This is really interesting if you consider a different vertical, like competitive gaming.

The whole concept around that is that, monetizing "functionality" would be unfair (breaks balance), so the healthy strategy is actually monetize "aesthetics" (skins, effects etc.)

I also don't have a clear framework to judge this, but at least in my subjective opinion, I would much rather a platform be monetized via the creation of powerless "figurehead elites" through aesthetics, than to tax the commoner when actually doing something productive. If economic realities imply there must exist different castes of users, won't it be better if the difference is purely a social rather than practical construct?