Them being sponsored is not the issue here, contrary to popular belief, you can actually be sponsored AND unbiased. But listen to many different creators and you’ll notice a trend in burnout, chasing the next viral video, having to meet deadlines for sponsors, etc. All these things can and will deteriorate the viewing experience.
I follow plenty of creators, doing so full-time and only with the support of their fans, it’s a well thought out, proven system and it works. Almost all of them started before any monetisation was possible as well. It’s amazing how something like that is even possible.
All that being said, there’s a definite decline in passion and drive across the board. I still enjoy all the new produced content, but in the same way I enjoy a movie or TV show. Much less in a “we’re a community of like minded people” kind of way.
Exactly, couldn’t have worded it better. Obviously not all of them all of the time, but it is what it is