You are absolutely right. Every HN thread about a consumer product that is paid is full of why it is bad, or why people would gladly pay if it had 10 more orthogonal features, or they have a better way to support the creator, or the product doesn't deserve payment for some random reason but it is OK to use it without compensating the creator.

The irony is a good % of HN is well paid due to information related jobs. And their work is valued only due to artificial scarcity of information.