Granted, today, thanks to platforms like Patreon, YouTube, or Substack, there is a possibility to become a sort of “populist” influencer–to retain a voice and a livelihood independent of mainstream gatekeepers and patronage via crowdfunding (particularly for those who have already built a decent following by means of “playing the game” in elite spaces before “going rogue”). However, those whose livelihoods are contingent on building and maintaining a particular audience can often find themselves “captured” by that audience–delivering more of what their subscribers have shown themselves to like or expect, and avoiding content demonstrated to alienate or otherwise fail to resonate with said audience.
Musa al-Gharbi, We Have Never Been Woke, 48.