I don't think it has to do with FREE. You can do pretty much EVERYTHING we are doing on this site free somewhere on the internet. Everything that is except get paid for doing it.
I was a little irked by the focus on certain things, but over all those that get those great posts get more steem power. More steem power means they get to vote on things as well. Which then spreads more into the steem economy, so it kind of evens out. I think you short changed her too. She didn't get $26,000. She got $36,000. :)