How Movements Became the Internet’s Biggest Joke

Have you noticed the internet landscape lately?

It feels like there’s always a new movement arising.

• The Single Man Movement
• The Retire Early Movement
• The Eat Natural Foods Movement

Back in 2005, a movement meant something.

It was rare to see one arise, and when it did, it got a lot of press.

One of the earliest movements I recall was the New Atheism Movement.

These atheists would appear on Fox News, debating religious folks about why they believed God didn’t exist.

It sparked a lot of controversy.

Since then, movements have become a dime a dozen.

Due to their abundance, it’s difficult for any one movement to spark real conversation…

Because another one is just around the corner.

Why Movements Have Become Abundant

I believe the reason movements have become so abundant boils down to one thing:

• Content creation.

There are two types of content out there:

1. Mainstream Content
2. Niche Content

Niche content is meant to appeal to specific pockets of people, while mainstream content targets a broader audience.

When you build a niche brand, it naturally leads to diversification.

For instance, let’s say your brand helps engineers improve their communication skills.

• At first, you might focus on tonality.
• Then, you might explore posture.
• Later, you could delve into speech creation, engaging conversations, and better listening skills.

Soon, you’re covering a variety of topics within that niche.

With mainstream content, the goal is different:

• It’s about getting as many eyes as possible.

While niche content thrives on diversity, mainstream content thrives on creating a movement.

Here’s how it happens:

1. A piece of mainstream content blows up, attracting a crowd.
2. The crowd gathers and starts asking, “Now what?”
3. The creator steps in with a clear message or command and a movement is born.

The Liver King Example

A recent example of this was The Liver King.

For a while, it felt like you couldn’t escape him.

Whether on podcasts or YouTube, there he was: a shirtless, muscular man with a bushy beard, talking about eating cow organs.

As his appearances increased, his following grew.

Eventually, the crowd gathered, asking, “Now what?”

And that’s when The Liver King created his movement:

• “Eat natural foods.”
• “Eat the food raw. Don’t worry about cooking it.”

His mainstream appeal pushed him to start a unique movement.

How Creators Are Dealing With Scrutiny

We live in an era where one person can gain massive attention through new media.

If your content is engaging enough, people will watch and soon, more people will follow.

This has led to the rise of many movements:

• MAGA Movement = “Drain the Swamp”
• Red Pill Movement = “Understand male nature for what it is.”
• Atheist Movement = “Is God real, or is it a fantasy?”

The problem is scarcity builds value.

When movements arise every few weeks, they lose their impact.

People start experiencing movement fatigue.

The New Joke

I believe that in a few years, movements will become memes.

The phrase “movement” itself might even be seen as a joke.

That’s unfortunate because movements can bring awareness to important causes.

• The Me Too Movement sparked global change, empowering women to speak out about workplace harassment.
• The Black Lives Matter Movement highlighted the issue of unjust shootings of people of color, leading to reforms like police body cameras.

Movements have the power to create ripple effects in society.

Movements as Sales Funnels

Unfortunately, some movements are becoming money grabs.

I once saw a YouTuber talking about how we’re controlled by the elite and how he could teach people to escape the system.

Intrigued, I watched his webinar.

By the end, he said:

“If you buy this course, you’ll learn how to escape the matrix.”

Ah, I see.

The movement wasn’t about change.

It was a sales funnel.

As more creators chase mainstream success, many will eventually reach the same conclusion:

“What movement should I start?”

Future of Content Creation

The landscape of content creation is evolving.

One radical idea I foresee is the removal of view counts on videos.

At first, it might seem extreme, but it could shift the focus from chasing numbers to creating meaningful ideas.

If creators focus more on the art of content rather than its reach, movements might take a backseat.

But hey, that’s just a prediction.

Let’s see what the future holds for content creation.

For more insights into content creation, check out the ArmaniTalks Free Daily Newsletter

– ArmaniTalks