Stop scrolling for a second.
Look at the last five posts you liked on LinkedIn.
Now ask yourself — what were they actually selling?
Not what they said they were about. What were they actually selling.
The vulnerability story that ends with a product link. The motivational quote that makes you feel like you did something without doing anything. The revenue screenshot that makes you feel like you're one follow away from figuring it out. The private jet photo that has nothing to do with you but everything to do with making you feel like proximity is progress.
You didn't like those posts because they taught you something.
You liked them because of how they made you feel.
That feeling is the product. Your attention is the currency. Your like is the transaction.
Here's the game running most of the content you consume on LinkedIn.
Find what people lack. Sell them the feeling of having it. Repeat.
The person performing vulnerability isn't sharing their story. They're monetizing your empathy. The person posting motivation isn't inspiring you. They're keeping you just inspired enough to stay subscribed but just stuck enough to need them tomorrow. The person flashing success isn't showing you what's possible. They're selling you the feeling of being adjacent to it.
None of it is an accident. All of it is a strategy.
The most dangerous part? It works because it feels good. And things that feel good don't get questioned.
So the next time you go to hit like — pause for one second.
Ask yourself what you're actually buying.