No One Likes Anything. Now What? @thecreateunknown

Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

Thanks to MAINGEAR for speeding up everything for us. Check out the VYBE line that’s making up the core of Matt’s new studio -- and use code CREATE for a free additional year of warranty on desktops: maingear.com/ref/656

Join Our Patreon: patreon.com/thecreateunknown

This week we tackle a question that feels impossible to ignore: why does the internet seem to hate everything? Is online negativity just more visible than ever, or have our expectations fundamentally changed?

We explore how sports fandom has become more hostile in the age of fantasy leagues and social media, why algorithms may be training us to expect perfectly curated experiences, and what happens when real life inevitably falls short. Are we becoming less tolerant of disappointment...or just louder about it?

Along the way, we discuss the Boston Red Sox's dramatic season, the surprisingly low rate of positive engagement online, and why criticism often comes so much easier than praise. We also examine whether it's become "uncool" to genuinely enjoy things, and what that means for creators trying to make work people love.

Big thanks to our patrons, we'll see you next week!

You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's Treasure: thedragonstreasure.com

Buy our T-shirts: thecreateunknown.com/store

Join our Discord to talk with artists, creators, and fans of the finer things in online life: discord.gg/vnRnr3rCzt

Apple: bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownApple
Spotify: bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownSpotify
Google Podcasts: bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownGooglePodcasts

CREDITS:

Hosts: Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor
Executive Producer: Ben Webster
Editor: Spencer Vann
"Created in the Unknown" theme by Basswaite: https://linktr.ee/Basswaite
Theme by Mega Drive → megadrivemusic.com
Opening Animation: Kidmograph
City Animation: Eric Langlay

"The Create Unknown" is produced by Unknown Media.

CONNECT WITH US:

» Chat with us on DISCORD: discord.gg/qAQV3Jw
» Follow us on TWITTER: twitter.com/createunknown
» Follow us on INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thecreateunknown
» Follow us on FACEBOOK: facebook.com/thecreateunknown
» View our website: thecreateunknown.com

#thecreateunknown #podcast #advice

$Has Authenticity Left Hollywood? Thanks to MAINGEAR for speeding up everything for us. Check out the VYBE line that’s making up the core of Matt’s new studio and use code CREATE for a free additional year of warranty on desktops: https://maingear.com/ref/656/ Join Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thecreateunknown This week we’re exploring how small shifts in media consumption over time may have quietly fractured our once “shared culture.” We kick off that discussion with a deep dive into what was once the most ubiquitous medium, one that many of us knew and loved growing up – cable TV. We talk about how such limited options can create such strong cultural reference points, and how that stacks up to the fragmented nature of today’s algorithm-driven feed. As it turns out, we might all be living in separated media universes Then we call upon an old topic from a Vsauce2 video, one that explains how people can only meaningfully track a limited number of relationships or, in this case, shows: Dunbar’s Number.When everyone once pulled from the same pool, cultural overlap was inevitable. With streaming abundance, two people can consume constantly and still share almost nothing. That has some seeerious implications on cultural memory. After that, we set our sights on an area where this shift is becoming increasingly impossible to ignore: film education.. How can we teach film students with an ever-dwindling attention span the true value of “Unc Slop?” From there, Kevin talks about “slopflation,” how declining overall quality can make once mocked content, like the Star Wars prequels, feel better in hindsight. To round things out, we tackle the scourge of “millennial writing,” a style marked by snarky, self-aware dialogue that flattens characters into interchangeable voices. That leads us to a single, broader thesis, one that continues to ring true as time marches on: as authenticity increases in online content, it may be disappearing from scripted entertainment. That leaves us wondering… if people aren’t looking for authentic stories in TV and film, where are they trying to find it? Big thanks to our patrons! We’ll be back soon. You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragons Treasure: https://www.thedragonstreasure.com/ Buy our T-shirts: https://www.thecreateunknown.com/store/ Join our Discord to talk with artists, creators, and fans of the finer things in online life: discord.gg/vnRnr3rCzt Apple: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownApple Spotify: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownSpotify Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownGooglePodcasts CREDITS: Hosts: Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor Executive Producer: Ben Webster Editor: Spencer Vann Created in the Unknown theme by Basswaite: https://linktr.ee/Basswaite Theme by Mega Drive → http://megadrivemusic.com Opening Animation: Kidmograph City Animation: Eric Langlay The Create Unknown is produced by Unknown Media. CONNECT WITH US: » Chat with us on DISCORD: https://discord.gg/qAQV3Jw » Follow us on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/createunknown » Follow us on INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/thecreateunknown » Follow us on FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/thecreateunknown » View our website: https://thecreateunknown.com #thecreateunknown #podcast #advice$