UL I really don't understand what you're so hung up about. Alot of partners make great content. I didn't game the system or manipulate stats or use whorish techniques to become a partner, I just applied and got accepted. And my reason for doing it was to be a part of a team, and to be able to monetize. All those annoyances of adsense end at partnership, no more getting denied for dumb reasons etc, you also have a team of people working with you to help you brand and market your channel. And yes, it is about money, but you act like as soon as people become partners they just quit trying. After becoming a partner I started trying harder, I work for fullscreen now, I don't want to let them down. And just because someone wants youtube to be a job doesn't mean their content isn't quality.
The way you paint it it's like you're saying that people who want to make youtube a career are all greedy money hungry whores who will do anything to make it on youtube. I didn't tell people to "like fav and subscribe" before I was a partner, and I'm not doing it now. I haven't stopped making my humor random and quirky as to appeal to the masses, I didn't start putting out pop songs, hell my new music video is my weirdest one yet. What I did do was try to go the extra mile to do new things and think of ways to make my channel more interesting, and I'm still looking into possibilities.
For me being a partner says to the average viewer that you are official. The thumbnails are a big deal because as you're looking through seeing just random screen shots of vlogs and the like, suddenly you see this flashy artwork that stands out from the rest, and it makes it look like the person who created it has "arrived". As far as networks partnering based on stats and a numbers game, I'm proof that isn't true. Fullscreen accepted me soley by content. I hadn't even broke 300 subs at the time, and got between 200 and 500 views on most of my videos, and they still accepted me. I've seen alot of quality small channels get partnered lately.
The way you diminish it and try to say it's just some coveted trophy or bragging rights is pretty disrespectful to those who worked hard to get their partnerships. I was lucky, and still baffled I was chosen quickly, but alot of people have to apply over and over and get denied over and over, and I've seen first hand how much that can sting for some people. When you finally get accepted it's so validating, you feel like your hard work has been recognized. I haven't seen very many examples of partners flaunting it myself. We get excited, we make a video to celebrate it, but then we go back to trying to make quality content. I really don't get what's making you so disillusioned with this whole thing.
