Scroll through YouTube, and you’ll likely come across a creator like Dhruv Rathee. His content thrives on controversy – taking hot-button issues, magnifying them, and presenting them in ways designed to provoke. You watch, and soon you’re caught up in the controversy, the spectacle, the engineered narrative that gets people talking – and arguing. It’s engaging, it grabs your attention, and that’s the point. The constant focus on contentious issues and sensational takes ensures a steady stream of views and a permanent spot in the limelight.

But is that what success looks like? Is that the path I want to follow?

Then there’s Faisal Warraich – a YouTuber with a completely different approach. His content draws you in not with spectacle, but with substance. His storytelling invites you to slow down, think, and reflect on complex ideas that matter. Watching his videos doesn’t feel like getting swept up in a storm; it feels like sitting down with a thoughtful guide, carefully unpacking layers of history, culture, or politics. Faisal doesn’t need to stir the pot for attention. Instead, he invites you into a dialogue, a deeper exploration that resonates long after you’ve finished watching. Faisal may have his own point of view, it may be different from your’s, but he takes the time to present his view and invite input.

I choose not to be Dhruv Rathee. I want to emulate Faisal Warraich.

Let me establish that right at the top: I’m not interested in the attention that controversy for its own sake brings. I’m in this for something deeper. Dhruv may drive engagement through outrage, but I see that as a shortcut – a way to stay in the limelight without building lasting value. Faisal, on the other hand, seeks to inform, inspire, and elevate discourse. That’s the legacy I want to build.

The truth is, controversy is tempting. It gives you instant visibility, floods your feed with comments, and sends your views skyrocketing. But I believe it’s hollow. There’s a big difference between addressing important, uncomfortable topics and creating noise for the sake of staying relevant. Dhruv Rathee seems to lean on the latter – always riding the latest wave of divisiveness. His work feels designed to provoke, to incite, to keep people at odds.

Contrast that with Faisal Warraich’s approach, which is quieter but far more meaningful. He doesn’t pander to the crowd’s thirst for sensationalism. Instead, he digs deep into the issues, providing thoughtful analysis and allowing his audience the space to reflect. He’s not just trying to capture attention for a moment; he’s building understanding that can last.

This is why I don’t chase controversy. It’s easy to enrage people. It’s much harder to engage them in a meaningful way, to invite them into a space where they can think critically and arrive at their own conclusions. The difference between Dhruv’s method and Faisal’s is stark – one seeks to stir the pot and keep it boiling, while the other seeks to simmer ideas and let them evolve into something more substantive.

For me, the essence of creation is about sharing perspectives, fostering dialogue, and encouraging growth. It’s not a game of who can shout the loudest or stoke the biggest flame. The constant pressure to top yourself, to ride the next wave of outrage – that’s a path I refuse to walk. Instead, I’m after what Faisal does: consistency, depth, and substance.

I’ve come to realize that I’m not chasing virality or shock value. I’m chasing something much more lasting – authenticity, legacy, and meaning. I want to create work that reflects who I truly am and the values I stand for. And for me, that means rejecting the urge to dive into controversy for the sake of keeping people watching.

I don’t want to engage in a game where every piece of content has to be more explosive than the last. I want to engage in a conversation – a slow, thoughtful one that brings light rather than heat. It’s not about riling up the masses or keeping their attention with sensational tactics. It’s about making an impact that resonates long after the video ends.

Dhruv Rathee thrives on keeping people on edge, but I don’t want to be part of that cycle. Instead, I want to emulate creators like Faisal Warraich, who inspire through thoughtfulness, not theatrics. His work builds understanding and encourages reflection, rather than creating division. His content doesn’t try to manipulate emotions; it invites you to think, to engage, to question.

The creators I admire are the ones who make you pause, not the ones who make you react instantly. They offer something more substantial than a fleeting moment of outrage – they offer substance that lingers, that challenges, that helps you grow. That’s the kind of content I want to create.

So no, I don’t want to be Dhruv Rathee, chasing controversy to stay relevant. I want to be like Faisal Warraich – focused on building something that lasts, something that stands for more than just attention. I’m not interested in the fleeting highs of viral controversy; I’m interested in the long, steady burn of genuine impact.

In the end, what we choose to create says something about who we are. I want my work to reflect thoughtfulness, clarity, and depth. I want to leave a legacy that isn’t built on sensationalism but on substance. That’s why I choose not to be controversial, especially when it’s just for the sake of it.