#Emotional: Exploitation & Burnout in Creator Culture

In recent years, a growing list of content creators have published videos announcing that they are leaving YouTube, taking break, or reducing their upload schedule (Alexander). Many these young state decision resulted from burnout, caused by relentless and obsession with YouTube’s algorithm analytics— tools essential to success on this highly competitive creative platform (Srnicek). Its opaque algorithm, however, induces anxiety; an affect described as which “arises when the subject is confronted desire Other does not know what object he for desire” (Evans 12). Here, conflated both audience insofar trend recommended complex merging user-engagement vetting algorithm. Attempting discover Other, examine data speculate about will gain most views. While some opt chase trends use clickbait titles, others avoid algorithm’s detection suppression omitting key words known be flagged, while embrace defeat instead drive channels using drama negative (Berryman Kavka). Drawing Lacan’s psychoanalytic clinical structures theory anxiety, article examines how each approaches navigating represents neurotic sometimes perverse response algorithmic influenced neoliberal notion creativity privileges growth over its socially transformative power (Mould).