There is a quiet unrest growing in our collective consciousness—a whisper that has become a murmur, and now, a near-deafening hum.
We’re living in a world where every individual is subtly (or not-so-subtly) being driven to become a “brand.” To present ourselves in polished, marketable ways. To curate not just our art, but our identities, for the consumption of an ever-scrolling audience.
For artists, this is especially toxic. The act of creation, by its very nature, is messy, uncertain, and deeply personal. Art demands freedom: freedom to experiment, to evolve, to fail.
Yet the digital world, dominated by algorithms and the hunger for engagement, rewards consistency above all else. Artists are nudged into pigeonholes, pressured to stick to what’s “on-brand” in order to grow their following, please the algorithm, or “go viral.”
The result? A flattening of creativity, a stifling of exploration, and an overwhelming burnout.
It’s not just artists. Everyone is feeling it.
- Younger generations, raised with social media as an extension of their social lives, are desperate to quit but feel shackled by the fear of ostracization.
- Older generations, weary of the ad-saturated monotony of Facebook and Instagram, are starting to tune out.
Across age groups, there’s a shared fatigue.
Most people I speak to feel it: a yearning for something more genuine, a desire to sever ties with the algorithmic machine that eats our time and attention.
But breaking free isn’t easy.
Social media platforms are sticky by design. They’ve embedded themselves into our personal and professional lives so deeply that imagining life without them feels like imagining life without electricity.
And yet, the cracks are forming.
A revolution is underway.
Slowly, steadily, people are beginning to reclaim their time and attention.
They’re leaving the platforms behind in favour of more intentional, controlled digital spaces: personal websites, newsletters, private communities.
I count myself among them.
After years of feeling the pull to conform to the digital brand machine, I’ve decided to step away.
Instead of being beholden to algorithms, I’m building my own digital world.
A space where I can evolve freely, explore uncharted ideas, and connect with others in a way that feels real.
It’s a small rebellion, but one I believe in wholeheartedly.
Because the stakes are high.
The brandification of individuals doesn’t just diminish creativity, it diminishes humanity.
We’re more than our curated feeds and viral posts. We’re complex, evolving beings who deserve the space to grow and connect authentically.
And as this quiet revolution grows louder, I’m convinced we’ll see more people seeking out that authenticity.
We may even witness a cultural shift:
- Phone detox centres.
- Support groups for social media recovery.
The parallels to addiction are apt: social media has hijacked our attention and our connections, and reclaiming them will take effort, support, and a collective will to change.
But the grass is greener on this side.
There is freedom here.
There is time to think, to create, to have real conversations.
To those feeling burnt out, stuck in the cycle of brand maintenance, I say: the first step is letting go.
Come build something real on the other side.