it than taint my stories with it. I'm not sure I'd be able to live with myself if I ever did that. Storytelling reflects what I've experienced in life, what I believe in, and how I wish things could be for me. Though I do really worry about me falling prey to money in my life at some point. All I can do is hope and pray I don't ever fall down that path. I'm not one for "materialism" anyhow.
I'm pretty sure most of the artists are like that from the beginning. But the further, the worse, the shinier offers look, and one starts making up excuses and slowly blending into the system. You gotta be really strong-willed to decline, I guess, and I hope
I certainly can be pretty strong-willed already, and as I already have dozens of interests besides storytelling, I could probably find some way to utilize those other interests in making money that way.