The silent rise of "reaction channels"
Is this the beginning of humanity's search for experiencing real human emotions?
What are these “real reaction” Youtube channels? Where did they come from?
Somewhere along the way, people started uploading videos of themselves reacting to movies, tv shows and reality shows. And then it became a trend, a yet another way of “content creation”.
“People reacting to [Movie]”
“Watching [TV Show] for the first time”
“We didn’t know about the ending in [Movie]”
Searches like the ones above will easily direct you into these types of channels and thousands over thousands of options to watch.
Personal disclaimer
Yes, some videos are truly engaging.
Yes, some videos are really funny to watch.
Yes, after watching people react for the first time to a movie scene you’ve seen thousands times is really something else, there’s certain comfort to it somehow, I have to admit.
Yes, I have watched a couple of these videos myself and I’ve enjoyed most of them.
Now that that is off the table, this article is meant to analize what all this says about our current state as a society.
Even with all the not-so-positive connotations we could associate with this type of content, I’d like to focus on the reasons for its emergence rather than going deep into the rabbit hole of analyzing its impact on society, as this “real” content might be exactly what certain areas of society need right now.
Welcome to our “relatable” channel
Just glancing at the "About" section on any of these "reactionary" channels, it gives you an idea about the mechanics involved.
Here is a real example:
Welcome! We love creating fun and relatable reaction videos on YouTube. Buying us a coffee helps us by, giving us more financial freedom, so that we can create more fun and relatable content every day. This also allows us to have a fun and relatable community so that we get to know each other on a more personal level.
Over the last five years, YouTube has witnessed a meteoric rise in reaction channels. According to recent data, searches for “reaction videos” have increased by over 300% globally since 2018. YouTube currently houses tens of thousands of such channels, many of which boast subscriber counts in the millions. Google Trends indicates that the search term "reaction video" peaked in popularity in 2022 and has remained steadily high since.
This surge speaks to a broader societal trend: a collective yearning for emotional connection in an increasingly digital and isolating world.
Reaction videos offer a way to feel connected, even if it’s through a screen, allowing viewers to share a human experience vicariously.
The Economics of “relatable content”
The economics behind reaction channels cannot be overlooked.
A reaction channel with even a modest following of 50,000 subscribers can generate substantial revenue through a combination of YouTube ads and memberships on platforms like Patreon or BuyMeACoffee.
For example, if just 2% of subscribers pay $5 monthly for exclusive content, that’s $5,000 in recurring monthly income—without counting ad revenue or sponsorship deals.
This financial model underscores why so many creators are flocking to this content niche. It’s a relatively low-effort way to generate engagement and income while capitalizing on humanity's innate curiosity about others' emotional responses.
Experiencing old content like the first time again
Like helping your younger sibling to get into the pool for the first time, we know everything there’s to be about water in a pool: what it feels like, what it tastes like, how it affects your body temperature, how affects your body as you try to move through it.
Still, somehow, seeing that little human being going through that experience for the first time, allows us to live those emotions again in a way, as we feel happiness alongside this small child and we allow ourselves to momentarily re-discover, at least a fraction of, this whole experience again by re-living it through another human being.
This whole experience could be traced back to the very same definition of empathy for sure and other surrounding concepts as well. By seeing others’ genuine reactions, we reaffirm our own emotional experiences.
The fact that we are able to get closer to experience something again for the first time, to go from unknown to certainty and all the electrical movements triggered in our reptilian brains that comes with, is remarkable as a species and I do believe this very concept is closely coupled with the reason this content has emerged in social media.
What does this say about the state of our society?
Even though this question can be easily dismissed by many people, I still believe is worth asking it.
If we stop ourselves and think for a moment, whenever a new trend appears (and stays in society) it’s usually in response to a need people wanted to satisfy somehow but couldn’t find a way until that very moment that thing became a trend.
Another way of looking at this would be to just say “well, I guess it’s another way of entertainment, we didn’t have streaming (e.g.: Netflix) a decade ago and now we have it and we love it”.
The reality of this is, in a world increasingly dominated by digital interactions, people are turning to reaction videos as a substitute for shared emotional experiences. This trend reflects a deep-seated need for community and connection, even if it’s parasocial.
Another un-wanted truth could be that watching someone react to a movie or show allows us to relive our own experiences of that content. These reaction videos provide a sense of comfort, nostalgia, and familiarity.
They remind us of our humanity, even as we consume them through an algorithm-driven platform designed for mass entertainment.
“More human than human”
Sometimes art imitates life itself and life sometimes imitates art as well.
On this article, we are in the later part of that sentence.
In Blade Runner (1982), two of the main driving forces for the characters are: (1) their memories and (2) their desire to stay alive so they can make new memories.
As we watch these “reactionary videos” about some old movie that we’ve seen a thousands of times, if we pay attention to ourselves while watching these videos, we can see some patterns emerge:
We laugh when people on the screen laugh (duh, easily dismissed as empathy).
We know when the monster is gonna come out of the closet, we know these influencers reacting to the movie don’t know about it, and now we start anticipating this moment (well, this is interesting behavior)
Now the character in the movie is getting closer to the closet, we grow interest not in the movie, not in the monster, but in how these influencers will react for the first time watching the monster coming out of the closet, sounds familiar?(it’s the whole watching-my-sibling-getting-into-the-pool-for-the-first-time situation all over again and it is a truly interesting behavior).
What can we learn about this?
We are humans. That could be a very well sounded and professional conclusion.
The fact that we want to see how someone reacts to our past while they live it for the first time, it is one of our human characteristics.
If this movement/trend is here to stay, and certainly looks like it, we could at least try to understand it and think for a moment what is trying to say to us?
Above all the actual content produced, the colors, the commentaries, the laughs of people while stopping a video to then resume it to just laugh again and so on; above all the noise, there is a statement that wants to become obvious to us:
Our need to re-live our past experiences is as equal, or even more important, as our need to experience new things in our future.
I don’t believe there’s something necessarily wrong with that.
Only when our past (and the need to stay in it) makes us unable to move forward, that is a clear sign something is wrong in our lives and we might need some outside help to identify the root cause of it and keep moving forward.
Moving forward doesn’t necessarily mean to “forget entirely our past”, it just means we can move forward with our life and dreams and still remember where we come from, our values and the way we grew up.
The age of AI
Yes, we have to bring AI into this discussion—just bear with me for a moment.
The rapid growth of automation and AI tools for generating videos, music, and other forms of media is happening at a pace that feels almost surreal. These tools are becoming increasingly sophisticated, allowing creators to generate content that is not only highly polished but also eerily "real." What once required entire production teams, specialized skills, and weeks of effort can now be accomplished in hours—sometimes even minutes—with the assistance of AI.
Imagine this: By 2030, we may live in a world where marketing companies and well-established social media influencers will routinely churn out hundreds of videos featuring hyper-realistic visuals, seemingly authentic voiceovers, and even "real" locations created entirely through AI. These videos could serve as travel guides, effortlessly promoting destinations with picture-perfect imagery; as subtle product placement ads where the line between entertainment and advertising becomes imperceptibly blurred; or even as reels featuring AI-generated "experts" dispensing knowledge in a way indistinguishable from human delivery.
But it doesn't stop there. AI will also reshape how we define authenticity. For example, influencers may no longer need to visit exotic locations or personally experience a product to create convincing narratives. Instead, they could generate "authentic" content entirely from their desks, using AI to simulate every detail. The viewer might never know the difference, and the lines between reality and fabrication could blur beyond recognition.
This acceleration raises fascinating (and somewhat unsettling) questions:
What happens when the vast majority of media we consume no longer requires human presence or genuine experience?
Will we adapt to this new reality, or will there be a backlash from audiences craving real, tangible human connection in the content they consume?
These are questions worth pondering as we navigate the evolving landscape of AI-driven creativity.
The idea of what is “real”
Somewhere between now, 2025, and 2035, I believe the entire concept of what we define as "real" will undergo a profound transformation. Wether we like or not, this shift will be broadly accepted—not all at once, but gradually, in stages of societal adaptation.
Stage 1: The Digital Natives
The first to embrace this redefinition will be those born directly into this storm of technological advances. This generation will grow up in a world of rapid improvements and hyperconnectivity, where reliance on devices is not optional but essential. For them, the boundary between digital existence and physical reality will be so blurred that the idea of "real" will evolve to include both seamlessly. Their existence, even their identity, will often be validated and acknowledged through technology. To them, virtual places and AI-generated experiences will feel as tangible as the physical world.
Stage 2: The Adaptable Millennials and Gen Z Adults
Next will be the "adults" of society, roughly between the ages of 25 and 45, who have spent much of their formative years exposed to the so-called "AI era." These individuals are already deeply reliant on devices, algorithms, and social media to navigate their day-to-day lives, measure their self-worth, and engage with others. Their concept of reality will likely shift to accommodate the increasingly AI-driven nature of their surroundings. For them, augmented and virtual experiences won't feel foreign—they'll be extensions of the reality they’ve been gradually assimilating for years.
Stage 3: The Experienced Generations
Finally, there will be the "more experienced adults," aged 45 to 65. This group will differ significantly from the archetype of "adults" that society once celebrated—those who traditionally carried the weight of responsibility, avoided mistakes, and embodied stability. However, even these seasoned individuals, despite a more cautious approach to change, will inevitably adapt to this redefined reality. They will do so not out of choice but necessity, as they navigate a world where technology underpins everything from work to social interaction. A shared trait across this demographic, regardless of their degree of adaptation, will be their role as the backbone of society: the working middle class. This group, through their taxes and contributions, keeps the wheels of governments, economies, and communities turning.
Ultimately, this progression in the perception of "real" will not just reflect technological evolution—it will redefine how society functions, interacts, and even perceives itself. From digital natives to seasoned contributors, each generation will find its place in this new reality, one stage at a time.
Final thoughts
As technology and AI evolve, blurring the lines between reality and simulation, perhaps we are embarking on a journey to reconnect with the raw, unfiltered essence of what it means to feel, to empathize, and to be human.
In a world of increasing automation and virtual experiences, are we yearning for something real, something deeper—a genuine emotional connection that technology can never fully replicate?
Reaction channels might come as one of many society’s ways to achieve this. They are more than just entertainment—they are a cultural phenomenon that speaks volumes about our collective psyche.
They highlight our need for connection, our penchant for nostalgia and our adaptability in an age of rapid technological advancement.
However, they also pose questions about the authenticity of content and the societal implications of living vicariously through others.
As this trend continues to evolve, it’s crucial to reflect on what it reveals about us as individuals and as a society.
In the end, perhaps the real value of reaction videos lies not in the content itself but in the conversations they spark—about humanity, empathy and the ever-changing nature of what it means to be "real."
As always, keep building, keep working towards your goals and all of those things that brings more meanings to your life, while remembering your values and what keeps you human and what takes you closer to your next horizon.
Stay safe,
Juan.