I will tell you the secret recipe on how to become one of the biggest YouTubers in the world.
And contrary to appearances, it's not about cars... Well, at least not only about them.
It turned out that wealth can be very easily... monetized. Monetize expensive cars, a consumer lifestyle, and even your charity and charitable activities, because this is also something that is suitable for content or image building.
And today, when you hear these words, you probably think of Buddha with his lotteries, competitions, or movies in cinemas... He gave away cars worth over 3 million to viewers, sold out the National Stadium for the World Drift Championships, and organized such "smaller" events an action in which he refuelled spectators' cars for a total amount of 90,000.
We can therefore say that Buddha is a figure whose activity was based on the cult of money.
But this is nothing new because the phenomenon that we will discuss in a moment has existed for much longer and is probably due to human nature.
Do you remember a character like Lord Kruszwil?
Source: youtube.com
This is more of a question for older viewers (that's right if you watched these movies as a child, you're an older audience now). For new viewers, a small lesson in the history of Polish YouTube. Well, luxury, especially the fake one, is what made Lord Kruszwil the channel that reached one million subscribers the fastest in the history of Polish YouTube. He did it in less than a year, and he owes his success to the fact that he showed luxury and prestige in a caricatured way. Some were amused, others were annoyed, but each of them aroused some emotion.
Two voices may rise at this point.
First: It is unfair that this type of content is so successful, while valuable and substantive channels cannot achieve such a high position on the Internet for years.
And the second: Since there is a demand for such films, there is a supply. In other words, creators are taking advantage of the demand for content that is DRIPING MONEY.
Both positions have a lot of truth in them. But here the question arises - why is this so? Why do prestige programs sell so well? Is it a conspiracy of the greatest creators in the world who encourage unhealthy consumerism just to make you buy as much as possible? And speaking a bit more seriously - perhaps the creators have finally done their psychology lessons and are perfectly aware that...
the world is ruled by money... You've probably heard this sentence several, maybe even dozens of times in your life. But... what does that actually mean?
Let's take Maslow's pyramid of needs - as the simplest representation of human needs.
You can probably guess what's about to happen. Going one by one, from the most basic needs, let's check what we can get with money directly and indirectly.
Physiological needs are obvious - we must have money to buy food to satisfy our hunger. It would also be good to get enough sleep and take care of your hygiene - money will also help with this.
Next come security needs. Apartment? Unless you inherited it, you have to buy it. Either way, you also need to maintain it for something if you want it to be your household. Money will also help keep you safe when you simply want to protect your property by installing a home alarm, or cameras, or hiring a security company.
Belonging? Here, money doesn't do much directly. But indirectly? It's easier to build connections and relationships when you have money at your disposal that you can spend on coffee with your new Tinder friend. Or you can organize a house party with friends.
Need for recognition? Again, money cannot buy recognition directly. But indirectly... Money gives you agency, i.e. the power to manage your own life. And agency is one of the most important criteria for gaining recognition.
And self-realization ... Of course, you can self-realize as a monk and ascetic, but... the more money you have, the more you can spend on fulfilling yourself in various areas. For example, your dream is to climb mountains in different parts of the world - expensive things. Or you want to start painting pictures and you need to buy canvases, brushes, etc.
So what can money not provide, either directly or indirectly? If you have money, you have a chance to get better treatment if you get sick. Of course, this will not guarantee your health, but it increases the likelihood of being cured.
Love? This varies because especially in the case of men, their status plays an important role in long-term relationships.
Maybe it's time? And it's true. The amount of time is limited. But if you have money, you can commission people to do various things, e.g. cooking or cleaning, and in the meantime... you have time for yourself. This means that you can somehow regain this time... to a limited extent, but you can!
As you can see, it is not without reason that it is said that money rules the world. It is not visible everywhere at first glance, but it can be seen almost everywhere.
What about charity?
When you want to write a comment that you can't analyze helping people, giving children iPhones, or stuffing your content with money, because it's good, and good should not be criticized in any way, then RELAX, leave this comment after watching the episode.
What if I told you that philanthrocapitalist behaviour, the cult of money and consumerism not only influence social stratification (the rich become richer and the poor become poorer), but also influence the stratification of your psyche and identity?
For better understanding, let's create a triangle, where each vertex will represent a different phenomenon, which will complement and influence each other.
Look at the situation of modern man. In the middle of the triangle are people who are unaware of how YouTuber or corporate empires are being built at their expense.
You are probably one of those people and with this video, I would like to get you out of this triangle. Maybe not literally, because each of us consumes (both the content of the biggest YouTubers and the products of corporations), but at least mentally you should be able to get out of here and see a different perspective.
Yes, it's an ambitious plan to stop being a consumer who admires money and rich people. But what's the harm in trying... you'll probably fail and you'll go back to browsing the money cult on the Internet instead of taking care of your goals.
The first vertex is the Cult of Money.
What is the cult of money? Ask Jordan Belfort, who was the golden child of the world of American finance. Or at least he was in The Wolf of Wall Street. This work perfectly shows how money becomes a RELIGION for people. You may protest that religion is too strong a word. That it's not appropriate to say that. But look...
In a world where we lose our autonomy, the power to decide, and our agency, money not only has a practical dimension that allows us to meet our needs, it DOES NOT ONLY trigger an emotional reaction... But it is also (or perhaps even above all) freedom... At least in the common perception .
Because what does an ordinary citizen dream of? So that he doesn't have to go to work on Monday, which he hates and only goes there because he has a loan for 20 years. A loan he took out to build a house. A house where he doesn't live much because he has to work two jobs to pay off the loan. The circle closes.
So money is something that could allow him to free himself from this vicious circle. That's why people follow money, and people who have money. Because just like in the movie "The Wolf of Wall Street" when Donnie quit his job the moment he met Jordan making $70,000. dollars per month. He didn't wonder whether he had met a fraudster. The incentive to have money was so strong that he simply made a decision. Money is the original signal, meaning safety, survival and freedom.
The situation is similar on the Internet, when a defenseless young person meets someone from a financial sect - someone who boasts about luxury and money. For a young person who has not yet achieved any status, any opportunity to earn EASY money seems tempting, because the alternative is distributing leaflets in shopping malls or selling iCos at railway stations. The vision of luxury, which is closely related to money, is a strong magnet for attracting people's attention.
This mechanism is used not only by fraudsters or people recruiting to financial sects, but also by YouTubers creating entertainment. Materials are created about giving away money, buying expensive things, betting on money, boasting about the amount of luxury goods - generally speaking, everything revolves around money. The creator holds the viewer in one hand and money in the other... and brings them closer to each other, but not so that the viewer can touch them.
And you may wonder - why does it work if it brings no real benefits to the viewers ? I will answer your question with a question - why do you like to dream sometimes? In the sense of imagining your future in some nice context - e.g. that you have a new BMW, or you are getting married in Sardinia, or you have a happy family... It's simple. Since the vision in your mind is so pleasant, you want to get even a little closer to it. And what allows you to get closer to her?
The second peak is Consumerism
Content related to buying expensive things, bragging about money and luxury goods can be called Infinity-roll. As you scroll through such content, more is being produced at the same moment - as a result, it never ends .
Content based on consumerism can be divided into several categories. Some are, for example, reviews of items, electronics or food. Others are attempts to display status, show a lavish lifestyle, etc. And these categories basically just exist and it would be difficult to call them harmful. Some videos will help you better choose the item you want to buy. Others may motivate you to improve your economic status.
But there is another category that... seems to have a toxic effect on people. And they are: the challenges of spending money.
Young people are taught from an early age that money is for spending, we can use it to buy delicious food, toys, games, clothes, gadgets and even... your attention. And if you don't believe it, see what views such materials generate. This is an unrealistic view of what money is for and a distorted understanding of the value of money. And of course it is some kind of content, some kind of entertainment. Just pay attention to the mechanism behind it. There is no creativity here in coming up with content, arranging scenes, etc. You just go to the mac and order everything. And again the trigger in the form of pomp is used.
You know those types of videos where a YouTuber approaches a young person on the street and asks about their earnings, how much they want to earn in the future or how much their partner should earn? Then young people usually talk about amounts of 8, 10, 15, 20 thousand. not understanding the effort behind getting so much money.
Young people are subjected to the phenomenon of exposure, they are constantly on the Internet with huge amounts of money at every step and, additionally, with unrealistic treatment of this money. This is nothing more than pumping the obsession with money into the heads of adolescents.
And here it is worth distinguishing two things. The first is education in the field of finance, money management, obtaining better positions, etc. Such content is constructive because it teaches and motivates. The second thing is what was mentioned a moment ago, i.e. creating an unhealthy approach to money in the recipient.
All these channels that organize festivals to celebrate wealth hide certain facts that are quite crucial, that is...
– relationship problems
- addiction
– fears and disorders
These problems may result from an unhealthy approach to money and putting consumption on a pedestal. Because if your entire value depends on what you have and how much you buy, then I have bad news, but... Your self-esteem is on very fragile foundation. But maybe people and corporations that promote unhealthy consumerism also do something good?
The third vertex of our triangle is Philanthrocapitalism.
The faces of Philanthrocapitalism are Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Rockefeller, and companies like Nestle.
Philanthrocapitalism is a way of operating of philanthropists and reflects the way of doing business in a profit-oriented world. Investments in social programs are made to pursue specific philanthropic goals that will generate a return on investment over the long term, or in a more passive form where "social investors" benefit from investing in socially responsible programs. So, for example, you achieve success and reinvest money in Philanthropic activities - which is supposed to bring mutual benefits. The so-called “win-win” – everyone benefits. The vision of helping the world comes true and earns millions of dollars at the same time.
Opinions are divided, some believe that Philanthrocapitalism can save the world, others believe that it is buying a clear conscience and shutting up critics - because if someone gives their money to good causes, you should not speak out. I don't want to make predictions or conclusions, but it is worth pointing out one fact: such a phenomenon exists, even at the moment when you are watching this episode, people who have become rich are reinvesting their capital in making a business out of philanthropy.
You can encounter this phenomenon (on a smaller scale, of course, because you can't compare YouTubers with such hegemons as Davos, Bloomberg, the Clintons, Goldman Sachs, or corporations like Nestle) among Internet creators. From the recipient's perspective, such activity is philanthropy, from the creator's perspective - an investment in image.
One of the first to widely use this method was Mr. Beast.
“I offered people 100,000. dollars to leave their jobs” – 131 million views.
“I gave my mother 100,000. dollars” – 31 million views.
“I gave my brother 24 hours to spend 100,000. dollars” – 96 million views.
But in Poland, the mechanism is also familiar to creators:
“We distributed PLN 1,000,000 to employees without a high school diploma” – PLN 200,000. views.
“I gave away a million zlotys to my viewers” – 3 million views.
It's literally using charity to build an image.
Something else happens with charity. Creators are put on a pedestal by their audience. This is how commitment and a sense of belonging are built. The viewer lives in the belief that if he or she is an active viewer, he or she is participating in something good, something powerful, something greater than himself.
And just to be clear. This is not an accusation towards the creators of such films or entire charity campaigns. Because such actions can really help people. They can change their lives. Just remember that in the background of those whose lives have been changed, there are also those who feel disappointed with their own lives...
Mr. Beast, who built his empire on celebrating the cult of money, at the same time, as he himself claims in an interview with Joe Rogan, lives modestly. Probably many creators who use these mechanisms understand that this is a film technique to increase engagement and interest. But viewers (often young) do not understand that what they see is fiction.
You may ask yourself: why can't you save money? Why do you spend it as soon as you receive or acquire money? Maybe one of the reasons is the media, which teaches us a harmful view of what money is and how we should treat it?
Finally, I would like to leave you with a short reflection - Mr Beast, or any similar creator, is not the cause of the problem. But neither is it its solution.
Sources:
1.Bortniak A., He gave away cars worth over PLN 3 million to the viewers. Who is Buddha? (online), access: https://rozrywka.spidersweb.pl/budda-kto-to-loteria-zdrowie-auta-sylwetka , [access date: 11/04/2024].
2. Philanthropy (online), access: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philanthropy , [access date: 11/04/2024].
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