The Philosophy of Content (Media)

My goal with this writing is to define content in the most boring, dull and impractical way possible.

I am not talking about the state-of-mind content . I am talking about it as used in the context of media.

The best way to define content is by identifying things that are not content.

  • Is my laptop a content?
  • What about the coffee mug I have in front of me?
  • Is the window of the house I see in front of me a content?
  • Is the meat I have in my refrigerator a content?

No, none of the above are content. But sketches, photos, animations, videos, poems and written descriptions of the laptop, coffee mug, window and meat are.

Am I a content?
No.

(Bonus: Am I content?
No.)

Is my reflection on my laptop screen a content?
No

But if I take a photo or video of myself writing this, does it become a content?
Yes.

A content is anything that exists as a replica of a physical object. (Wow, I sound like Aristotle now. Achievement unlocked.)

A laptop is an object, but its sketch, photo, animation, video, poem and written description is content. A coffee mug is an object, but its sketch, photo, animation, video, poem and written description is content…

According to our definition, anything that exists as a replica of a physical object is a content.

What physical objects do books replicate?

Books themselves are physical objects. An eBook is definitely a content. But what about books? What about air? What about mind? What about thoughts?

A physical book is an object that holds content. The content it holds is in the form of words and images, which are replicas of thoughts. I can’t say a physical book is a content. I need to say — it is a book that holds contents about life, drones, etc.

But book is something that has a certain type of content.

So, a book is a physical object that holds content. A book itself is not a content.

Same with physical paintings. A canvas is an object, but the art is content.

What about sculpture? — I am confused. I will come to it in a while.

That leads me to thoughts again. Are they content?

They are not physical objects.

This is where we need a new definition: not all non-physical objects get to be called content. The sound made by a Canadian goose doesn’t feel like a content (does it?). This way, thoughts are not contents.

What are thoughts, then?
Let’s say, they are non-physical objects that exist inside us. But they don’t get to be called content just because we haven’t properly defined content yet.

At this point, we have this:

  • A content is something that isn’t physical.
  • A content is something that exists as a replica.

The second definition solves the sculpture problem. But the first definition doesn’t. Unless…

We say that the substances that make up a sculpture like stones, metals, etc. are physical objects and the sculpture itself is a content.

What about ideas? Are they contents?
They are non-physical objects that exist inside us.

Okay, let’s say this:

No, thoughts and ideas are not contents because:

  • They don’t exist as a replica. (or do they?)

What about numbers and alphabets?

  • They are contents because they replicate thoughts, ideas, forms, shapes, etc.

There is a difference between a goose’s sound and the number ‘9′, why?

Oh, no. This means I have reached the philosophical rabbit hole.

Because

I now have to define physical objects.

Here is a simple definition:

Physical objects are objects that can be sensed with our sense organs. It is anything that we can see, hear, smell, touch, taste. Like my laptop, coffee mug, windows, meat.

But I can see my photo too. Does this make my photo a physical object?

Oh, no.

This is why I hate doing philosophical writings.

But

I have to persist.

Philosophical writing is like playing a video game, you can’t quit just because you are stuck.

Philosophical writing is a game. But better. But equally useless.

I digress. It is like roaming around when you are stuck in a video game.

Stop it!

Okay.

Let’s see what they have on Wikipedia

In common usage and classical mechanics, a physical object or physical body (or simply an object or body) is a collection of matter within a defined contiguous boundary in three-dimensional space.[citation needed] The boundary must be defined and identified by the properties of the material.

Oh, no.

Matter: In classical physics and general chemistry, matter is any substance that has mass and takes up space by having volume.

Oh, no.

Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics.

Okay, I understand it this way:

Anything that has mass, is a physical object. Like my laptop, coffee mug, windows, meat.

What about my photo?
No.

Wow.

Physical objects are objects with mass that can be sensed with our sense organs. It is anything that we can see, hear, smell, touch, taste. Like my laptop, coffee mug, windows, meat.

What then is a content?

We had this before we entered the philosophical rabbithole:

  • A content is something that isn’t physical.
  • A content is something that exists as a replica.

What about the goose’s sound?

Does sound have mass?

The answer to this question is not definitive and apparently, there are multiple research projects going on about it.

But because the goose’s sound exists as a replica, it is content.

Hold on, I am confused — how did I come up with the replica theory?

Let me check.

.

.

.

Okay, with this:

A laptop is an object, but its sketch, photo, animation, video, poem and written description is content. A coffee mug is an object, but its sketch, photo, animation, video, poem and written description is content…

The best way to define content is by identifying things that are not content. These are not contents:

Laptops, coffee mugs, windows, meats, papers, inks, stones, metals, thoughts, ideas, sounds, smells, sights.

Laptops, coffee mugs, windows, meats, papers, inks, stones, metals are not content because they are physical.

Thoughts, ideas, sounds, smells, sights are not content because they are original.

What then is a content?

Will this do? — Anything that doesn’t have mass but can be sensed is a content, given that it is replicated.

A goose’s sound is a content because it is a replica of the goose’s thoughts/ideas/feeling.

Is my speech a content?

Yes, because it replicated my thoughts/ideas/feelings.

Anything that doesn’t have mass but can be sensed is a content — given that it is a replica.

  • This article is a content because it doesn’t have mass, it can be sensed and is a replica: of my thoughts and ideas.
  • The car parked outside is not a content because it is a physical object with mass.
  • The photo of a moose in front of me is a content because it doesn’t have mass, it can be sensed and is a replica: of a moose.
  • The sound I hear of the refrigerator is not a content because it is just the sound of the compressor working. It is different from my speech (a content) and thoughts (not a content) because I produce with the intention of replicating something. Whereas the compressor just produces sound by itself without the conscious intention of the refrigerator.
  • Fart sound is not content because it is the sound of the process of gas exiting, not a replica.
  • Mobile apps and software are contents because they don’t have mass, they can be sensed, and they are replica: of thoughts and ideas.

There are three things we have identified today:

  • Physical objects are things with mass.
  • Non-physical objects are things without mass.
  • Contents are replicated things without mass that can be sensed. (Because content is a replica, if you destroy the content, the original remains. Even if you delete what you have written, it remains in your thoughts.)

Do all contents have to be digital?
Absolutely not.

HERE IS THE FINAL DEFINITION:

Which doesn’t leave us with much. There are only images, sounds, apps, texts, and numbers that fit our definition.

  • Images are visual-replica.
  • Sounds are audio-replica.
  • Apps are system-replica.
  • Texts and numbers are symbol-replica.
  • Everything in your TV, cellphone and laptop is content. Not the money because that money is real money. And real money is a real concept. Trust me. If you destroy the phone on your phone, your money goes.
  • All communication, arts, entertainment and knowledge works are contents. Which leads us to various types of contents: communication content (content that communicates something), art content (content that expresses whatever art is), entertainment content (content that expresses whatever entertainment is), knowledge content (content that expresses whatever knowledge is).

Here are some terms used with content:

  • Content Marketing: The process of using images (videos), sounds, apps, texts, and numbers to market anything.
  • Content Industry: An industry that manufactures and buys/sells contents.
  • Content Creation: The process of creating images (videos), sounds, apps, texts, and numbers.
  • Content Strategy: The process of coming up with effective content.
  • Content Management: The process of managing the images (videos), sounds, apps, texts, and numbers you have created.
  • Branded Content: Content that aligns with a brand.
  • Microcontent: Small content.
  • Content Distribution: The process of distributing your images (videos), sounds, apps, texts, and numbers in the content market.
  • Content Engagement: The measurement of your content’s performance.
  • Content Optimization: The process to understand the content marketplace and making your content compatible to it.
  • Content Monetization: The process of making your content bring money into your app or wallet.
  • Content Analytics: The process to understand how your content is performing in the content marketplace and coming up with better content if you want to make money or name from it.

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28/05/2023 by Articles Content Industry Philosophy

Fr. Adesh

Adesh Acharya is a thinker, writer, blogger and creator. He abandoned his technical academic pursuit midway to live a creative life. He writes poetry, nonfiction, and content. He attempts to answer difficult questions about modern life through his writings. Besides his writings, he is the founder of Frawean Arts Pvt. Ltd, a media company that publishes and produces innovative creative works. Subscribe to the newsletter to get notified whenever he publishes. He provides writing, creative and marketing services. Please let us know if you his services for your project(s).

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