How to Break a Water Fast

 

The Karens Are Winning. And Creators Are Paying the Price.

If you've spent any time creating content online, you've probably encountered one.

The person who doesn't simply disagree with your opinion. They report your post. Try to get your account suspended. Celebrate when your reach drops. Send messages to your sponsors. Or spend their free time explaining why you shouldn't have a platform.

The internet gave everyone a voice, which is wonderful. Unfortunately, it also gave some people a hobby.

As someone who generates more than 100 million views a year across my social media channels, people often assume I must be making a fortune.

The reality is very different.

Most people have no idea how much work goes into creating content. Researching topics. Writing scripts. Filming. Editing. Creating thumbnails. Replying to comments. Studying analytics. Coming up with the next idea before you've even finished posting the last one.

It's a full-time job that often stretches well beyond forty hours a week.

Then, after all that work, a handful of people can report your content because they simply don't like your opinion.

Whether or not those reports are justified is another matter. Enough reports can reduce reach, trigger reviews, delay monetization, or make creators second-guess what they post. Many creators describe feeling pressure to avoid certain topics because they worry about how the platforms will respond.

The algorithms themselves are another mystery.

One week, a video reaches millions. The next, a similar video barely reaches your own followers. No explanation. No feedback. Just a dramatic change that can affect months of work.

People often ask me why I don't just create "safe" content.

Because that's not why I started.

I wanted to have conversations. Challenge ideas. Make people think. Share what I've learned. Occasionally make people laugh.

Not every opinion deserves applause. That's how healthy discussion works.

What worries me is when disagreement turns into trying to silence someone instead of debating them.

If you don't like a creator, scroll on. Watch someone else. The internet has billions of videos.

Trying to remove someone's ability to earn a living because you disagree with them doesn't create better conversations. It creates quieter ones.

Ironically, despite all those views, social media pays far less than most people imagine. Outside of a few platforms and niches, millions of views don't automatically translate into a significant income. For many creators, brand partnerships, books, courses, or other businesses are what actually keep the lights on.

Views are not the same as revenue.

The next time you see a creator whose content isn't for you, remember there's a real person behind that account. Someone who probably spent hours creating a 60-second video, knowing full well it might be criticized, reported, or buried by the algorithm before most people ever see it.

We don't have to agree with each other.

But we can disagree without trying to destroy each other.

The internet would be a much better place if we did.