If you want to make money trading on the stock market (with algorithms or otherwise), you're directed to devote time, effort, skill, and a large quantity of start-up funds to the effort. Of course, you could also devote time, effort, skill and capital towards starting your own business (based around algorithms or otherwise) or you could devote time, effort, and skill towards just getting a job (programming algorithms or otherwise). Likewise, as there are big players in the stock market, there are big players in any market, and smaller, more nimble businesses can try and maneuver around them (or get crushed trying).
The stock market: just a part of real life. Neither a mystical land of fantastic riches, nor a freakish unholy pit of dishonest vipers and shattered dreams.