Sometimes I wonder about the words we use, and the way that those words influence the way we think. It occurs to me that, across the Internet, “content creation” is king. That pretty much goes without saying, a truism in the present age of endless scrolling. But, what exactly is content, beyond the basic fact of being something to consume via Internet connection? And what is the difference between content and art? Does the difference matter?
What is Content?
I’m starting by going way back to basics, with pre-Internet culture definitions of this deceptively simple-seeming noun. Via Oxford Languages:
- The things that are held or included in something
- The amount of a particular constituent occurring in a substance
- A list of the chapters or sections given at the front of a book or periodical
- The material dealt with in a speech, literary work, etc., as distinct from its form or style
And, the more modern usage, also via Oxford Languages:
- Information made available by a website or other electronic medium
So, in a word, content is basically “stuff.” Our more specified Internet age usage whittles it down to “stuff online.”
What that definition doesn’t tell us is anything qualitative about the stuff – only that it exists, and it can be found online. Content can be beautiful or ugly, false or true, forthright or manipulative. It can be consciously designed, created, and curated, like this blog post. Or it can be a byproduct of other purposes – that online classified ad you posted trying to sell your old car counts as content. That kinda-personal question asked “for a friend” on the anonymous online message board is still content.
So… what makes good content?
The Power of Attention
Upon reflection, there is one quality that DOES matter in content – it must capture attention. Content is like that proverbial tree falling in the forest. If there’s no one there to hear it (no audience), or the people around to hear it don’t give it their attention, does it even matter that it fell?
The only thing separating “good” content from “bad” content is the degree to which it captures and holds attention. But even that doesn’t say much meaningful about the content of the content (wordplay intended). The sight of your favorite fast-food joint off the freeway after a few hours on the road captures attention. A flaming dumpster captures attention. It doesn’t take a lot of reflection for any of us to remember some example of Internet content that was attention-grabbing to the point of “virality” that turned out to be, in hindsight, either stupid, absurd, or otherwise not what it seemed. But real value, impact, beauty, or truth don’t matter at that point – the purpose has been fulfilled, your attention has been grabbed. Maybe for long enough to make a purchase. Or at least see an ad, or impact the algorithm.
A brief sidetrack…
An amusing angle that I hadn’t considered occurred to me when my definition search also turned up results for con-TENT. Via Oxford Languages:
- Adjective – in a state of peaceful happiness
- Adjective – willing to accept a particular thing; satisfied
- Verb – satisfy (someone)
- Verb – accept as adequate despite wanting more or better
- Noun – a state of satisfaction
What does this say for the idea of content, in the “online stuff” context? To me, it underlines the beige sense of anything-goes-ness. Satisfactory. Acceptable. Ok.
Something else it might underline is the impact that endless content has had on our individual and collective psyche, and the addictive nature of so many outlets for the content that we do consume. We self-administer dopamine via the screen, contenting ourselves, via content.
Before you think I’m just dunking on content…
Some content actually IS beautiful, true, and valuable for something beyond the attention dollars and dopamine hit. There is great stuff out there on the Interwebz that still qualifies as “content.”
Besides which, I do (obviously) create content myself. This post itself isn’t art. My blog, my Twitter and Instagram posts… It’s a way for me to explore ideas, my takes on them, and share them in prose. I’ve even been known to create content for the purpose of attracting attention. And it’s a nice supplementary creative endeavor. Emphasis on supplementary.
Supplementary to what?
Art
If content serves as the big umbrella, where does art fit into the scheme?
Oxford Languages defines art as “the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.” Further related definitions from the same source touch on creative works beyond painting and sculpture, “The Arts,” art in its more verbish sense of “doing art,” and the skill and creativity which contrast artistic endeavor from the technical or the scientific.
What I most appreciate about this definition is that little tag on the end: “producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.” Artistic endeavor is inextricable from the emotional element, from the interactivity between the artist’s vision or message and the receiving party’s estimation that it evokes feeling, or emotional movement. The point of art is to create beauty, or to inspire emotion. I personally can’t say that I’ve ever been emotionally moved by a “Top 5” listicle, or a how-to guide, or an infographic, obvious examples of content that is not, first and foremost, artistic.
Unlike “content,” which doesn’t tell us much about the quality of the stuff, “art” has a fundamentally qualitative judgment attached to it. There is an intention that a piece of art have a quality of beauty or emotional power – and art is good or bad, succeeds or fails, insofar as it meets, or fails to meet, that intention.
Can Content be Made Artistically?
I think so, in some cases. There are a large number of video interviews, documentaries, and even vlogs, all “content” genres, that are beautifully produced and presented with a tremendous amount of emotional gravitas. One might argue that the best of these are the best because of their artistic bent.
Leaving the visual media, I think it gets more difficult to bring artistry to written or spoken content delivery. I can’t readily think of an example of a “beautiful” blog post or news article – although some may certainly evoke strong emotion, it is generally the emotion of the immediate, not the emotion of the transcendent. The difference between the participants in Orwell’s “Two Minutes’ Hate” of 1984 and Hamlet giving his Immortal Soliloquy. Maybe provocative vs. evocative is a valid distinction.
Another place for content to sneak into that gray area is when it actually well-crafted and sincere. Content is a wide net of a term, containing everything from AI clickbait listicles full of errors to articles and video essays exploring big questions that are relevant to us all in a way that engages and challenges.
If a particular content can be made artistically, it is probably worth trying to do so, even if some content forms are more amenable to artistic elevation than others.
What are you making, Author?
The whole discussion, for me, comes back around to how I spend my valuable wordsmithing time. I (obviously) do create content – you’re reading it now. But is that the ultimate goal? My “why” for putting fingertips to keys? No, not really. The ultimate goal is a finished novel, hopefully a good one that bears out its characters, themes, and story in an artistic way. That is to say, a way that is (hopefully) appreciated for its beauty and emotional power, to appeal back to the definition above. A lofty goal, I know. Time and effort will tell if I’m worthy of it. I like writing content, and I think it can be valuable, but art is a different beast, and one that I, and I think all fiction writers, ought to aspire to.
If you appreciated this reflection on content and art, you may also enjoy my review of “Twisters” and how this belated sequel that nobody asked for sidestepped the pitfalls that beset movies in this age of incessant sequels and reboots to own itself as a solid and enjoyable film. Check it out here.
Until next time, may the muse be with you as you create art, and may the content that you create in the meantime be valuable, and even artistic.
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