The Create Unknown

Unknown Media & Studio71
  • 4.8 (174)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Create Unknown interviews the most successful online creators to reveal how they got started and how they keep going. iDubbbz. Vsauce. Casey Neistat. iJustine. PsychicPebbles. We talk to the YouTubers, artists, and streamers who exemplify our mantra of “Make Something. Mean Something.” Part high-level analysis, part hopelessly stupid, Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor from Vsauce2 dissect the complex business, the unpredictable drama, and the uncertain future of creating online. We’ll see you in The Create Unknown, Space Cowboys. For advertising opportunities please email PodcastPartnerships@Studio71us.com   We wanna make the podcast even better, help us learn how we can: https://bit.ly/2EcYbu4  Privacy Policy: https://www.studio71.com/us/terms-and-conditions-use/#Privacy%20Policy

  1. 6D AGO

    Can Youtubers Retire Without Being Hated?

    Thanks to MAINGEAR for speeding up everything for us. Check out the VYBE line that’s making up the core of Matt’s new studio -- and use code CREATE for a free additional year of warranty on desktops: https://maingear.com/ref/656/ Join Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thecreateunknown This week we dig into what it really means to survive on YouTube long-term, and what happens when the grind that built a channel starts pushing back. We kick things off with a little departure, though, by wondering where gaming is actually headed, whether Kevin’s traditional controllers are quietly becoming a generational artifact, and why some hyped technologies never quite stick. From there, the conversation turns to a question many veteran creators eventually face: what does “retiring” even mean on YouTube? After more than a decade of independence, what options are left? Is the platform truly different from traditional media, or does it come with the same hard choices in the end? We talk about the physical and mental toll of constant creation, the harsh reality of aging into injuries and responsibilities, and why scaling up a channel might actually make life HARDER instead of easier. When you hire help, are you buying your freedom? Or are you signing up to become a full-time manager? We also confront the tension between audience expectations and human limits. Why do creators get treated like they should perform forever, on demand? And why do educational channels, in particular, seem trapped between staying independent and meeting impossible standards? Well, there are a lot of branching paths, but by the end we map out the real ways forward for any full-time content creator. Big thanks to our patrons, we’ll be back soon! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's Treasure: https://www.thedragonstreasure.com/ Buy our T-shirts: https://www.thecreateunknown.com/store/ Join our Discord to talk with artists, creators, and fans of the finer things in online life: http://discord.gg/tcu Apple: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownApple Spotify: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownSpotify Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownGooglePodcasts CREDITS: Hosts: Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor Executive Producer: Ben Webster Editor: Spencer Vann "Created in the Unknown" theme by Basswaite: https://linktr.ee/Basswaite Theme by Mega Drive → http://megadrivemusic.com Opening Animation: Kidmograph City Animation: Eric Langlay "The Create Unknown" is produced by Unknown Media. CONNECT WITH US: » Chat with us on DISCORD: https://discord.gg/qAQV3Jw » Follow us on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/createunknown » Follow us on INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/thecreateunknown » Follow us on FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/thecreateunknown » View our website: https://thecreateunknown.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    1h 34m

  2. 12/19/2025

    The Expiration Date on Creativity

    Thanks to MAINGEAR for speeding up everything for us. Check out the VYBE line that’s making up the core of Matt’s new studio -- and use code CREATE for a free additional year of warranty on desktops: https://maingear.com/ref/656/ Join Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thecreateunknown This week, we start with a strange milestone: Kevin takes his first-ever vacation at 42. But his time off wasn’t filled with sandy beaches or sunshine – in fact, it didn’t include any travel at all. We kick things off by finding out what he was really up to, and the answer makes us ask ourselves, what happens when your body forces you to slow down? From there, we dig into the reality of always being “on,” especially when work never sleeps. What does constant availability do to creative focus? And why does halting creative output start to feel less like rest and more like withdrawal? That leads us to a piece of advice given years ago by a media legend: that creatives have a narrow window to produce their best work. Is that true? Or is it just fear dressed up as wisdom? We explore how age, health, relationships, and stability quietly reshape creative lives, and why so many artists seem to unravel right around the same time. By the end, we’re left with a much bigger question: is creativity something you race against time to extract, or is it something that evolves if you survive long enough to understand it? Big thanks to our patrons, we’ll be back soon! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's Treasure: https://www.thedragonstreasure.com/ Buy our T-shirts: https://www.thecreateunknown.com/store/ Join our Discord to talk with artists, creators, and fans of the finer things in online life: http://discord.gg/tcu Apple: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownApple Spotify: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownSpotify Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownGooglePodcasts CREDITS: Hosts: Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor Executive Producer: Ben Webster Editor: Spencer Vann "Created in the Unknown" theme by Basswaite: https://linktr.ee/Basswaite Theme by Mega Drive → http://megadrivemusic.com Opening Animation: Kidmograph City Animation: Eric Langlay "The Create Unknown" is produced by Unknown Media. CONNECT WITH US: » Chat with us on DISCORD: https://discord.gg/qAQV3Jw » Follow us on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/createunknown » Follow us on INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/thecreateunknown » Follow us on FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/thecreateunknown » View our website: https://thecreateunknown.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    1h 24m

  3. 12/12/2025

    Become Obsessed with Nothing

    Thanks to MAINGEAR for speeding up everything for us. Check out the VYBE line that’s making up the core of Matt’s new studio -- and use code CREATE for a free additional year of warranty on desktops: https://maingear.com/ref/656/ Join Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thecreateunknown This week, we kick things off with a mix of health chaos and questionable life choices…but, as usual, that takes us down the track of tackling a much bigger question: what if pursuit without purpose is the most important part of our lives? We dig into a mindset that has proven to be persistently pervasive as of late: committing to doing something only when there’s a guaranteed payoff. Is that making us less curious? Less capable? Less human? And what if the real magic comes from being endlessly interested, even when those interests seem useless 95% of the time? That brings us face to face with a much tougher reality – most people just might not be equipped to reap the rewards of delayed gratification. What if the “reward” for following your curiosity is something you won’t see for 20 years? What if you never get a reward at all? Is the effort still worth it? To round things out, we explore what it really means to be a “serious person,” why broad curiosity destroys social anxiety, and how actually doing things (not just reading about them) builds a level of experience that even AI can’t fake. Thanks to our patrons, we’ll be back soon! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's Treasure: https://www.thedragonstreasure.com/ Buy our T-shirts: https://www.thecreateunknown.com/store/ Join our Discord to talk with artists, creators, and fans of the finer things in online life: http://discord.gg/tcu Apple: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownApple Spotify: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownSpotify Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownGooglePodcasts CREDITS: Hosts: Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor Executive Producer: Ben Webster Editor: Spencer Vann "Created in the Unknown" theme by Basswaite: https://linktr.ee/Basswaite Theme by Mega Drive → http://megadrivemusic.com Opening Animation: Kidmograph City Animation: Eric Langlay "The Create Unknown" is produced by Unknown Media. CONNECT WITH US: » Chat with us on DISCORD: https://discord.gg/qAQV3Jw » Follow us on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/createunknown » Follow us on INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/thecreateunknown » Follow us on FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/thecreateunknown » View our website: https://thecreateunknown.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    1h 17m

  4. 11/28/2025

    The Secret War on Abundance

    Thanks to MAINGEAR for speeding up everything for us. Check out the VYBE line that’s making up the core of Matt’s new studio -- and use code CREATE for a free additional year of warranty on desktops: https://maingear.com/ref/656/ Join Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thecreateunknown This week we’re back from injuries, infections, and international chaos. A quick detour into Chuck Norris movies sets the tone before we dive into a much bigger question – one that has been dominating the cultural conversation for quite some time now: how did Boomers and Zoomers end up living in completely different economic universes? Kevin has a new take on what makes being a Zoomer in 2025 so difficult. We ask ourselves how things like food, travel, tech, and even grocery shopping shape the way we think about money. Then we ask ourselves another question: is “responsibility” really the same across worlds that don’t resemble each other at all? Is it pointless to compare apples to oranges? We also try to find out if Zoomers have a valid reason to be upset, or if they just like complaining. Will Kevin and Matt come to any sort of agreement on the matter? Will we solve all the world's economic problems in one fell swoop? Well, probably not. This might be a tough one. Let’s dive in. Big thanks to our patrons, we’ll be back soon! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's Treasure: https://www.thedragonstreasure.com/ Buy our T-shirts: https://www.thecreateunknown.com/store/ Join our Discord to talk with artists, creators, and fans of the finer things in online life: http://discord.gg/tcu Apple: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownApple Spotify: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownSpotify Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownGooglePodcasts CREDITS: Hosts: Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor Executive Producer: Ben Webster Editor: Spencer Vann "Created in the Unknown" theme by Basswaite: https://linktr.ee/Basswaite Theme by Mega Drive → http://megadrivemusic.com Opening Animation: Kidmograph City Animation: Eric Langlay "The Create Unknown" is produced by Unknown Media. CONNECT WITH US: » Chat with us on DISCORD: https://discord.gg/qAQV3Jw » Follow us on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/createunknown » Follow us on INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/thecreateunknown » Follow us on FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/thecreateunknown » View our website: https://thecreateunknown.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    57 min

  5. 10/24/2025

    No One Cares. Now What?

    Thanks to MAINGEAR for speeding up everything for us. Check out the VYBE line that’s making up the core of Matt’s new studio -- and use code CREATE for a free additional year of warranty on desktops: https://maingear.com/ref/656/ Join Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thecreateunknown This week’s episode opens with a dive into “the jakes”, a weird bit of bathroom slang coined by none other than…Cormac McCarthy? As usual, our niche historical ramblings lead us to talk about a major modern problem…why doesn’t anyone care about ANYTHING? From there, Kevin reflects on the daunting time and cost of his novel Sleep Warrior. Why spend years on something that might never pay off? In such a detached world, is caring even worth it? Next we dig into the shockingly difficult psychology behind caring. If dopamine makes the IDEA of success feel as good as the real thing, how do you stay motivated to finish? Plus, we get a little “Lieber Lore” that might explain Kevin’s ongoing pursuit of new creative ventures. To cap it off, Matt tells a story from South America about meeting strangers, seizing the moment, and why you need to stop waiting for movie-like “meet cutes” instead of creating your own stories. Thanks as always to our incredible patrons, we’ll be back next week! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's Treasure: https://www.thedragonstreasure.com/ Buy our T-shirts: https://www.thecreateunknown.com/store/ Join our Discord to talk with artists, creators, and fans of the finer things in online life: http://discord.gg/tcu Apple: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownApple Spotify: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownSpotify Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownGooglePodcasts CREDITS: Hosts: Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor Executive Producer: Ben Webster Editor: Spencer Vann "Created in the Unknown" theme by Basswaite: https://linktr.ee/Basswaite Theme by Mega Drive → http://megadrivemusic.com Opening Animation: Kidmograph City Animation: Eric Langlay "The Create Unknown" is produced by Unknown Media. CONNECT WITH US: » Chat with us on DISCORD: https://discord.gg/qAQV3Jw » Follow us on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/createunknown » Follow us on INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/thecreateunknown » Follow us on FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/thecreateunknown » View our website: https://thecreateunknown.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    1h 24m

  6. 10/17/2025

    Writer’s Block is Fake

    Thanks to MAINGEAR for speeding up everything for us. Check out the VYBE line that’s making up the core of Matt’s new studio -- and use code CREATE for a free additional year of warranty on desktops: https://maingear.com/ref/656/ Join Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thecreateunknown Matt kicks this week’s episode off by expressing his deep LOATHING the concept of “writers block.” Is it a real phenomenon, or just an excuse people use to avoid the real issues in their work? After that, Kevin explains his experience with a similar phenomenon he likes to call “story stumbling.” While you might think it’s pretty similar to writer's block, there’s a key difference that will help you understand how to unlock more of your untapped potential. Then we shift the conversation to another common myth: should creators only work when inspiration strikes? Is this what actually separates professionals from dabblers? Are your best ideas waiting for the stars to align, or are they just waiting for you to get off your lazy butt and commit? Finally, we dive into the things that really keep creators sharp. We even touch on “the yips,” a real but rare loss of skill that has some pretty stark differences from writer’s block. Big thanks to our Patrons, we’ll be back soon! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's Treasure: https://www.thedragonstreasure.com/ Buy our T-shirts: https://www.thecreateunknown.com/store/ Join our Discord to talk with artists, creators, and fans of the finer things in online life: http://discord.gg/tcu Apple: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownApple Spotify: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownSpotify Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownGooglePodcasts CREDITS: Hosts: Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor Executive Producer: Ben Webster Editor: Spencer Vann "Created in the Unknown" theme by Basswaite: https://linktr.ee/Basswaite Theme by Mega Drive → http://megadrivemusic.com Opening Animation: Kidmograph City Animation: Eric Langlay "The Create Unknown" is produced by Unknown Media. CONNECT WITH US: » Chat with us on DISCORD: https://discord.gg/qAQV3Jw » Follow us on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/createunknown » Follow us on INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/thecreateunknown » Follow us on FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/thecreateunknown » View our website: https://thecreateunknown.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    1h 37m

  7. 10/06/2025

    Stop Being Boring

    Thanks to MAINGEAR for speeding up everything for us. Check out the VYBE line that’s making up the core of Matt’s new studio -- and use code CREATE for a free additional year of warranty on desktops: https://maingear.com/ref/656/ Join Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thecreateunknown This week we kick things off with a deep dive on milk that somehow spirals into dental disasters, and ultimately lands on the worst Wi-Fi on earth. From there, we wrestle with a big question: why does so much modern storytelling feel like a photocopy of a photocopy? Along the way, we discover how even polishing canoe tacks or serving wings can spark better ideas than bingeing another show. We also talk about the unmatched importance of just saying “yes” when it’s easier to say “no,” the newfound affordability of having real experiences, and how small decisions can snowball into entire chapters of your life. As we wrap up, we’re reminded that the things you think are mundane might actually be your best stories. Thanks for listening, and big thanks to our patrons. We’ll be back! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's Treasure: https://www.thedragonstreasure.com/ Buy our T-shirts: https://www.thecreateunknown.com/store/ Join our Discord to talk with artists, creators, and fans of the finer things in online life: http://discord.gg/tcu Apple: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownApple Spotify: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownSpotify Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownGooglePodcasts CREDITS: Hosts: Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor Executive Producer: Ben Webster Editor: Spencer Vann "Created in the Unknown" theme by Basswaite: https://linktr.ee/Basswaite Theme by Mega Drive → http://megadrivemusic.com Opening Animation: Kidmograph City Animation: Eric Langlay "The Create Unknown" is produced by Unknown Media. CONNECT WITH US: » Chat with us on DISCORD: https://discord.gg/qAQV3Jw » Follow us on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/createunknown » Follow us on INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/thecreateunknown » Follow us on FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/thecreateunknown » View our website: https://thecreateunknown.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    1h 35m

  8. 10/01/2025

    Does Identity Matter?

    Thanks to MAINGEAR for speeding up everything for us. Check out the VYBE line that’s making up the core of Matt’s new studio -- and use code CREATE for a free additional year of warranty on desktops: https://maingear.com/ref/656/ Join Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thecreateunknown This week, we kick things off with a story that almost feels too strange to be real. What do a Price Is Right model, a mountain-climbing husband and a CIA operation all have in common? You’re going to want to find out. That story leads us straight into the bigger question on Kevin’s mind: why does so much modern storytelling feel stuck on identity? Naturally, that triggers a deep dive into what Kevin calls the “identity paradox.” Why is it that we’re culturally obsessed with identity on paper, yet identity-driven stories rarely break through in a meaningful way? Along the way, we explore why films like Rocky and The Green Book succeed where others don’t, and how great storytelling can utilize identity in a way you wouldn’t expect. Big thanks to all our listeners and patrons for supporting the show—we’ll be back soon! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's Treasure: https://www.thedragonstreasure.com/ Buy our T-shirts: https://www.thecreateunknown.com/store/ Join our Discord to talk with artists, creators, and fans of the finer things in online life: http://discord.gg/tcu Apple: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownApple Spotify: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownSpotify Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownGooglePodcasts CREDITS: Hosts: Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor Executive Producer: Ben Webster Editor: Spencer Vann "Created in the Unknown" theme by Basswaite: https://linktr.ee/Basswaite Theme by Mega Drive → http://megadrivemusic.com Opening Animation: Kidmograph City Animation: Eric Langlay "The Create Unknown" is produced by Unknown Media. CONNECT WITH US: » Chat with us on DISCORD: https://discord.gg/qAQV3Jw » Follow us on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/createunknown » Follow us on INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/thecreateunknown » Follow us on FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/thecreateunknown » View our website: https://thecreateunknown.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    1h 30m
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4.8
out of 5
174 Ratings

About

The Create Unknown interviews the most successful online creators to reveal how they got started and how they keep going. iDubbbz. Vsauce. Casey Neistat. iJustine. PsychicPebbles. We talk to the YouTubers, artists, and streamers who exemplify our mantra of “Make Something. Mean Something.” Part high-level analysis, part hopelessly stupid, Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor from Vsauce2 dissect the complex business, the unpredictable drama, and the uncertain future of creating online. We’ll see you in The Create Unknown, Space Cowboys. For advertising opportunities please email PodcastPartnerships@Studio71us.com   We wanna make the podcast even better, help us learn how we can: https://bit.ly/2EcYbu4  Privacy Policy: https://www.studio71.com/us/terms-and-conditions-use/#Privacy%20Policy

Information

  • Creator
    Unknown Media & Studio71
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    271
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Unknown Media, LLC & Studio71
  • Show Website
    The Create Unknown

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