The Creator Inside Is Calling You
The new reality of our world and why it inspired the creator inside me.
If you have subscribed to my newsletter, first of all; I can’t be more grateful. Secondly; apologies that I couldn’t continue my newsletter for a good while. Don’t want to rant about all the excuses; but I’ll quickly say that I sort of went into this hibernation mode which included working on my own startup (which I am still doing). I could never structure my time to spend time consistently on this newsletter. However, I now sort of have some clarity and a shiny new name, which is why I want to continue. This post explains in part the reason for me to continue.
The Instagram Generational Shift
A generational shift has happened; one can call it the `The Instagram Shift`. What I mean by that is Instagram (and by extension YouTube, Snapchat etc) has bought this “always-on” sort of digital identity. It basically means that the default way of representing your identity is increasingly becoming digital first. One can see an entire generation embracing this. Spending a good amount of time online, sharing/creating content around super niche domains, meme culture; all of this is the new normal. I personally, for a very long time was not able to adjust to this new reality (I kind of felt cringed about it). I was the laggard, in this case and there were variety of reasons for it (some of them still justifiable). But true believer or not, I am definitely fascinated by this reality and the weirdness of it. Actually, what’s more fascinating is the trickle down effect to almost every other domain be it business, finance, government etc. A digital presence and more importantly, the activity, is considered a source of credibility and no one wants to lag behind.
Authentic Niches
The most positive thing about this new normal is that it opens up door for niche subjects to shine forward and find its audience. It was a while back that Kevin Kelly wrote 1000 True Fans but its still very relevant today.
If you lived in any of the 2 million small towns on Earth you might be the only one in your town to crave death metal music, or get turned on by whispering, or want a left-handed fishing reel. Before the web you’d never be able to satisfy that desire. You’d be alone in your fascination. But now satisfaction is only one click away.
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the big corporations, the intermediates, the commercial producers, are all under-equipped and ill suited to connect with these thousand true fans. They are institutionally unable to find and deliver niche audiences and consumers. That means the long tail is wide open to you, the creator. You’ll have your one-in-a-million true fans to yourself.
The long tail of the Internet has continued to grow. And it has been possible by the distribution of authentic content made easy by a combination of channels like the website, blog, videos, social platforms, AI first networks etc. Over time the quantity and quality of content has both improved significantly. And this long tail is increasing becoming thick as we step into the future.
Skills Don’t Matter (Much)
AI is reshaping the landscape of content creation. As noted in Wired, it is democratizing creativity by enabling individuals to produce high-quality content with minimal effort. AI music composition tools like Amper Music and AIVA are empowering musicians to compose original tracks without extensive musical training. Similarly, writing assistants like Grammarly and Copysmith leverage AI to enhance the quality of written content, reducing the need for advanced writing skills. AI-driven platforms like Runway ML enable artists to create stunning visual effects and animations with ease. These tools are leveling the playing field, allowing creators from diverse backgrounds to share their talents and perspectives. The future of creativity is one where anyone with a spark of inspiration can become a creator.
Fake Vs Real. Does it matter?
A common argument is what’s fake and what’s real. A counter argument is, does it matter?
What if I told you that the previous paragraph wasn’t written by me. Would you have any way to discern what is what ? What If I instead I told you its a mix of both. It becomes more difficult now. I would find it difficult myself, if I come back to it after a fortnight. The line between what’s real and what’s not, is blurring every day. And to some level, I think it is not that bad. In the end, words are just a way of communicating what’s in your head. If you are able to use a tool intelligently to articulate; what’s the harm ? (By the way; in a way, its also not fair that English is the de-facto language). What is more important though, is that, if the idea or the perspective is original. That sort of is the benchmark that will never change and there will be people who would use AI intelligently to make their point. We will still probably have a lot of mediocre content though because AI like most technologies is a double edged sword; it gives us a promise and its peril.
So, realising all of that; I concluded, why not?. I like writing and maybe I can use these tools intelligently to convey my point in a far better way. As far as my originality goes; that is still non negotiable and I hope it shines through.