Bit of a necessary evil for anyone who isn’t already well known to get their product out there I think.
The same is true of the publishing industry. I’m working on a children’s book right now and, yeah I could self-publish it and sell to under a hundred friends and local people, but I’m acutely aware the accepted route is to sign with an agent and they get you a deal with a publisher.
It’s not right, but it’s okay.