Are you willing to sacrifice your integrity for YouTube stardom?

[Born Strategist]

The name is Strategist. Born Strategist. and as a gamer, incorruptible content creator and advocate of high quality entertainment I have often wondered how far some will go for YouTube stardom? Not just for the attention, but for the monetary gains that go along with it. For whether we believe it or not, there are a great deal of people that are all to willing to renounce their moral values for financial gain. Don't believe me? Just go to YouTube and I'm sure you'll find something that'll prove my point, if you haven't already.

That said, many don't mind doing less than questionable things to become a YouTube success. Think about it. How many YouTubers have you seen begging for likes and subscriptions? How many times have you seen misleading thumbnails and simplistic titles to entice potential viewers? Or scantily clad women attempting to utilize sex appeal to garner attention? Trust me, the list of shameless practices are numerous.

But, just because I don't agree with it, doesn't mean it's an ineffective strategy. In fact, it's a very effective strategy, and that's why they use it. And as a result, YouTube is overpopulated by dull, unimaginative, drivel. And that's the problem. For the majority of people have become content with crap. Simply put, low standards lead to low quality content.

And make no mistake, this isn't sour grapes. For I too have had many opportunities to do the same questionable things, but I didn't. Why? Because I hate hypocrites.

With that said, what are your thoughts? What are your opinions? Are you willing to sacrifice your integrity for YouTube stardom? Let us know below.

 

[spektronomy]

You know that's one of those questions that you are sure to say ID NEVER DO IT when you hear them, but then again, you start to wonder when you actually face them. Along with that, I don't think I'd ever do it. Because no matter how much money you're making, the thing that makes the whole YouTube thing magical is that human factor, that interaction with your audience(not that I had any experience with that sadface). Therefore though I've seen people such as you described, I can't really understand them. Maybe it's just my thing, maybe it's a shared experience, but I don't really know how people can withstand doing something if they don't have fun with it... Honestly, if making money was my primary goal, I'd just set off on journey towards a corporation, after all I doubt there's much fun to deal with. As you said hyprocrites suck. Hail people putting enjoyment and interaction over their financial gain, yeeeeeeya.
Cheers

 

[PictureFIT]

Nope, I know myself enough that I don't have to indulge into petty videos to draw attention.

 

[TGP-ROB]

If I were to sacrifice my integrity
I wouldnt be the person i am currently
it goes against everything i believe in
Ofcourse Ive made titles that seem misleading but it always relates with the video.

I think you have to have a good balance of fake and real as sad as it seems
Im not willing to put fake content out but its probably beneficial in order to make this stardom.
However, these fake personalities will destroy someones career as well
So it has to be a never ending lie
This s**t happened to Tmartn, he was already really big but wanted to grow even more and his lies broke his channel

Im not gonna do that... f**k that

 

[Brenden]

Personally. I only do what I enjoy or find funny, which is a lot.

I mean, I have very few things I wouldn't do for a good laugh just because I like making people laugh.

 

[Brandon]

Yeah I'd sell my soul to the devil for a bag of bbq lays so I don't see the difference.

 

[Brenden]

Yeah I'd sell my soul to the devil for a bag of bbq lays so I don't see the difference.

BBQ Lays? I'd sell my soul for a single corn chip.

 

[MentallyGames]

I don't even think about terms like ''quality entertainment'' and ''shady practices'' anymore. It's all so subjective that it is just a waste of your time to even think about it. Is Jake Paul quality entertainment? Not to me, but apparently he is to millions of others. Is stuff like sub4sub and using your looks to get views shady? It is to me, but apparently not to others.

I ask people to comment, like and subscribe at the start of my videos. I am 100% sure that that is a major no go for some youtubers. Does that mean that I have no integrity? Not really, it just means that my integrity is put together differently. At the end of the day you just have to do what feels good to you. That's fine, as long as it does not hurt anybody else.

 

[Born Strategist]

I don't even think about terms like ''quality entertainment'' and ''shady practices'' anymore. It's all so subjective that it is just a waste of your time to even think about it. Is Jake Paul quality entertainment? Not to me, but apparently he is to millions of others. Is stuff like sub4sub and using your looks to get views shady? It is to me, but apparently not to others.

I ask people to comment, like and subscribe at the start of my videos. I am 100% sure that that is a major no go for some youtubers. Does that mean that I have no integrity? Not really, it just means that my integrity is put together differently. At the end of the day you just have to do what feels good to you. That's fine, as long as it does not hurt anybody else.

Comment: "I don't even think about terms like ''quality entertainment'' and ''shady practices'' anymore. It's all so subjective that it is just a waste of your time to even think about it." - MentallyGames

Response: I disagree. Think about it, even you as a content creator have consider quality at some point, whether it be with a video, logo, thumbnail, etc. And if you didn't care about quality entertainment then why bother uploading 4K 60FPS videos?

That said, even you, whether you're willing to admit it or not, care about "'shady practices". For if someone were to take advantage of you, then you too would care. And there's nothing subjective about that.

Now in regards to bias subjective preference, well, that's another issue. You see, not everyone can distinguish personal preference from irrefutable fact, and that's the problem. Just because we don't like a particular video doesn't make it bad. Some will like it, while others will dislike it, and that's all subjective. But at the end of the day an objective individual can determine what is undeniably good, undeniably bad, and anything in-between, regardless of their personal preferences. Simply put, we all have opinions, but they are not an accurate determination of how good or bad anything actually is.

But what do I know, I'm just a realist. : )

 

[Idec Sdawkminn]

No, I wouldn't, and I'm constantly having to tell my viewers "no" to things they request because of it.