This paper introduces the Expressive Inversion Hypothesis that I am currently examining as a conceptual framework for analyzing the psychological and structural conditions shaping the digital creator economy. As platforms increasingly dominate content distribution and monetization, creators are exposed to systems that constrain autonomy, distort expression, and exacerbate psychological strain. Drawing from Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC), the paper proposes that the creator economy is not a neutral ecosystem but a sociotechnical apparatus that induces expressive fatigue and eventual resistance. The concept of “expressive space” is introduced as a critical variable — a cognitive-emotional domain where creators must feel safe, autonomous, and competent in order to thrive. Through a review of relevant literature and emergent industry trends, this agenda-setting paper theorizes a shift toward creator-centric infrastructures as both necessary and inevitable. Finally, it offers a forward-looking research agenda to empirically investigate expressive autonomy, psychological health, and structural innovation in digital labor systems.
J. Matthew Pierce (Mon,) studied this question.