Creators at all sizes rely very heavily on ad revenue! Most youtube channels cannot just turn monetization off and keep operating. Small channels will earn very little in the way of merch (if they’re big enough yet for merch at all), large channels have more expenses (like Linus Tech Tips who, last time their earnings were disclosed, still earned one THIRD of their revenue from adsense) such as studios and a production team.

I don’t see how most 'tubers are supposed to survive without the ad money at all, most could tank a bit of a dip as that has happened before, but turning it off is basically not feasible.

I, for one, enjoy the fruits of their hard work, whatever their genre of content is, and think they should be duely compensated.