Summary of the Key Points
This article focuses on the phenomenon of "emotional fatigue" among the public towards corporate/celebrity communications. In the past, companies could easily gain attention and trust by creating personas (such as relatable entrepreneurs or narratives about transforming the world) and mobilizing emotions through fan bases. However, the public is becoming more discerning—no longer easily influenced by emotional appeals. They are adopting a "separation of issues" mindset (i.e., "What does this have to do with me?") and are paying more attention to concrete issues such as corporate responsibilities, product safety, and fair profit distribution. The article uses cases from the AI industry, fan-based public relations, and the backlash against personas to illustrate that companies need to shift from prioritizing traffic to prioritizing trust, and from telling stories to facing reality in order to adapt to a more mature public.
Detailed Analysis
1. Why don't people want to be part of the emotional spectacle anymore? – The essence of emotional fatigue is "resource depletion"
Over the past decade or so, the internet has acted as an amplifier for emotions: startup stories inspired passion, brand crises provoked anger, and success stories made people believe in redemption. But just like money, emotions can be overused. When every company talks about its "mission," every founder discusses their "values," and every hot topic forces a response, people finally ask, "What does this have to do with me?"
For example, when you see a video of an entrepreneur eating at a street stall, you might used to think, "Even the big shots are down to earth." Now, you might wonder, "Is this just part of their public relations campaign? Do their employees get paid on time?" This change is not about indifference; it's about self-protection—just as you eventually stop watching ads after being bombarded with them, the public is starting to conserve their emotions and focus only on issues that genuinely affect them.
2. When personas collapse – Companies that rely too heavily on "personal charisma" will face consequences
Many companies try to build their founders into idols (e.g., "approachable bosses" or "underdog entrepreneurs"). This strategy works when things are going well—fans will voluntarily promote new products and criticize critics for the company. But once problems arise, the persona becomes a liability:
- You can't expect fans to support you blindly while also asking them to remain rational in times of crisis;
- You can't shift all the blame onto the founder—if there's a product issue, fans might say, "The boss is good, it must be the employees' fault," but the public will ask, "Doesn't the boss have any responsibility?"
- Personas simplify complex corporate issues into a matter of personal character, but a company is comprised of products, systems, and responsibilities, not just one person's story.
As the article states, "Personas can create a sense of closeness, but they can also make companies vulnerable."
3. Why do ordinary people fear the grand narratives of the AI industry? – You talk about changing the world, but I worry about losing my job
AI companies like to tell grand tales to investors: "AI will revolutionize everything! Change labor! Redefine humanity!" Investors love these stories, but ordinary people worry about practical consequences:
- Will AI replace my job?
- Will my photos or articles be used without my consent in data training?
- The future has arrived, and I'm not prepared yet—will the changes hit me first?
AI companies only highlight the bright side of the future without explaining who will suffer during the transition or how compensation will be provided. As a result, public hostility towards AI is growing; when you present yourself as an unstoppable force, people naturally see you as a threat.
4. The short-term gains and long-term losses of fan-based public relations – Dividing the public into supporters and critics leads to loss of trust
Many companies imitate fan cultures, treating users as fans and critics as enemies, using support instead of solving problems. For example, if a platform's algorithm reduces business revenue, the company might not explain the logic behind it but instead mobilize fans to criticize the merchants for being "ungrateful." If there's a safety issue with a product, they might not recall it or apologize but blame competitors instead. In the short term, this can control reviews and generate traffic, but in the long run, the public realizes that the company only knows how to argue and not how to solve problems. Effective public relations should consider all stakeholders—employees, suppliers, the community, and even those indirectly affected (e.g., people whose photos are used in AI training)—not just please the fans. After all, what companies need is long-term trust, not short-term excitement.
5. Is conservatism also a competitive advantage? – In today's world, "taking it slow to tell the truth" is more important than "rushing to create emotions"
Traditional media was once seen as outdated, but now their abilities are valued again: verifying facts, distinguishing between opinions and reality, interviewing people from different perspectives, and explaining complex issues clearly. These skills may seem cumbersome in the age of traffic, but they are exactly what the public needs today.
For example, when a company faces a problem, it's better to admit mistakes honestly: "Where did we go wrong? How will we fix it? Who will be affected? What compensation plans do we have?" In an era of emotional fatigue, restraint, honesty, and patience are more likely to earn trust—because people are tired of pretense and want to hear the truth.
Conclusion
This article essentially describes a process of maturation: individuals moving from imagining their lives through screens to facing reality (e.g., a young person from a small town realizing that real life involves rent and commuting in Shanghai); society moving from emotional excesses back to focusing on facts (the public no longer buys into personas but evaluates what companies actually do). Emotional fatigue is not a bad thing; it indicates that people are starting to make informed choices based on practical considerations. For companies, this is both a challenge and an opportunity: letting go of the anxiety around traffic and investing time in solving real problems is more effective than relying on personas. Trust is built on actions, not on stories.