Creators vs. Consumers

As we enter 2021, much of the world still spends most of the time at home. Lockdown measures, stay at home orders, and other pandemic related regulations push most people to remain in their houses and apartments, often cooped up on their devices, living their lives online. Even in the few countries where most of the pandemic measures are voluntary, such as Sweden where I have spent almost half a year in, the fear of the virus and encouragement by authorities have led people to go out less often and stay at home.

All this time spent at home has led to an upsurge on time spent online. People are living their lives on social media more than ever. Meetings are held over Zoom, and people are able to work from the comfort of home. Since socializing in the real world has been curtailed, the population has moved their lives even more on to the internet. And because our experience so far has shown how possible it is for society to function like this, it is likely that even after things return to normal the typical person will still spend a significant amount of time online.

As we are ever moving towards a world where we spend ever more time in front of our computers, smartphones, and other devices, it becomes apparent that there are two types of people in this new digital age: creators and consumers.

In this new digital age of ours, content is king. Content is what grabs our attention and takes up our time. Content draws in audiences, forms powerful social movements, creates cults and fanbases. Content can spread ideas, it can educate, inspire, and motivate, but it can also corrupt, demoralize, and misuse the viewer’s time.

It is the content creator who creates and owns all this content that people spend so much time consuming. The creator can make content to achieve a specific purpose, to get people to vote a certain way, to attract customers for a product or course, etc. The creator can also monetize his content by allowing advertisements or participating in affiliate marketing. Platforms such as Medium and TikTok, for example, also pay creators for producing popular content. Thus, the creator is the one with the power, he can use his content to accomplish what he has in mind, and he can make money from the content he produces.

Consumers are the audience for all this content. They give away their time, and in exchange the content they consume has the potential to educate, inspire, and motivate them.

However, only a minority of the content out in the internet achieve these productive purposes. A lot of content online is utterly meaningless. A significant amount of social media content is of a sexual nature, taking advantage of people’s primal responses and wasting their time and sexual energy. Other content are not only time wasters, but also have a corrupting influence. Content that promote unhealthy behaviors, such as use of drugs, excessive drinking, laziness, and childishness, have a detrimental effect on the viewer.

I will write another article about the impact the content we consume can have on us, but my main message is this: creators steer the narrative and make money along the way, while consumers receive this content that may or may not be beneficial to them.

When I say there are two types of people in this new digital age, creators and consumers, I do not mean that these groups are mutually exclusive. In fact, probably all creators are also consumers, i.e. they also view the content of others, but most consumers are not creators on any meaningful level.

Creators are the small minority that benefit most out of our social media age. Not only do they benefit monetarily, but their content also gives them the social influence to achieve other goals they may have as well. That is why I advise my readers to become creators. Do not be mere consumers, but lay your mark on the world with the content you create and enjoy the benefits that may come your way.

Of course, one of the reasons consumers greatly outnumber creators is that many people believe they do not have much to express to the world. I’m not going to lie and say everyone has something positive to offer, but if you’re reading and watching my content and are on the path of self-improvement, achievement, and self-actualization, then you likely do have ideas that will benefit others if you have the courage to share it. In fact, if you are on this path, then you must become a creator because it will lead you to make a bigger impact, gain more influence for yourself, and see your true potential.

If you’re new to this path and need time to develop your beliefs and ideas, then I suggest you be mindful of what kind of content you consume. As I said before, creators are also consumers, and what we consume influences who we become and what we create. Consume content that gives you real value, whether that is valuable information, motivation, or inspiration. Avoid content that waste your time and/or are just toxic influences.

Social media and the internet has become ubiquitous in modern life. Content is king in this new digital age, and if you want to derive the most benefits out of this and to actualize your potential, then be a content creator.