We Stand by Stan’ was trending on Twitter. Was India once again championing the late man (Father Stan Swamy) who was awarded by prestigious organisations for his fight for human rights? Turns out, it was somebody called MC Stan trending for his fight with TV actor Shalin Bhanot on Bigg Boss 16.
For someone who has not had a cable connection for the past seven years, this was like Rip Van Winkle emerging from his slumber and inquiring ‘what’s going on?’ only to be called a ‘boomer’ and instructed to ‘get with the lingo.’
With 46 per cent of the Indian population being 25 years or younger, MC Stan, with a following of over three million on Instagram, is probably more famous than the human rights crusader. From a country that has always been culturally woke, we have now been reduced to a nation obsessed with grabbing eyeballs. Not surprising that every agency-client meeting begins with ‘kuch viral banate hain.’ The organic ‘stickiness’ of content, is doctored to ensure it becomes a trend.
Corporations now opt for ‘influencers’ to feature in ‘digital films’ with the hope that Gen Z’s power to create trends will rub off on the Boomer company’s campaigns and that people will accept this pseudo-collab.
It’s an ecosystem of ‘content creators’ which includes rappers, makeup artists, travel junkies, experts who create ‘reaction’ videos, or are just fantastic at thumping their chest and making the sunglasses fall on their face at the exact beat or anybody who can do anything.
And in this content-eats-content world, the corporates and these content creators are in an incessant battle for engagement, likes, comments and follows. They are in pursuit of the Holy Grail of content--- a viral video. That one breakthrough reel catapulted from obscurity to a million views or followers overnight.
Content has lost its hallowed throne.
Art for art’s sake has been replaced by content creation. Quantity is the norm, not quality. Originality is a rarity in this copycat trend-fuelled cyber-verse.
A person standing on one leg is emulated by others who try to do it for longer, more stylised, wearing a bikini, or naked, while cooking, while singing… the list is endless. Every content creator worth their ring light rides the fad in search of the Holy Grail.
From ridiculous Fanta Maggi, and Maggi milkshakes to Rasgulla Chaat. From extreme close-up videos of pimple-popping, and earwax removal to blackheads being scraped from your face. It’s all there. Millions are not only watching, but creating these masterpieces. With no regard for decorum, obsession with good backdrops, and desperation for numbers, the content creators dance at malls, on the street, interview chaiwalas, or give money to homeless people on camera.
India may have lost the T20, but we are masters of this Reels Universe. This is carpe diem on steroids. This is grabbing the opportunity even before the knock has happened. This is the age of content zombies. Validation is the new cocaine.
Anirban Bhattacharyya
Author, actor and standup comic
anirbanauthor@gmail.com