Exploring the creative interface between human and machine in writing and the classroom

Two Kinds of Creators in the World

Mar 10, 2022

What you seek is what you get in the creator economy.

In Ancient Greece, there were two kinds of citizens… those who seek good will and those who seek to rouse the passions.

Which one are you?

The Greeks used two specific words to describe how citizens and politicians interacted with the world around them.

• An ethikon is a person who seeks good will.
• A pathetikon is a person who seeks to arouse the passions.

This can be applied to the creator economy.

A creator who is an ethikon is always looking for new ways to help people understand the world around them and make it better.

🧭 They are usually humble and pay attention to their moral compass.

A creator who is a pathetikon is mostly looking for excitement. They usually focus on making a name for themselves.

💓 They are often competitive and driven by passions.

The difference between the two is that ethikon wants to be good, while pathetikon wants to be recognized.

🌬️ A pathetikon is like a boat driven about by the winds and storms of likes and retweets.

🚣 An ethikon is like a rowboat, driven by consistent, repetitive habit that seeks out the good for others.

Only rowing will get you through the doldrums of the creator economy.

Yes, both pathetikons and ethikons can be successful in the creator economy.

Ethikons are thought leaders, good communicators, and bring people together. Pathetikons are entertainers and good at creating attention.

Which do you think is more sustainable?

They seek good will instead of attention. That is how you build an economy around community, instead of a paltry sense of self.

This requires consistent, intentional habits that build goodwill with audiences.

Realistically, every creator consists of both these elements. The question is… which one is in control?

Ethos & Character
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