One example of it actually being upheld is: In germany it is not forbidden to break out of jail. At least as long as you don't break anything during your breakout. The justification for that is that you can't curb a humans desire for freedom. If you're caught, you will be put back in jail for the remainder of your sentence, but there will be no length added to the sentence.

@remylebae3395

Жыл бұрын

Based af

@anotherjhon8193

Жыл бұрын

Based

@BlueAxeRacer

Жыл бұрын

Although in Germany you'll probably be put in prison for a very stupid reason in the first place.

@DocsDota

Жыл бұрын

However Germany treats its prisoners so well that you could literally be homeless and end up having a better life in prison.

@distributistsshrekvideo

Жыл бұрын

thats kinda dumb

I've seen that a lot of folks think rights have a hidden asterisk.. "Except for those I don't like". My philosophy is 'Especially for those I don't like'. Examine your emotions, your fears, your prejudice, and it's more generally about yourself than them. The moment I add that exemption for rights, my own are less secure for abandoning the principle.

@CanuckWolfman

Жыл бұрын

Amen. "Especially for those I don't like." This is an important point, and I'm so glad you said it. You're less likely to try and hurt someone you don't hate... so if your principles don't apply equally to those you despise, then your principles don't matter. You don't *have* principles; you have *enemies.*

@Isheian

Жыл бұрын

Well said and damn right!

@moldyshishkabob

Жыл бұрын

You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:43-48 ESV

@kenu995

Жыл бұрын

Yeah, I found the broader strokes of how demonizing your enemy leads to unspeakable atrocities to be more of the main focus of the plot after a while.

@carlousmagus5387

Жыл бұрын

Like the Separation of Church and State that Christian Fascist love to ignore, or forcing a 10 year old rape victim to carry her attacker's fetus to term, then cut all of the social safety nets. Or ignoring the " Wll Regulated Milita " part of the second Admendment ie: if you aren't in the Milita, an actual recognized under the control of the civil government of your state, you can't own a gun

Great video, especially that last bit about natural rights and the danger of overreaching like Eren did. For me growing up as a kid in Nigeria, the concept of natural rights was something I only became aware of when I started learning about American history and the teachings from my Catholic faith. You folks over there in America really had some amazing forefathers and philosophers. I hope you guys cherish what you have and never let it end.

@jeyfomson6364

Жыл бұрын

Well said sir, im also nigerian.

@anakin-is-panakin

11 ай бұрын

Natural rights and freedom is an illusion in America

I really like how AoT says everyone pending on their circumstances & philosophy can go too far. Eren's been explained but even Mikasa & Armin were fine with attacking the Marlyians if it meant they were save. Levi's killed many so he can stay alive. Connie was about to sacrifice a kid so he could have his mother back. Gabi had no problems killing hundreds to save her family & prove she's a good Marlyian. In order to become a "good" Marlyian she had to be a "good" Eldian and that meant killing the "bad" Eldians. In order to be "good" she has to kill her own people. Reiner was killing innocent people for things they had nothing to do with and now is depressed but has to fight to save humanity from Eren and the Titans he controls

@sagegeas5198

Жыл бұрын

This. BE ever vigilant in what you fight for, for you might be the enemy, whilst trying to be good.

@unncommonsense

Жыл бұрын

"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.” - Nietzsche

@HereTakeAFlower

Жыл бұрын

If Levi fought to stay alive, what can I say except, well done.

@pattonramming1988

Жыл бұрын

I absolutely hated Gabi not because she killed Sasha but because she's generally an idiot and whose stupidity gets Falco hurt constantly

@MrMetaVal

Жыл бұрын

That's the beauty and cruelty of life. One who feign ignorance of his evilness will definitely fall into it since if good exist evil will too. As a human with a conscience, you are both.

"they realized they dont need the chains, they gave us tiny screens, we think we're free cause we cant see the cage" - Tom MacDonald.

One meaning of AOT that I don't think many gets, which makes the ending so divisive, is that freedom is not just about destroying the outside force oppressing you, but also about freedom from your own nature. If you want to be healthy, you first must free yourself from the junk food you loved so much. . Eren is trapped by his twisted concept of freedom and keeps rolling the wheel of destiny that he sees by using his power, a person he is supposed to become. His lust for blood blinds him, and he only believes that killing everyone that did him wrong is right. I think along the way he knows this and (SPOLIER) he let his friends kill him, make them saviors, and he the great Devil, but in return, he is free from his own nature. Two other characters exemplify this point: Erwin abandons his dream of seeing the truth, to free himself from his duty and having to sacrifice more soldiers, and Kenny, a twisted criminal, who found the grace in the previous Eldian King, gave the serum to Levi instead of saving himself. Eren's last moment: a child Eren, let himself feel the wind on the top of the world, happy that he is free.

@EarthForces

Жыл бұрын

And this is why I ultimately despise those who justify Eren for his genocidal goals. I still have more consideration to the Marleyans and the other races of the world considering they may had been the current hegemon but it is only because they hold a very thin advantage. Still, Marley are wrong in doing what they did just because of the geopolitical issues they have to juggle and especially of the Eldian threat of the "Rumbling". Both sides are ultimately wrong for different reasons and the only means for both sides was to reconcile and there will be the time that true freedom for both sides can even begin with. Being free from the senseless cycle of killing, if the AOT universe is considered.

@305Independent

Жыл бұрын

Eren didn't let his friends kill him, he gave them the freedom to try.

@305Independent

Жыл бұрын

@@EarthForces you're clearly an anime-only fan. Go read the last 10 chapters of the manga.

@jetye1934

Жыл бұрын

the ending was stupid. Eren kills 80% of the world just so his friends would look good in front of the last 20% of the world. but in the end Paradis gets destroyed 80 years later by the remaining world, and the titans come back. People dont lilke the ending because it goes against Eren's nature to just give up and do things half way. The ANR ending was much better where he completes the rumbling and Paradis was free and thrives but Eren lives in guilt and despair for the rest of his life.. Im pretty sure ANR was supposed to be the real ending but Isayama changed it at the last moment

@eldenborne

Жыл бұрын

@@jetye1934 It's like you didn't read what I said. The point is breaking away from his own nature, from the person he is supposed to become. It's his nature to not do things half way, well then good for him, he's free from that. And it doesn't matter that in the end, Paradis Island still get destroyed, brother. Eren allowed his friends to make a choice for themselves and they did, doesn't matter if it's good or bad. It doesn't mean every choices has to come to the best conclusions. The point here is the decision, the freedom itself.

The Titans represent the over exaggeration of our fears. We build the walls to maintain that fallacy.

@frodobaggins941

Жыл бұрын

Source

@volt42re

Жыл бұрын

@@frodobaggins941 Their source was logic and reasoning, not a government-sanctioned web article

@frodobaggins941

Жыл бұрын

@@volt42re his comment is an interesting observation but it seems more like something he made up, and it is not really relevant to the ovararching themes of the story.

Banned knowledge (banned, not age restricted) is the knowledge we must seek the most.

A right to pursue happiness is not a guarantee that other people in society must make you happy or provide care for your happiness.

@FEEonline

Жыл бұрын

That word "pursuit" is really important. You have a right to seek happiness, but happiness itself is elusive and not something anyone else can provide for you. You are owed the liberty to live your life as you see fit... not that you are owed someone else's time or stuff to support your desires.

@NinjaQuick

Жыл бұрын

You don't have a right to pursue happiness, you have a right to property, which in itself produces the security and assurance which allows anxieties of the darkness of life to subside and be replaced with happiness. One of the great and most disagreeable ideas of the post-modern materialist/marxist schools of thought is that "riches can't buy you happiness". They can. You won't find happiness *in* things, but you will certainly find the inverse of happiness if you have nothing whatsoever. You'll find no joy in hunger, no peace in cold darkness and no happiness in ashamed nakedness. The only right you have is the right to pursue the Kingdom of Heaven with all your being, with all you are - every breath, heartbeat, every moment of every day - and we enshrined that, here in the US, with the First Amendment. However, there is no right to pursue happiness, as the implied right there is that you have a right to happiness - without a right to property, ownership of your self and he fruit of your labor - without these you cannot even begin to pursue happiness.

@FEEonline

Жыл бұрын

@@NinjaQuick of course you have a right to "pursue" it. That's what liberty is about. Doesn't mean you will achieve it. And no, the right "to happiness" was not implied. The wording in the Declaration of Independence and in John Locke's writing was extremely deliberate.

@tombolt13thexehanort29

Жыл бұрын

@@NinjaQuick you are wrong, there can be joy in hunger. You can not truely enjoy being full or eating food if you have never been hungry, for example. The happiness you get from merely money or the things you buy are surface level, this idea is not a post modern idea, it is Very old dating back to Greek philosophy. Those who have nothing, can still be happy, some argue that those with nothing are the people who understand happiness the most. A home is not technically necessary to feel secure or to be relieved of anxieties, as you can feel security in the presence of others, specifically family and/or God. It depends on outlook on life, if you focus on what you don't have or what others have, you will Never be happy. Monks, nuns and priests are to name a few people who find happiness and peace in the very things you say they can't. Those who willfully deprive themselves of their rights in pursuit of God (this is the important condition) are happy and content. While the event is not technically the source, it is hard to argue that those who have experienced those events do not get more out of the things they were deprived of than those who have never experienced it. While being deprived of those three things would not in itself bring joy, the point of life is only found in those things; suffering is necessary in life as it shows where true happiness can be found. You cannot pursue the kingdom of heaven without suffering. Since this Is a KZread comment, I don't think I will dive any further than that.

@Grizabeebles

Жыл бұрын

This video ends essentially praising the royal family on Paradis for going into self-exile. They respected the negative rights of the rest of the world by abandoning their kingdom and erasing memory of the outside world. This lays bare the paradox - respecting the rights of one who is not willing to do the same means willingly becoming their victim.

Technological advancement would've soon developed a way to completely obsolete the terrifying strength of Titans. Titans could already be killed using large wall-mounted cannons. Eren's people's survival depended on their ability to defend themselves, which would cease in just a few years. Therefore, their only hope for survival was to destroy everyone else with the Rumbling. Moral considerations such as the natural rights of others are always superseded by your right to defend yourself. Nobody can order you to die. If they do, you should try to kill them first.

@centipedekid9824

Жыл бұрын

Agreed I'm not giving up my life for people that want to kill me just because it would lead to less death. You can't be mad at someone for defending themselves.

@viperstriker4728

Жыл бұрын

Factually incorrect. Marley relied on the power of the titans and had only a few years to make their move. The Eldians started forming diplomatic ties with other countries and had unique resources offer to allies. They were also closing the tech gap very quickly as we can see with the train. They didn't have to attack at all, just wait out the collapse of Marley and foster good will with the other nations by taking credit for that collapse. Perhaps a few missions to take out Marley's titans paired with a slow and study destruction of the wall titans, as that would both dissolve fear and the greatest threat. If being the aggressor looks like the only answer, someone is lying to you about what what is going on.

@slurpy4548

Жыл бұрын

@@viperstriker4728 it's not just marley that hate titans most other countries were invaded by them. They are not so holy to let there enemies live.

@viperstriker4728

Жыл бұрын

@@slurpy4548 I don't know if the manga goes into more detail, but the anime certainly hasn't told us that about the other countries. They were invaded, but they might not have a way to distinguish the Eldians from other people. And people tend to remember the last oppressor instead of all their history. That last oppressor is Marley, and with Eren's hatred of Marley and titans they could get others on their side.

@EarthForces

Жыл бұрын

Very poor take slanted to justify genocide. If this is how the cycle of things ought to be, then the justifications for those committed by the Nasties in our own world is actually permissible regardless.

This is why AoT is one of my favorite stories, and why Eren despite waning popularity among some other fans for his later depictions, is one of my favorite protagonists. "We are born free" resonated with me significantly when s1 first aired. I think the first season also highlights some of the best of humanity, and the will to carry on when Mikasa was convinced Eren was dead, and despite this, she later resolved to carry on without him because life has beauty.

@SergioLeonardoCornejo

Жыл бұрын

I actually noticed Eren's plan never really changed. It only changed targets. First it was eliminating all titans, and then changed to other groups until it was everyone but his own. He's consistent in his flaws.

@AgentAndy954

Жыл бұрын

The ending ruined it.

@kenu995

Жыл бұрын

The way it goes from survival horror against to political intrigue was crazy.

@juan-carlosmaldonado6624

Жыл бұрын

@@SergioLeonardoCornejo reading the actual ending.

@SergioLeonardoCornejo

Жыл бұрын

@@juan-carlosmaldonado6624 the epilogue, or the chapter which was published later, showing with or without titans there's conflict?

OK I finished watching the video and I have to say that I do not believe that the latter seasons decreased in quality. In fact, the themes found in the latter seasons ARE found in the earlier seasons. Firstly, Eren is never a "good person". Eren never changes. From season one, he is literally shaking in sadistic rage at the thought of butchering all the titans. *He also feels this way towards people who do bad things*, such as the men who kidnapped Mikasa. Yet we see him as the hero because the people taking his freedom away are mindless monsters. However, what if the monsters he longs to butcher are really innocent people, and the people taking his freedom away are just scared and ignorent humans? He retains his sadistic rage, and channels it towards whoever wants to hurt his island, be it giant monster or brainwashed child. And this is wrong. What is the message? Don't view your enemies as devils. View them as humans . . . no matter how evil they seem there is humanity in them. Yet also, the show isn't idealistic. It's realistic. There are plenty of quotes from the first season that explain how the world works. Sometimes, the cost of your freedom and life will be the cost of other people's freedom and life. The US thought this way when it nuked Japan. WW2 ended but the cost was the lives of countless innocent people. Here are some quotes to demonstrate this theme reccurring in the earlier seasons: “This world is cruel and merciless.. But it's also very beautiful” “If I can't, then I'll just die. But if I win I live. Unless I fight, I cannot win.” "To Surpass Monsters, You Have To Discard Your Humanity." "I Don’t Like The Terms 'Good Person' Or 'Bad Person' Because It Is Impossible To Be Entirely Good To Everyone Or Entirely Bad To Everyone." "A Person Who Cannot Sacrifice Everything, Cannot Change Anything." “To defeat a monster, you must be willing to throw aside your humanity and all that makes you human”

@audreyandremington5265

Жыл бұрын

With Mikasa, her power comes from understanding the way nature works . . . kill or be killed. You can either be the hunter or the prey. This is a theme in AOT: If you choose morality, you'll end up dying. If you choose to become a monster, you'll survive. It's not pretty. but again, neither is the real world. Also, recall Erwin's main motiviation. He sacrifices all those scouts just to discover the truth. This mirrors Eren's motivation. Both characters have a goal that would be laudible in and of itself: Freedom and Truth. BUT they are willing to go to any lengths to pursue those goals, including killing the innocent. So another theme in Attack on titan would be: Often one must choose between achieving a goal and acting morally. Does the end justify the means? Or do the means justify the end?

@audreyandremington5265

Жыл бұрын

I also feel like this was a missed opportunity to talk about critical race theory. There's that scene between Gabi and Kaya, where Gabi is like, "Your anscestors killed hundreds of thousands of people a century ago!" and Kaya was like, "My mom didn't, so why did she have to be punished for that?!" It's asking questions about whether or not groups of people can be seen as carrying guilt for the actions of past generations.

@Msoulwing

Жыл бұрын

@@audreyandremington5265 CRT isn't just about inherited guilt; it's a conspiracy theory that implicates every member of a race as an unknowing conspirator that constantly oppresses other races for their own benefit. Even the people in AOT don't go *that* far down the crazy hole (for the most part).

@janzethsacmar6309

Жыл бұрын

Exactly!

@audreyandremington5265

Жыл бұрын

@@tapuzuko2532 you're actually right about that! He recognizes his enemy is human and not monsters and that's what makes his actions even worse. Now that I think about it, he constantly looks depressed rather than angry in the final season

The comment section here is why I love the show so much. It deeply explores the concept of genocide, liberty, self-defense, and the perpetual cycle of war caused by hatred. It causes good conversations about its concepts. I find the show intellectually stimulating about real world conflicts and philosophy. I find that most people who hated AOT towards the end was because of Eren‘s character development. Specifically how he didn’t wind up a conventional good character or a cliché Shonen anime character. Attack on Titan might have some narrative flaws, I’ll give them that. But every real diamond does too.

Kind of wish you would have talked about AOT once the anime ended, especially considering what happens in the ending. But I understand given how you are moving on. I've enjoyed and learned a lot from your content and will miss you. As for AOT, Isayama stated that his idea of freedom is enjoying the beauty of the world around you such as walking down a street with a cup of sake and enjoying yourself. This doesn't fit with Eren's view which has always been a selfish one. He states himself that he would not hesitate to take another person's freedom away if they try to take his. I'd say more, but I don't want to spoil it for you.

@yato329

Жыл бұрын

Did I miss an announcement. What's he moving on from?

@epsilon3821

Жыл бұрын

@@yato329 hes moving away from the channel and working elsewhere

@epsilon3821

Жыл бұрын

No wonder Isayama is a hack author. Ironically the success got to him when he went from desperate to resting on his laurels.

@noofzoof

Жыл бұрын

@@strangelyukrainian7314 >aot >subtle

@jcekap9522

Жыл бұрын

@@noofzoof I know right?

I respectfully disagree, I think that the later seasons are just recontextualizing the world views as other elemtns are introduced. What is freedom will be a question that is still internally compelling even in the last season

@Jonas-ob2sh

Жыл бұрын

This, the theme of freedom and security he claims the show somehow "forgot" come up in season 4 with the Jaegerists who take this concept to the extreme and it forces viewers who blindly rooted for these nationalistic ideals (that Erwin and a lot of the older scouts knowingly or unknowingly helped to plant those seeds in Floch and Louise) to reevaluate their beliefs.

@mannythegrandfather2291

Жыл бұрын

Exactly

@ikengaspirit3063

Жыл бұрын

@@Jonas-ob2sh Jaegerists, based.

@monovengbitegheclaudearmel1441

Жыл бұрын

yess, you cannot talk about having freedom if you are not ready to defend it either defensively of preemptively when necessary

@josephstalin839

Жыл бұрын

Aren’t the Jaegerists, ethnnocentrist nationalist (possibly ultranationalist since Floch did say this is a great victory for the Eldian Empire on the Zeppelin and not Eldian Kingdom) enforcers.

I think the core theme of Attack on Titan is that as long as there are two people left in the planet, there will be conflict. It treats power and opression as something that moves, but never ceases to be present. This is seen throughout the Eldian's history, but it's also reflected through Eren, the protagonist, who is the opressed that becomes the opressor, the Attack Titan that has the power to trascend time. How can something that exists outside of time evolve or change? Eren was never supposed to be the hero, because he can't change. It's the story that evolves in its perspective. Of course Attack on Titan isn't perfect, but seeing Eren's tragedy as a flaw is expecting the story to be something it never was.

@FEEonline

Жыл бұрын

It's not a flaw in the story, it's just sad.

Never thought Attack on Titan would make it to this Channel, I'm excited for this video.

Once we destroy our enemies over there, will we finally be free?

@FEEonline

Жыл бұрын

It doesn't seem that we will.

The end is quite complex. Ironically coming to the conclusion that freedom exists only for human, not gods.

@anon9060

Жыл бұрын

That's because both the gods were turned into plot devices by the end of the story without any actual legitimate agency or pathos to move them forward.

@lloydgush

Жыл бұрын

@@anon9060 Yes. Somehow it depends on mikasa, for some reason.

Eren: commits genocide AoT fans: ITs aBoUT frEEDoM

The show did not forget about the theme of freedom. The show takes the theme to it's most extreme conclusion, like a dark mirror verson of freedom. The selfish kind of freedom. This was always Erens freedom, even as a child. He was never a hero, he was only 'heroic' because killing 'monsters' was seen as such in the beginning of the show. The other kind of freedom you propose, does exist in the show. It is strongly being carried on by Armin and in the Final Season, arguably Reiner, Mikasa, Connie, Jean etc as well. Seems to me like you wanted to talk about a theme and took a very surface level approach to the show itself.

@jetye1934

Жыл бұрын

Eren was the hero to Paradis and a villain to the rest of the world.

@SimGunther

Жыл бұрын

👏👏👏

The saddest part of Eren's descent into mass murderer, was that he only did this because he couldn't think of any other way to protect those he fought for all along. He ended up taking the easy way rather than the much harder, heroic way that would risk those around him because after the trauma he suffered through, he couldn't bear the idea of losing more people. It makes sense for Eren as a person, but it makes his fall so much more tragic.

@barrettvelker198

Жыл бұрын

Honestly it's a pretty compelling villain arc

@albertcastro3500

Жыл бұрын

@@Xymage eren is sadly but 100 percent correct

@StaticFears

Жыл бұрын

Eren is a slave. He has no idea why he genocides 80% of the population only that it was "the only path" yimir set out for him.

@snintendog

Жыл бұрын

@@Xymage there is no way other than complete dominance and i hate it. I hate the whole FATE bullshit they weaved into the story. When it came down to it he was too late to do anything the damn GOD gave him an ultimatum Kill the world or let them kill you and just to make sure you do exactly what i want i will poison your knowledge with selective information.

@Naxel4359

Жыл бұрын

@@StaticFears that was after Isayama decided to cast aside the buildup and foreshadowing and ruined Erens character with some serious retconning. Wren pretty clearly laid out his reasoning in previous chapters.

I know everything good has come to a end sometimes, but damn I'm gonna miss this series, it provides such great insight in a easy to digest and entertaining matter, the narration and production are top notch. Good luck in your future endeavours!

What would be the most sensible approach to end the racial injustice against the Eldians ? The show also presents the idea of Eldians euthanization plan, which can be considered the opposite-most solution to Eren's plan. In actuality, there is no difference between Zeke & Eren's plans, one is genocide of own race, & the other plan is genocide of every race than yours. It is suggested in this video it'd sensible for Eren to just lower his weapon & no to become the monster that everyone fears. But, it is not very wise to lower your weapon when you are in a 'kill or be killed' battle.

@UserBeenBanned

Жыл бұрын

it seems lost on so many, there are quite a few things that seem lost to many in that series.

@unncommonsense

Жыл бұрын

@@Xymage Eren is acting in self-defense. If Marley hadn't sent the titans to Paradis, this wouldn't have happened.

@TomyDayos

Жыл бұрын

@@Xymage In our world there was many who wanted to enact plans that would kill the majority of the germans. But democracies took the high groud and rather than starving then and ending their industry, they choose to give supplies. The germans where brainwashed into thinking that they where fighting for their survival, that losing the war would mean the end for then, and this act of kindness helped prove that the propaganda was wrong.

@TomyDayos

Жыл бұрын

@@Xymage KZread censored your comment. Look it up, and you see that it was deleted. Try to avoid telling words that might trigger the censorship or put intentional grammar mistakes in then.

@whadayadoin3300

Жыл бұрын

@@Xymage EXACTLY!

To be clear attack on titan didnt “loose” it’s message but evolved it. The early part of the series is an idealistic viewing of freedom and the pursuit of it. The later part is about a character consumed by ideological purity pursuing their ideals regardless of the damage they are causing. It’s about lost innocence, the realization of reality, and ultimately a question of what freedom even means if the universe has already decided.

@camelloy

Жыл бұрын

@@ThatsFresh26 it was a massive eye opener for me too, in a universe that is deterministic, to idealize freedom is to to hate the your existence in such a world.

@snintendog

Жыл бұрын

@@ThatsFresh26 there is no Freedom in AOT Eren was one that yearned for a slight bit of freedom. He only gained freedom in his death the GOD of that world determined who was the evil and who was the good at a whim. Playing with her creations wishing only suffering on them.

@rollinginthedeep6900

Жыл бұрын

I agree with this, I think the show starts out by establishing the principles to natural rights that are outlined here in this video, but essentially the character's impulses to defend those rights become so incredibly twisted as the show goes on, in part due to the sadistic and cruel reality of the world they live in. It's maybe hard to see issues with nuance when the threat you are facing is literally giant man eating monsters, and the people who can turn into them. Unfortunately I think the magnitude of the problem is the reason for why it's even more necessary to have a flexible, nuanced perspective. So I think what AOT gives us especially in later seasons is a glimpse into what the world would be like if no one (especially no nation) compromised, took the other person's side, or saw things from an alternate perspective. A world of total chaos, murder, and genocide, where absolutely nothing is sacred. But regardless, this was a great video that laid out the moral foundations of AOT very clearly and caused me to think more clearly and deeply on the matter, which I really appreciate cuz this show totally gets to my head!!!!!

Bro. This show has me by a choke hold and has had me in one for YEARS. I watch this show and will flat out cry. It *LITERALLY* got me through 2020-2021. It’s one of the few things that gives me hope, as tacky as that sounds. You were born free.

Frustrated that you didnt wait until the end of the show were everything gets contextualized, but at least you made a video on this. Eren is exercising his right to be free by fighting against those who would take away that right. The rest of the world wants the Eldians to die, as we saw when the leaders of the world agreed to wipe them out. Why does this disappoint you for Eren to defend his people??

@CrimsonCharan

Жыл бұрын

This is just my opinion. Feel free to disagree. Eren's idea of defending his people, just like his idea of freedom, is twisted and warped. By many things, but mostly his own nature and ego. That's why he initiated a world-wide genocide, when simply taking out his enemies' ability to fight is enough. Like they said in the video: the worst thing you can do when the world views you and your people as devils, is live up to that stereotype. Also, it should be noted that Eren is not defending his people, just his friends. This last point is merely my opinion, but I feel like Eren would not hesitate to destroy the island of Paradis, if it stood between him and his friends being free.

@MrJCarter8

Жыл бұрын

@@CrimsonCharan I’m not sure if you’re a manga reader or not but you are right, Eren did not do the rumbling to defend his people but his friends instead he wants them to live long lives and wouldn’t hesitate to destroy anyone even if it’s Paradis island who would dare threaten his or his friends’ freedom. It is a warped way of thinking and Eren’s desires have always been warped since the beginning all the way back go when he slaughtered Mikasa’s kidnappers, yes he did save her however it’s a really unusual way for a kid to handle that sort of situation

@valthiriansunstrider2540

Жыл бұрын

@@MrJCarter8 How as a kid would you handle the situation of your friend being kidnapped to be trafficked, with no other adults around and you being just a kid? Eren did the right thing. There is no fault in him for what he did, but rather, he should be honored for what he did. But it seems you've let the author twist your view of early Eren by his retroactive changes to his character in S4.

@MrJCarter8

Жыл бұрын

@@valthiriansunstrider2540 is that your argument, a self insert? Nobody in AOT is honoured or praised for violence of any kind and neither should Eren for commuting global genocide because like I said above Eren would not hesitate to destroy Paradis if it stood in the way of his and his friend’s freedoms. Also I let the author twist my way of thinking? I laughed out loud at that comment, yea I followed the writing Hajime Isayama was portraying and understood the nuance and themes which formed the core message of the story all the way to the end but you must be one of those chadrens and edgelords who self inserted with yeagerist ideology and your surface level understanding of Eren especially post time skip

I feel like you missed WHY Eren did what he did. It's because he knew what the outside world was like and what they would do to his people. He knew that convincing them wouldn't work. When your back is against a wall and everyone has a gun with finger on triggers, you're only choices are to cradle and submit, or fight back until you die, or they die.

@Strong_the_Panda

Жыл бұрын

@@Xymage exactly. He tried. And he wish he didn't have to do it ethir. (Manga spoiler) the kid that Levi saves, when Eren leaves the gang he runs into the kid and saves him from muggers and he breaks down crying to the kid and keeps saying he's sorry. He obviously doesn't want to do it, but he wants to protect his people.

@Skitskl33

Жыл бұрын

I don't think people are misunderstanding why Eren chose genocide, but that it's still a hilariously immoral thing to do. On top of that he literally destroys the vast majority of the planets ecosystem and resources turning it into a wasteland.

@snintendog

Жыл бұрын

@@Skitskl33 in AOT death is the only freedom. In a world so deterministic that a god will just shove a role on someone and pull all the strings for their desired outcome If Eren died Mikasa would have been the next one to bring the rumbling no matter how hard she fought GOD. There is nothing that can be done but become a god yourself and Annihalate everything the first one made. But AOT isnt a story about gods its a story about those under this one.

@kamronspencer4910

Жыл бұрын

No he didn’t know any of that. He assumed all of that because it fit what he wanted to do.

@kamronspencer4910

Жыл бұрын

@@Xymage he decided to attack before that. He never once did anything to try and convince them not to. You can’t never speak to anyone and then say “well they didn’t listen to me”

AoT is only a disappointment if you've bought into the hero-worshiop the people of paradise have fallen for. Eren was meant, right from the beginning of the series, to be an antihero. I think the quote from The Dark Knight applies here: "You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain." If you go on through the end of the manga, (spoilers,) Armin asks Eren before their final show down, "How exactly are you free?" The finale of the series suggests that true freedom is not simply political freedom, but freedom from one's own passions achieved through moral self-control. Eren was not truly free as long as he put his friends above literally everyone else on the planet, but his friends gain freedom by opposing him at great personal cost to themselves.

@jackwalters5506

Жыл бұрын

Great personal cost like all their children and countrymen getting genocided. The only way you can possibly paint Eren as the villain is if you ignore the fact that not doing the rumbling was inevitably results in the extermination of all subject of Ymir. And there is no part of the story that is against hero worship lol, at one point in the final battle there is literally a panel where Armin is held up like a Pagan god

@aethefledladyofmercia9572

Жыл бұрын

Really? You don't think there's caution against hero worship, when Floch and Yelen are the most aggressively unlikable characters in the whole story? As for the rest, it's true that Isayama makes it very difficult to say Eren was wrong, but he makes it equally difficult to say he was right. I think the bottom line here is that the world is cruel and very beautiful. It's fallen and brutal, and evil can be beneficial while choosing the right is often costly, but it is still right. Yes, Armin is clearly going to be put on a pedestal for defeating Eren, and I think that's more of a tragic irony than an endorsement, but let's not pretend he and the others didn't make the right decision.

@jackwalters5506

Жыл бұрын

@@aethefledladyofmercia9572 it's not like other people put him on the pedestal, reread the manga and look at it for yourself. Yelena and Floch have nothing to do with hero worship, except insofar as to say that one sides villain might be seen as a hero by the other and vice versa. It's actually pretty easy to say Eren is in the right. It's tragic that the rumbling is the only weapon available to fight back with, but since it is the only way they can defend themselves they are absolutely in the right to use it. AoT subverts the glory of war that alot of older media pushed, but then also subverts the anti-war message that you and many others take away from it again by presenting the fact that no matter how horrible and brutal it is, that it is better to fight then to roll over and take it up the ass in the name of peace

@aethefledladyofmercia9572

Жыл бұрын

I agree the Eldians had a right to defend themselves but leveling an entire continent was not necessary to rescue paradise. Is there any reason to believe the initial plan to only use a smaller section to wipe out key enemy forces wouldn't have worked? It would still have killed a lot of people, including innocents, but it would've been a lot better than killing everyone.

@jackwalters5506

Жыл бұрын

@@aethefledladyofmercia9572 it was acknowledged in the story multiple times that soon even the rumbling would be obsolete. The 50 year plan would effectively just be holding the world hostage with the rumbling, and as soon as that doesn't work well enough to stop the world, it's bye bye Eldians

God I'm gonna miss this series

EREN made the right decision by destroying the world. The world wanted the people on the island dead and in the future he did nothing and everyone he loved died. That's why you see that emotionless stare he has all the time because every since he received his memories from the future after touching historia, he knows what he must do to save everyone.

@flickdicksreviews4543

9 ай бұрын

The world didn't want them dead, just the government, we never heard or saw the whole world

@dorianmouzone7313

9 ай бұрын

@flickdicksreviews4543 the world wanted the government dead??? That didn't make any sense. So all that stuff willy tybur was saying about uniting the world to crush the islanders .... were suppose to forget all that right?? Were supposed to forget about what bertolt said about what there mission was? To recapture the founding titan and the extermination of everyone inside the walls. We're supposed to forget all of that right?? Gtfo

So glad you did this! Clicked immediately!

@sagegeas5198

Жыл бұрын

So was I, until I started watching. He lost the plot half way through.

@calh1076

Жыл бұрын

@@sagegeas5198 for sure. The argument being made isn’t linked as well to the show as some of the other videos. Still entertaining though.

Wow, that was a great explanation of the difference between natural rights and positive rights. I appreciated the way you showed that positive rights can only be enforced by demanding the labor of others, which you later pointed out would infringe on their natural rights of liberty and property. Great video, thank you.

I was kind of hoping you'd cover the show's depiction of CRT ("Your ancestors were bad ergo so are you") but this is good too.

@almalone3282

Жыл бұрын

both sides where guilty of this

@storba3860

Жыл бұрын

@@almalone3282 Obviously

@andrpaulino

Жыл бұрын

exactly, and maybe mention the Erbfeindschaft (generational hate, between Germans and french especially) which always led to more and more conflicts

@Strideo1

Жыл бұрын

What do cathode-ray tubes have to do with that?

@robertanderson5092

Жыл бұрын

The cathode ray tube is the retina of the minds eye

My man you will greatly be missed. But I hope you have great success in your passion

I believe what you fail to understand about the turn of even for Eren is that freedom is never proclaimed in a world of flawd humans, full of greed and desires. It is always the result of you being ready to crush others if they infringe on this right. It's start in an isolated island, where people believed they were safe and living their lives quietly. then the world came to them, crushing their souls into constant fear. Those who believe they have the power to control your life will nefer leave you alone and the only logical answer is to at minimum be in a situation of mutually assured destruction and at most, total annihilation of any threat. that's what AOT is about. Saying that you are born free while cowardly assuming that defence is enough is stupid and will only result into gradual suffering

Eren story arc is not a heroes journey and that's why I love the show. AOT try do something different, something that others don't often want to. Which is creating a protagonist who you LOVE and HATE at the time. In this anime we can't say who is good and who is bad, in AOT everyone fall into the Gray spectrum. It is one of the best show ever produced.

This was much awaited, thank you for doing this episode.

The saddest part of this topic is how everyone seems to have forgotten that the world can always become better and more beautiful if we WORK for it. No one ever said it would be easy, but it won't fall into our laps while we sit around & do nothing. At least I feel that it's a great goal to strive for.

Another fantastic and inspiring video. I'm really gonna miss you man.

I think when you say Eren lost the correct understanding of freedom, you are mistaken. Also, when you say the show lost it. The show is clearly against Eren. I do not know how much you have watch of the show or if you read the manga, but the show does not support Eren's version of freedom. Also, Eren's freedom follows a belief that if you try to take his freedom, you are an animal to him and he will kill you without remorse. The show rejects this thought with people constantly telling Eren he is wrong and even having his own friends fight against him to stop the rumbling. I do not think the message of AOT ever got muddled. The scouts may stumble and fall on their way to the finish line, but their goals have always been for the betterment of humanity as a whole. Not Eldians, Not Paradis, but humanity. The scouts believe in freedom for the world that is the message.

@Mosezgarcea

Жыл бұрын

The belief of freedom, especially the libertarian interpretation, is nothing more than slavery to your base instincts.

@UserBeenBanned

Жыл бұрын

eren did nothing wrong

@djco8919

Жыл бұрын

@@UserBeenBanned Eren was very wrong. I have to say because while it is a meme to think that, some people actually do think he is right.

@centipedekid9824

Жыл бұрын

The show has always been for him. They tried to make it seem like it wasn't but failed to prove it in any meaningful way. All they proved is he and the Jaegerist were right.

@centipedekid9824

Жыл бұрын

@@djco8919 He is right. The world was never going to leave Paradis alone.

Eren had a logic chain that he rooted and idealized, but kept moving the goal post away from one opponent to a new one for each revelation and disillusion he faced. He partook in a cycle of violence that he either couldn't or willing to provide other means or alternatives but to perpetuate actions, leading him to becoming a villain. The story suffers flaws, no doubt, but that eternal recurrence of human nature right up to the end wasn't meant to provide a satisfying conclusion to a story, but serve to ask us as readers and viewers having seen an outcome like it to second-guess ideas, memes and ethics from the onset look good (deontologically sound and just), that eliminates or cultivates fears and consequences on the long term.

@xenn4985

Жыл бұрын

Even never actually moved the goal posts, that's the point. The world flowed around even, he maintained his individuality to the point where it became indistinguishable from being enslaved. Like a Boulder in the middle of the river, the river perceives the rock as pushing through it. In the process of merely remaining steadfast, the rock becomes indistinguishable from the effects it has on the river. Freedom is, st the end of the day, a personal battle. The beginning and the end of the road of freedom is inside you. If you put a stop sign anywhere along the journey and analyze it, you can't separate it from slavery. To be free is to be contextual.

Its a crime this doesnt have more views

You've done such good work here, Sean. You will be sorely missed. Best of luck.

Man, knocked it out of the park on this one. Easily one of my favorites. I'm not a huge AOT fan. But I am a big fan of anime where the main character is driven by some kind of very human feeling. I'm glad you covered it.

It's even worse than saying you can steal from other people. Rights are something that justify violence if they are violated. If education is a right, you're saying you can kill somebody for refusing to provide it.

Thanks for the summary. Now I know what my kids are talking about when they talk about this show.

Whether or not the current season of Attack on Titan has lost sight of its original theme of freedom, I think we can all agree that chapter 139 of the manga was a kick in the teeth to anyone that loved this show's exploration of freedom 😓. It's still mind-boggling how Hajime Isayama could write such an ending that contradicts the show's theme of freedom, and that undoes Eren's passion for freedom (unless Isayama knew he could make easy money and just got lazy when writing the ending 🤨).

Solid video. Wish I could say, "Keep up the good work." Hopefully, someone will.

Eren didn't lose his heroic ideals, he was never heroic to begin with. He is the desire for freedom incarnate, and the existence of those outside of his world stifled his freedom to explore and discover, so he eliminated them. The real heroes were the survey corps, who held on to the true ideals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, even if it meant dying or going against their own best interests and killing someone they love to do it.

@kratosnl

Жыл бұрын

Exactly, it's really dissapointing how surface-level the authors understanding of the show is.

@jetye1934

Жыл бұрын

the Alliance were not heroes. they betrayed their own people and as a result their people and country got destroyed 80 years later by the outside world. They got to live their lives but the children of the island have to suffer the consequences of the Alliances betrayal

There is a reason for what Eren has become which hasn't been shown in the Anime as it isn't released yet... He realised that no matter what Eldians do, the world will hate them. So to try and fix this, he became the enemy of everyone so Eldians and non-Eldians can put their hatred of the other aside to unite against a common enemy What he did was the equivalent of what The Boss did from Metal Gear Solid 3... Sacrifice himself to save the world

I am really gonna miss this series.

Starting, middle was good, but in the last, you were just projecting you values on other. You should remember these things- 1. Different people have different values, which is subjected to their self interests. 2.Some people value freedom, some stability and some equality over all. 3. Some times your values(aka your self interest) are antithetical to another person values. 4. Rights don't exist in nature. It is created and given by humans. 5. In the last ,when diplomacy and reasons fails to reach middle ground regarding values (aka self interest) , then violence is a deciding factors. 6." Might makes right " this is a simple natural law. Because only strong can defend their rights, weak can't. Their is ancient saying " Strong do what they can and weak suffer what they must". Conclusion - If you are unable to use your power to protect your rights, than your right doesn't exist in first place. And sometimes we need to use violence to enforce our rights. If you refuse to do so, than again people have different values and might see you as threat to their values. And they can think it is morally justified to use force against you. So don't be idealistic, consider reality.

If you havent been watching "The Orville" you should at least watch the season 3 finale (and maybe season 1 episode 7 for context), in that episode they describe a Utopia but how society has to suffer through the "evil's of capitalism" to get there. And would be a really good insight to hear what you think about their concept of a utopia, and the process of how to get there in a short edition of Out of Frame.

FEE needs to do an episode on Metal Gear Rising. The philosophy of Senator Armstrong is one of the most powerful voices for libertarian thought, with, as shown in his speech, wants to repeal all legal and moral restraits to allow anybody to fight their own physical and mental wars, using his connections to the world's largest PMC and by becoming President. He likely was influenced by Nietzsche thought, with the Patriots acting as Nietzsche's God. In the end, Armstrong is killed by Raiden, who is left to an unknown fate, with Armstrong's spirit likely still living inside him. However, a powerful criticism of his beliefs is can be summed up as "you can win wars when you can turn invincible." What does libertarianism mean when some people have more advantages and can succeed easier and further than others? What if somebody works as works as mentally and physically as they possibly can, but still fails because they were too poor, not smart enough? What happens when advantages accumulate so which that upward progression slowly becomes impossible? How can these negatives of libertarianism be removed or mitigated, so truly, anybody and everybody has an equal chance to success? If a philosophy requires ignoring its downsides, it shouldn't be accepted. Metal Gear Rising is an open book to discovering what it means to libertarian and how far it should be taken.

Perhaps the metaphor at the end should have remained a metaphor. But honestly it was neat ride. 🎩 🐍 no step on Snek! 🇺🇸🇭🇰

Wow, this video is amazing. Honestly, I find Eren's tragic turn to evil very interesting and well executed. But I never imagined how great of a hero we would’ve had if he stuck to his goal until the end.

The message was never lost, it only evolved. S1 was idealistic, it became realistic in the later seasons.

While Eren might have lost his way and became a radical and a tyrant literally stepping on the natural rights of everyone in the world (which is a good and necessary warning that even people fighting for a just cause can completely lose their way and become the very thing they fought against) his original sentiment lived on in all those who rose up to stop him, most of which were his own friends, and exactly for the same reason he himself fought early on ... because "We are all born free" And Eren has become the antithesis to that principle of freedom by thinking that the only way to earn his own people's freedom is to destroy and murder everyone else trampling on them and their freedoms (both literally and figuratively).

I love how attack on titan was originally a horror survival and by the end it does a complete 180.

It was great to finally find a channel that speaks my language, that says things I’ve said and has helped me clarify my language in other areas. The truth that words matter in our description and need to get the lingo right to say what we need to say, to help people understand and I think it’s knowledge some people are searching for and there is no Bible that has it all written down, just pieces of books and philosophy scattered throughout the ages, from Animal Farm to John Locke. Then to finally find a spot that where I feel I can finally relax my brain and it’s going away. Relegated to the ages, another piece of info that I hope someone will find and share.

When used as a metaphor for the internal wars of the individual, the battle of every desire against every idea, I found that Eren's resolution is the most accurate. In the show it's brutal, because we tend to give always the benefit of the doubt, specially about other's having free will and being able to change their hearts. The thing is, in Eren's world, that wasn't the case. The hatred towards Eldians had a thousand years to be exaggerated and was very much a living dogma for everyone, as much as today's appreciation of democracy or distaste for filth. In that context, it makes sense. And in the context of internal struggles between parcels of our personality, makes absolute sense. The best and strongest factions, those that are aligned with reality as it is, and not as we would like it to be, are the only ones worthy of continuing forming part of our being. All our suffering is the expression of the unworthy parts of ourselves which make us commit mistakes which in turn make us suffer. When those parts disappear, so do our errors, and so does our suffering. Eren achieves, in a transpersonal and psychological sense, an important and ineludible step in self-development. The alchemical calcination is being performed here, and everyone of us will participate in it at some point. The only thing needed to accept it in the story world of AoT is that question: are the humans outside the island, the non-eldian people, capable AND willing to stop their torture unto eldians in a foreseable, near future? If not, they just received what they themselves were hell-bent on executing. When it comes to this, right of conquest is what's operating. And that's what's most real, when all the civilization's buffers against it evaporate. It's not pretty, but it's just. The reason we develop civilization is to avoid these extreme versions of reality, and for existence being open to people incapable of performing violence. Civilization isn't a mistake for as long as those people are kept away from the administration of said civilization's destiny. When they make themselves the ruler, civilization crumbles and takes their lives with her.

@Chaunwilkerson

Жыл бұрын

"The hatred towards Eldians had a thousand years to be exaggerated..." The Eldian empire fell a little over 100 years ago. Sure some remote parts of the world might have been gossiping and exaggerating, but most the world wasn't exaggerating it but enduring it.

@valthiriansunstrider2540

Жыл бұрын

EDIT: The right of self-defense doesn't just disappear just because there are innocents who will die as collateral, as long as minimal possible force required to complete the task is used. If destroying the rest of the world was the minimal possible force required to save Paradis from total destruction by the world, then Eren did the right thing, regardless of how his character was demonized and retroactively changed via Temporal Mutability in Season 4 by the author.

@Chaunwilkerson

Жыл бұрын

@@valthiriansunstrider2540 "The right of self-defense doesn't just disappear just because there are innocents who will die as collateral". I don't know what definition you're using for self-defense, but It doesn't make any sense. We have the natural right to not have violence done to us, so when someone violates that we have the right to stop them even if it means committing violence towards them and violating their natural rights. This is "The right of self-defense". So how does it justify involving and killing innocents? You are not owed the right to live at the expense of innocents.

@Chaunwilkerson

Жыл бұрын

@@valthiriansunstrider2540 If someone tortures you causing you to have massive heart failure, are you owed a heart? Do you have the right to just kill someone and take theirs? (I know this has nothing to do with self-defense, but nether does Eren's plan) Also It sounds like you've read the manga so please don't spoil me, I'm an anime only.

@valthiriansunstrider2540

Жыл бұрын

@@Chaunwilkerson I edited my comment to clarify what I was saying. "This is "The right of self-defense". So how does it justify involving and killing innocents?" If the minimal possible harm done to successfully defend yourself against an attacker involves the death of innocents as collateral damage, then your right to self-defense does NOT disappear. Your right to self-defense is an absolute. I argue this is what is the case with the Rumbling. This last bit is the weak part of my argument, you may be able to show that this was not the case with the Rumbling. But from all the available considerations I've seen, it seems to be that way. I'm not justifying Season 4 Eren, I'm justifying the action of the Rumbling in that circumstance.

'Man was born free, and everywhere he is in chains': It would be equally correct to say that sheep are born carnivorous, and everywhere they nibble grass.

Then Armin turned to Mikasa and asked "are you ready to begin our Attack on Titan?"

I love your videos!

Tatakae! Tatakae!! Jimaku o jiyū ni miru fight! fight! to be free to watch subtitles

We need to spam him with requests for Hokuto no Ken.

Eren had the audacity to question why Armin was shouting

Thank you for this wonderful reflection

I remember when my ex girlfriend recommended me Attack on Titan. I enjoyed it. It did drag on a bit but I’m glad I was shown this. I may not be a huge anime fan anymore but it was still enjoyable.

@sagegeas5198

Жыл бұрын

It dragged on, because these things in life are never so simple as to be crystal clear. The characters had to do the same thing that many of us in the world today must do, to find the truth that is hidden beneath the layers of lies and mistruths. The muddied waters so to speak. You'll notice that the entire show is foreshadowed from the very first episodes the moment you look at it through this lens.

@midnightarcanacentraltv5815

Жыл бұрын

@@sagegeas5198 I guess I’m just not as observant as she is

@sagegeas5198

Жыл бұрын

@@midnightarcanacentraltv5815 Apparently, Neither was Out of Frame; but at least you have the humility and humbleness to admit it.

If your enemies intend to destroy you and you have the power to destroy them, you don't have much choice. You can hold back to the point where your enemy can never stand to oppose you again, and treat them magnanimously thereafter, but you must still fight.

The author of the manga has said that Eren changing was supposed to be to show the corruption of the world. He wasn't supposed to be the real hero. And it's more about how people come together to stop a common threat. Eren became radicalized because he knew the only options his city was giving him were limited. So he was forced into that corner, and ran. The end is even more tragic than what has premiered in the anime. And the creator has said it all spawned from his curiosity as a child, as to if there were monsters beyond the hills of his home town. Then what if you were the actual monsters all along, and didn't know it?

Eren isn't trying to wipe out the world, he's trying to unify the world's hate against him and have the people of the island kill him and become the saviors of the world, so that the world doesn't want to kill them any longer. I can almost guarantee that this is the case.

@HeIsAnAli

Жыл бұрын

So, Lelouch from _Code Geass_ and the Zero Requiem?

@triplea657aaa

Жыл бұрын

@@HeIsAnAli exactly.

At one point in the 4th season, Eren says something ti the effect of "I value my freedom above all else, ans if anyone threatens that freedom, I won't hesitate to take theirs." I thought thar was a pretty important line on how he viewed things, and is easier to understand the conclusion he came to at the end, once you know the end of the story and realize the amount of foresight he received with his power. I'm bit justifying his behavior, but more understanding his end game.

For Eren, freedom equals to having no enemies or possible enemies

It probably won't happen, but I'd be curious to see this series tackle the North Korean monster movie Pulgasari. It would be right up their alley.

The thing is AOT isn't finished yet and yes Eren wants to harm others to save his people. But the ending will be much more different than expected. I definitely recommend to watch the last upcoming season because the message will be a whole different one. This anime is a story of an Anti - Hero with much more complexity than the average Avengers Movie. If you think Eren is the typical Bad guy Story than you just have read half of the book.

Erin never changed he wanted to kill all his opps from the very beginning we just got more knowledge of said enemy

I feel like you misunderstand how the series explores the idea of freedom. Eren's philosophy is the belief that all people are born free (meaning the freedom to explore and determine their own destiny) and that humanity must fight to preserve that freedom in a brutal world of kill or be killed. At first when the only obstacle is titans, fighting is merely a matter of overcoming adversity. However, when our heroes discover that the obstacles in their path are actually human beings trying to wipe them out, fighting becomes an act of sacrificing one's own humanity for the sake of survival. While this theme is most heavily emphasized in Season 4 all the way back in Season 1 when Annie Leonhart is revealed to be the female titan Armin famously says, "To rise above monsters we have to abandon our humanity." This line is repeated several times. Thus the question becomes what are the people of Paradis willing to do to secure their future in a world where most other humans on the planet desire their extinction. It would be extremely naive to believe that the rest of the world would respond peacefully to Eldian's disarming themselves by refusing to use the Rumbling or continue maintaining control of titan shifters through human sacrifice. In fact, that is exactly what the original king of the walls did and the world still decided to commit genocide against the Eldian people. Eldian's enslaved the world for over 2,000 with man-eating monsters the remnants of which are still a part of the Marlian warmachine serving as a constant reminder of the horrors of the Eldian Empire. Eldian internment camps resembling the Nazi death camps of WWII exist across the globe. Even those most sympathetic to the Eldians see Paradis as a blight on the rest of the world. When the world's answer to "The Eldian Question" is the subjugation and eventual extermination of every human born with Eldian blood, Eren's response is the clearest path to securing the future of the Eldian people. Zeke's Euthanization plan while perhaps the most ethical from a purely utlitarian perspective (it is the solution that causes the least amount of suffering for the most people) is handsdown the worst solution because its essentially a gentle genocide robbing the Eldian people of their right to exist. The only other viable alternative would be to force the Island of Paradis to exist in a constant cold-war state with the rest of the globe. This would not only effectively confine the people of Paradis to the shores of the island for the foreseeable future it would also require Eldian children to devour their parents every 13 years in order to preserve the royal bloodline and maintain control over the Colossal and Attack Titan. Eren's friends would most likely be the next candidates to inheret the titans turning them into weapons with 13 years to live before being eaten alive by one of their own friends. The walls of paradis would continue to imprison Eren's people for generations until either the world eventually developed the air power necessary to kill the founding Titan (thus immobilizing the rumbling long enough to slaughter the Eldian people) or until the Eldian military became expansionistic and recreated the Eldian empire using the army of colossal titans. Both Zeke's solution and the cold-war rumbling solution would fail to secure the freedom Eren's people. Consequently, Eren believes the only solution that ensures the freedom of those he loves is to destroy the outside world and the prejudices engrained within it. It's an extreme solution, but its also the only solution that ensures the freedom of those he cares about to determine their own destiny. Obviously Armin and gang take issue with Eren's methods. They believe abandoning their humanity by allowing genocide is unacceptable despite the practical consequences of trying to prevent it. Hangi frequently admits opposing Eren's plan will likely lead to the destruction of Paradis and the entire Eldian race. But she doesn't care. She and the other Scouts believe genocide is wrong and will kill anyone and everyone they know and love to prevent it. Eren's promise of freedom is not worth the price of giving up their own humanity. As a result, they find themselves killing people they know and love to protect the freedoms and liberties of people who they will never meet. While this is perhaps the most objectively moral stance to take, it is certainly not the most rational. TLDR: I feel like you oversimplify how the series treats the idea of freedom. The author doesn't abandon the concept after Season 1 nor does he redefine it in terms of positive rights (in fact the idea of positive rights is NEVER explored at all in this series). Instead the series treats the fight for freedom as more than merely a fight against adversity. The fight for freedom in actuality can actually be a far more morally gray arena, particularly when your captors are just as human as you are.

Wait, wait, wait. Winds down?! Don't tell me you're going away. I discovered your series like, only a few months ago.

Great video. Maybe in the future you can check out Psycho-Pass. I think that it is right up your alley. Especially in regards to the idea of freedom and rights of citizens.

In Erens defense... Marley was literally trying to exterminate all the people of Paradis. The only way for Eren to have his people to continue living without being caged and breeding cattle is to wipe out most if not all the outside world.

12:56, since a Positive Right mandates other people do certain things but a Negative Right mandate that people not do certain things

I don’t think attack on Titan “lost the idea of being born free” more that the idea was shifted from the main character to the main scout regiment cast. Eren was always the most extreme of the main cast and while he never did anything more than self defense he justifies the rumbling by saying if he didn’t do it his people would be destroyed (so self defense.) after Eren makes this shift to being the main antagonist we follow the scout regiment as they have to put their emotions aside and favor their morals to kill their best friend and to protect others freedoms

Eren should have just talked to the world. Brilliant analysis

The theme of freedom is actually called back to in s4 in a great way, but unfortunately the anime just hasn't gotten there yet

I know you're not going to make more of these, but I do wish you could do a video about the anime *Ergo Proxy.* The line that strikes me the most comes from the female main lead: *"No one ever gets to choose who they're born as...no matter what sort of being they are."* The ideas of what it means to be human, finding purpose in your life--your raison d'etre--the importance and consequences of gaining sentience, being overwhelmed by the truth. All of these ideas have been explored countless times, but the style of the show, for me at least, helps give it its own identity. Another part of me, to be completely honest, wants you to do a video on it to help introduce more people to the show (as its not very popular, from what I've seen). The plot is confusing, the pacing can be slow at times, to name a few of its flaws. But its atmosphere and style, how it explores its concepts, complimented by a great English dub makes it a fascinating watch. It might not grip you, but I still believe its definitely worth a watch. And seeing a video essay from you would be quite a treat! Love the work you do!

I think the only problem is how Eren did enable his people to be looked at better… He allowed the world to see Paradise Island united against Eren to save the world.

The reason Eren turns evil is because his desire to be free mixes with his hate towards his enemies, first the titans that kill his mother, then humanity outside the walls that led to her death. So he believes that the only way for them to be free, is to kill everyone else.

Between S1-S3 and S4, Eren Yeager went from being a character, to being a caricature.

Like many I am going to miss this series. Also, it's a bit of a shame you will probably never comment (or even watch) Suisei no Gargantia (it has the same writer as Psychopass, covers many economic themes, and touches on the interaction of the individual with society at many levels).

@FEEonline

Жыл бұрын

It's a bit sad for me, too. And you're right... I probably will never watch those shows :P

One of the greatest anime ever created this show has taken such a turn over the seasons and I'm glad you at least watched up to the current to make this episode even if its in dub 🤮. Maybe a different topic once the show ends and you still have interest to make an episode would be awesome

@pattonramming1988

Жыл бұрын

Exactly the English dub is atrocious

A series that shows the best of humanity and the darkest places that a person can go to achieve what they see as justified. Even when that supposedly justified thing involves ending the lives of millions.

Hmmm I'm afraid you haven't developed the defense argument enough in this video. Going off the anime only, Erin does seek peace, he lives among the people that see him as a devil. It is only when the leaders of the marleans declare war, unprovoked and unjustly on paradise, does he attack them. The show does portray the situation as extreme and Erin's choices with serious consequences.

Best way to know if you were born free is to go to a lobby in a fighting game

In my opinion the tragedy of the story lies in that Eren explored every posibility of how to avoid doing what he did, but at the end that was the only scenario in which he could help the people from paradise, the guy chose to be seen as a monster by the whole world if that gave his friends a better chance.

@kamronspencer4910

Жыл бұрын

Except he didn’t explore every possibility. There were at least 2 other plans people had already come up with that didn’t include genocide (3 other plans if you allow for genocide) and eren refused to try any of them because they didn’t make him completely happy. He chose genocide because he wanted to choose genocide. He admitted himself that even before getting the reason of “protect his friends” that part of him already wanted to do it.

@nicosca

Жыл бұрын

@@kamronspencer4910 not sure what manga You read dude Eren's actions weren't the moraly correct thing to do but the story is very explicit in that he ran out of options before choosing that

@kamronspencer4910

Жыл бұрын

@@nicosca except he didn’t. There was literally another plan and he refused to do it because he cared about making sure historia was perfectly happy then he did not slaughtering billions of innocent people. Plus paradis never even talked once to another country to try and negotiate peace. They all gave up without trying shit and then eren acts like he didn’t have other options. He did but he didn’t want to try them because he wanted to do the rumbling. He admits himself that he did it because he wanted to not just because he had to.

@nicosca

Жыл бұрын

@@kamronspencer4910 did You miss the part were he spent countless lives in basically a timeloop going through Every posibility until settling in that final decision?

@kamronspencer4910

Жыл бұрын

@@nicosca except that didn’t happen. That’s a fan interpretation with no actual basis in the story.

AoT hasn't lost sight of the concept, It's still part of the discussion in the show.

Freedom forever.

I feel like Iseyama got lazy toward the end and just wanted to end the series. The final arc *should* have been Eren and co. finding the Eldian Restorationists and joining forces with them to take down Marley from the inside, and once they made their move, let the entire world know that their quarrel is only with Marley due to the latter's inhumane treatment of all Eldians. Eren could have even still received visions/instructions from his future self to enact the Rumbling, only to reject it in order to break the cycle of hatred/revenge. Keep Eren as the hero, walking the tight rope between destroying a truly evil enemy (the Marleyan government) while fighting for the freedom of all Eldians. And keep Zeke as the ultimate villain with his forced sterilization plan, which is the antithesis to the freedom Eren and the Survey Corps seek.

I think you missed the point of Eren becoming "the villain". It is his friends and his enemies that start to understand the natural rights of one another, and end up trying to stop him together. The true protagonists who get the message and try to make a better world despite of their hatred and bitterness are people like Gabi, Falco, Connie, Mikasa. They were and are not perfect: they all at some point tried to murder children and do some horrible things, but they ended up "getting out of the (dark) forest" , as Sasha's father put it. Watch the show again or read the manga. I really think you missed something.

@kratosnl

Жыл бұрын

Jup, well said!

@anon9060

Жыл бұрын

All that effort only for the world to destroy his homeland anyway LMAO If a message is portrayed in vain, then it is not a message worth remembering.