No it does not work the way other platforms work.

My creds: writing and *making money* on the internet since 1994.

I'm here because Medium is different. Our stories aren't plastered with ads like most. We only get paid for READS. I like that because it's as honest as it can be.

Followers are meaningless. I'd be ecstatic and rolling in money if even half of my "followers" were real.

I follow people I will read, period. I'd guess 85% of my "followers" never read anything I write. I bet that's the case for everyone, or even higher. Followers don't matter -- except for Mediums 100 follower rule, of course.