"Philipp, the synchronicity here is wild. You talk about the 'Ghost Economy'—I actually teach a concept I call the 'Ghost Engine.' After 30 years in the trades and corporate strategy, I realized the daily 'content hustle' is just the digital version of a guy swinging a hammer 60 hours a week and wondering why his margins are leaking. It’s a factory metric. The real power is doing the deep, gritty work in the real world (like building that table) and then engineering that experience into a system that works in the background. 'Dopamine fades. Depth compounds. ' is going up on my office wall today."
Haha, I write my own stuff; I just take the time to be thoughtful. Most people fire off comments without thinking, so anything with structure looks "AI-ish" now. All beneficial, though.
It's funny how that changed. A few years ago, "AI-ish" signified robotic. Now it only indicates that someone thought about it. It may be seen as a compliment since it suggests that the standard for writing that makes you think has slipped so low that structure stands out again.
The amount of times I nodded along to this in agreement is wild.
Love the reminder too about branching outside of your category to create an original voice. This is so true in every single creative field. I always find the most inspiration looking and admiring other pieces of art outside of my domain. It tickles the brain and inspires in ways nothing else does.
Same here. I think the future of 'content creation' is less dopamine garbage (which will be replaced by AI and generalized boredom of it) and instead of creators spanning multiple fields/topics with an original voice.
Might actually be one of the positives of AI, to be honest. If we think about it, the more AI/the machine becomes associated with garbage and drivel, the more humans will seek out fulfilling artistic and creative work from other humans. Interesting to see how this plays out in the future.
That’s exactly my way of thinking. AI is an accelerator making art and creative thought more important. Not that using AI is bad, but creating something original that doesn’t fall in to the generic AI pattern.
The digital creator economy often feels like the dopamine vending machine that we are tricked into dependency on to distract us from late stage capitalism. Genuine artists will pour their souls into the void for 1-4 likes because they are not codependent with the machine. Of course we are human so the invisibility can be hard. Droughts and deserts are apart of our creative nature. Death of a muse is also a deep pain that we must learn how to endure. The digital landscape makes it harder (and more integral) to connect to the soul of what we are writing and creating. Our whys should be felt in ourselves first and foremost. From there it is natural to feel that it is essential to express. Even to the trees and the wind if you just so happen to be struck by inspiration while out for a walk
I got swept up in the first wave of the digital nomad phase back in 2010 when it went hand-in-hand with minimalism. I threw out my TV and quit my job so I, too, could write blog posts telling other people to throw out their TVs and quit their jobs. I wound up back at my parents' house in short order and had to start my life all over. This is your first post I've read, but I co-sign every word.
You've hit it out of the ballpark yet again, Philipp. You somehow manage to distill artistic expression into a science and a set of guideposts in a way that helps the self without being self-help. Please keep it coming!
I just received your Archetype report, which I will read after work today. You have put so much heart and work into this. What an incredible resource. And you're a living example of building authentic community. I plan to re-stack you a lot - not for algorithms and visibility - but because I truly feel you are aligned with my values and I want my (tiny) follower community to benefit.
I really love this post. I have interests that has nothing to do with what I am building. Sometimes I will read books and watch videos about this thing before I even think to come on here and post. I've been thinking of letting those interests bleed into my work, help me be more unique. This post is weirdly giving my that push to do so.
Love the message and the overall mission, but there were so many typos I had to stop reading less than halfway through. Just calling this out so you can be aware for further articles.
I can relate when it comes to online courses. Although my own experience was specifically about trying to learn affiliate marketing. I was on the verge of purchasing a course back in 2021 and if I had the spare cash (I actually had the funds but the conversion rate made it way too expensive), my 599USD would have vanished into thin air. I will never forget the YouTube video where the guru blasts bills everywhere using his money gun. Every word is designed to target your insecurities and your hopes. Great read, Philipp. Known you for months and your work transforming this industry is phenomenal.
That's what AI will never be able to replace and it's our responsibility to flood the platforms with art, instead of serialized content. Thanks Philipp, it's nice to see there's still hope in the saturated digital ecosystem.
Excellent read! I related to a lot of the points you mentioned, especially your brilliant ideas being murdered over and over again for generic garbage. I went through that recently and honestly, it drives me crazy that people will abandon their own brilliance to be like everyone else!
I’ve always been used to writing in silence but when there are screenshots plastered in your face, I don’t blame people for feeling like they’re behind or they’ve failed to meet the “success metrics”.
I remind myself every day that I’m not here for the dopamine shots. I’m here for actual connection. I’m here for impact, not short term attention. Let’s keep going.
I almost always feel called when I read your stuff but that's always a good thing. Every time I think I've escaped the influencer speak of "SCALE SCALE SCALE" I find myself roped into another post about how to grow subscribers fast.
There are so many young writers desperate to create something meaningful but influencers know just the right song to sing to pull them into a faulty scheme.
Beautifully stated and so validating. I have no desire to post 5 times per day about nonsense for likes. Your article helped me realize I don’t need to!
Sometimes I think that everyone who shouts about creating more content is sponsored by social media apps or other digital companies. I really miss the OG internet. You were not obliged to do anything. You could create a weird video and just have fun with your friends on camera. Or you could write your thoughts on Tumblr and some people would find it interesting. Zero expectations, zero likes, zero approval, zero rewards. As soon as companies made social apps function the way casinos do, the magic of creating something for the pure joy of it disappeared. Now it’s all metrics, hacks, race. Boring.
"Philipp, the synchronicity here is wild. You talk about the 'Ghost Economy'—I actually teach a concept I call the 'Ghost Engine.' After 30 years in the trades and corporate strategy, I realized the daily 'content hustle' is just the digital version of a guy swinging a hammer 60 hours a week and wondering why his margins are leaking. It’s a factory metric. The real power is doing the deep, gritty work in the real world (like building that table) and then engineering that experience into a system that works in the background. 'Dopamine fades. Depth compounds. ' is going up on my office wall today."
I love this perspective. It's giving me alot of hope.
Bro copy/pasting these comments straight out of ChatGPT 😭
Haha, I write my own stuff; I just take the time to be thoughtful. Most people fire off comments without thinking, so anything with structure looks "AI-ish" now. All beneficial, though.
It's an honour to be mistaken for AI now😂 it's wild how when something sounds good we think it's AI.
It's funny how that changed. A few years ago, "AI-ish" signified robotic. Now it only indicates that someone thought about it. It may be seen as a compliment since it suggests that the standard for writing that makes you think has slipped so low that structure stands out again.
The amount of times I nodded along to this in agreement is wild.
Love the reminder too about branching outside of your category to create an original voice. This is so true in every single creative field. I always find the most inspiration looking and admiring other pieces of art outside of my domain. It tickles the brain and inspires in ways nothing else does.
Loved this piece, Philipp. Thank you.
Same here. I think the future of 'content creation' is less dopamine garbage (which will be replaced by AI and generalized boredom of it) and instead of creators spanning multiple fields/topics with an original voice.
Might actually be one of the positives of AI, to be honest. If we think about it, the more AI/the machine becomes associated with garbage and drivel, the more humans will seek out fulfilling artistic and creative work from other humans. Interesting to see how this plays out in the future.
That’s exactly my way of thinking. AI is an accelerator making art and creative thought more important. Not that using AI is bad, but creating something original that doesn’t fall in to the generic AI pattern.
Could not agree more.
Yes. The AI backlash has already begun based on what I see online and by talking with people.
There are several camps. I think it’s wise that we don’t divide the space in either pro or against AI. There are many nuances in between.
The digital creator economy often feels like the dopamine vending machine that we are tricked into dependency on to distract us from late stage capitalism. Genuine artists will pour their souls into the void for 1-4 likes because they are not codependent with the machine. Of course we are human so the invisibility can be hard. Droughts and deserts are apart of our creative nature. Death of a muse is also a deep pain that we must learn how to endure. The digital landscape makes it harder (and more integral) to connect to the soul of what we are writing and creating. Our whys should be felt in ourselves first and foremost. From there it is natural to feel that it is essential to express. Even to the trees and the wind if you just so happen to be struck by inspiration while out for a walk
I got swept up in the first wave of the digital nomad phase back in 2010 when it went hand-in-hand with minimalism. I threw out my TV and quit my job so I, too, could write blog posts telling other people to throw out their TVs and quit their jobs. I wound up back at my parents' house in short order and had to start my life all over. This is your first post I've read, but I co-sign every word.
You've hit it out of the ballpark yet again, Philipp. You somehow manage to distill artistic expression into a science and a set of guideposts in a way that helps the self without being self-help. Please keep it coming!
Thanks Camden, your words mean a lot to me.
I just received your Archetype report, which I will read after work today. You have put so much heart and work into this. What an incredible resource. And you're a living example of building authentic community. I plan to re-stack you a lot - not for algorithms and visibility - but because I truly feel you are aligned with my values and I want my (tiny) follower community to benefit.
Curious to see what comes out of it. Let me know if you have any questions about the archetype report.
I poured months of work into it and it fills my heart whenI see that people appreciate it.
I really love this post. I have interests that has nothing to do with what I am building. Sometimes I will read books and watch videos about this thing before I even think to come on here and post. I've been thinking of letting those interests bleed into my work, help me be more unique. This post is weirdly giving my that push to do so.
Thanks Philip.
Yes please do so. I’m writing an article that gives a more structured process on how to do that.
I'm looking forward to reading that
Well written, Philipp. Loved the story about the course you bought.
Your article sounds like pure and solid validation to me!
thanks!
I’m happy to hear that Jose.
Phillip’s eyes got philip’s light.
Hey Philipp, your archetype quiz is interesting. It annoyed me. That’s good. 😊
I wanted to pick them all. Thanks. Now I have something to think about.
Love the message and the overall mission, but there were so many typos I had to stop reading less than halfway through. Just calling this out so you can be aware for further articles.
I appreciate it. But honestly, if you are looking for perfectly polished ChatGPT article my Substack is not the place for that.
BTW: I’m not a native speaker. So actually it’s part of the branding.
I can relate when it comes to online courses. Although my own experience was specifically about trying to learn affiliate marketing. I was on the verge of purchasing a course back in 2021 and if I had the spare cash (I actually had the funds but the conversion rate made it way too expensive), my 599USD would have vanished into thin air. I will never forget the YouTube video where the guru blasts bills everywhere using his money gun. Every word is designed to target your insecurities and your hopes. Great read, Philipp. Known you for months and your work transforming this industry is phenomenal.
Thanks Eljon. I deeply appreciate your consistent support.
"Make some art that has a positive impact"
That's what AI will never be able to replace and it's our responsibility to flood the platforms with art, instead of serialized content. Thanks Philipp, it's nice to see there's still hope in the saturated digital ecosystem.
Let’s flood the platforms with art.
Excellent read! I related to a lot of the points you mentioned, especially your brilliant ideas being murdered over and over again for generic garbage. I went through that recently and honestly, it drives me crazy that people will abandon their own brilliance to be like everyone else!
I’ve always been used to writing in silence but when there are screenshots plastered in your face, I don’t blame people for feeling like they’re behind or they’ve failed to meet the “success metrics”.
I remind myself every day that I’m not here for the dopamine shots. I’m here for actual connection. I’m here for impact, not short term attention. Let’s keep going.
Thanks Sanam, let’s keep creating.
I almost always feel called when I read your stuff but that's always a good thing. Every time I think I've escaped the influencer speak of "SCALE SCALE SCALE" I find myself roped into another post about how to grow subscribers fast.
There are so many young writers desperate to create something meaningful but influencers know just the right song to sing to pull them into a faulty scheme.
Beautifully stated and so validating. I have no desire to post 5 times per day about nonsense for likes. Your article helped me realize I don’t need to!
Sometimes I think that everyone who shouts about creating more content is sponsored by social media apps or other digital companies. I really miss the OG internet. You were not obliged to do anything. You could create a weird video and just have fun with your friends on camera. Or you could write your thoughts on Tumblr and some people would find it interesting. Zero expectations, zero likes, zero approval, zero rewards. As soon as companies made social apps function the way casinos do, the magic of creating something for the pure joy of it disappeared. Now it’s all metrics, hacks, race. Boring.