This has "democratized" fame. You do not need to be a classically trained actor or a nepo-baby. You just need a webcam and a niche. But this democratization has flooded the market. There are over 50,000 podcasts attempting to be the next Serial . There are millions of Twitch streamers trying to be the next Ninja. The "long tail" of the internet means most creators are performing for empty rooms.

To understand the success of modern popular media, one must look at neuroscience. Platforms have weaponized the dopamine loop. The "auto-play" feature on Netflix or the infinite scroll on TikTok removes the stopping cues that traditionally ended a media session.