Thread by @derekbrown

Many are wrong about the growth of the Passion Economy, and there’s usually one mistake made: the definition of “creator” is much too small.

Note: this was inspired by a conversation started by @nielr1 in a chat run by @ljin18 & @ollieforsyth. Blame them. 😉

A Sunday thread:

In today’s parlance, “creator” is often used synonymously with “influencer”.

IMO, the rise of “creator” came about because the allure of being called an “influencer” or “thought leader” became uncool, akin to being called a Karen or Kyle.

(No offense, @kyalbr)

This connotation remains as the Passion Economy has grown...and many look for alternatives. From “talent” to “micropreneur” to “freelancer”, other terms feel forced. Because they are.

In reality, it’s the definition that needs to change.

Not the word.

A creator is not *merely* creating videos. Or photos. Or courses. Or resources. Or curated lists. Or recipes. Or advice. Or newsletters. Or beauty products. Or comic books. Or online stores. Or communities.

Creators create *value*.

Creators create value.

Joy.
Knowledge.
Entertainment.
Education.
Advancement.
Economy.

The produced objects and content are merely the medium through which this value is delivered.

The reason people love TikTok is because of the joy produced and the boredom erased. That’s value.

As a side note: it doesn’t matter how ephemeral the value is.

Time is currency, even when spent in denominations of seconds.

I spend seconds, I get joy.

This is the transaction.

The next generation of consumer social will be about value, not vanity.

And creators of all types, from short-form video artists like @whoisaddison to streamers like @GrandPOOBear to writers like @lennysan to makers like @GiacoWhatever will be the primary drivers.

Reading social commentary from @TaylorLorenz, @KalhanR, and others hammers home this point for me: the next generation of entrepreneurs, the next evolution of our digital economy, will see value creation by individuals at its center.

This is the way.

The current economy is about the corporation and their millions of true customers.

The next economy is about the creator and their hundreds of true fans.

HT: @kevin2kelly and @ljin18

Limited vocab will cause many to miss this transition. They’ll misconstrue the rise of the Creative Class & the rise of influencer marketing.

They’ll see creators like @MrBeastYT not as a prototype of a new economic force, but as some guy from Greenville (PURPLE!) who got lucky.

Creators don’t just create content or things. They certainly do that...but not just that.

They create emotion. Purpose. Identity. Entertainment. A sense of belonging.

And that’s big business.

Something something Maslow. 🥴

In the same way that, with the right tooling (Instagram), everyone became a photographer...everyone will become a creator.

They may not call themselves creators, but who cares? At that point, the economic transition is complete.

There’s no longer a need for a distinction.

When people mis-size the Passion Economy, and they will, it won’t just be because of economic & financial data.

It’ll be because they underestimated the creative nature of all people.

(BTW: what @eriktorenberg and @beondeck are up to demonstrates a clear understanding of this.)

When everyone creates and consumes, the Passion Economy is no longer a sector of the market.

It *is* the market.

Again, if you made it this far, I really appreciate the time and attention you paid. Hopefully, this brought some value to you and your thinking. :)

I am, and we @BunchesApp are, always happy to chat about this stuff. It drives us daily.

Would love to hear from you.