This is so true. It doesn't have to be based on effort and it rarely is. It's not often based on high or low quality either. Rewards are rewards. It would be impossible to analys how, why and when everyone upvote stuff, or what their motives are. Some articles will yield greater rewards than others, and that's how things are for most users. Autovotes is one of the things that makes some users earn more than others, no matter what they share.

• But it's just one factor out of multiple.