Part 4/13:
The narrative often devolves into accusations that platforms and successful creators are "picking sides" or are biased. Some critics claim "jelly pants"—a vulgar metaphor for envy—drive many to criticize those buttered by lucrative deals, claiming they are merely riding the wave of corporate favoritism. The underlying complaint is that a "neutral" platform doesn’t truly exist; instead, all platforms—Kickstarter, Patreon, Webtoons, and now Substack—operate with favoritism, gatekeeping, and systemic biases.