Genre reveal party 
This is a strong insight in my view. These topics can have the tendency to be overly reductive. Often it’s either burn the broken system down or embrace the status quo. The reality is almost always a million shades of gray.
I actually read your essay. I didn’t know I had the attention span so thanks for that. 
This conversation is a rehash of the age old dilemma. Does one get to do what they want or do they do what someone else wants?
I listened to some Can today. I am pretty confident those musicians did exactly what they wanted. This is probably why people are listening to them long after they have died. They made something original in the search for their truth. They didn’t sell a lot of records but no matter.
I don’t fault anyone for their choices but I surely do limit the amount of content I will watch from creators that always SELL and never share the ugly bits with us.
If it’s too polished and unrealistic it’s not going to provide real value that endures IMHO.
I’m not super into his actual music but this was a great video. Very worth watching if you think being a YouTube streamer is a career option.
They did and are doing OK for record sales, enough to be still running their own record label Spoon in association with Mute as they have for decades … and Irmin Schmidt, Damo Suzuki (oops; I spoke too soon 
) and Malcolm Mooney are still alive too!
(Sorry for drifting off-topic)
If this hasn’t been used for an album release party title yet, it needs to be.
If people put as much energy into making music as they do commenting on BoobTube gear reviews (which are mostly people praising/bashing the reviewer, without a hint of interest in the gear reviewed) this world would literally be a more groovy place.
I am busier now and have little time to watch these videos anyways. I love new synth toys but need to budget and do another no gear challenge. Besides my Virus can do 90% and Elektrons and modulars no need for new gear. I figure if I can produce music with my setup or not then decide.
This is also a part of the issue, how long can anyone stay on the gear + content treadmill?
Seems like the new treadmill is to make videos complaining about being on a content treadmill.
Of all the trends people who are “successful” (by follower count) and enjoy instructing and being creative going “what am I even doing here” is pretty healthy and hopefully shifts how they are engaging with others online.
Alternative proper jobs for synthfluencers
Bobbeats Librarian
Red Means Recording Car Valet
Loopop Voice Actor
Oora Wrestler
Mid Life Synthesist Counsellor
…there’s rise and fall and evolution in each 'n everything…while everybody is influenced…
snap.
Has anyone from here changed their YT/Social Media viewing habits?
For me, there was the discovery stage, followed by the observation that… They’re this excited about all of it!!! 
Add in a dash of noticing mis-information in tutorials because they rushed to be first, and that was it.
I don’t mind some of the sonicstate videos that approach things with a more journalist angle, asking developers on the fly about features.
I also don’t mind the Bad Gear videos… that’s entertaining for me.
I’ve noticed that over the past few years, I’ve gone from watching synthfluencers all the time to barely watching them at all. Probably has a lot to do with having settled in to feeling fulfilled by and enjoying the hardware that I have.
I think I also simply got turned off by some high-profile synthfluencers giving some really misinformed reviews without doing legit deep-dives or creating real music with the gear.
I watched a well-known synthfluencer give an arrogant knee-jerk hate “review” on a new piece of gear after futzing around auditioning some digital factory presets, not even attempting sound design or sequencing and then COMPLETELY missing the analog voices and effects on the device. That one still pi$$es me off.
There are other synthfluencers who are EXTREMELY thorough, and I respect that. But even then, it’s mostly about deep dives into features and not putting the devices in a musical context.
That’s one reason I still watch “Bad Gear”. It’s ALWAYS entertaining and Florian REALLY knows his craft, typically producing at least two or three full examples of the gear in question in multiple contexts. Also, he’s not pitching gear so much as humorously skewering and/or elevating various pieces of gear, old or new, while giving some real insight.
But for the most part, I like what I already own and don’t feel much of a need to sit down for a typically dry 90-minute video on something I’m not going to buy anyway.