See also the flowchart next to this one, where artists want to make something as a passion project, but there is no market for it and they have rent to pay, so they have to go with the safe, soulless option instead, slowly dying inside as their dreams are crushed.
Patreon is like that, except that instead of a single patron, you get dozens or hundreds and they all expect to monopolise your time each month for $3 each.