Content-creating flash mobs? Mosaic novels that appear quickly to capitalize on a moment's trend and whose creators disperse with equal shares of the take?
Selling advertising is a time-honored way to make free content profitable. What if we got a bit more proactive, and actually embedded ads in our content? If we all endorsed the same product at once, that would have some impact.
Textbook monopolies are the worst. First they bribe teachers into making their books required reading. Then they jack up the price. Then they sabotage the secondhand book trade by printing new editions full of bullshit changes. And they're targeting students. Jesus. This has "corporate" written all over it. A greedy man would show more restraint.
On a basic level, piracy is morally wrong. I mean, if everyone in the world did nothing but pirate things, the entire entertainment industry would starve to death. But just because it's wrong, that doesn't mean it bothers me on every time it happens.
I used to write Half-Life fanfiction. Ripping off the masters is how we get our start as artists.
Still, I'd object if anyone tried to leech off me. Even if they used a roundabout way to do it, like get a Patreon. If their stuff was good enough to stand on its own, why didn't they make it so? Why not change the names and call it original content?
If anyone wants to profit by associating with me, they should approach me about producing some licensed material.