We can map any content delivery platform on this earnest-to-cynical spectrum:
- The inbox:
- *High-trust market. *My guard is down.
- Emails come from people I know, newsletters I’ve signed up for, or brands I’ve bought something from. Trust is established before senders gain entrance to the zone.
- The exception is cold emails. An unknown sender combined with a pitch or clickbait subject line puts my guard all the way up.
- Short-form video feeds:
- Low-trust markets. My guard is up.
- This is an extreme barker market. Earnest content doesn’t always get a fair look. Like Grant said, “I want something a little lower commitment.”
- Trust is established by the hook, by the barker’s ability to sell.
- YouTube:
- Low-trust market.
- The metagame here is about optimizing titles and thumbnails. **This culture of optimization has transformed what *****used to be ***a high-trust market.
- LinkedIn:
- Low-trust market.
- **People are there to talk their book, **to raise the profiles — even when they’re sharing truly useful, earnest information.
- However, I have become a more earnest LinkedIn consumer over time. I don’t think I’ll truly shift, but especially as I’ve become a more frequent poster, I have a better palate here. It’s easier to tell when a seemingly cynical hook, for example, is genuine.
- Twitter:
- Low-trust market.
- **It’s the most cynical market listed here. **There are people whose posts I take at face value, but the platform incentivizes cynicism; thoughtful, earnest posts rarely run up the numbers.