Trades are usually done by two parties agreeing to the terms, and then trading. This makes sense, it protects both parties.

Sometimes someone gives something away for free. That is because they are rich. It is that simple. They don't need to be paid for it, and so they give it away.

Sometimes some other rich people feel guilty for taking free stuff, since they are also rich, and so they pay the producer and say "value for value" as a kind of virtue signal.

But in truth, both parties to a value-for-value thing are rich and nothing of any significance is happening.

And these rich people should not be determining market dynamics or (god forbid) fucking up the market dynamics that are very necessary for the non-rich people.

Am I wrong?