Georg Simmel's Philosophy of Money Concept in the Digital Era: The Role of Money in the Social Life of Content Creators
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26418/j-psh.v16i1.90223Keywords:
Content Creator, Georg Simmel, Philosophy of MoneyAbstract
The digital era has significantly reshaped social interactions, production processes, and the construction of social identities, particularly through the emergence of content creators on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. This study aims to explore how money, as conceptualized by Georg Simmel, influences the social lives of content creators and how it serves as both a material and symbolic force within digital spaces. The urgency of this research lies in the growing complexity of monetization practices that blur the boundaries between economic value and social recognition. Using a descriptive qualitative approach with a literature review method, this study critically analyzes various scholarly articles, books, and relevant digital content to synthesize theoretical insights with contemporary phenomena. The findings reveal that the objectification of social relationships through money aligns with the commodification of content and the increasing pressure creators face to meet audience expectations and algorithmic demands. While money provides creators with economic opportunities and social recognition, it simultaneously constrains their creativity and authenticity. This duality raises important questions about the implications of monetization on social values and identity formation in the digital realm. The study contributes to theoretical discussions on Simmel"™s philosophy of money by highlighting its relevance to understanding power dynamics, commodification, and social hierarchies in the digital economy.
References
Almaidah, A. R., & Harianto, S. (2023). Self-Representation in Social Media (Dramaturgy Studies of Drug-Using Artists). Jurnal Pendidikan Sosiologi Dan Humaniora, 14(2), 212. https://doi.org/10.26418/j-psh.v14i2.59777
Ardiansyah, M. N. (2020). Analisis Bentuk Karakter Dalam Penggunaan Media Sosial Pada Siswa SMP Kota Pontianak (Studi Kasus Di SMP Negeri Dan Swasta). Jurnal Pendidikan Sosiologi Dan Humaniora, 11(2), 57. https://doi.org/10.26418/j-psh.v11i2.42952
Arriagada, A., & Ibáñez, F. (2020). “You Need At Least One Picture Daily, if Not, You’re Deadâ€: Content Creators and Platform Evolution in the Social Media Ecology. Social Media and Society, 6(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305120944624
Bleier, A., Fossen, B. L., & Shapira, M. (2024). On the role of social media platforms in the creator economy. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 41(3), 411–426.
Brooks, G., Drenten, J., & Piskorski, M. J. (2021). Influencer Celebrification: How Social Media Influencers Acquire Celebrity Capital. Journal of Advertising, 50(5). https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2021.1977737
Buf, D. M., & Ştefãniþã, O. (2020). Uses and gratifications of youtube: A comparative analysis of users and content creators. Romanian Journal of Communication and Public Relations, 22(2). https://doi.org/10.21018/rjcpr.2020.2.301
Cedillo Lazcano, I. (2021). Inside Money Creation in the Digital Era. Innovations in Social Finance: Transitioning Beyond Economic Value, 213–234.
Craig, D. (2019). 27. Creator management in the social media entertainment industry. Making Media, 363–374.
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. In Universitas Nusantara PGRI Kediri (Vol. 01).
Harwick, C. (2023). Money’s mutation of the modern moral mind: The Simmel hypothesis and the cultural evolution of WEIRDness. Journal of Evolutionary Economics, 33(5). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00191-023-00844-4
Ionescu, C. G., & Licu, M. (2023). Are TikTok Algorithms Influencing Users’ Self-Perceived Identities and Personal Values? A Mini Review. In Social Sciences (Vol. 12, Issue 8). https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12080465
Karunianingsih, D. A. (2022). The Construction of Identity of “Sultan†and Hedonism on TikTok @indrakenz. Jurnal Ilmu Komunikasi, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.31315/jik.v20i1.4562
Kraemer, K., Jakelja, L., Brugger, F., & Nessel, S. (2024). The social ambiguity of money: empirical evidence on the multiple usability of money in social life. Review of Social Economy, 82(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/00346764.2022.2076150
Li, F. M., Lu, C., Lu, Z., Carrington, P., & Truong, K. N. (2022). An Exploration of Captioning Practices and Challenges of Individual Content Creators on YouTube for People with Hearing Impairments. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 6(CSCW1). https://doi.org/10.1145/3512922
Poggi, G. (2023). Money and the Modern Mind: Georg Simmel’s Philosophy of Money. In Money and the Modern Mind: Georg Simmel’s Philosophy of Money. https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520911673
Populix. (2024). Hadiah Giveaway Paling Diincar Berdasarkan Survei Populix. Https://Info.Populix.Co/Articles/Hadiah-Giveaway/.
Purba, R., Marnelly, T. R., & Resdati, R. (2022). Makna Uang Bagi Mahasiswa Dalam Perspektif Sosiologi. Jurnal Pendidikan Sosiologi Dan Humaniora, 13(2). https://doi.org/10.26418/j-psh.v13i2.56984
Ratnasari, E. (2020). Studi Kasus Personal Branding Konten Kreator Pada Akun Twitter @BROJABROOO. WACANA: Jurnal Ilmiah Ilmu Komunikasi, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.32509/wacana.v19i1.1019
Romele, A., & Severo, M. (2016). The economy of the digital gift: From socialism to sociality online. Theory, Culture & Society, 33(5), 43–63.
Saktisyahputra, S. (2022). Manajemen Komunikasi Digital Perencanaan, Aktivitas dan Evaluasi Asosiasi Konten Kreator Indonesia dalam Meningkatkan Omset Bisnis UMKM. Abiwara : Jurnal Vokasi Administrasi Bisnis, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.31334/abiwara.v3i2.2229
Simmel, G., Frisby, D., Bottomore, T., & Lemert, C. (2011). The philosophy of money. Routledge.
Utami, P. R. (2024). Literature Review on The Impact of Social Media on Social Interaction in Schools. Jurnal Pendidikan Sosial Dan Humaniora, 15(2).
Vogel, B., Tschunkert, K., & Schläpfer, I. (2022). The social meaning of money: multidimensional implications of humanitarian cash and voucher assistance. Disasters, 46(2). https://doi.org/10.1111/disa.12478
Volkmer, S. A., & Meißner, M. (2024). Beyond livestreaming: The rise of social media gifting and paid memberships− A systematic literature review and future research agenda. Journal of Business Research, 185, 114915.
Козловець, Ðœ. Ð. (2023). Money as a Polycontextual Value and Means of Self-Identification of a Modern Person: Traditional vs Virtual. IJCSNS International Journal of Computer Science and Network Security, 23(2).
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Jurnal Pendidikan Sosiologi dan Humaniora
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
