The problem with Social Media.. Lately

[@thinkpink6796]

I’ve been noticing this for a while. I’m going back to reading books. I used to love KZbin (never been a fan of TikTok) but the content is just so RECYCLED. I think we’ve surpassed the peak of authenticity and creativity. They regurgitate the same talking points over and over and over again. It’s beyond boring….and I no longer have the desire to hear it anymore. It’s like how many times can y’all tell the same story different ways?!? It’s like once you’ve watched one video, you’ve watched them all. The most common videos I see “Stanley cups” “Sephora kids” “Modern dating is hard” “Everybody’s lonely” “Making friends as an adult is hard” “Social media is bad” “Feminine energy/dark feminine energy” “How to get what you want through law or attraction/assumption ” “How to be productive” “Sustainability, SHEIN and fast fashion is bad” “Lack of third spaces” “The wealth gap” “Influencers are bad” “Doom scrolling” “Overconsumption is bad” “My 5am routine” And then a shit ton of people just trying to self you stuff. Like 80% of content is just a commercial/advertisement now. YAWWWWWNNNNNNN. I’m beyond tired of it. Everybody’s just hopping on whatever train will get the most profit. That’s it. Everybody’s literally the same. And even the people that “think outside the box” do it in a way that they can’t get “ canceled”, so them “thinking outside the box” is really them still conforming to group think.

[@tinysey]

😕 unfortunately facts

[@alexandraaddi]

you just listed my entire recommended page lmaoo, i thought it was just me

[@mxbvibes]

You spitting facts

[@thinkpink6796]

@@alexandraaddi nah girl, for some reason that content is being shoved down all of our throats. The reason I know is because usually the videos with that type of content tend to perform very well as far as views within the span of 2 or 3 days. Most videos like that easily rake in 100,000’s of views, mostly because that’s what the algorithm is pushing. I constantly find myself pressing “not interested” and still getting recommended those videos. New content creators pop up everyday with the same kind of content. There’s almost no escaping it now. Everybody has the same, regurgitated opinion on literally EVERYTHING.

[@thinkpink6796]

@@tinysey what do you think is the solution? What kind of content do you want to see more of?

[@AngelOfMusic12457]

"We need to talk about-" no we don't! we been talking about [THING] please make it STOP

[@SherikaSherard]

Hahaha so damn true

[@tripodologia]

It's even worse when the title is "Why is no one talking about..." or "... and no one is talking about it", and I'm like... literally everyone is?

[@dboyedoe]

The "the __ problem" problem

[@starcloud8411]

I feel this in my core.......

[@shirley444]

I felt this. That’s why I’m not praising anyone who is pro Palestine, pro Israel etc. everyone wants to drop a video about topics like that out of nowhere, when Israel has been doing what they was doing for a long Time, not much KZbinrs were talking about it prior to October 7th.

[@aronharrington]

Now are other KZbinrs gonna copy your idea and make a video about how unoriginal KZbin has become? 😅

[@tinysey]

😂

[@the_gifted_thrifter3217]

Yep 🙄

[@AnneettaLife]

For real! Every time I see one video of a random subject, by a random KZbinr, I see the same subject being talked about by a bunch of other KZbinrs within a week. They’re all just copying each other.

[@zomgkb]

I have seen people before discussing this. That’s the nature of commentary creators. It’s so weird to assume someone is copying just because they talk about the same subjects that are popular

[@gandalfthegrey]

​@@zomgkbthey're not copying, but they are unoriginal. They are still following the trends even if it might sometimes be unintentional.

[@channelpink4376]

I don't have the "addicted" feeling towards social media anymore. It's mostly just shopping and recycled relationship topics and it doesn't feel like you're missing anything anymore.

[@LilChuunosuke]

Same! I was legitimately addicted for many years. When I noticed the culture shifting, it made me become highly self aware of how much I struggled to step away from it and immediately start tackling my addiction. Ive reduced it by around 85%. Very easy to cut back when looking outside your small, niche, down-to-earth creators is painfully boring and bland.

[@GregtheGrey6969]

Same

[@GregtheGrey6969]

Interesting...I hadn't noticed it's lowered addictivness until I read your comment. It is less addictive, easier to leave. Very interesting observation

[@Piddypng]

​@@GregtheGrey6969same I never thought it it. Compared to watching KZbinrs when I was 14, I had such a strong parasocial relationship with them. And I'd come home and watch every new video they posted. But now I know better and I don't trust influencers. Or at least I know that they're as flawed as any other person

[@ll2323]

Right?! Especially, after “Instagram vs. Reality” posts got popular, exposing how everything is just angles, lighting, photoshop, and omitted pollution. 😂

[@RoraUndercover]

glad i’m not the only one who noticed this! it’s like we’re all stuck in high school gossiping about the same person 😭

[@averysspookshowspectacular6205]

Like whenever there's another big scandal or problem like when the illuminautii stuff broke or now MamaMax, there's only so much information at once and multiple hour long videos is just repeating the same thing. It really is like sitting at a cafeteria table.

[@eleasy1976]

It is so insane that everyone decided to make a Stanley cup video at the same time. Does no one realize that everyone was buying those cups a year and a half ago????? That whole thing has been done for a long time and suddenly people are talking about it. Crazy

[@PrayerOfMannesah]

It’s like middle school now. Internet was once where people went to change the discourse but the real blue pill agent smiths pilfered it with bots algorithms it’s just like the newspapers both alt right and neoliberals are controlled opposition. It’s soooo boring now.

[@Franklin0222]

The pink cup just happened, it was essentially the climax of the Stanley cup era. Now we are in the post Stanley world. After the pink one, everyone really wised up and realized how malleable our purchasing patterns are just because we want something that someone else might not be able to have. And the fact that we’re bred to be consumers from day one and not use our brains.

[@avybez1]

It’s like that with a lot of things especially on TikTok. They talk about things that have been done since the 90’s (like the claw clip hairstyle) like it’s something new but for whatever reason it goes viral.

[@Calalanena]

​@avybez like 10 seconds after reading your comment a claw clip hairstyle video showed up on my shorts recommendations 😂

[@britneyt9253]

I find it embarrassing for them. Like this… this is what we’re talking about? Boring.

[@KayGee_yt]

KZbinrs have to do what sells to pay their bills. And it's now very rapidly turning the platform into a content mill of nearly identical ads. I can't ever hear people talk about their life. If I look up "life updates" the results will be "how to level up your life!!!" With those thumbnails of the person making some ridiculous face with high saturation and contrast. Nothing is ever just...normal anymore. I'm over it.

[@CrisOnTheInternet]

Content mill is the best description, I pictured an assembly line and Modern Times (Chaplin's movie) and it didn't feel good.

[@noinoimoon4295]

Or it's streamers, reacting to content 😂

[@Margriet101]

​@@noinoimoon4295 Or redpillers shitting on woman forgetting mommy is a woman. 😂

[@jauxro]

Your channel looks normal (in a nice chill way) though :D here's to makin' the videos you wanna see in the world then

[@DreasTapes]

I've been watching Jacy and Kacy, RonRon, Merrel Twins, Aaron Burriss and Vanessa Merrel. They are pretty chill and have normal vlogs. I think you may like them

[@AverysMoneyMoves]

This is why I watch hardly watch any youtube video essays nowadays because no one is saying anything new, and if they are, the algorithm isn't pushing their videos anyways so I don't know they exist. Everything is either derivative or self-referential (referencing phenomenons that only exist on social media) that the "real world" doesn't know or care about. I have realized that limiting my time on social media/news cycle means I may be left out of most of the "discourse" but there are so many things on social media/news cycle that 1) I don't need to know about and 2) can't do anything about but 3) it sits in my brain and causes me unnecessary stress that I already have enough of. Like, is knowing anything about stanley cups or sephora kids important for my life? It's not. And learning things like "everyone is lonely" just makes me feel worse. It's not helpful for me to consume this content.

[@LoveAndSnapple]

I one thousand percent agree with your comment and I wish I could like it more than once. I’m also so sick and tired of polarizing content. Debates like unhappy mothers who regret being parents, people telling you you’re going to die alone because you didn’t have kids. But people lying about the realities of parenthood. Also, there being a rule everyday about what gets a man, keeps a man, whatever whatever. I’m a Millenial, but social media makes it look like Gen Z and Gen Alpha are just a bunch of stupids when we know that can’t be true. There is invariably some truth of what is being reported on social media, but the extent of the exaggeration, the gravity of certain situations gives off a “all is lost“ dystopian feel.

[@TheDramaticDykeShow]

There are good, original video essays out there. You just need to support them and stop clicking on people who you know who just does ‘fast’ topics

[@Anna_Evan]

My favourite video essays are the ones on shows and their histories. They take awhile to make so it isn't mass produced (at least not yet). I watch alot of gaming content and after the whole 100 days trend I had to take a break because everything was the exact same minus different personalities.

[@indiebish7045]

this is so real

[@RikkiestAndTikkiest]

So beautifully articulated! I'm in my second year of "no news" and I couldn't be happier! I would love to be informed about the world, but the endless rage-bait in the news cycle was making me sick. I've also removed almost all ads and popular culture from my life and went back to the cultural roots of my ancestors through books. It's been like a bubble bath for the soul and chicken soup for the mind.

[@Daniellejosiemilo]

I miss the old KZbin days, stuff I grew up on. I loved the music video era on here🥰

[@dezzyduke6963]

Yes I agree you tube was way better growing up

[@natesamadhi33]

Not just KZbin, the internet in general was way more fun in 2007. MySpace, old Twitter, old KZbin, funny gaming sites; even though the internet was a hot mess back then, it was authentic and fun. Now the internet is just a giant department store where ads are all we have

[@lewpz]

Hear, hear. I’ve been here since 06. AMVs were something that died with copyright strikes, and we’re going to see the same thing with TikTok if UMG doesn’t agree to a deal with them for using big artists music. When people can’t freely share without paying someone else, the ability to riff/parody becomes increasingly difficult. Artists deserve their cut, but it just shows how the whole system around monetizing your creativity is incredibly flawed and will always lead to burnout in pursuit of it. The connection is gone, and everything got worse in the sake of advertising. I’ve gotten a lot of shit airing the opinion with artists who say “I make a living making art!” And really 70%+ of their revenue is from advertising on videos. Im happy they’re getting paid, but we know KZbin has turned into a content mill so people can rep their 30 sec sponsorship for nordvpn/betterhealth/bullshit health drinks etc. That ain’t art, this is the same old 1960s marketing with a different spin.

[@stargirl3455]

same here sis.. grew up on AMVs, YTP, and the most random but creative vids

[@doodlejone6546]

Saaame! As a kid one of my favorite things to spend time on KZbin doing, was watching tons of music videos!

[@strshipsuprnova]

It’s so unfortunate that in order to stay relevant you have to constantly push out content. As a big Meat Canyon/Papa Meat fan, as soon as he began to deviate from horror I knew it was because he wasn’t making animations fast enough. Flash forward a couple of months and now he’s talking about some of his cartoons representing that exact thought process. Flash forward another few months and he’s taking a hiatus from animation all together. It breaks my heart seeing these people quit what they love because they can’t do it fast enough for social media’s tastes.

[@moratolca]

I was just thinking the same!! plus, the amount of times he had to see his content ripped off KZbin and reposted to reels or TikTok without credit...

[@Thepeanutcollector]

@@moratolcaalso people are now copying his animation style so now he has to get to a topic first before they do. Not really a fan of his, but I’ve seen some of his animation and noticed this

[@nuclearwessels2078]

Agreed. KZbin used to be a lot of fun. I used to find new music artists, fun makeup tutorials, travel vlogs, theme park food vlogs, some really funny comedy, cooking videos, and flash mobs. It was a lot more fun back then. Now all I find are video essays on the same thing. Shorts are better now.

[@worldwidefunnyguy]

shorts will NEVER be better. they’re worse! it’s literally recycled content from tiktok based around trends that were popular a year ago. and i know the youtube search function has gotten worse, but please just try to search for content you’re interested in instead of relying on the algorithm to find it for you.

[@venuslove-i1v]

People are still making these videos, but we are not be recommended those videos anymore. I still watch skits from people like CalebCity to tis day since his vine days.

[@velevetyy]

im so tired.... blah blah blah gen z... gen alpha.... cups.... tiktok things that wouldnt be things if we ignored it. it so hard to leave tho cause its like a lil window into ppl my age, something to discuss abt.

[@velevetyy]

but i gen wanna replace my time on tiktok and these kinda vids w other things it just takes up brain bandwidth and im tired of random ppl online telling ppl to get offline and how to live their life while relying on ppl online and engaging in the same things and nonsense everyone else is like damn i do it i complain but still click and scroll enough to be mad in the first place haha

[@LoveAndSnapple]

@@velevetyy I agree with you. Like, it’d be one thing if I heard that from a creator that only posted a few times a year, telling me to go outside and smell the roses. But it’ll be a person that has the most attention grabbing thumbnails and titles, uploading weekly across multiple platforms, trying to give me the same message. Like Bestie, you’re part of the problem…

[@nateclipps]

@@LoveAndSnappleliterally, half of these people still use social media consistently. Like what she said in the video, it’s apart of their “personal brand” to come off as a young, intelligent, person who spends their time reading & off of social media.

[@nateclipps]

It’s like it’s becoming a trend to not be on social media when behind closed doors most of y’all r still using social media consistently. They’re just keeping up an “image.”

[@Ju5tBU]

Why don’t you go out and talk to people your age?! 😅honestly this is how easy it is, turn off the phone and go out, knock the doors to your mates and go do something outside

[@jademcl4727]

I feel like youtube and social media in general are really dying for me. I don't have any interest bc shit just isn't fun anymore. I try to encourage the algorithm to give me some funny, stupid, light hearted things to enjoy. No matter what I do, every time I open the app there's something devastating, depressing and sad in every single title and thumbnail and maybe one video of someone making a cool outfit or a dog video.

[@nixthelapin9869]

This is why I am still un ironically on Tumblr. It’s not perfect by any means, but it’s so different to other social media, both in how the platform is designed and the culture of it. It just feels like way less pressure than others 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@nom_quack_girl]

Same

[@SS-cu8se]

How did you find blogs on tumblr you like? I feel like it’s dead but if I went back on it, how would I find active content?

[@juicedrinker8604]

@@SS-cu8se the easiest way to do that is to look at the urls that people you follow are reblogging from and then follow those blogs, look at their reblogs, so on and so forth.

[@juicedrinker8604]

@@SS-cu8seplus tumblr does actually have an algorithm and suggests blogs for you based on what you like, but of course its hard to restart all over again. its worth it tho

[@bakedpotato1717]

@@LostSoulchild89I had tumblr back in the day, stopped, and just recently got one again last year. It was worth it.

[@jasmine1926]

YES. I just said this to my co-worker. I want better content less often but the algorithm isn’t built for that. Also, so many re-packaged ideas and theories. All this talk about “pretty privilege” with responses saying “pretty women get harassed or treated like objects”….misogyny. Y’all are describing misogyny. Women’s value = their looks; less attractive women = dehumanized; more attractive women = objectified…that’s misogyny. People are speaking on things they haven’t really thought enough about just to stay relevant because there’s money to be made. Also, “pretty privilege” is more catchy and speaks to insecurity (best audience bait there is). There’s no depth or originality. Just regression and marketing.

[@Boss-cj6zn]

I watched sooo many videos on Stanley cups, 9yr old Sephora girls, the harms of social media, gen Alpha not reading, iPad kids, all that… and after a while it was like I was in an echo chamber. After this, I can’t wait to see how many “there’s too many videos about too many repetitive…” videos and so on and so forth lol

[@Evelyn-ur9gd]

Same omg!!

[@kaylar5178]

I agree. I also think a lot of people exaggerate world problems like saying “everyone is obsessed with cups, kids don’t act like kids anymore” when in reality that’s far from true at least in my perspective. And I notice that like 90% of popular influencers have gotten into some type of drama because people find unproblematic people boring.

[@giselletorres4156]

I also feel like the Sephora kids discourse is making it like such a bigger deal than it already is. There has always been society pushing kids to grow up fast like Victoria's Secret and Wonder Bras, but as someone who worked at Target on Black Friday the most common children's item I scanned were Squishmallows and Roblox. And with how many people are on social media, you can probably have one experience in your lifetime of meeting the aforementioned sephora kids and post one video about it, then billions of people who experienced the same thing contributing with confirmation bias.

[@b8376]

while i have had different experiences with ulta/sephora kids (i saw one steal a display ysl perfume) i still feel like people are over exaggerating. people are acting like they didn’t touch a bottle of face wash until they were 20

[@qqqqqqqqqqqqqq7665]

Totally agree with you. Also, the „kids don’t act like kids anymore“ is so annoying, because people also said that when I was little. Seems like every generation says that🤷‍♀️.

[@xyloticks3662]

seriously agree, people act like the new generation is stupid or something and stuff like skibidi toilet is ruining their minds. i agree that kids shouldn't have free access to the internet, but i remember being their age and watching stuff like 'mlg five nights at freddys'. people blow everything out of proportion.

[@LuznoLindo]

​@xyloticks3662 Let's be real, though, the toilet thing is absolutely messing with kids' heads.

[@LilChuunosuke]

The internet was my comfortable refuge from the real world for close to a decade. I would go as far as to say I was addicted for sure. But with the direction its rapidly been going in? Ive been putting all this junk down and getting back into reading and drawing. I go on social media and it just makes me angry now. I've started dialing back my youtube to cut out content that isn't either related to my passions or fosters and extremely healthy, positive community. I come online to have FUN. Not to get involved in the latest discourse and fight with complete strangers. If the culture is changing, then I'm leaving!

[@ColleahG]

Yes! I had to stop commenting for a long time because it seemed like someone always had a rebuttal no matter how positive or non-judgmental my statement would be.

[@LilChuunosuke]

@@ColleahG I've had to dial back my commenting because I could leave the most non-controversial milquetoast opinions under posts and not only recieve hate comments actively trying to upset me, but have repeatedly been mass reported on instagram for spam or hate speech to the point of having my ability to leave comments temporarily suspended multiple times. Its like the wild west!

[@hannahveerkamp1097]

@@LilChuunosukeyeah I literally commented on instagram a legitimate innocent question about the way some makeup brush cleaning gadget worked and got called stupid and ugly like what

[@addyvalencia]

⁠@@ColleahGThis is so true. You could literally just disagree with someone over what colors are the prettiest, and it’ll become a whole mess. I’ve given in to arguing way too much, and I need to stop bothering because nothing changes regardless if I’m super mean or the kindest soul on the planet.

[@micheller3251]

I recently saw a video about a woman encouraging everyone who needs to promote content to ditch social media and to make yourself a website instead and tbh, i think we need to go back to that. It would also discourage doomscrolling and you have a bit more control over adds showing up or not

[@bo-jf7nj]

where can i find this video?

[@lalaland2107]

@@bo-jf7njit’s called “I deleted all my social media and made a website” by lrnjulie Edit: it’s here on KZbin

[@NB-lx6gz]

I saw that video too.

[@NB-lx6gz]

I'll tell you I saw that vid, I'll write in the reply@@bo-jf7nj

[@NB-lx6gz]

@@bo-jf7nj Title is: I deleted all my social media and made a website Channel: lrnjulie

[@harriyanna]

this is very well done. everything (big) feels the same because it is the same, and it's frustrating because i understand why people do it (to eat and pay their bills), but also, this truly is a contribution to why art and creativity are forever suffering.

[@shirley444]

This criticism includes you as well.

[@llbearll]

@@shirley444i disagree. harriyanna has a specific niche regarding children's content, animation, disney, cosplay and conventions, etc..that she rarely deviates from. you won't see miss hooks posting about a stanley cup or sephora kids. every youtuber sadly must try their hardest to appease the algorithm but with harriyanna you can tell she is passionate about what she makes and is very involved in the topics she discusses. even by looking at her detailed thumbnails, they don't look like every other thumbnail on this app. she definitely brings a breath of authenticity to this platform.

[@yeeyeeyeeye]

I'm glad that this showed up in my recommendations because I have been feeling like this for a while, and I thought I was going crazy. I am doing a "deep clean" right now of sorts where I am unsubscribing from creators that I don't watch anymore, and I am hitting "do not recommend" on every "video essayist" channel that does TikTok or social media commentary. It's still a work in progress, but it's made me feel a lot lighter.

[@CrisOnTheInternet]

Suddenly feels like content creation is not a job with a lot of freedom, the pressure is huge.

[@Jessica-kw7nf]

This is so true! It’s sad that content creators can’t be unique anymore or they get so much hate/less views

[@CrisOnTheInternet]

@@Jessica-kw7nf I feel like watching videos of content creators who don't create for a living but as an outlet, you know like a hobby. They seem happier doing videos and don't take that many sponsorships.

[@lalaland2107]

I’m shocked it took people so long to realize KZbinrs were all making videos of the same things around the same time… It’s been going on for a while, and I’m specifically talking about the social commentary side. I used to be in the animation community on Twitter and a little bit on here but whenever there was drama or anything going on, people would NOT STFU about it, even making videos! Everyone was talking about the same ish and just not letting the negativity go! Annoyed me so much, it was one of the reasons I had to leave animation twitter.

[@Emelia39]

I’m trying to learn crochet and not suddenly I have all these “crochet and knit TikTok drama” videos and literally all I want to do is learn to make a cardigan 😭

[@katie8099]

We’re being pushed to create simulacra of not only ourselves but the topics we are allowed to talk about. Discussions about the consumption of Stanleys are not actually critiques of consumerism, they’re just regurgitations of the same video over and over again. Instead of anything that sheds light into the nature of society or cultural phenomena, we get surface level discussions about the same things 100 times over with no self awareness. I’m sick of it

[@ChillingTales12]

Thank god. Now back to life pre social media. Nothing lasts forever. We should be celebrating the world was better before social media

[@pinku4419]

Right even if we don't use ig there is youtube shorts.

[@LuznoLindo]

​@@LostSoulchild89 In time, social media will be a thing of the past. It's just a matter of when.

[@samanthaabreu782]

I liked youtube because we were able to LEARN something new, things that will add value to our lives, but nowadays people just react to tik tok or tell the "dark side" of everything, but in the end it's just opinion. KZbin became a place where people come to talk trash about other people, so is really hard to spend time here nowdays.

[@huyenle2k]

Yeah, even the nicest thing out there could still be exploited for the "dark side" or some influencers even claim it as "truth of..." I agree that many trends are literally toxic and need to be brought to light but it's getting more toxic and causing, at least myself, more mental stress of not daring to do or express anything anymore for fear of being attacked by some "influencers" or just social media users online. The ego and fear have never gotten more serious than nowadays. And I even thought this was a normal state for those going through a young-adult period.

[@Bonkersfish]

I liked your comment on the expectation of “building your brand”. I have been on a job hunt for honestly too long. On top of the issues of the job market right now, I worry that part of my failure to get hired is because I don’t have a large media presence. Like… I got a degree (STEM), great grades, past jobs, certifications, multiple languages etc etc etc. But I DONT have a large media presence for my safety! I’m a private person, and I think everyone should have the choice to do so :/

[@Bonkersfish]

Side note, I was talking to a friend the other day about how we want to start making videos on our childhood cameras. Like silly skits and “vlog” type videos just for us, not to post. I think it’ll be refreshing and fun, even if we’re the only ones enjoying it

[@SS-cu8se]

This is interesting. I’m 32, and this “build your brand” rhetoric was always there, especially LinkedIn back in the mid 2010s. I think this matters less with jobs that aren’t related to marketing, advertising, design etc. I would also apply to jobs in companies that are more traditional, as opposed to startups and advertising boutiques.

[@brittanys5969]

​@Bonkersfish You know what? I had this exact idea the other day. I want to make videos that I can enjoy!

[@solidsnake1806]

I hate that the video essay format has been co-opted by grifters who don't really have anything of substance to say, cause now everyone is formatting their videos that way, and as a person who watches actual informative video essays that are often 2h long I now get my rec page flooded with 20 minute long, drawn out to put as many ads as possible recycled takes on stanley cups and gen alpha's inability to read. I remember a year or two ago YT was very good at suggesting me new creators who talked about a variety of topics that were not widely covered and nowadays all I see is channels that all look the same and when you click on the video it starts with a 3 minute long plug of their instagram and tik tok, then its the sponsor, and they end up talking about the actual topic for maybe 10 minutes, saying nothing new. I subscribe to +100 channels and majority of them I discovered through YT's algorythm randomly putting a rec on my main. This hasn't happened in months at this point, if not close to a year.

[@venuslove-i1v]

The moment KZbin became a "career" for people was the moment KZbin changed. At one point KZbin was not a place to start a career on. People came here to make videos simply for fun and creativity. Sure, a career could come out of making videos, but the platform itself was not used for that by and large. And then KZbin turning it into that meant they had to conform to advertisements and investors.

[@JinMeowsoon]

What a coincidence, yesterday night I “cleaned” up my KZbin recommandations and unsubscribed and hit “don’t recommend” on *all* the social media commentary channel that pop up in my feed (including the content creator I liked, I knew they’d pop up back at some point in my feed). I had to do 4 rounds after refreshing because several channel/youtube kept being recommended. In a few weeks my history/science/rpdr feed has turned into 90% about Stanley cup and Sephora kids. Your video was the first thing I saw when I opened the app this morning.

[@nateclipps]

That entire situation is 100% overhyped and another way to fuel society’s underlying hate for pre-teen to teenaged girls. In (America atleast) we’re entering another phase of distraction/culture war. We’re moving away from whining about lgbt books & transgender people existing. Now all eyes are on the new “youth” gen alpha and younger gen z (06-09.) Get ready for the moral panic revolving around our youth to boil up even more esp since the election is coming soon!!

[@orangeNERD23]

I used to love the creator Keisha she’s British and in the thumbnail. She seemed to start just talking about whatever was trending on Tik Tok and it got so repetitive

[@shanel4294]

As a Brit I was hoping to enjoy her content more but I watched two videos and never returned

[@CoolCoolYams]

The trend of "quitting KZbin" videos last month was such a weird regurgitation of content.

[@wplants9793]

Thanks for talking about this. It is so true. I am older (41)and was a precocious neglected kid, babysat by MTV and Rolling Stones, starting at the age of seven in 1989. I was hyper vigilant so I was obsessed with absorbing cultural vibes and still do to some extent. I’m also a wee bit of an amateur history nut. This has led me to see without a doubt, cultural topics recycle themselves regularly. The talk about gender was around during emo time, metrosexual time, 80s alternative music and hairbands, the hippie era, it was even freaking around during the Victorian era when flappers started to emerge. A year ago there was this very on point quote about the ‘breakdown of gender norms’, and how ‘disturbing it is for young people and society’, and reading it, you’d think it would be from 2022, but it was honestly from 1920. Older generations have always criticized younger generations, and said they were terrible brats, again it happened to boomers, Gen X, millennials, Gen Z, and now it’s even happening to GEN alpha, even though they’re not coming of age. I used to work with kids and I read so many books about how modern parenting techniques are ruining children and how children can’t read and they’re too addicted to novelty/technology and leisure. Some of them going back to the late 1800s! Yes it’s all been done. But there is something frightening about how things come through TikTok, it’s like it’s flooding mass conciousness. It feels like a bigger deal than it is, thus it can lead to people wanting to talk about it. But still these topics are called “trending” when they really should be called “fadding”. That’s probably not a word but it should be. They are mass hysteria fads, not even trends. It is also annoying how I am not on TT but yet I still can’t escape it. It’s annoying how TT discourse is shaping YT discourse. My prediction is that TT becomes so demented that it feels as cringe as a 60 year old conspiracy theorist being on FB and people won’t want to be known to even be on there. But shorts will live on on other platforms with a more slower paced feel.

[@FrugalFamilyFliesAgain]

Yes! Thank you! A million people talking about the exact same thing!!

[@Emelia39]

It’s gotten to the point that not only do I know what said repetitive video essay will probably say, I also can almost always predict the exact top comments and how people will respond to them.

[@sansastark4040]

One of the best KZbinrs I just discovered is interlexual media who is a history content creator. Her videos are always fresh and bring awareness to those who really don’t know a lot about the past.

[@annabel_lleee]

As someone with a small business, it is SO exhausting feeling the pressure to make trending/viral content just to share my work. I wish it was as easy as just sharing what I've made and letting the work speak for itself instead of having to do all this performing for an algorithm. I've kind of just given up completely on trying to follow what's trending at the moment and trying to get back into feeling like sharing what I make is fun, without adding any unnecessary pressures.

[@unproductivebestie]

You just verbalized exactly how I feel as someone who posts content, especially from 13:00-13:49. I always feel like i have to post what is trending just to get decent views and the moment I deviate from that to post what I enjoy the algorithm is no longer supportive. I've just come to realization that its better for me to enjoy posting than to post to get the best views possible. All in all, whenever I post just to be on trend theres a lack of enjoyment I feel while filming and editing, or a sense of stress when I mainly do this for fun and to be a bit creative. It shouldn't be like that. Thanks for this video!

[@Amayzun1]

Hello! This is the first video of yours I've seen & I agree 100%. Everyone's videos are the same tight now. Stanley cup, kids in Sephora, 9 month cruise.... Like 🙄🙄🙄🙄. Thank you for calling it out!

[@LoveAndSnapple]

One of the things that I learned a long time ago that made a lot of sense was that the reason why people across different genres felt so burned out was because they are all labeling themselves the same thing: Content creators. But if everything is content where some people can put things out once or even twice a week then that means that projects that normally take much longer have to be produced in the exact same time. Music, clothing, ALL artwork, literal creations that take time and thought and honestly, some deep down spiritual and emotional offerings. These things just can’t be produced on a dime. The only reason why talkshows can be produced every day is because they are so many people who have a particular job to make it happen. All the host has to do was show up. But normal people are forcing themselves to learn and properly operate cameras, lights, makeup, editing, audio, animation, and MORE. If you are a musician, then create like a musician. If you create pottery then pour love into each piece as it’s being made by one person, not one that’s being mass produced.

[@himalayansalt32]

"if you are a musician create like a musician" it doesn't pay the bills, that's the fucking problem

[@LoveAndSnapple]

@@himalayansalt32 Content creation isn’t a concrete and guaranteed career path. If you want to slave away to the algorithm to make your material go viral then that’s the price you have to pay. But if you want to create something that means something to you, something that actually took time and doesn’t make money, then that’s just how it goes. Before you get accepted into the partner/affiliate program, none of these platforms owe you any money. If you want your music to make you any money, then you have to go get an ACTUAL job where they ARE obligated to pay you for your music.

[@himalayansalt32]

@@LoveAndSnapple then stop whining about artists not giving you the content you want "Actual job" my ass...

[@LoveAndSnapple]

@@himalayansalt32 When did I ever say that? And this was days ago, don’t be a loser and let it go, the moment’s passed.

[@LuznoLindo]

​@@himalayansalt32 I can tell you're a wonderful person to be around, what with your needless swearing and chiming in just to look down upon artists. You never even wrote anything relevant to the video itself.

[@isabellapantoja3890]

As someone getting her master's in communication right now, thank you so much for your videos!! They keep me tethered to the present day and bring me out of (often) outdated theory. Really eager to continue on hearing your thoughts about the state of social media and how it continuously develops

[@ll2323]

Being original or different is becoming shunned. We need to allow ourselves to unapologetically be ourselves. And have real convictions.

[@MelissaFreeman]

I definitely agree. SM has become a place where the main focus is $. Therefore it makes it less fun to be creative and make genuine connections with people.

[@uci1111]

not swell entertainment on the thumbnail 😂

[@tinysey]

Lol no shade intended

[@X3nophiliac]

well a fair amount of her content that isnt convention reviews is....pretty predictable

[@Nick_CF]

It's just a little bird shot 😊

[@Mary-td2zw]

@@X3nophiliacI used to sub bc there was a lot of stuff she covered that was new to me but I can’t tell if I’m online too much now or she’s just covering topics that have already been done to death on TikTok. I had never heard of Nugget After Dark before her video but now I don’t have the time for any more tweens in Sephora discourse. People are dying, Kim.

[@gandalfthegrey]

​@@Mary-td2zwBest comment.

[@loverrlee]

This has always been the problem with trends, honestly. People hop on a bandwagon, and everyone on the bandwagon takes off, and the people who are trying to do their own thing get left behind. It almost feels like people are trying to have a conversation, and if you try to change the “topic” of discussion, you’re seen as weird. Story of my life! I never cared for trends and always been the odd one for being “off topic.”

[@kemmymemmy]

THANK YOU. OH MY GOD, THANK YOU!!! I thought I was going CRAZY?!! Like, no creativity, same format, same topic in these video essays. It’s almost like a hive mind!! May I add, I also feel like this is the reason why social media addiction is even more harmful nowadays, because the content you’re watching is essentially the same mind-numbing thing. At least back then, there was more authentic, genuine, FUN content. Again, thank you so much for this video! I’m already a huge fan! ❤

[@EmL-kg5gn]

Thank you so much for this! It’s interesting to hear about this from someone who actually makes videos. I’m really happy I came across this because I thought I was in some kind of weird algorithm bubble that I’d accidentally made for myself and was starting to feel a little crazy. But it turns out other people are experiencing it too

[@vivipham6637]

This is me with the Taylor Swift discourse especially after the Grammys night because do we really care and do we need to care so much about extremely famous and rich people who are in no way and will never be relatable to our lives? I struggle with articulating my opinion but nowadays I find that a good thing online because looking back at many paragraphs I typed out and deleted it was often never that serious and we all stopped caring 2 days later

[@FullyLovingYourself]

❤ I finally got monetized on KZbin and decided I wanted to do what I wanted. I got tired of trying to please the algorithm, chasing trends and not feeling fulfilled in my content because I was obsessed with growth. I deleted my social media (except KZbin) so I don’t have to be peer pressured into posting things for money. This was a great video! Very good insights you articulated your thoughts very clearly. I noticed that content creators are losing their minds over the algorithm shifts and that seems exhausting. So I went back to my fulltime job instead of chasing this idea of being a fulltime creator.

[@kazoo6953]

ive gotten to a point where i exclusively use youtube for very niche interests or for education. i miss being able to find simply entertaining videos (that arent based on spending x amount of money). i have noticed that the old vibes of youtube are more present in podcasts now which is interesting. in 2019 everyone was complaining about reaction based content but id rather watch pewdiepie reacting to a silly subreddit rather than watch a badly made video essay on an extremely vague subject.

[@Halliebery]

Absolutely loved this video!!! Along with every video you make. I have been feeling the pull to just get off social media, and have limited my screen time to 8 minutes a day. I used to spend 6 hours scrolling away my life. Like you said, these algorithms are designed to see how much they can keep you on the app, wasting time. I’m happy I woke up. None of the metrics matter and we have a ANTI-social media epidemic of people placing their value on the metrics. A search for identity that is truly never found in that worm hole. Thank you for making this.

[@Ju5tBU]

Oh well done to you! I just thought is my alrogrythm but looks like it’s for everyone and there isn’t anything interesting any more

[@SilentTrip]

THANK YOU, finally someone notices how BORING youtubers are becoming I wish they would talk about anything but "trends" like oh my god how bORING talk about book, food, a game, ANYTHING! TOUCH GRASS

[@10deouros]

This video encouraged me to uninstall the KZbin app. I often listen to videos when doing chores - especially because my favorite podcast has been on hiatus for a while now. I’m probably better off listening to audiobooks from my public library instead. More originality and creativityz

[@himenyx153]

And they’re free without ads!! Plus the more we use our library’s resources, the more it benefits the library.

[@indiebish7045]

def encourage you to do this. I only use youtube on my computer and I'm a lot more productive/don't go down the rabbit hole of the same exact topics over and over.

[@Crabernacker]

Like did we really need 20 think pieces on sephora kids?

[@2cat4life]

especially since its such a non issue. oh no people are in a store.... fork spotted in kitchen

[@joemanojlovic]

Authenticity and creativity is going to win now

[@gobsx3]

It's just very frustrated how we're forced to become content creators, wether we are actually making content or not. I've become skeptical and very wary of most viral things I see on social media. Everything is just so calculated, so much copywriting, so much "storytelling", rage baiting, and it's getting more exhausting by the day. Also I hate the fact I spend hours creating and planning content that Meta could wipe away if so they wish. I'm considering having a blog again and getting back to long-form concent like the good old days.

[@ZombieOwl12]

It's really interesting that the lack of critical thinking I encounter more these days mirrors this "blandness"/"sameness" of social media. I also wonder how much is needing to be seen and heard vs needing stability and predictable comfort. Could be unrelated, but it definitely gets my mind pondering

[@thetorontogirl]

Wow, NigaHiga... haven't heard that name in like forever 😂 I'm going back to reading books. My sister bought me Britney Spears' book almost two weeks ago and I zipped through that thing in like three days. I MISS READING! Reading good books that just have a grasp on you, makig you turn page after page. I never felt as free with anything else as when I'm totally immersed in a book. It makes me feel like a kid again and it's about finding books that interest me. I'm gonna get my four year old daughter a library card soon so we can explore the world of reading rather than endless crap on apps like YT and watching shows and movies. Summer's coming and I want her to explore the world as I did when I was a child.

[@yanstein8464]

watching a few videos about people complaining about things online and then getting recommended a video complaining about other people i just watched is my "goddamn it, i need to log off" moment

[@jamiec8]

I have recently deleted tiktok because it was just getting so boring. I would go on there to have a laugh but recently it has just been people talking about the same topics or promoting tiktok shop over and over again. Not to mention how almost all the music got removed which is making it worse. The trends used to be fun and creative but now its just videos of people talking.

[@RedDrowned]

We ought to train our algorithms to push non-sensationalised content to us. I love philosophical video essays or analytical video essays which focus on books, movies or art... cos then I actually learn something new. Also kinda controversial but I love some news channels like DW which started putting out youtube content, cos it's actually educational.

[@Flowergirl222]

As an anthropologist, I have been thinking a lot about this. I have hated and been suspicious of IG from day one and never really got into it because I could see how manipulative it was and that they artificially boost views to hook people into continuing to create content. I have two brands and refuse to put them on socials even though I am told how detrimental it will be to my business. I think a huge part of the issue lately is how EVERYONE is a brand now and EVERYONE is a super insightful, special influencer with soooo much to offer (I say this sarcastically).😳🙄With so many people creating all this content now, nothing has a chance to stand out anymore. It is absurdly narcissistic and weird. I can’t fathom why anyone would voluntarily turn themselves into a brand when having an ACTUAL brand is hard enough as is. I hate seeing reels or shorts even when it is content I would generally like because it’s all so repetitive, mediocre, and boring at this point, even when technically it is highly produced and beautiful. I’m over it.

[@nae5692]

I feel that; its exhausting to flip through media, everyone is exactly the same no deviations. Same clothes, makeup, outfit, books, goals. Are we really unique anymore?

[@LuGahDayum]

I love watching video essays but lately it’s all the same? It’s kinda sad ngl. Also Videos that are basically just reactions get much more attention than the actual creative video which is SO sad. I want to see ppl express themselves & share what they love more again. I want creativity/authenticity; not just the same stuff over and over again Like I just upload stuff containing my passion for Cosplay and Kpop. Does it get views? Not at all. But it’s fun and I’m not here to be a content farm. I think ppl have gotten too obsessed with the idea of becoming a public figure so that they result in pumping out as much and as frequent with the most ,,controversial“ topics possible. It’s sad to see that a platform for self expression became like this

[@aliameagan7240]

I have a larger Instagram account. Honestly, after a while you get tired of constantly being taken out of context/canceled for things. It’s gets old so then to avoid it you basically have to be bland. It sucks but that’s it. A lot of people don’t understand nuance, context, or sarcasm.

[@aliameagan7240]

My favorite memory was being taken out of context as a cruel person the day after we raised 7k for Koalas after the wild fires a few years ago. Like?

[@skypinkidol]

THIS!! I have been struggling with this because I’ve always been a creative person but I don’t want to compromise who I am in order to grow a following because algorithms are pushing content that plays by the rules. Thank you for sharing this in such an elegant way

[@Jane-ow7sr]

The only digital medium that isnt tiring is videogames because they're forced to try and be unique. But even though majority of entertainment and social media is so bland.

[@neanderthal4394]

Looking through the comments of this video, I think its safe to say that everyone is being fed the same content and nobody is happy about it. Everyone is becoming video essayists or commentary channels and its repetitive and boring... But yeah, its because its what pays the bills and makes the money therefore it'll only be as something to just consume rather than to actually enjoy because no one is being creative about cause they don't have the time. Honestly I think people should just treat youtube as a fun thing rather than a literal job, and don't get me wrong there's people who can pull it off, and it does take dedication and work to a point where it can feel like a job. But its SOCAIL media a place to be SOCIAL and have FUNN

[@10deouros]

Honestly… I only notice this in English language social media. I’m from Brazil and I live in the US, and I noticed that most American/English speaking creators I see on my feed are talking about the same things, which is usually TikTok commentary. The Brazilian creators I follow tend to be way more creative.

[@agentzapdos4960]

There are around half a billion people in the world who can't read or speak any language other than English, so this experience will never be a thing for them.

[@Adina5150]

Same, i noticed this aswell with the languages i speak and the people who post from those countries.. social media i find is super oversaturated with americans especially what is pushed. Otherwise other countries these things are not their trends or topics. Its also to consider a lot of countries also have their own personal platforms that are more trendy or even more for older people. Theres so many random platforms ive utilized over the years to get original content or access content that is hard to come by within canada and the usa. I also like the difference of how a lot of those platforms or websites feel since i discovered them over the years going back from 2013 or so.

[@iwillnotusethegothfont9312]

i don’t know how true this is. i speak english, french and spanish and you’ll see these same kinds of videos in all languages. i’ve watched three video essays on steve jobs and apple in all of those languages, and the thumbnail, title, editing, pacing and narration were all almost identical, merely translated. i think it’s more of a distinction between large, monetized creators and smaller creators who post for fun. but maybe you’re right and brazilian youtube is just different from english french and spanish lol

[@10deouros]

@@iwillnotusethegothfont9312 uhmmm… Yeah, I was talking from my own perspective. Trends still exist in Brazil and things go viral, but I don’t see many creators publishing long video essays about the same topics with the same takes like I see with English speakers. And by English speakers I mean I follow creators from the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. They’re always talking about the same thing nowadays and it’s freaking boring. I would also point out that the current hot topics on EN KZbin are completely irrelevant to Brazilian culture and context, but even if you look at the stories that do go viral in Brazil, it is rare that more than half a dozen creators will long video-essays about it. And even if they do, most creators have extremely unique ways of addressing a viral topic, with different formats, opinions, points of view... The “sit down, voiceover, video essay” kind of content is not that popular in Brazil, except when it’s a true crime video/channel.

[@_KrystalAlexis]

I miss when Instagram was just photos.

[@worldwidefunnyguy]

this is why you gotta find your niche. i have a couple youtubers that i LOVE watching (that aren’t commentary or video essays), it’s just for fun.

[@shyanneishot]

ive had a youtube account since 2008 (lol) and its my main form of viewing content - the past few months i have found it harder and harder to find something to watch def the end as we knew it

[@ozzie3126]

I noticed that too 😩 And I hate what social media has become… Agree 100%

[@shan1959]

When I started my fb page in 2004, i never thought i would see social media become so negative. Clout chasing and these relationship gurus are becoming redundant. Im going back to reading books and magazines. Its healthier for ya!

[@RebeccaBalcom-p1n]

We really need to talk about how these millions of posts a day take up physical space in data centers and are using up MASS amounts of real life resources. We are talking a nations worth of electricity at all times.

[@itsaryleething]

as a current college student, i am struggling with the idea of a digital personal brand. i believe that how you present yourself in the real world is important, but now we are all expected to have linkden, Instagram, X, etc. to stay relevant in the job market. having these platforms and keeping them up to date gives you a competitive advantage these days. i quit social media almost entirely about a year ago, and it was one of the best things ive ever done. now, i don't know if it will hurt me in the long run. does anyone have some advice/a different perspective on this topic?

[@nateclipps]

The concept of a personal brand is already popular in a lot of Asian countries like China & Korea.

[@saige2975]

i used to have so much variety in the commentary and video essays i would get on my homepage now this stanley cup and sephora kids thing has been dragging on for like 4 weeks and ill watch the other ones sometimes bc theres NOTHING else and its always the same 3 points 😭😭 i used to get a bunch of different videos even if it was commentary it wasnt the same 3 topics over and over again a month after it initially happened like its just beating a dead horse bc some videos are coming out a few weeks later so it isn’t as relevant

[@iwillnotusethegothfont9312]

i’ve started clicking on the weird random videos i get recommended that have ominous titles, no custom thumbnail and like 30 views and that’s been really entertaining. i’ve honestly found some new favorites that way. just regular people talking about anything

[@saige2975]

@@iwillnotusethegothfont9312 i have too!! but my veteran favs always hit the niche topics i like to hear about and with long long videos im still looking for other people who are doing similar things

[@karacoconutag]

Yeah, I recently permanently deleted my social media accounts- all but KZbin, and it's made a seriously positive impact on my entire life. So imagine my disdain when my employer began encouraging me to build a personal brand on linkedin. Like, I just walked away from all that and I'm better for it, no thank you. Will it impact my future career maybe. But it's not worth the negatives to me.

[@Lolaaloves123]

Thank you for this video! I Think KZbin won't die, but something will have to change. I personally feel extremely fed up with how things are, considering I work in marketing and social media is no longer fun for me, but is used to. I am a millennial, so I was there where KZbin first popular creators rise up to fame and maaan those were good times. First make up tutorials, you felt so connected to the creators, they felt like a friend from a different country. Now even for personal use, you have to curate everything, there is huge pressure to treat yourself like a "product". With that being said social media gives great benefits but it's a double edge sword. I am getting off topic though😁 My point is that I don't thing KZbin will die, creators will change and the algorithm. A few years ago with the first wave of KZbin creators quitting KZbin was dead for a while, but it didn't last long and I like how advanced some content is right now. You can learn so much from other people about literally any topic. I have seen one video, I don't remember who made it but the point was that with society changing from labor to creators. What we have on social media is a reflection of our society, 2009 KZbin was Wild West 😁 2013 KZbin was luxury, drag makeup, drama, nowadays there is a lot of "woke" and commentary content due to recession and political correctness. So I'm curious to see what's next, despite of being depressed with consumerism and overstimulation.

[@AWholeVibe96]

This is why I’ve been thinking heavily about creating content about my life as a restaurant manager. It’s a less chosen path that isn’t “awarded” like many other careers. I truly believe it would be a different type of content.

[@Otakuu_25]

So people now woke up to now just realize that social media was like this,ridiculous it’s always been like that..despite how the world is changing so much and now one or nothing is going to change.

[@dominicclark3774]

We’ve seen EVERYTHING, aside from people being honest and doing what the say they’re gonna go, and being willing to be wrong in a discussion

[@qualifiedarmchaircritic]

People really need to think "what can I truly add to the discussion here?" It's ok not to have something new to add to everthing. Diaries need to be a thing again; if you just wish to try out ideas and topics, make a private diary. There's no value in saying stuff just for the sake of saying stuff, and that's fine.

[@cat_enjoyer420]

i love this so bad, i've been thinking the same. watching this and reading the comments, i'm glad i'm not the only one.

[@trianglesandsquares420]

"Let's get rid of anybody with any originality" "Oh no, it's bland"

[@Julianna78]

personally, I ONLY follow people who are authentic. this is a non negotiable for me. I can always tell when people are not .

[@GregtheGrey6969]

One less to follow. Few want authentic posts. They want fast memes. Forget truth...folks HATE that stuff. Even awakened folks hate real truth.

[@Riu-bw4bl]

I do think its cool people can make a living off KZbin now but this was my mindset of why I don’t think its good for the videos or platform itself, it breads in-creativity/diversity in content. People want to hop on to what everyone else is doing so they can rake in the most cash and now we all get the same boring few content. Its a shame.

[@999satyam]

For me I used to have social media back in school when it was a new thing - a novelty. But I don't have a public social media account nowadays. I mostly just use messaging apps like whatsapp or telegram or discord. Other than that, I just use Twitter & Reddit to follow artists or my interests. I don't post. Maybe I should start building a new account now.

[@haileybclean]

I agree. My algorithm has been very repetitive and it’s annoying. If they’re interested in talking about the same topic, I wish some would branch out and make the video at least entertaining or funny. I’m tired of video essays and biased reviews.

[@Sayali312]

This is how I’ve been feeling for a while. Social media has been becoming boring

[@mynameisreallycool1]

If I see one more video essay in my homepage complaining about kids' Stanley cups, 10 year olds at Sephora, or gen alpha apparently being the new "worst generation ever" who apparently all "can't read", I'm gonna scream. Complaining about gen alpha and saying the same stuff thousands of other KZbinrs have been saying is not going to fix the alleged problems, but rather give people more reasons to discrimination against young people all while these problems continue, and most of these KZbinrs know this. Please, lets move on and leave these poor kids alone. KZbinrs need to stop bullying kids and disguising it as "spreading awareness" just because they know the video will go viral. They don't care. They just know that regardless of how big of an issue it actually is, they know that viewers eat it up whenever they see videos making fun of the generations after them, implying that their own generation is superior. There is nothing to gain but anger and frustration. There's no point. I get that they need views, but at what cost? They could at least partake in a different trending topic that isn't ageist towards people who are too young to have a voice or be taken seriously.

[@derpwadder]

Now watch all the KZbinrs start making a video about how everyone is talking about the same thing and no one stands out 😭

[@jamesl3058]

OMG 13:02...if I see one more video about the lack of third places lmaoo

[@cherryboo043]

Ironically, I’m pretty sure my algorithm got me here to you, but I liked the video. I agree tho. I’ve been staying off social media such as Instagram and Twitter bc it’s all the same and nothing but “influencers”. Funny your example was an accountant bc that’s actually what my degree is in and I have zero desire to be an “influencer”. I hope you’re right and we start to move away from this type of culture back to something more authentic and original. I like having video suggestions in my interests, but offering up a “discover” section in KZbin or something giving new topics might help.

[@angelycaviolet]

If it is not the Stanley Cups then it is the Sephora kids. No one is talking about fun, niche shit!

[@ChadAV69]

Nothing is organic anymore. This is due to money being the main incentive for content to be made. I hate the term "content" but it's a general term so I'll use it. Even small youtubers just make videos based around whatever is currently talking about. A new movie, a new topic in the news, some bullshit youtuber drama, etc. No one is making these videos because they are passionate about the topic, they're making it to get views and therefore money.

[@chloechristinetube]

Going to say something similar to what I said on Cara Nicole’s video about water bottle culture: I stopped watching videos about Stanley cups and ‘Sephora kids’ - not just because EVERYONE was talking about them and the topics got tedious - but because a lot of them (particularly on TikTok) were just mean-spirited rants. (On a side note I’m glad I chose to watch Cara’s video on water bottles because she offered some insight into history, marketing, consumer behaviour etc instead of just being like ‘these kids are awful’)

[@srirachaaaa]

I would say though within the few weeks ive watched and been suggested wayyy more small creators than i had been in the last few years. Much more visibility for small creators, specifically blog style ones.

[@ssceneryy]

Glad you brought up the personal brand awareness, ppl should definitely do it then making useless content and entertaining content. A great youtuber I recommend that is helpful is Dan Koe his whole youtube shows and tells you why you being the brand, product, offer, idea, etc would be beneficial for you, love this vid💕✨

[@wamyy5]

Yes I like Dan Koe too!

[@badbettybooks4001]

Great video! I stopped watching book reviews on KZbin (ironic, since I have a book review channel). Everyone is reviewing the same 5 books, and there seems to be prescribed opinions you have to have. The "hot takes" are just 1) disliking a book others like or 2) liking a book others dislike. Add to that the consumerism- you need to have the aesthetic bookshelves and own all the books and keep up with this month's hot book. And forget reviewing a book that is over a couple years old unless it is a classic or a staple in the genre. It is all so odd too, since in real life my book clubs and friends all read such a diverse selection of books. I am really not sure how book reviews online devolved into an incredibly uninspiring space.