Top Creators Making the Internet a Better Place

Once upon a time, before the birth of the internet, the richest people in the world were oil tycoons and railroad moguls. Whether it was gas in the car or a cross-country ticket, people were willing to pay for the ability to get from place to place, and to get to those they cared about. But as times have changed, so have the economic superpowers, which now are lead by a bald headed delivery man and a South African astronaut. Thanks to technology, business is different, communication is different, and life overall has changed quite a bit. The ability to connect and reach one another has become simple, but the quality of those connections has most certainly suffered. Whether you're talkin online trolls or cancel culture bots, there seems to be an unlimited supply of negativity out there from those who speak up behind the safety of their keyboards...but fret not, as there is optimism to be had, for the maturation of the internet has also brought with it a wave of kind-hearted creators, and they're making the internet, and the world, a much better place. For an intro to the greener side of the web, or a simple refresher of who's out there making a difference, here are my Top 5ish favorite public figures and content creators, in no particular order, that you'll want to follow for a little positivity punch to your timeline.

1. MrBeast (38.4M Instagram followers, 155M YouTube subscribers)

MrBeast, legally known as Jimmy Donaldson, has been making content for over ten years from reaction videos to product reviews, and my personal favorite, MASSIVE philanthropic challenge videos. Family and friends, restaurant staff, and even complete strangers walking down the aisle of Walmart, MrBeast has changed hundreds, if not thousands of lives for the better. His most viral endeavor to date came after the rise of the popular show, Squid Games, when he rounded up a large group of deserving volunteers, and repeated some of the games from the show, with much less gruesome outcomes for losing. Contestants were given multiple chances during some games, and were even brought back in at times to compete for alternative prizes after elimination. The prize pool he extended was a whopping $456,000, which would be a lot for a content creator, but with 424M views and YouTube's average payment per 1k views of $5, he made about $2.1M before taxes, so I'd say it was well worth it. Jimmy's goal is to "make the world a better place before he leaves the Earth", and I am very much enjoying being a spectator of his efforts. Give him a follow, throw him a subscribe, and go buy Feastables at a Walmart or 7-11 near you!

2. mdmotivator (3.2M Instagram followers, 5.86M YouTube subscribers)

Zachery Dereniowski, the man behind the blindfold, is a Canadian content creator that has been making heartfelt videos with the subject matter of mental health awareness, spreading kindness, and encouraging others to be the best versions of themselves. He's trying to "make kindness cool", and if you ask me, he is doing a great job of it! Along with his 9M followers from Instagram and YouTube, Zach has amassed another 16M on TikTok, where his videos often surpass upwards of 20M views. When he first started, he was standing outside of stores blindfolded offering free hugs to those struggling with loneliness and mental health. From there, patrons that have felt a connection to his mission began sending him money to support his efforts, which were closely followed by brands and organizations looking to do the same thing. He's continued to find new and clever ways to help those that are the most deserving, often approaching strangers and asking for charity, only to reward them for being willing to do so. I've now donated to a couple of the gofundme campaigns that Zach has started and I look forward to all the good that I know he will do in the future. If you would like to see how you can help, there is currently a gofundme for a 13yr old boy named Riley, and his family, that have been going through a tough time and could really use the support!

3. thatwasepic (1M Instagram followers, 7.36M YouTube subscribers)

Juan Gonzalez, who as far as I can tell is the sole individual behind the thatwasepic account, is a creator that I find to be both good-hearted and hilarious. Though his content does not have quite the Hallmark vibe of mdmotivator's videos, nor has he reached the life-changing level of MrBeast, Juan is certainly doing A LOT to make a positive impact with his content. Early on in his content career, Juan was known for making wildly entertaining videos that often involved harmless pranks on unsuspecting strangers. When you hear "pranks" you probably think of those made popular by the Jackass crew throughout our lifetime, generally involving a bit of destruction or a little public nudity. But Juan isn't quite like those guys and has made sure to keep his "victims" in good spirits up until his reveal. One of my favorite bits of his is when he cuts the headphone wires of unsuspecting strangers, only to pull out a pair of brand new AirPods, or Beats, in exchange. Now that he is getting more well known, and his appetite for pranks has tempered, his videos have gone a bit more wholesome, and have since included giving out laptops to people using public computers, paying for the

groceries of those thumbing through coupons, and even buying out an entire skate shop, only to pass out boards and gear to kids at the park (check it out! --->). He does still work in a prank from time to time, but his comedic approach to philanthropy is more than enough to keep my timeline serendipitous.

4. vicblends (2.4M Instagram followers, 1.86M Youtube followers)

Unlike the others on the list, Vic Blends isn't changing people's lives by passing out cash, instead, he's offering haircuts on street corners for the low, low price of a good conversation. Most people don't realize that a barber of his talents could charge upwards of $75 for someone just rolling into his shop, but his mission goes way beyond making a living, he's trying to make a change. And besides, his rolodex of celebrity clientel is more than enough to help keep his business afloat, including the likes of NLE Choppa, Nelly, and Trae Young, just to name a few. Beyond his insane clipper skills, his ability to connect with people from all walks of life is what anchors him on my list of top creators making difference. He uses his channel to amplify voices, inspire confidence, and shows people that there is still a good reason to approach the world with a smile. He has met some amazing people throughout his journey, some that knew of him, a lot that don't, but they all walk away from the chair looking clean and feeling refreshed. Vic currently has 2.4M followers on Instagram and is growing his brand through Youtube, TikTok (14M followers), and is even exploring additional avenues such as podcasts and a clothing line. I look forward to watching his journey from afar and just that I need a haircut if I am ever fortunate enough to cross paths with him.

5. Jimmy Darts (1.6M Instagram followers. 3M YouTube followers)

Jimmy Darts, a.k.a. Jimmy Kellogg, is a social media personality from Minnesota who makes content very similar to mdmotivator. Jimmy started making Youtube videos as a kid, as many did, but he really leaned into social media after the boom of TikTok, where he currently has 11.7M followers. His videos include everything from trick shots to TikTok challenges, but most importantly, random acts of kindness. Jimmy started with handing out money and food to the homeless, buying groceries for strangers, and even giving large tips to wait staff and gas attendants, all of whom were so appreciative that someone even wanted to help them. There is no real rhyme or reason to his efforts from my viewpoint, but I am also not sure that there needs to be when the ultimate goal is spreading kindness. And I'll admit, sometimes I do mistake Jimmy's content for Zach's, and visa versa, but I am sure they will continue to establish their brand's as time goes on, and since they are both trying to make the world a better place, I'm sure they don't mind being melded with one another slightly. Check out his channels and sign up for his newest mission, The Kindness Challenge, if you are thinking about getting involved in a project or just want to help support his mission.

Honorable Mention: Charlie Rocket (1M Instagram followers, 973K Youtube followers)

So, while I wanted to keep the list to a Top 5 for esthetics, it truly would not be complete without including Charlie Rocket, a.k.a. Big Dream, who is truly one of the most inspiring creators out there. I put him in my honorable mentions because he didn't get started as a content creator like the rest of them, rather, Charlie became a success in the music and talent management industry before taking his talents to philanthropy. He has an amazing story that includes him overcoming some pretty daunting obstacles, including an eating disorder, and even a brain tumor. And now, having gone through so much and come out the other side, Charlie has made it his life's mission to help bring other people's dreams to life too! He started the Dream Machine Foundation, a Non Profit 501c3 organization that has scoured America looking for deserving dreamers and has raised over $5M collectively to help support those dreams. I myself have supported a few of his causes, including buying some clothes from an amazing girl that Charlie helped to launch her own clothing line, Dreami By Livi, which aided her in getting some medical treatment that she desperately needed. I am grateful for Charlie because not only is he making dreams happen, but he is also guiding the development of a new generation of philanthropists, and hopefully we will continue to see more amazing people just like him. If you want to learn a little more about his personally journey, which I recommend, check out this post from his Insta.

So if you are tired of doom scrolling through social media, please give any, or all, of these accounts a follow, and I promise you won't regret it. You'll crack a few smiles, have some laughs, and even have your heart strings pulled on from time to time. You might not realize it, but the power of positivity is big, and unfortunately our timelines are not always very positive, but these people are making a difference in the every day lives of strangers, and that has an impact that can be both seen and felt. So wether you donate, like, comment, subscribe, or just go out and spread some kindness yourself, every little bit helps to make our world a better place, and I am so glad we have creators like these leading the way.