While its true that there are open-access journals and conferences without such costs
To publish open access normally costs upwards of $3k USD as well. There's practically no point in the publishing chain where academics aren't getting screwed.
Let's also not forget that you have to review other people's papers for the journal for free.
I convinced my partner to play it recently and the way I knew she'd finished it was that I could hear sniffling from the desk behind me.