Over the last few months I’ve found myself seeing Deen and AB everywhere. Whether it’s short clips, reactions, podcasts, memes, or people arguing in the comments, they seem to have become unavoidable online. Their names keep showing up because people keep sharing them, talking about them, and reacting to them. Deen, in particular, has built a massive audience across social media, with hundreds of thousands of followers and millions of views on his content.
It got me thinking.
What exactly are we rewarding?
Is it talent?
Is it honesty?
Is it controversy?
Or have we reached a point where simply keeping people watching is enough?
The internet has changed. Years ago you needed polished videos, expensive cameras, or a television network behind you. Today, all it takes is a personality people can’t stop talking about. Sometimes that’s because someone is genuinely entertaining. Other times it’s because they’re unpredictable. Either way, attention has become the currency.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing.
In many ways it’s a level playing field. Anyone with a phone can build an audience. You don’t need permission anymore. You just need something that makes people stop scrolling.
But there’s another side to it.
The algorithms don’t care why people are watching. They care that people are watching. Outrage, humor, arguments, inspiration, and drama all compete for the same attention. As viewers, we’re constantly deciding what deserves another click.
Maybe that’s why creators like Deen and AB generate so much discussion. Whether you agree with them or not, they get people engaged. And engagement is often what turns creators into internet stars.
As readers and creators ourselves, it’s worth asking one question:
Are we choosing what becomes popular… or are the algorithms choosing for us?
I’d love to hear what you think.
Do creators like Deen and AB deserve the popularity they’ve earned?
Is modern internet fame mostly about entertainment, personality, controversy, consistency—or something else entirely?
Leave a comment below and join the discussion. Respectful disagreement is welcome. Sometimes the best conversations happen when people see the same trend from completely different angles.
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Is the Internet Rewarding Entertainment… or Authenticity?
Is the Internet Rewarding Entertainment… or Authenticity?
Over the last few months I’ve found myself seeing Deen and AB everywhere. Whether it’s short clips, reactions, podcasts, memes, or people arguing in the comments, they seem to have become unavoidable online. Their names keep showing up because people keep sharing them, talking about them, and reacting to them. Deen, in particular, has built a massive audience across social media, with hundreds of thousands of followers and millions of views on his content.
It got me thinking.
What exactly are we rewarding?
Is it talent?
Is it honesty?
Is it controversy?
Or have we reached a point where simply keeping people watching is enough?
The internet has changed. Years ago you needed polished videos, expensive cameras, or a television network behind you. Today, all it takes is a personality people can’t stop talking about. Sometimes that’s because someone is genuinely entertaining. Other times it’s because they’re unpredictable. Either way, attention has become the currency.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing.
In many ways it’s a level playing field. Anyone with a phone can build an audience. You don’t need permission anymore. You just need something that makes people stop scrolling.
But there’s another side to it.
The algorithms don’t care why people are watching. They care that people are watching. Outrage, humor, arguments, inspiration, and drama all compete for the same attention. As viewers, we’re constantly deciding what deserves another click.
Maybe that’s why creators like Deen and AB generate so much discussion. Whether you agree with them or not, they get people engaged. And engagement is often what turns creators into internet stars.
As readers and creators ourselves, it’s worth asking one question:
Are we choosing what becomes popular… or are the algorithms choosing for us?
I’d love to hear what you think.
Do creators like Deen and AB deserve the popularity they’ve earned?
Is modern internet fame mostly about entertainment, personality, controversy, consistency—or something else entirely?
Leave a comment below and join the discussion. Respectful disagreement is welcome. Sometimes the best conversations happen when people see the same trend from completely different angles.