Why Are So Many People Quitting YouTube?
Summary
TLDRThe video script discusses the phenomenon of YouTubers retiring from their channels, citing common reasons such as work-life imbalance, loss of joy and creativity, and the feeling of alienation. It delves into the challenges of maintaining content quality under the pressure of capitalist demands and the platform's algorithm, reflecting on the broader implications for creators and the nature of work in the digital age.
Takeaways
- đ The creator expresses a deep sense of burnout and dissatisfaction with the constant demands of content creation, leading to the decision to retire or take a break from YouTube.
- đ The script discusses the common reasons behind many creators' goodbyes to YouTube, including work-life imbalance, loss of joy and creativity, and feelings of alienation.
- đŒ The struggle to maintain a work-life balance is highlighted, with creators often finding themselves working around the clock, even during what should be personal or leisure time.
- đ The unpredictability of YouTube as a career is emphasized, where hard work does not always equate to financial reward, leading to stress and uncertainty.
- đ The constant availability of work through the internet and the pressure to adhere to upload schedules are identified as significant contributors to the erosion of personal boundaries.
- đš A loss of creativity is lamented, as the business side of YouTube content creation takes precedence over the joy of making videos, leading to a sense of unfulfillment.
- đ The script touches on the concept of 'inhi-bation' or platform decay, where online platforms evolve to prioritize revenue over user satisfaction, stifling creativity and leading to homogenization of content.
- đ€ The impact of capitalism on creativity is critiqued, with the pressure to monetize and conform to algorithms overshadowing the original artistic intent of many YouTubers.
- đ„ Alienation is a key theme, with creators feeling isolated despite their online presence, as they grapple with the impersonal nature of internet fame and the lack of genuine connection with their audience.
- đ The script suggests that many creators are not quitting creativity altogether but are seeking new outlets that allow them to express themselves without the pressures of full-time YouTube.
- đ The potential for creators to shift focus from commenting on others' intellectual property to creating their own original content is presented as a positive outcome of stepping back from traditional YouTube obligations.
Q & A
Why did the speaker decide to retire from their YouTube channel?
-The speaker decided to retire because they no longer wanted to do the work, they felt a loss of joy and creativity, and they were struggling with work-life balance, constantly feeling stressed and always at work.
What common factors did the speaker notice in the goodbye videos of other creators?
-The common factors mentioned by creators in their goodbye videos include work-life balance issues, a loss of joy and creativity, and some form of alienation.
How does the speaker describe the impact of capitalism on the problems faced by content creators?
-The speaker suggests that while capitalism isn't the sole cause, it exacerbates the problems by creating a constant pressure to work and earn money, which can make it difficult to achieve a decent work-life balance.
What does the speaker mean by 'YouTube as a career your input doesn't necessarily equal your output'?
-This means that on YouTube, the amount of work you put into a video does not guarantee financial reward or success. You could invest a lot in a video and earn less than a video you put less effort into.
Why is achieving a work-life balance difficult for YouTubers?
-Achieving a work-life balance is difficult for YouTubers because they are constantly worried about producing content to feed the algorithm, and their work is always accessible, making it hard to switch off and relax.
What is the concept of 'inhiification' as described by the speaker?
-Inhiification, or platform decay, refers to the tendency of online platforms to exploit their users and business customers to maximize revenue, eventually leading to the platform's decline as it becomes less user-friendly and more focused on profit.
How does the speaker feel about the trend of content becoming more homogenized on YouTube?
-The speaker is disheartened by the trend of homogenization, as it stifles creativity and forces creators to produce content that maximizes retention and adheres to certain metrics, rather than being unique and artistic.
What is the speaker's view on the alienation that YouTubers face?
-The speaker feels that alienation is a significant issue for YouTubers, as they often feel alone despite having a large audience, and the pressure of being constantly on display can be stressful and isolating.
How does the speaker plan to move forward with their creative endeavors?
-The speaker plans to continue creating content but is stepping back from the full-time grind of YouTube. They are focusing on other outlets like a second channel and a podcast, and are looking to create their own intellectual property.
What is the speaker's perspective on the role of YouTube in the larger context of work, art, and life?
-The speaker sees YouTube as part of a larger narrative about the challenges of work and creativity in the digital age, where the platform has merged with the film industry and is subject to similar issues of labor conditions, income instability, and the impact of technology on content creation.
Outlines
đ The End of an Era: Work-Life Balance and Creativity
The speaker announces their decision to retire from their YouTube channel, citing a loss of joy and creativity, and a desire for a better work-life balance. They reflect on the common reasons behind other creators' goodbyes, such as the constant stress of work and the impact of capitalism on exacerbating these issues. The speaker emphasizes the struggle to maintain a balance between the dream job and the reality of it becoming an all-consuming, stressful endeavor, and how the pressure to constantly produce content can lead to burnout.
đ± The All-Consuming Nature of YouTube and Capitalism's Role
This paragraph delves into the challenges of maintaining a work-life balance as a YouTuber, where the platform is always accessible, and the pressure to adhere to a strict upload schedule is immense. The speaker discusses the unpredictability of YouTube as a career, where effort does not always equate to financial reward, and how this uncertainty can be draining. The paragraph also touches on the broader issue of capitalism, where the need to work or face starvation is a harsh reality, and how this system affects not only traditional jobs but also the creative freedom on platforms like YouTube.
đš The Struggle for Creativity in the Age of Profit Motive
The speaker expresses a deep longing for creativity that has been overshadowed by the business side of YouTube. They use the analogy of a contractor to illustrate the transition from enjoying the creative process to dreading the work due to its necessity for survival. The paragraph discusses the homogenization of content under capitalism, where the profit motive leads to a saturation of similar content aimed at maximizing viewer retention and ad revenue, leaving little room for genuine artistic expression. The speaker also introduces the concept of 'inhiification,' describing how online platforms evolve from user-focused to business-focused, ultimately leading to their decline.
đ€ The Alienation of YouTube Stardom and the Future of Content Creation
In this paragraph, the speaker talks about the loneliness and alienation that comes with being a YouTuber, where one's work is constantly under public scrutiny, and the creator is isolated from the audience. They discuss the transition of YouTube from a platform for amateur content to a professionalized industry, similar to Hollywood, with its own set of labor issues. The speaker also hints at their own future, suggesting that they are not quitting but rather evolving, as they plan to focus on creating their own intellectual property and continue to contribute to their niche through different channels and formats.
đ The Changing Landscape of YouTube and the Importance of Message Over Metrics
The final paragraph reflects on the broader implications of YouTubers retiring and the state of the platform. The speaker acknowledges the challenges faced by smaller channels without the financial security or fame to transition to other endeavors. They emphasize the importance of the message and the impact on viewers, rather than just focusing on views and revenue. The speaker also touches on the convergence of YouTube with the film industry and the labor issues that come with it, suggesting that the retirement of YouTubers is part of a larger narrative about work, art, and life in the digital age.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄRetirement
đĄWork-life balance
đĄCreativity
đĄAlienation
đĄCapitalism
đĄAlgorithm
đĄHomogenization
đĄInchiification
đĄDemonetization
đĄIdeological content
đĄAI content farms
Highlights
Creator's decision to retire from YouTube, citing a need for a break and a change.
Mention of the common reasons behind YouTubers' goodbyes: work-life balance, loss of joy and creativity, and feelings of alienation.
The struggle with maintaining work-life balance when work is always accessible and the pressure to constantly produce content.
The financial instability and unpredictability of YouTube as a career, where effort does not always equate to income.
The historical context of work-life balance and the modern challenges faced by individuals, including YouTubers.
The impact of capitalism on exacerbating work-life balance issues and the pressure to work more for less financial gain.
The alienation felt by content creators as they become increasingly disconnected from their work and audience.
The loss of creativity as YouTube channels grow and the need to focus on business logistics over creative fulfillment.
The concept of 'inhiification' or platform decay, where online platforms become more exploitative over time.
The shift in YouTube's platform from a space for user-generated content to a corporate-driven revenue maximization model.
The challenge of maintaining authenticity and creativity in a platform that prioritizes algorithmic performance over artistic value.
The loneliness and pressure of being a YouTuber, where one's work and identity are constantly on display and subject to public scrutiny.
The transition of many YouTubers to other creative outlets as they step away from the pressures of full-time YouTube content creation.
The ethical dilemma faced by creators who aim to make ideological content, balancing financial stability with the desire to spread meaningful messages.
The broader implications of YouTubers retiring, reflecting a larger narrative about work, art, and life in the digital age.
The merging of YouTube with the film industry, creating a new landscape where professional content creation is becoming the norm.
The creator's personal reflection on their journey and the potential for future changes in their content and career direction.
Transcripts
a couple of months ago I made the
decision to quit retire reti I'm taking
a break not clickbait things are
changing I am bringing them to an end if
I'm honest with you guys don't want to
do this anymore now it's time to take a
breather I'll be handing off the
channels full-time filmmaker has been
acquired this era of polyphonic is over
it is the correct decision and it's time
to move
on in the last few months and especially
since the new year each of these
channels has posted some form of goodbye
video it's been really interesting to
see and I just want to take a few
minutes to talk about it I'll be using
clips from some of them throughout the
episode so make sure to show your
support by watching on their channels as
well I've left links in the description
what I and a lot of others have noticed
about these goodbyes is they all have a
lot in common there are a handful of
factors that each of these creators
mention work life balance a loss of joy
and creativity and though they might not
use the word each of them mentioned some
aspect of alienation I'm not going to
say oh it's all capitalism because there
is more to it than that but it does make
a lot of these problems worse as you'll
see in a bit anyway I think let's start
with work life balance take a listen for
as much as I love you and I love
overthinking things and I love
theorizing I don't love late nights I
don't love the fact that Steph and I
have been work first for over a decade
where I'm sitting down and dinner with
my best friend and we're talking about
business Logistics if I get that feeling
you ever have that feeling when you're
like you know I'm with family right now
but I need to get back to the office or
I should take you know lunch to work or
whatever it is um I want to stop that I
want to completely eliminate that I
can't keep this up this is my dream job
and I have a lot of fun doing it I know
I'm incredibly lucky but a dream job is
still a job and it's a job that keeps
getting bigger and more complicated and
I am so tired
there's nothing in my life right now
except work but in reality it just put
me in a constant state of stress and
work and now I'm always at work my home
is work a vacation should become a vlog
every TV show I watch and song I hear
should be turned into some sort of
content like I shouldn't be relaxing
right now I should be making content and
it just isn't possible for me to turn
that mindset off and I realized this is
not how I want to live any longer I
don't get any satisfaction from the type
of work that I do here anymore and and
if you work seven days a week that
becomes very heavy mentally for the past
10 years of my life there has not been a
single vacation where I was not working
there has even been time where I was
working on Christmas day and don't even
get me started on New Year's Eve because
I hated it when it was getting too late
because I wanted to be fit the next day
to work again work life balance the
Pinnacle of achievement throughout
history since the very first caveman
enslaved his neighbor we've been
fighting to secure a decent balance
between the time we spend to work and
the time we have for leisure friends
family recovering to go back to work
you've probably seen that old image from
when people were fighting for an 8 hour
work day 8 hours for work 8 hours for
rest 8 hours for what we will that
sounds pretty nice these days 8 hours of
work just doesn't really cut it for most
people and believe it or not that goes
for YouTubers too and we'll get to that
in a sec a growing number of Americans
work more than one job and some 400,000
work two full-time jobs just to make
ends meat everything from housing to
groceries to utilities is getting more
expensive and the only thing that's not
going up is Wages you've heard it before
but if the minimum wage had just kept up
with inflation and productivity gains
since the Reagan Years it' be over $24
an hour today but here in the richest
country on Earth the federal minimum
wage is still
$725 an hour it's hard to have a decent
work life balance when the hour as you
work don't earn you enough money so you
have to take on more work YouTube is
similar but there's an added layer of
complexity Caleb makes a point in his
video that I think a lot of people don't
realize about YouTube as a career your
input doesn't necessarily equal your
output you can put a ton of work into a
video and make way less money than you
did with a half-ass video that's very
different from other jobs exploitation
aside yes obviously everyone should be
making more money but in general with
traditional work if you put in more
hours you're financially rewarded for
that if you're in sales and you put in
an extra 10 hours a week you sell a
couple more cars you make more money if
you do hourly work add a few hours to
your schedule you make more money if you
work freelance and you take on another
gig you make more money on YouTube you
could add 30 hours a week and not see a
cent in extra income in fact you could
see the complete opposite and have your
Revenue tank for what seems like no
reason at all so it's not surprising
that just about every YouTuber says they
have a bad work life balance you're
constantly worried that if you don't
feed the algorithm you won't be able to
pay the bills this is one of the core
features of capitalism you work or you
starve and on YouTube sometimes you work
and you still starve that uncertainty is
draining in a way that is difficult for
a lot of people to understand but the
money aspect is only part of the work
life balance thing when you're a
YouTuber you have work at your
fingertips 24/7 much like Ken's job is
just Beach my job is just phone YouTube
is right here all the time in my pocket
I'll just have a quick peek just one
just one little peek I swear one more
peek just Just One Look it becomes all
consuming you can't escape it gets so
bad sometimes that I'll be running
errands and I'll check YouTube Studio
when I'm stopped at a red light you also
have to stick to a schedule religiously
or people forget you in a month I upload
here every other Friday at 9:00 a.m.
Central Time the program is every Friday
first thought news episodes are every
Monday and Wednesday analysis episodes
are every other Friday and my new
channel is every other Friday staggered
with second thought and don't get me
wrong I enjoy a lot of this yeah it's a
job and sometimes I just want to throw
my computer out the window but YouTube
is still a dream job for me I like
sharing things with people and being
creative but that's where we run into
another problem my whole life just
turned to this business and it's all fun
when you get to make videos but not when
you're managing a business and
constantly doing tasks that you just
don't like to do I miss to be creative I
I really miss that so much
one thing I use as an analogy is kind of
like a contractor building houses um
when you first start you know you're
loving it you're building houses you're
making money you're doing your thing but
after a certain point um you kind of
develop things you enjoy and things you
don't enjoy about something and when it
comes to making a video if that's a
house you look at your next video that
you need to do because it's your job and
you don't want to pour another
Foundation you don't want to frame out
the whole house you can see all of the
work ahead of you and you just don't
want to do it throw in all that other
fun stuff we already talked about and
you have kind of this mess and so that's
where I'm kind of at or have been at I
feel like everything online is slowly
converging towards the boring Bland gray
middle point where everyone just tries
to maximize retention use and this
metric and that statistic which just
leads everyone to like the same end
product and it's become Beyond saturated
for me and my own creativity I just
don't enjoy where this is going so
creativity and homogeneization this is
another challenge under capitalism we
are all unwilling subjects of the profit
motive YouTube is an inherently creative
job you're producing art or content or
entertainment or whatever you want to
call it but your base consideration has
to be Financial stability there's a
reason most YouTubers don't do it
full-time and those that do have to
supplement their income with patreon
link below please love of God link below
or sponsorships or selling L packs or
online classes when you're doing YouTube
as a side project you can afford to make
the videos you want but when this is
your full-time gig like it is for people
making these goodbye videos your art has
to take a backseat to putting food on
the table that's a tough pill to swallow
for people who are genuinely invested in
creating artistic or thoughtful things
for Their audience to enjoy no one
starts out making money on YouTube it is
always first a labor of love but as soon
as your channel gets verified
the calculus changes now you have to
figure out okay do I want to keep this
as a side project or do I want to build
this into something that can pay the
bills and even if you decide on the
former sometimes your channel will grow
and become financially stable anyway and
then it's really hard to turn down
leaving your dead-end job to focus more
on the work you enjoy which then becomes
a job which then requires you to play by
the rules of the YouTube game to
continue growing staying relevant and
making a living it's the Trap pretty
much every successful Channel Falls into
but there's another aspect of creativity
under capitalism that's worth exploring
there's this concept called inhi
ification sometimes called platform
Decay coined by writer Corey doo in
November of 2022 inchi ification refers
to the tendency of online platforms like
Amazon Facebook Reddit Twitter and
YouTube to act as a predatory two-sided
Market here's how drro describes the
process here is how platforms die first
they are good to their users then they
abuse their users to make things better
for their business customers finally
they abuse those business customers to
clawback all the value for themselves
then they die I call this in shid
ification and it's a seemingly
inevitable consequence arising from the
combination of the ease of changing how
a platform allocates value combined with
the nature of a two-sided Market where a
platform sits between buyers and sellers
hold each Hostage to the other raking
off an Ever larger share of the value
that passes between them the internet is
full of examples of this form of Decay
Google search used to Simply return
results to the the best of its ability
based on the parameters you gave it now
the whole first page of results is ads
and websites full of articles that are
90% SEO phrases Amazon shows you a dozen
sponsored items before you get to the
Real Results Tik Tok and Instagram are
specifically tailored to keep you
scrolling and consuming YouTube is a
prime example of this form of Decay
first it was a place for normal people
to publish silly videos then it
attracted investment and advertisers
then it changed how the platform Works
to maximize Revenue generation and
encourage content that plays by those
rules and now it's running an ad block
blocker to really crack down on any lost
revenue and force people to pay for
YouTube premium to stop the incessant
advertising and none of this is evil
it's just the logical conclusion of a
neoliberal capitalist system every
platform is a market everything must
have a dollar value attached and
consumption is a lifestyle so it's no
surprise that big channels that have
grown with the platform are noticing
this trend and are disgusted by it
there's no room for creativity when
everything has to be scripted edited and
presented for retention Above All Else
that's how we ended up with Mr Beast he
plays the game perfectly and his videos
are disgusting and devoid of any actual
value Beyond being used as slop for the
content trough and hey look no hate for
people who just want to watch Mr Beast
run some deranged game show that's your
prerogative but for the people who
started out making beautiful things for
the sake of making beautiful things this
trend of inhi ification is really
disheartening and kind of along those
lines is the alienation aspect of all
this at the end of the day it's you
against the all-consuming ma of the
internet YouTube is still such a niche
career that there are so incredibly few
people who actually understand what it's
like to do this it's lonely it's
stressful it's scary strip away all the
Frills and at its core YouTube is an
altar on which you lay yourself at the
mercy of a billion people you play for
the crowd you make a spectacle of
yourself you know there are buzzards out
there waiting to turn your next video
into drama content you know who you are
you are at the center of hundreds
thousands millions of views and yet
you're completely alone none of these
people know you none of them see the
work that goes on behind the scenes it's
you and your camera and your laptop
that's not how humans were meant to
function even these large channels face
alienation to some extent they often
grow beyond the capabilities of one
person and that person then relinquishes
creative control of the content in order
to run the business side of things
separated from their own art for the
sake of playing The Profit driven
YouTube game
speaking of profit and big channels
there's one more thing we need to
consider I should have just done this as
a live stream and uploaded it to Captain
Sparkles 2 which Speaking of no changes
planned for live streaming and and the
Vada uploads on the second Channel
That's business as usual I have like
another Channel called POA meat that's
doing really well and if you haven't
heard of that feel free to check it out
we post like every 3 days but that's
becoming more of like my money maker
actual job thing now this probably isn't
goodbye goodbye like not forever the
podcaster host lateral is still going
out weekly my newsletter is still going
out the plus channel will probably
return at some point there'll likely be
new technical difficulties episodes I'm
still going to be here I'm still going
to be alongside the creative directors
talking about programming brainstorming
ideas for upcoming episodes that's
awesome I love that I don't want to give
that up but the other cool thing about
this is that it opens up the door for me
to turn the script for the last 13 years
I've been commenting on other people's
IP but now that I'm stepping out of
those roles I get to create the IP
here's the part that no one that I've
seen has really talked about the one big
thing to realize is that most of these
people aren't quitting being creative
just about all of them have other
outlets for that whether it's a second
Channel or a podcast or some other
Avenue they're just stepping away from
the horrible grind that full-time
YouTube has become and this isn't me
saying aha you're not really quitting
that couldn't be further from the truth
I'm genuinely really happy for these
people because I recognize that in the
near future I'm going to be in the same
boat I I've been running second thought
for 8 years it's gone through a couple
different iterations but I've never
missed an upload in that time and I'm
tired too if you think about it what's
the point of YouTube what's the bottom
line in 2024 more views more money more
recognition the information you're
trying to get across the message you
want to send that takes a backseat I
know a whole lot of channels in the
education Niche that have transitioned
from making videos they think are
interesting to making videos they think
will perform well and when that works
you scale up you hire a couple people
then some more and then suddenly your
line is Tech tips with an army of
employees and now you're just running a
business okay so why not stop it's one
thing to step back from gaming content
or infotainment or Gear reviews but it's
a bit more challenging when you're
making ideological content yes obviously
everything is ideological but you know
what I mean I make content designed to
get people interested in socialist ideas
my main objective is to get people over
that initial hurdle of socialism bad and
funnel them into organizations to help
build class Consciousness and dual power
not to Pat myself on the back but I
think I do a pretty good job of that
I've gotten a bunch of really nice
messages over the last few years from
people who have gotten involved in
organizing because of my videos and it's
really hard to justify stepping away
from that I'm not under any illusion
that my channel is the only thing
driving Western viewers to get organized
there are so many Fantastic channels
that do excellent work but For Better or
For Worse second thought is the largest
channel in this Niche which means I have
at least somewhat of an obligation to
keep doing this work and don't worry if
if all this sounds like I'm quitting I'm
not I'm not going anywhere I'm just
thinking out loud most of these
YouTubers retiring are from massive
personality channels they've made their
money they can ride off into the sunset
and more power to them that's great but
I think it's also important to remember
that YouTube is home to literally tens
of millions of channels and the majority
of them over the course of their YouTube
career will throw in the towel for all
the same reasons as any of the big names
but without the financial security or
enough Fame to segue to something else
you YouTube like anything else is not
really voluntary under capitalism you
work or you starve if YouTube is your
full-time job you better make the right
sacrifices to the algorithm because you
need the money and you have no idea if
you're going to get it and that's before
we even consider demonetization or age
restriction you could put a 100 hours
into a beautiful documentary and end up
way in the red because you showed
current events that YouTube thinks are
not Advertiser friendly but that's a
topic for another video and there's a
whole other aspect to this that we
didn't get into which is people looking
at YouTube and seeing a platform by and
for amateurs and that's just not really
the case anymore yeah anyone can upload
to Youtube and that's great but most
people don't realize that YouTube and
the film industry have kind of merged
into this one big content blob I mean
heck our team has worked all across the
media landscape from you know
documentaries TV you name it and if you
followed the news about the labor
situation in Hollywood you know that
everything is on fire a couple years ago
there were horrible stories coming out
about working conditions for VFX artists
same thing for animation last year you
had the Screen Actors and The Writers
striking and they haven't both gone on
strike at the same time since 1960 iotti
the labor union that represents a lot of
technicians and Crafts People they're
talking about going on strike sometime
this year and all of this is connected
to the same kinds of things that
YouTubers are talking about crappy
residuals insane overwork unreliable
income and now these stupid AI content
Farms this is all connected
and YouTubers retiring is just one tiny
aspect of a larger narrative about work
art and life in the 21st century anyway
this was uh this was not the script I
was expecting to write this week uh I
came into the office and I watched a
couple of those goodbye videos and I
just I felt compelled to give my two
cents this is also a big part of the
reason I've started the new Channel I
want to share cool things with people I
just want to stretch some creative
muscles I haven't used in a while but as
always you can find my content here
every other Friday please please do
consider supporting the show on patreon
I genuinely could not do it without you
you get all sorts of cool perks
including access to the Discord server
where I try to do a live Q&A every month
or so thanks for watching and I'll see
you next
time
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