If content is king, then context is queen. We can all enjoy creative work as a pure sensory experience. YES. But it’s when we get context for that work — who made it, how it was made, what ideas, scenes, and history surround it — that joy turns into a deeper appreciation — one of love. Context is the missing element in culture today. We consume giant feeds that flatten everything — advertising, harrowing news, self-promotion, life updates, creative work — into a never-ending stream. The content is endless. The context much harder to find.
instagram.comIf content is king, then context is queen. We can all enjoy creative work as a pure sensory experience. YES. But it’s when we get context for that work — who made it, how it was made, what ideas, scenes, and history surround it — that joy turns into a deeper appreciation — one of love. Context is the missing element in culture today. We consume giant feeds that flatten everything — advertising, harrowing news, self-promotion, life updates, creative work — into a never-ending stream. The content is endless. The context much harder to find.
“Content” is the black hole of the Internet. Incredibly well-produced videos, all sorts of songs, and articulate blog posts — they are all “content.” Are short stories “content”? I hope not, since that is one of the most soul-destroying of words, used to strip a creation of its creative effort.
I have a beef with “content”
We no longer lack tools for creating content. When content production and distribution is infinite, the important aspect is its primary function in crafting and proliferating culture*.* In other words, the value of content today comes primarily from its use in cultural production.
Luxury Media
Meaning and point of view are essential for anything worthy of our attention. It’s about a sense of purpose and personality that goes beyond mere information transmission. It’s about paying attention, and not outsourcing observation. In a world increasingly populated by auto-generated content, the combination of substance and style will rise above
Carly Ayres • On substance with style
I have a beef with “content”
om.co