The Create Unknown

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 sit down to talk about the new He-Man movie, and we quickly discover that our feelings on it are all over the place. Seeing this property on the big screen is undeniably cool…so why does it feel like something about this movie is nagging at us? Today we see if we can figure out exactly why that is. The deeper we dig, the more we keep coming back to one simple question: does this movie actually like He-Man? We talk about the strange trend modern franchises have been making toward making fun of themselves, even while asking audiences to take them seriously. Why are so many movies afraid of sincerity? And what happens when a story starts treating its own premise like an embarrassment? Along the way we compare the film to the infamous 1987 version, pick apart Martin Scorsese's "theme park versus cinema" argument, and examine several moments that left us completely baffled as viewers. We also find ourselves talking about romance in storytelling, why so many modern movies avoid committing to relationships, and whether or not horror has quietly become one of the last genres willing to play things straight. As we round things out, we find ourselves giving less of a review and more of a conversation about contemporary blockbuster writing. Can a franchise survive if it seems uncomfortable with the very thing that made people love it in the first place? Big thanks to our patrons for supporting the show. 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: 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 starts with a discussion about a few recent losses, including the death of Gene Shalit, and the tragic passing of Oliver Tree. We reflect on the kind of creativity and criticism both represented, and why genuinely original voices seem harder and harder to find. From there, we revisit an old idea: if technology keeps making life easier, shouldn't people be happier? Years ago, we believed automation would free us up for art, relationships, learning, and meaningful pursuits. Today, we're not so sure. Then we explore the strange gap between opportunity and action. Information is everywhere. Books are cheaper than ever. New skills can be learned in minutes. Powerful AI tools can help with almost anything. So why do so many people still feel directionless? Along the way we talk about reading, retirement, motivation, and the uncomfortable reality that having more free time doesn't automatically lead to a better life. If anything, it may reveal a deeper question: do people actually want free time, or do they need structure more than they realize? It's a conversation about creativity, purpose, and what happens when the barriers disappear...but the drive to do something meaningful doesn't magically appear with them. You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 kick things off with a shockingly sad discussion about Ray Liotta and the bizarre internet phenomenon of seemingly widespread celebrity death Mandela effects. That morphs into a conversation about fading news cycles, Scorsese movies, and Kevin's extremely unpopular opinion on The Wolf of Wall Street. After that, we dive into the REAL focus of the episode – a writing technique with a ridiculous name that might actually save your creative projects: Elfing. We trace the origins of the concept back through filmmaker Zach Krieger all the way to legendary Simpsons writer John Swartzwelder, whose seemingly crude writing philosophy could actually be the key to getting things DONE. From there, we zoom out to tackle a much bigger challenge in creative work: learning how to separate your identity from what you make. Why do so many people instinctively defend every sentence of an early draft? Why is accepting feedback so difficult? And why do so many promising writers stall out before they ever finish anything? Along the way, we discuss the realities of editing, the balance between writing for yourself versus writing for an audience, and the constant tension between artistic honesty and commercial appeal. Big thanks to our patrons, and 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: 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 launching off of our discussion from last episode by asking a strange question: is YouTube actually REAL? After nearly twenty years of dominance, why does the platform still feel completely disconnected from traditional media recognition, legitimacy, and the broader “culture” in general? We start by reminiscing on the “good old days” of 2015, when it seemed inevitable that YouTubers would fully cross over into television and film. Agents were interested, studios were experimenting, YouTube Red was launching, and everybody assumed internet creators would naturally become mainstream celebrities. But… that didn’t really happen. Why not? To understand that, we break down the failed crossover era. We’re talking celebrity YouTube channels, creator-backed streaming shows, and the awkward attempts by Hollywood to recreate YouTube success. As we all know, that didn’t really work out. We dive deep into why. After that, we get critical as we shift toward what is arguably the biggest problem surrounding online media: LEGITIMACY. How is it possible for someone to have billions of views and millions of subscribers while simultaneously remaining nearly anonymous outside the platform itself? Why do traditional systems like journalism, awards shows, and even Wikipedia still struggle to treat YouTube creators as “real” media figures? We also discuss the strange economics of it all. When successful YouTubers often have more freedom and better income than they would in traditional entertainment… does “moving up” to Hollywood make any sense at all?. We round things out with some discussion on the legendary James Rolfe, the collapse of centralized culture, YouTube’s failed attempts at prestige, and Kevin’s growing theory on YouTube as a closed ecosystem. Big thanks to our patrons, and 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: 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 begin with the passing of sociologist and author Leah Greenfeld, whose work on identity, alienation, and modern society ended up feeling eerily ahead of its time. That retrospective leads us to a discussion on the importance of talking to older people while they’re still here, especially the rare ones who’ve experienced worlds and perspectives that are quickly disappearing. After that we pivot to a recent viral tweet with nearly half a million likes claiming there’s “nothing to watch on YouTube anymore,” and honestly…it might not be entirely wrong. We break down the strange feeling that many of us seem to be having – that modern YouTube recommendations have become both hyper-specific AND strangely unwatchable. Did you watch a single repair video one time to fix a single issue? Well, enjoy the parade of that exact type of content on your home page from now on! As we dig deeper and deeper, the conversation turns toward what we think was the real turning point for YouTube itself over the past decade – the death of YouTube Rewind. Was THAT the moment YouTube stopped understanding its own audience? Has YouTube become a “solved platform,” where creators optimize around formulas instead of originality? We also talk about a big shift in how creators today get INSPIRED. In the past, a lot of creators seemed to get their ideas from all kinds of outside experiences. But now, YouTubers are seemingly being influenced by… YouTube itself. Is that actually making good content? Or are we truly spiraling into a cycle of derivation and optimization? To close things out we get into some of YouTube’s bizarre moderation inconsistencies. Why are educational Vsauce videos, for instance, being age-restricted while more explicit content remains untouched? That takes us into a larger discussion about platform leadership, creator disconnect, and why modern YouTube culture feels so much different than the “good old days.” 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: 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 diving deep into Stephen King’s iconic novel Carrie which, as it turns out, ended up being Matt’s FIRST real horror novel EVER. We talk about why King’s writing is so easily digestible, and how Carrie feels strangely modern despite being written over 50 years ago. We pick apart the book’s uniquely fragmented structure, and how it actually kind of resembles… modern scroll-based apps? Next we dissect the iconic prom scene and figure out why it might be one of the most perfect “killer app” images ever created in fiction. But what exactly is it that makes this scene so iconic, and more importantly, how did it shape Stephen King into the horror icon he is today? From there we get into Carrie’s horrifying home life, her mother’s religious fanaticism, and why the book’s version of Margaret White is much more interesting (and far more frightening) than most adaptations. We also pick apart the various Carrie movies, including the bizarre TV adaptation, and some truly catastrophic CGI choices. We round things out with a thorough examination of the story’s astonishing moral complexity. Is Carrie’s revenge satisfying…or deeply tragic? We talk about proportional justice, why some readers celebrate the destruction at the end, and the uncomfortable trend of treating mass revenge fantasies as empowering. Big thanks to our patrons, and 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: 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 diving deep into a pop cultural figurehead, and the strange evolution of the medium that propelled him to stardom from a niche sideshow into one of the biggest entertainment machines on Earth. Of course, we’re talking Hulk Hogan, and the incomparable spectacle of WrestleMania. This one gets pretty wild, so buckle up. We start with a trip down memory lane as we reflect on our own introductions to the world of wrestling. We wonder, how did something so openly “fake” become more culturally powerful than many “real” sports? And what exactly was wrestling tapping into that made its stars so recognizable to almost everybody? From there, we break down how WrestleMania completely changed the business, and how Vince McMahon’s impossible gamble paid off so spectacularly. With wrestling turning into such a mainstream event, we wonder how much of modern entertainment owes something to it? Was it really the blueprint? We also explore why Hulk Hogan’s “Real American” persona was expertly crafted and perfectly molded to fit the landscape of the 1980s. Hogan was much more than just a wrestler…he was THE Cold War superhero. From there, we take a turn into Hogan’s bizarre Hollywood career, the infamous Richard Belzer incident, and the surreal energy of celebrity culture in the 80s and 90s. We talk about “Hollywood Hogan” and the overwhelming cultural shift toward cynicism in the 1990s. Naturally, as we wrap things up, we zoom out and take a look at the culture of America itself. What made figures like Hulk Hogan feel so real to people despite being overtly performative? And are larger-than-life personalities even possible anymore in an era obsessed with optimization, irony, and image management? 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: 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 dive into Brian Jacques’ fantastical explorations into the world of rodentia through his hit series “Redwall.” But what starts as a dissection of literature quickly leads us to a much bigger question – why did this series resonate so deeply with millions of readers…and does it still hold up? We begin with a biographical examination of Jacques himself, his unlikely path into writing, the strange origins of Redwall, and why a man with no literary pedigree ended up creating one of the biggest fantasy series of its kind. From there, we wrestle with one of the big critiques of the books: morality. Is Redwall’s clear divide between heroes and villains overly simplistic, or strangely refreshing in the current landscape? After decades of morally gray antiheroes, is there something powerful about stories that know exactly where they stand? That leaves us wondering, are the animal archetypes lazy stereotyping, or a literary keystone? Do choices like that rob a story of its complexity or deepen its mythic feel? After that, we hold a magnifying glass up to the act of writing itself. What matters more in a novel: elegant prose, or pure storytelling momentum? Can a book still feel magical if the actual words on the page are cumbersome? And why does there seem to be such a discrepancy in what viewers and critics value? To finish out the episode, we talk about all things ADAPTATION. With the recent collapse of planned Redwall projects, we wonder why translating this absurdly successful world to screen has proven so difficult? Is it the violence? The tone? Or is some of what makes Redwall special just hard to adapt in the first place? 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: 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 sitting down with artist Phillip Summers to take a close-up look at his expertly handcrafted game guides. So join us as we strap on our hiking boots to climb the towering mountain of work it actually takes to make something like this from scratch. We do a proper retrospective on all of Phil’s work, from early projects to more refined guides, and we’re left wondering… where’s the line between fan art and original creation, and when does something like this become entirely new? From there, we dig deep into the nuts and bolts of what it takes to run an operation like Phil’s – things like printing, shipping, damaged copies, replacements, and the many other hurdles Summers had to figure out in real time. What happens when a passion project suddenly scales? And how much of being a creator is actually just logistics? We also talk through hisMetroid Kickstarter that blew up seemingly instantaneously, and shut down just as fast. Hearing it directly from Summers, we ask: what do you do when something clearly resonates with people but legally can’t exist? That takes us straight into a discussion on how Phillip’s canceled kickstarter project led to a direct collaboration with Capcom. We close out with a bird’s eye view on balancing creative work with real life, and what it actually costs to keep making things consistently. If you want to create something like this, what are you willing to sacrifice? 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: 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 We’re kicking this week’s episode off with about as simple a premise as it gets: it’s time to SLOW DOWN.: We’re diving into what it actually means to “slow-max” your life, and why it feels like everything around us is pushing in the opposite direction. We start by giving a shoutout to our Canadian friends from Archspire who have gone fully independent with the band’s newest album. As great as it is, it leaves us wondering, what really happens when creators take on everything themselves? On paper it sounds liberating, but what is there a deeper level of complexity we’re actually signing up for? After that we take a big swing and stake our claim on the term “slowmaxxing,” the idea of deliberately choosing slower, more involved activities. We pick apart the benefits of doing things that were once commonplace: cooking from scratch, reading, building something, even just putting your phone in another room. But, if those things were so normal before, why do they feel harder now than they used to? And what did we lose when convenience removed all the friction? We dig into small, almost forgotten rituals like sharpening pencils, making popcorn by hand, listening to full albums, etc., and we dissect how those tiny processes used to anchor attention in a way that’s disappearing. Is that just nostalgia, or were those steps actually doing something important for how we think? To round things out, we zoom out for a real “big picture” perspective. If everything is faster, easier, and more optimized, why does it sometimes feel worse? Why does scrolling for hours leave you with nothing, while slower activities actually stick? And if the “fast” version of everything is becoming more common, is it actually… better? Or are we slowly forgetting how to engage with anything at all? 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: 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 What actually makes something funny? And why do so many modern comedies feel… off? This week we’re finding the answers with comedy film legend David Zucker. It all starts with a deceptively simple idea: what if the secret to comedy is actually doing LESS? From there, we get a peak inside David’s brain and find out his entire philosophy for comedy. If comedy can be broken down into principles, why does so much of it still miss? And are creators overcomplicating something that used to feel effortless? We also explore the shockingly harsh reality of making comedy films in the modern media landscape. Why is it so hard to get the right movies made? Why do financiers push for big stars, even to the detriment of the project? And what happens when studios try to reboot something like The Naked Gun without fully understanding what made the original work in the first place? After that, we branch out into the creative process at large, and the myth that great comedy comes from chaos or being “out of your mind.” What if it’s actually the opposite? Structured, disciplined, and kind of… boring? Well, if you’re as curious as we are, you can find out all that and more in David’s newest course “Master Crash.” By the end, we’re left with a single question… if everyone can be funny now, what separates the wheat from the chaff? 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: 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 We open up this week’s episode with a bang by examining the earth shattering, barrier breaking collision of worlds between American and Japanese Twitter. With such an explosive cultural exchange happening before our very eyes, it makes us reflect on our own experiences in Japan, and leads us into some careful consideration of the culture shock and stressful social situations that ensued. After that, we dive into a much bigger topic that’s been brewing in our minds: the idea of a “Real World Summer Camp.” What would it look like to teach kids the kinds of skills that used to just…happen naturally? Even simple skills like navigation, talking to strangers, or figuring things out without a screen seem to be falling behind across the board, which raises a bigger question: are these skills actually disappearing? We also dig deep into the “free range kids” philosophy, and the recent shift away from independence. If kids aren’t being exposed to the real world in the same way, what kind of long-term effects does that have, if any? And is this overcorrection, or just the natural result of a changing world? From there, we get into the multitude of experiences that actually build confidence. Grocery shopping, cooking, talking to older generations – there are a massive number of these small interactions that seem insignificant, but they probably matter more than you think. We also explore the important, yet ever-blurring line between “internet life” and real life. If so much of growing up now happens through screens, are we missing something fundamental? What do you lose when everything becomes messages instead of experiences? By the end, we’re left wondering… is this something that needs to be “fixed”? Or are we just watching a new version of reality take shape in real time? 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: 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 We’re divining into this episode on MLB Opening Day, and Kevin kicks off the 2026 season by reflecting on his long-standing connection to baseball, recounting a quiet summer in 2004 when watching the Red Sox became much more than just entertainment. He also drops some knowledge on what makes baseball fans so unique. That takes us into a tribute to legendary broadcaster Vin Scully, whose unique emphasis on storytelling blurred the line between commentary and narrative. But we find out that Scully may have just tapped into something that had always been there from the start as we pick apart the ways that baseball lends itself particularly well to storytelling. From there, we pivot briefly to the legacy of Paul Ehrlich before landing on a broader frustration with creative advice. Kevin questions the usefulness of half-baked questions like “where do you get your ideas?” That leads us to an actually valuable question: if everyone’s workflow is different, does any advice even matter? We also wonder… why do so many people seem drawn to the idea of being creative more than the act itself? Are routines helpful tools or just aesthetic rituals? And when does a hobby quietly shift into something more serious? Kevin also explores the tension between making things for yourself versus making things that actually reach people. We reflect on his character “Jerry Bloop” and how Fred Seibert’s blunt yet accurate advice changed the way Kevin viewed creating forever. That advice leaves us with some larger questions: are most creatives building businesses or just jobs that depend entirely on them? What happens when the work stops the moment they do? We close things out by putting our foot down and challenging two pieces of common creative advice. That leaves us asking ourselves – is ignoring feedback actually protective or just avoidance? And if turning something you love into work risks draining it of meaning… what are you supposed to follow instead? Big thanks to our patrons, we’ll be back next week! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Kevin kicks things off by revealing to us his recent feelings of UTTER DEFEAT, and that leads us to a pretty important question…what happens when people stop engaging with reality altogether? He describes for us a recent incident that transcended simply arguing opinions into debating the very fabric of reality itself. When basic relevance becomes the debate, where do you even start? We take that tension and channel it into a dissection of some recent studies into early education that suggest a sharp decline in basic childhood skills, specifically highlighting kids who… can’t use the bathroom on their own. If children are struggling with things that used to be automatic, what changed? Is it technology? Is it shoddy parenting? Or is it something deeper? From there, the conversation turns to Timothée Chalamet’s recent analysis of Hollywood, opera, and ballet. People are up in arms, but… what did he ACTUALLY say? And why did it spark such a strong reaction? After that, we dive back into our conversation on the idea of “zombie art forms”—creative mediums that persist, but only through institutional support. Is that preservation, or is it just a slow decay? And when people reacted to Chalamet, were they responding to his point of view, or was it a knee-jerk reaction to something else entirely? We round things out by taking a bird’s eye view on culture at large. If certain cultural institutions are shrinking, is that a failure of the medium, or just a natural tendency for change? We’re also left wondering… if people claim to want more accessibility for the arts… would they actually like what that looks like? Or does mass appeal destroy the very thing they value? 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 Dragon's 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 We kick off today’s episode with a recap of Matt’s most recent trip abroad, and the strong opinions he brought back with him about…McDonalds’ newest burger. After our extensive Big Arch review, we get a little somber as we discuss the passing of author Dan Simmons. Kevin reflects on how Simmons reignited his love of reading, and how Simmons’ legacy is a sobering reminder that we all still have plenty of time to create. Then we turn our attention to some shocking news: Smiling Friends is ending its historic run after just three seasons. That makes us ask ourselves… why end a beloved show with such widespread acclaim, seemingly at its peak? Is it better to walk away early and on top rather than roll the dice on a slow decline? As we mull that over, we broaden our horizons a little bit. Is there a reason why some shows fade into self-parody while others end on their own terms? Is the typical American model of running successful shows indefinitely actually WORSE for quality than the shorter British approach? And what happens when creators remain deeply involved instead of handing a series off to a larger machine? This takes us straight into a near-surgical examination of fandoms and the pressures they can provide. When every popular show becomes a battleground for online takes, speculation, and moral panic, how do creators stay focused on the work itself? Even as Smiling Friends comes to a close, we discuss how this is probably just the beginning for everyone who was involved. If the team behind it brought this level of craft and perspective to animation, what could they do next? Comedy? Horror? Something completely unexpected? Thanks so much to our patrons, we’ll be back soon! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 As Matt recovers from an illness he likely picked up at some auction for 19th century farm equipment, Kevin flies solo to give us some new insights on his ongoing novel “Sleep Warrior.” To be more specific, he’s cracking down on why most writing advice doesn’t survive contact with a complicated book, and why tips from fellow authors often fall flat. We take some time for a deep dive into the plethora of writing structures and methods out there, which leads us to a bigger question: why do so many authors struggle to finish their books? Well, Kevin thinks he has a solution. He introduces us to his “sandbox theory” that just might reveal the root cause of what’s bogging all these writers down. On a more candid note, Kevin talks about how the pace of his writing has changed over the last few months, and how a recent discovery completely changed his perspective on his entire workflow. After that, we confirm a hotly contested issue as a universal truth: LENGTH MATTERS…in writing books, that is. That takes us into an analysis of Brandon Sanderson’s advice, and how it completely flipped the way Kevin views the relationship between the reader and every chapter of a story. We round things off with a sobering question: Who cares? Is writing fiction in 2026 completely irrational? But, perhaps more importantly and in spite of all that…why doesn’t Kevin care? Thanks so much to our patrons, we’ll be back soon! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 We kick off this week’s episode with news of a celebrity death, which serves as a morbidly important reminder for everyone to create while you still can. That leads us right into our main topic of the day: why does it feel like so many people don’t “like” anything anymore? Are things really that bad, or have we entered a sort of… cultural depression? Kevin enlightens us with all the telltale signs of modern media burnout – and though the odds may seem stacked against you, we’re here to equip you with some powerful tools to help fight it. But this makes us wonder… why is it that so many of us are feeling that burnout in the first place? Is it a reflection of the slop-o-sphere, or is there a larger issue at play? To round things out, we turn inward for some much needed self-reflection. What happens when you stop consuming almost entirely and just… make things? Can repetitive physical work interrupt mental spirals better than entertainment can? Is “hating everything” really about the content itself, or is it more of a personal issue? Big thanks to our patrons, we’ll be back next week! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Dragon's 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 kick things off with a truly cursed recommendation: a RoboCop TV show so strange, sanitized, and unintentionally hilarious it leaves us asking… how did this come from one of the most violent sci-fi films ever made? Along the way, we tease some big changes coming to the podcast, so STAY TUNED. Then we take it all the way back to 1994 – A time when everyone seemed to be watching, referencing, and understanding the same things? We ask what happened between then and now, and how we went from shared touchstones to a cultural free-for-all where nothing feels foundational, which makes us wonder – was that really the cultural high water mark? From there, we introduce the idea of “Unc-slop,” a freshly coined term describing content that looks informed on the surface but lacks any real grounding. What does it mean to be a fan of something if you’ve skipped the basics? And how much depth can you really have if your taste is built entirely by algorithms instead of by the people who actually lived with the medium? We dig into why foundations matter, why classics still hit harder, why modern audiences are often shocked by competent storytelling, and why refusing to engage with the past is not the mold-breaking move you might think it is. From there, we dive into the enormous loss that occurs when human curation disappears, when recommendations come from machines instead of mentors, and when students of a craft feel no obligation to study its history. By the end, we’re left with some nagging questions: can culture even exist at all without these shared experiences? Can it function when building real connections requires more homework than some people might be ready for? The good news? Us two Uncs just might be ready to assign some. 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 Dragon's 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 take the next step on our ever-expanding “unc-slop” journey, starting with the Mayor of Kingstown and what it reveals about attention-heavy TV in an age of half-watching. Why do some shows demand your full focus, and why does that feel increasingly rare? Along the way, we talk about Taylor Sheridan’s ever-expanding TV empire, Jeremy Renner’s strange app-era detour, and the uncomfortable future of AI celebrity companions that feel just a little too real. That spirals into a bigger question: what happens when creators stop engaging with the foundations of their medium? From film students who don’t watch movies, to algorithmic taste replacing human curation, we explore the growing need for what we’re calling “Unc-slop Sherpas.” We dig into why classics still hit harder, why modern storytelling often over-explains itself, and how second-screen habits are reshaping what gets made. We also wrestle with blockbuster economics, franchise fatigue, and whether roller-coaster cinema can coexist with art that actually sticks. Is culture becoming a comfort noise? Are movies headed toward “zombie art” status? And in a world optimized for scrolling, what does it mean to truly pay attention? By the end, we boil everything down to one simple but uncomfortable question: in a world full of easy content, why is it important to try and make things a little harder for ourselves? 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 Dragon's 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Kevin goes solo this week as your official Unc-Slop Sherpa, and if you’ve been tuning in the past couple weeks, the issue he’s tackling should be pretty familiar now: the zombification of movies, and the astonishing decline of young people watching them. That raises a bigger concern – if you actually want to get into films… where do you start? Kevin sets out to build a foundation one recommendation at a time. Now this isn’t your grandpa’s nostalgia dump or film-school syllabus. These movies are EVERGREEN – we’re talking movies from the ’60s through the early 2000s that still work today. The list we dive into has films that grab attention, reward focus, and don’t require a phone in your hand (that part’s non-negotiable). That list brings us to a pretty crucial question: what makes these films classic compared to others? Why do some classics still hit across generations while others bounce off modern viewers entirely? What exactly is it that gives an iconic film its staying power? Kevin breaks down what makes certain films endure, what separates real characters from screenplay mannequins, and why some movies still feel alive decades later. If you’re overwhelmed by choice, disconnected from film history, or just tired of watching things you barely remember, let this episode be your guide. And when you’re done listening, put that dang phone down before you start watching. Big thanks to our Patrons, we’ll be back! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 take on the most recent point of contention in the cultural zeitgeist, but it’s one nobody can seem to define: SLOP. We dive into what that means, and why Microsoft’s CEO is asking people to stop using the term in reference to AI altogether. We start by finding out what “AI slop” really is. Is it just low-effort content, or is it something more specific? From there, we look at a growing category of derivative content and AI performances from celebrities who didn’t give their consent. Is this just playful remixing, or hollow exploitation? That leads us to a retrospective on the types of slop that existed BEFORE AI, and we come to the conclusion that slop might not be an entirely new concept. We also explore how firsthand experience creates a kind of value that can’t be synthesized. What happens when creators stop living and start only reacting? When opinions are outsourced, takes are recycled, and even something as simple as criticism becomes secondhand, does originality still stand a chance? By the end, we’re left with an uncomfortable realization about the population’s appetite for slop. So… what’s the responsibility of creators in that environment? Is the only real “anti-slop” strategy leaning into experiences that can’t be copied? We’ll be back next week, big thanks to our patrons for your support! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 dig into what it really means to survive on YouTube long-term, and what happens when the grind that built a channel starts pushing back. We kick things off with a little departure, though, by wondering where gaming is actually headed, whether Kevin’s traditional controllers are quietly becoming a generational artifact, and why some hyped technologies never quite stick. From there, the conversation turns to a question many veteran creators eventually face: what does “retiring” even mean on YouTube? After more than a decade of independence, what options are left? Is the platform truly different from traditional media, or does it come with the same hard choices in the end? We talk about the physical and mental toll of constant creation, the harsh reality of aging into injuries and responsibilities, and why scaling up a channel might actually make life HARDER instead of easier. When you hire help, are you buying your freedom? Or are you signing up to become a full-time manager? We also confront the tension between audience expectations and human limits. Why do creators get treated like they should perform forever, on demand? And why do educational channels, in particular, seem trapped between staying independent and meeting impossible standards? Well, there are a lot of branching paths, but by the end we map out the real ways forward for any full-time content creator. 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 Dragon's 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 start with a strange milestone: Kevin takes his first-ever vacation at 42. But his time off wasn’t filled with sandy beaches or sunshine – in fact, it didn’t include any travel at all. We kick things off by finding out what he was really up to, and the answer makes us ask ourselves, what happens when your body forces you to slow down? From there, we dig into the reality of always being “on,” especially when work never sleeps. What does constant availability do to creative focus? And why does halting creative output start to feel less like rest and more like withdrawal? That leads us to a piece of advice given years ago by a media legend: that creatives have a narrow window to produce their best work. Is that true? Or is it just fear dressed up as wisdom? We explore how age, health, relationships, and stability quietly reshape creative lives, and why so many artists seem to unravel right around the same time. By the end, we’re left with a much bigger question: is creativity something you race against time to extract, or is it something that evolves if you survive long enough to understand 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 Dragon's 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 kick things off with a mix of health chaos and questionable life choices…but, as usual, that takes us down the track of tackling a much bigger question: what if pursuit without purpose is the most important part of our lives? We dig into a mindset that has proven to be persistently pervasive as of late: committing to doing something only when there’s a guaranteed payoff. Is that making us less curious? Less capable? Less human? And what if the real magic comes from being endlessly interested, even when those interests seem useless 95% of the time? That brings us face to face with a much tougher reality – most people just might not be equipped to reap the rewards of delayed gratification. What if the “reward” for following your curiosity is something you won’t see for 20 years? What if you never get a reward at all? Is the effort still worth it? To round things out, we explore what it really means to be a “serious person,” why broad curiosity destroys social anxiety, and how actually doing things (not just reading about them) builds a level of experience that even AI can’t fake. 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 Dragon's 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 back from injuries, infections, and international chaos. A quick detour into Chuck Norris movies sets the tone before we dive into a much bigger question – one that has been dominating the cultural conversation for quite some time now: how did Boomers and Zoomers end up living in completely different economic universes? Kevin has a new take on what makes being a Zoomer in 2025 so difficult. We ask ourselves how things like food, travel, tech, and even grocery shopping shape the way we think about money. Then we ask ourselves another question: is “responsibility” really the same across worlds that don’t resemble each other at all? Is it pointless to compare apples to oranges? We also try to find out if Zoomers have a valid reason to be upset, or if they just like complaining. Will Kevin and Matt come to any sort of agreement on the matter? Will we solve all the world's economic problems in one fell swoop? Well, probably not. This might be a tough one. Let’s dive in. 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 Dragon's 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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’s episode opens with a dive into “the jakes”, a weird bit of bathroom slang coined by none other than…Cormac McCarthy? As usual, our niche historical ramblings lead us to talk about a major modern problem…why doesn’t anyone care about ANYTHING? From there, Kevin reflects on the daunting time and cost of his novel Sleep Warrior. Why spend years on something that might never pay off? In such a detached world, is caring even worth it? Next we dig into the shockingly difficult psychology behind caring. If dopamine makes the IDEA of success feel as good as the real thing, how do you stay motivated to finish? Plus, we get a little “Lieber Lore” that might explain Kevin’s ongoing pursuit of new creative ventures. To cap it off, Matt tells a story from South America about meeting strangers, seizing the moment, and why you need to stop waiting for movie-like “meet cutes” instead of creating your own stories. Thanks as always to our incredible patrons, we’ll be back next week! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Matt kicks this week’s episode off by expressing his deep LOATHING the concept of “writers block.” Is it a real phenomenon, or just an excuse people use to avoid the real issues in their work? After that, Kevin explains his experience with a similar phenomenon he likes to call “story stumbling.” While you might think it’s pretty similar to writer's block, there’s a key difference that will help you understand how to unlock more of your untapped potential. Then we shift the conversation to another common myth: should creators only work when inspiration strikes? Is this what actually separates professionals from dabblers? Are your best ideas waiting for the stars to align, or are they just waiting for you to get off your lazy butt and commit? Finally, we dive into the things that really keep creators sharp. We even touch on “the yips,” a real but rare loss of skill that has some pretty stark differences from writer’s block. 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 Dragon's 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 kick things off with a deep dive on milk that somehow spirals into dental disasters, and ultimately lands on the worst Wi-Fi on earth. From there, we wrestle with a big question: why does so much modern storytelling feel like a photocopy of a photocopy? Along the way, we discover how even polishing canoe tacks or serving wings can spark better ideas than bingeing another show. We also talk about the unmatched importance of just saying “yes” when it’s easier to say “no,” the newfound affordability of having real experiences, and how small decisions can snowball into entire chapters of your life. As we wrap up, we’re reminded that the things you think are mundane might actually be your best stories. Thanks for listening, and big thanks to our patrons. We’ll be back! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 kick things off with a story that almost feels too strange to be real. What do a Price Is Right model, a mountain-climbing husband and a CIA operation all have in common? You’re going to want to find out. That story leads us straight into the bigger question on Kevin’s mind: why does so much modern storytelling feel stuck on identity? Naturally, that triggers a deep dive into what Kevin calls the “identity paradox.” Why is it that we’re culturally obsessed with identity on paper, yet identity-driven stories rarely break through in a meaningful way? Along the way, we explore why films like Rocky and The Green Book succeed where others don’t, and how great storytelling can utilize identity in a way you wouldn’t expect. Big thanks to all our listeners and patrons for supporting the show—we’ll be back soon! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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, Kevin takes on a deceptively simple subject – boredom. Why do some people feel trapped by it, while others barely experience it at all? And is boredom really the enemy, or could it be the hidden spark behind creative breakthroughs? To really understand all this, we dive into a few studies that actually link boredom to lack of success, and we figure out how working toward something, whether it’s a book, a project, or just daily progress, can flip the script. After that, Kevin exposes us to the frightening power of “shower thoughts,” the perilous dangers of digital distraction, and how negative thinking can LITERALLY DAMAGE YOUR BRAIN. If you’ve listened to The Create Unknown before, you’ll know that the guiding light that has driven us through 260 episodes and seven years of careful creative exploration is to make something and mean something. But what does it MEAN to MEAN something? Well, to round things out this week, Kevin finds the answer. Big thanks to our listeners and patrons for making it all possible, 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: 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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, Kevin dives DEEP into storytelling, product creation, and creative independence. We kick things off with a deceptively simple question: can moral clarity actually make a story more compelling? Kevin critiques the rise of moral relativism, and the monumental challenge of making villains sympathetic without erasing their menace. From Thanos to Hannibal Lecter, he explores why clear stakes and unapologetic villainy often leave the strongest impressions. After that, we get a peek behind the curtain on the progress of his book Sleep Warrior, and Kevin does some careful reflection reflecting on the balance between planning and improvisation. Drawing on Brandon Sanderson’s free novel-writing course, we talk about the differences between outlining and discovery writing, and the shocking strength of writing for yourself rather than chasing trends. Kevin also opens up about his work with Curiosity Box and Ink Factory. He walks us through the journey from concept to product, highlighting some inventive and popular designs like the “assassin’s water bottle.” From engineering to packaging to shipping, he reveals the hidden complexities of bringing original ideas to life, and why revenue diversification is increasingly vital for today’s creators. Finally, Kevin touches on creation versus imitation, giving fans tangible value, and how thoughtful product design can support the artists we love. Big thanks to listeners for joining us—we’ll see you next week, and stay tuned for Matt’s return! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 tackling a question that feels more urgent than ever: what happens when culture fragments into a million tiny bubbles? We start with the rise of “parochial bubbles,” the niche communities where creativity once thrived like Seattle’s grunge scene or LA’s metal bands, and we ask what happens when the internet erases the isolation that made them possible. Is hyper-specialization the new “scene,” or does it leave us with nothing truly shared? From there, we take a good, long look at reboots, and how they MIGHT be our last common language. Superman, Batman, and Star Wars aren’t just franchises – they’re cultural life rafts in a sea of hyper-segmentation. Why do we continue to cling to stories from the past, and what does that say about us now? We also unpack the paradox of choice in everything from entertainment to dating and beyond. With infinite options at our fingertips, are we actually less satisfied than when we all rushed home to watch Cheers or MASH together? We round things off by asking the big question that’s been on OUR minds: what does all this mean for creators? Should you go all-in on your niche, or try to reach everyone? What happens to storytelling when there’s no longer a shared morality, or even a shared frontier? Big thanks to all our listeners and patrons for supporting the show. 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: 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 asking a deceptively simple question: how should creators consume? We revisit the balance between watching, reading, and listening versus actually making. Is it possible to create without first consuming? Or does avoiding influence make your work stronger? Through stories of building a comedy library on Netflix DVDs, discovering hidden techniques in books, and even the ripple effect of early YouTube creators like AVGN, we explore why consumption in service of creation can be the most powerful tool of all. Along the way, we dive deep into the tricky territory of originality, subconscious influence, and the role of “craft” in any art form. Is originality just remixing what’s already there? And how do you know when you’re ready to stop studying and finally publish? Big thanks to our listeners and patrons for being here—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: 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Kevin is flying solo to unpack the big question many creatives wrestle with: what happens when your passion becomes your job? We kick off the episode by talking about the video that stopped Kevin in his tracks: “I tried to follow my passion for art, but now I'm 32 and unemployed” by Kamikaze Shortbus. That makes us wonder – what does it really mean to be an “artist,” and why does that label often feel so…uninspired? Next we explore the tension between being a “true” creative and working for someone else, and how Pierre Bernard from Conan O'Brien’s team walked that tightrope so seamlessly. Is it still your art if you're just executing someone else's vision? Or is it something else entirely? We also break down why creative skills are often undervalued, why some of the most artistically gifted people perform terribly in school, and why it’s so difficult to measure creativity compared to more quantitative talents. To round things out, Kevin shares his own experience with curbing his own passions, his paradoxical revolution against the corporate cubicle, and how he balances those two sides of his brain out to make something and MEAN something. If you're an artist, creative, or anyone who's felt conflicted about turning what you love into what you do, this one's for you. Big thanks to our listeners and patrons, Matt will be back soon! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Today’s episode dives into the uncomfortable cost of success, and the strange, often isolating lives it creates. We start with Paul Reubens, better known as Pee-wee Herman, and his calculated decision to fully disappear into his character. Why would someone abandon their identity just to stay famous? And, perhaps more importantly, what does that do to a person over time? From there, we look at other creatives caught between the ceaseless conflict between public persona and private self. Creatives like Larry David, for instance, who canceled a documentary about his real life the day before its release. Then we dive into a story that’s honestly a little hard to believe. We talk about how Dilbert became a global hit thanks to a forgotten letter, somebody’s death, and a traffic jam. Does success have anything to do with talent, or is it just…luck? Either way, success comes with its fair share of trade-offs. For today’s example, we explore just how much normalcy someone like Michael Jackson had to give up to even EXIST in public. And finally, we turn inward: can creators truly enjoy art the same way their audiences do? What happens when consuming becomes competing? And how do you know if you’re preparing too long before you finally hit “publish”? Big thanks to all our listeners and patrons for being here with us—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: 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Today’s episode kicks off with a huge shoutout to former guest Quackity, whose new app DABABEL takes voice translation to heights never seen before, rivaling the likes of the tech giants of Silicon Valley. The core of today’s discussion, however, is about something far less futuristic: why is everything we buy seemingly getting worse? Kevin regales us with some first hand knowledge that illustrates how something as small as a manufacturing error can result in big, big consequences. Matt brings in some much needed global perspective to explain why quality seems to be taking a nosedive across the board. Is it cultural differences? Economics? Or is plain laziness to blame? This leads us to a pretty crucial question: does perfectionism matter? Why do consumers have to be experts all of a sudden just to shop for things as simple as a wrench or window? Have reliable brands gone the way of the dodo? Let’s find out. Thanks to our patrons, old and new, for making these episodes possible—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: 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Kevin kicks off this week’s episode by revealing how a lifelong disinterest in reading vanished after making one strategic decision that completely changed his outlook on writing. As Kevin describes diving headfirst into fiction for the first time, we also explore the vitally important role that READING plays in understanding storytelling, what it means to truly observe people, and why writing is actually a lot more than just putting words on a page. Next we unpack the differences between books and film, how male readership is quietly disappearing, and why so many great authors have left fiction behind. And, as a final cherry on top, we hit you with some essential book recs to take with you on your own journey. Big thanks to all 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: 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 dig into the viral controversy around a UCLA graduate who proudly used ChatGPT for all his final projects, and made sure the whole stadium on graduation day knew it. Is this just a funny moment, or a sign of something much bigger? We break down new research showing that AI might be helping people finish tasks faster… but at the cost of actually thinking. What happens when students stop engaging with their own ideas entirely? That leads us to an even bigger question: where’s the line between using tools and outsourcing your brain? Is using AI any different than having a research assistant, or are we skipping the most important part of the process? From there, we zoom out to take a broader look at life at large. Are we losing basic skills across the board? From reading clocks to making change at the cash register, the erosion of foundational knowledge might be further along than we think. We wrap by exploring why memorization still matters, how quirks define real people, and why the value of human experience might skyrocket in a world “run by machines.” Thanks for listening (and thinking), and big shoutout to all of our patrons, we’ll be back next week! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Today we retroactively celebrate the 250th episode of the Create Unknown…better late than never. Then we drive right into something even more exciting: the latest drama surrounding a friend of the podcast, Dean Lamb. Why are he and his band Archspire going independent? More importantly… why are fans mad? Then we take a closer look at how artists make money—or don’t. We look at Archspire’s kickstarter and see why people are so upset by how the money is being spent. What seems like a huge number at first glance ends up making a lot more sense when you take the time to factor in what’s actually involved to make anything creative. It makes us wonder, do people just talk out of both sides of their mouth when it comes to supporting artists? Even those who bash AI and champion “real art,” often don’t want to fund it. To round things out, we break down how Karl Marx’s work may have been one of the very first Kickstarters to ever exist. Thanks for listening, and shoutout to everyone who continues to support us and the creators they love. 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: 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 We kick today’s episode off with a fun thought experiment: what would Kevin do if money weren’t a limiting factor? Spoiler: It’s not a life supply of hotdogs. That takes us into a discussion about one of the most overlooked media shifts. Why do older books, shows, and games seem… different? We reflect on what’s missing from today’s content, and why watching Columbo captures a kind of magic that most modern sci-fi just… doesn’t. Next we dive into what is perhaps the most prolific and worn out trend in modern storytelling: the remake. Why are writers trying to repackage old stories? And why are they just… worse? Turns out, it’s the same reason YOU don’t talk to old people. Thanks for hanging out with us — and as always, thank you to our amazing patrons. You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 We kick things off this week with…a bag of dog poop. No, really. Matt shares his bizarre sidewalk encounter that leads to a surprisingly deep conversation about responsibility, both social and personal. Kevin brings his own awkward pet-related tale to the table, and suddenly we’re talking about dopamine, TikTok, and the death of the traditional life path. Next, we trace the shift in nearly everything from sports to spirituality, and why it’s totally normal all of a sudden to feel lost without the maps people used to rely on— things like religion, family, or even your hometown that used to play such a big role have shifted dramatically. The big theme? You’re on your own. But we have to wonder… is that necessarily a bad thing? We also unpack why constraints might actually be the secret weapon of creativity, how Kevin almost got an internship at Adult Swim, and how working at a restaurant might be the best training ground for becoming a YouTuber. Big thanks to all our Patrons! We’ll be back soon! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 We kick things off this week with a recap of TaborCon—a real-life Vegas meetup that somehow included karaoke, heartfelt ballads, and exactly zero arrests (we think). Matt gives us the full rundown. Then Kevin drops a question that sounds simple but hits hard: Can a real person compete with the allure of a smartphone? What follows is a deep dive into the quiet crisis happening in social spaces—from dating, to small talk, all the way up to job interviews. How are we to compete when on-demand content is winning the war for our attention? We talk about the ever-expanding role that phones play in our lives now – and how that certainly doesn’t help. More than just entertainment, they’ve also become escape hatches, safety nets, and sometimes, emotional shields. And if that’s the new normal… what does that mean for us? It’s a weird one. It’s a real one. And you might end up seeing your lock screen a little differently. Thanks for listening—and special thanks to our Patrons for keeping this whole thing rolling. You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Something’s shifting in the world of YouTuber live events. Kevin starts to unravel all the controversy surrounding iDubbbz’ previously acclaimed “Creator Clash” and asks a very important question: Was boxing ever the right fit to begin with? After that, we dive into a larger discussion on ins and outs of the boxing industry as a whole, which leads us to an even bigger question – what actually makes an event unforgettable? Why do some attempts to bring creators together feel hollow, while others become cultural landmarks? From there, we start spitballing. What could a creator event look like if it wasn’t all blood and bruises? Kevin floats some wild (but somehow obvious) ideas for what might actually bring the community together again… maybe even with a few less broken noses. Big thanks to our Patrons for all the support, we’ll see you again next week! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 We kick off this week’s episode with a passing joke about financing your food which naturally turns into a FULL-ON SPIRAL about spending, savings, and the absolutely insane cost of convenience. Strap in folks, this episode’s a big one. Kevin opens up about how his relationship with food has changed—he compares his old diet to what he eats now, and we hone in on how much of your diet is actually about who you’re eating with. Meanwhile, Matt pulls out the calculator and starts crunching numbers that will make you never look at your lunch receipt the same way again. From there, we get granular about how food has shifted from something purely functional to a massive part of culture and personal identity. We touch on how platforms like YouTube have made cooking more accessible, and how what we choose to eat can reflect a lot more than just taste. Let’s just say: by the end of this one, you might be inspired to make dinner at home. Thanks for tuning in, and a special thanks to all 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: 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Kevin opens this week’s episode with a challenge – one that came straight from a listener. Stephen, the author of a manga called Handyman Quincy, sent a fantastic TWO PAGE EMAIL our way about Kevin’s perspective on storytelling. Thanks for the email Stephen, we love the input. Do yourself a favor and grab a copy of Handyman Quincy here: https://starfruitbooks.com/products/handyman-quincy In that email, Stephen also provided some pointed feedback that pushes Kevin to rethink how he talks about certain stories. Is Kevin missing the point, or is there something deeper at play here? After that, we open up a broader conversation about the value of bold, sweeping statements, and the surprising pitfalls that hyper-specificity can sometimes provide. How do we wrestle with the tension between saying something provocative and acknowledging the messy, complicated exceptions? Along the way, we dig into a rule of thumb that might explain why so much creative work just doesn’t land… and why that might actually be okay. From there, Kevin unpacks what makes certain shows stick in your brain long after the credits roll. Through examples you might not expect, he explores how great storytelling can work on multiple levels at once, while lesser stories just skate by on surface thrills. To wrap it up, things take a turn toward the delightfully strange as we share our fascination with oddly specific passions. From vintage milk bottles to…hot dog rollers. We also talk about how “boner pills” can teach us about being curious in a distracted world. Thanks for tuning in, see you next week! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Matt is finally BACK, and he’s here to explain his long podcasting absence. He tells us about all the life detours that kept him away from the mic – from unexpected responsibilities to the emotional weight of figuring out one of life’s hardest challenges on the fly, things have been WILD. Kevin also reflects on his somewhat short-lived journey as a solo podcaster, cluing us in to what he learned without having his usual partner-in-crime “with him as always.” After that, we dive right into the key to EVERYTHING, and it is astonishingly simple: you just have to SHOW UP. We talk extensively about how doing something as simple as just consistently being present, even when it’s hard, can open doors in the most unexpected ways. We wrap with a dive into the world of auctions, exploring the strange psychology of bidding, the weird value we assign to things, and what it all says about human nature. Thanks for sticking with us—we’re back, baby. You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Kevin kicks things off by opening up about his recent absence from Vsauce2. What started in December as a break from YouTube turned into something much bigger: a full-fledged writing project that has pushed him into new creative territory. He walks us through the highs and lows of crafting a book from scratch, and the weird balance between structured outlining and letting ideas unfold on their own. Kevin dives into discovering his own writing process and what he believes actually makes a story work. Reflecting leads Kevin into a passionate takedown of some of today’s most overused narrative tropes, especially in superhero movies and serialized television. What makes these stories fall flat? And why does it seem like audiences are settling for less? From there we dig into character, exploring what makes a person feel real on the page, and how quirks, contradictions, and specificity breathe life into fiction. Kevin points to the masters of this art and explores how he's trying to capture a similar authenticity in his own work. Finally, Kevin teases a few details about Sleep Warrior, a project that blends the worlds of reality and dreams, and how it’s unlike anything he’s tackled before. But what it actually is… well, that’s something you’ll have to discover over time. Thanks for tuning in, we’ll be back next week! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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, Kevin takes a look back at the backlash against Glengarry Glen Ross, and how it stirred up a deep memory from his college days. What does a play about shady salesmen have in common with the chaotic antics of a student writer? A lot more than you’d think. We learn about Kevin’s alter ego “Muffer Van Awesome,” and how one controversial article nearly sank the school paper and angered the church. You know, normal college stuff. This all spirals into a larger discussion about how audiences often misread flawed characters and satire, mistaking critique for endorsement, and why that misunderstanding matters more than ever today. To wrap things up, Kevin lays out a kind of creative manifesto: when it comes to bold ideas and risky writing, is the real danger in offending—or in backing down? Thanks for listening, and stick around—there’s plenty more on the way. You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 AI-generated art is evolving fast—but what does that really mean for all of us? Kevin dives into the latest breakthroughs in image generation, uncovering how AI can now replicate beloved artistic styles with eerie precision. But beneath the excitement, one question remains: is this innovation, or just imitation? Next, he shares his own hands-on experience using AI tools for Sleep Warrior. The technology has come a long way, but something still feels… off. Can AI ever truly capture an artist’s vision, or is it destined to fall short every time? From there, Kevin takes a pretty strong stand – maybe art isn’t for everyone. AI is making creation more accessible than ever, but do things like raw talent, dedication, and even temperament still matter? Or are we entering a world where anyone can call themselves an “artist” with the push of a button? To close things out, Kevin explores the one thing AI can’t seem to replicate: true artistic value. If a machine can churn out a flawless painting in seconds, is it still worth the same as one done by a master of their craft? Or is there something deeper that makes art matter altogether? Big thanks for tuning in—more to come soon! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's 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: http://discord.gg/tcu 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices