There's a Difference Between Contrarian and Just Being a Dick
Outrage marketing isn't independent thinking.
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Lately, I’ve watched creators mistake anger for insight.
They think rage-posting makes them independent thinkers. It doesn’t. It makes them boring.
They’re rebels without a clue, treading on the familiar ground of their teenage goth phase, where it’s cool to be mad about things.
Real contrarian thinking challenges broken systems with better alternatives. Fake contrarian thinking just complains louder than everyone else.
The tell? Check their solutions.
Outrage merchants point at problems without building anything. They capitalize on your frustration but never show you a working system.
They’re all diagnosis, zero prescription.
Here’s what genuine contrarian work looks like: You identify a common practice that doesn’t work. You test alternatives based on evidence, not emotion. You document what actually produces results. Then you share the method, not just the critique.
That’s the difference. One approach helps people escape broken systems. The other just monetizes the misery of staying stuck.
Before you write that hot take, ask yourself three questions:
Do I have data or just feelings about this?
Have I tested a better alternative?
Am I helping people build something or just venting?
If you can’t answer those, you’re not being contrarian. You’re performing outrage for engagement. And the creator economy already has enough angry teenagers disguised as thought leaders.
We need people building better systems, not more people mad the world doesn’t bend to their whims.
Build something that works. Share how you did it. Skip the rage.
What’s one popular creator practice you’ve tested and replaced with something better?