I sometimes do. If someone's profile looks interesting, for example, especially if they're on a list of new followers. I barely have enough time to read what I do read. If I waited to read before I followed people, a lot of people would simply not be followed.

I also followed Obama without reading any of his stories, and I sure as hell did not expect him to follow me back (and I am fairly certain that he has not!).

I don't worry about writer earnings that much. Nobody here makes much money, except for the occasional unicorn, and when they do, Medium finds a way to change the algorithm to cut it all down.

In short, I'm not here for the money. I'm here for the exchange of ideas. I see a hefty list of followers, no matter how I obtain them, as a way of doing that.