omg the abundance of cheap/free goods, which free people up to do other things, the horror. We must put a stop to this!!
The author is an ignoramus. Nearly 200 years ago Commodore Vanderbilt would let you take his ferry for free. He made his money on the gambling and liquor.
Here’s a tiny bit of background:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornelius_Vanderbilt#Steamboat_entrepreneur
Sadly, this bit of American history from Wikipedia doesn’t include “free” passage. Free markets drive costs down. It’s natural.