"I often feel like I've sold a part of my soul to the content machine... Now onto our sponsor, Better Help."

@WisecrackEDU

3 ай бұрын

Yep.

@kewgardensstation

3 ай бұрын

@@WisecrackEDU So you don't feel badly about committing an obvious breach of business and social ethics and morals to make profit? Yet you have the balls to create content about other KZreadrs violating those same ethical boundaries. Yup, typical Millennial/ Gentlemen Z morality.

@larsencba6921

3 ай бұрын

Solid segue, no notes.

@bwal9374

3 ай бұрын

@@kewgardensstationI think he literally said in the video that he feels bad

@soulcleaner3578

3 ай бұрын

​@@kewgardensstationHe has to make a living somehow. Also just because he's talking about the system as a whole doesn't mean he's messing with Mr beast so calm down.

KZread: we feel that our advertisers don't want to be associated with your content due to its nature of not being child friendly. also KZread on children friendly videos: here's a hentai pseudo-gambling phone app ad.

@LJ-hk4tv

3 ай бұрын

Pirate everything, Ad Block everything, trust nothing.

@brujodeathmetal

3 ай бұрын

@@LJ-hk4tv hoard all the physical media too/pirate more :p

@deantaylor6128

3 ай бұрын

You don’t think this is deliberate..? KZread’s 25-45 figures include the 5-12 year old viewers. For creators chasing this market, KZread’s algorithm is basically a Skinner Box incentivising content that is more catchier than scripted TV, but innocuous enough that parents don’t stop kids watching it.

@One.Zero.One101

3 ай бұрын

It's interesting, I've never thought about it this way. Algorithm is the boss and we're all striving to please the boss. Even movie studios are making films based on what the Netflix algorithm recommends. So it's not just KZread, dozens of industries are making decisions based on the algorithm. So when people make a joke about the Almighty Algorithm, it's really not a joke anymore. The algorithm is our new overlord.

@Level0NPCs

3 ай бұрын

Simple: The company making the hentai gambling app is paying KZread, so gets to dictate the terms. KZread doesn't want to show their content? They don't get paid. The KZread creator is getting paid by KZread, so KZread dictates the terms. They want to show something KZread doesn't want to show? They don't get paid. KZread has a line they won't cross on either direction - in this case outright porn - but as long as that line isn't crossed, they're obviously happy to negotiate. Power flows in the same direction as the money.

Three takeaways from this video: 1) I’m old in KZread years 2) I’m not missing anything by never seeing a MrBeast video 3) Wisecrack is the only channel I’ve ever seen my boy Søren quoted

@eudaemonia7679

3 ай бұрын

Many good youtubers talk about philosophy kierkegaard is one of the most quoted philosophers for he is the grandfather of existentialism

@richertrealestate

3 ай бұрын

@@eudaemonia7679 see Takeaway #1: when I graduated with my Philosophy degree, “KZread Mobile” wasn’t around yet. The top KZread video had 5 million views. 😂 Based on Takeaway #3, I obviously don’t come on KZread for philosophy. Outside of my business, my kids mostly use my account so as this video discusses, the algorithm only shows me a narrow set of content - which involves a lot of Mario Bros and film reviews. I was hoping that with the levity of my comment, it was apparent that I wasn’t suggesting that KZread is devoid of Kierkegaardian content. Rather, I was alluding to yeh fact that the algorithm isn’t old enough to know my personal academics and interests because this isn’t a medium I would use for that. It can only see what this KZread account is used for: not what’s in my library ;).

@HeckmanBrad77

3 ай бұрын

ok Boomer

@comradestannis

3 ай бұрын

Søren Mau? He's great.

@comradestannis

3 ай бұрын

@@eudaemonia7679 Kierkegaard is over-quoted.

Just letting you know I appreciate you all and the effort you put into making quality content that actually makes me think and teaches me things.

@WisecrackEDU

3 ай бұрын

Dude - so nice to hear from you. Gearing up to make your garlic noodles soon!

@pbkobold

3 ай бұрын

Your late night snack head cam videos are the peak of KZread spectacle for me!

@comradestannis

3 ай бұрын

@@WisecrackEDU I'm a communist and I find your videos incredibly good when it comes to educating people on capitalism.

@Marquis-Sade

3 ай бұрын

@@comradestannislol

I don't remember all the details, but wasn't there kind of a big scandal around BetterHelp and their sketchy fine print? EDIT: OMFG, I just remebered hearing that the fine print says they don't really check on the licensure status of their therapists. I did NOT know they got in legal trouble for selling the mental health data of users to major advertisers! WTF!? That is so far beyond unethical it makes my head hurt!

@sety409

3 ай бұрын

they were selling information even tough they said they wouldn't.

@satyasyasatyasya5746

3 ай бұрын

Yeh, and all Wisecrack has to say is "but we gotta pay the bills uwu" and I'm like... you can and should do better. BetterHelp is also linked to *that* country doing *the* thing... you know the one.

@Aaron-kj8dv

3 ай бұрын

@@satyasyasatyasya5746 Literally, like self awareness makes it better somehow. It's soooo lazy and infuriating because they can be so self righteous at times and then turn around and shill shady ass corporations. Like as long as you make it a self depreciating joke then it's actually okay.

@nikbates23

3 ай бұрын

ya peak irony talking about ethics while peddling that crap

@thedudewhoeatspianos

3 ай бұрын

What's your alternative?

An important detail I think you've missed is that people have started to use this platform to self publish animated shows of all things, and most of those have been quite successful. Its clear that KZread still does reward genuinely creative content, just that the bar is so out of reach for almost anyone.

@russetwolf13

3 ай бұрын

And they said animated content is dead on youtube... Because it is, the successful ones are essentially animated by independent teams making TV grade content.

@iantingen

3 ай бұрын

There’s a difference between rewarding with renown and rewarding with a viable living, which I think is the greater problem Michael et al are probing. That’s not to make light of what you said, but another example of how algorithms extract attention and turn it into money, for the person who’s running the algorithm primarily.

@jacobnapkins1155

3 ай бұрын

I make a lot of animation on KZread extremely grateful ti be able to

@jacobnapkins1155

3 ай бұрын

​@@russetwolf13it id crazy that even a lot of small indy animators on KZread called it quits recently meat canyon

@MaxIronsThird

3 ай бұрын

Successful is a strong word, that's like saying a illustrator with 100K followers on Twitter is successful, even though they're actually an intern, in a completely different field while going to college and living off of cup noodles.

I often listen to wisecrack while doing other things. Life as a new parent doesn't offer much free time, but my off days balance. My one year old is getting critical thinking skills

@WisecrackEDU

3 ай бұрын

As a newer parent I totally get this.

@RedBombX

3 ай бұрын

Parent of a 3yr old here. I'll often have wisecrack on during chores or long walks for exercise. This vid really held my attention, I thought the YT algorithm/analysis breakdown was really interesting. Do more explaining "behind the scenes" like that to increase retention? 🤷‍♂️ "Stay Humble, bby!!!1!!"

@scottsteele791

3 ай бұрын

@@RedBombX I've found these videos do. Chores become the background noise from muscle memory and I focus on the vocals. Not easy at first but folding laundry and washing dishes takes time but not much though.

@venusianmoonchild

3 ай бұрын

The important bits drop into you by osmosis

@comradestannis

3 ай бұрын

@@WisecrackEDU God, I *want* to be a new parent.

The irony of being sponsored by betterhelp while examining toxic KZread trends. Fascinating.

@UnknownDino

2 ай бұрын

Is that really ironic in this case, since he is helping us become more aware to the phenomena while betterhelp is supposed to help us too? I'm not sure what irony is now

@zeny5159

Ай бұрын

@@UnknownDino The irony is that BetterHelp is a terrible site that has been in many controversies before

@deannaabeyta1855

Ай бұрын

​@UnknownDino betterhelp is a scam service that sells patient data to advertisers and most of the therapists on call aren't actual licensed therapists

@user-tx9nw3qn8n

Ай бұрын

@@UnknownDinoin the past better help has been known to be pretty terrible. For example selling patient data, not checking for licensing of their practitioners etc

@stpedro-ht9ng

19 күн бұрын

@@UnknownDinothe problem is morals and principles. The doofus who made this video obviously has none but wants to have his cake and eat it too by putting the focus on other KZreadrs when he does the SAME THING

I actually think KZread is the most supportive and most toxic of social media communities.

@WisecrackEDU

3 ай бұрын

In our experience this is true. Every day on here is the best of times, and the worst of times.

@40g33k

3 ай бұрын

​@@WisecrackEDUit's like watching Wisecrack... It's the best of times... Yeah that's pretty much it😅

@TheShepherdFilms

3 ай бұрын

Very true words, why I normally stick to Wisecrack, Dropout, 99% of DND content, and other learning channels, just not the "actual" TLC the learning channel it hasn't been about learning since before Y2K.

@HanmaHeiro

3 ай бұрын

@@40g33k You can say it's the worst of times too since they speak on many injustices in our world

@thisdudegotreal

3 ай бұрын

Twitter, fb and insta are the most toxic. Then tiktok and discord. Then reddit and yt

The algorithm is run on human tears and shattered dreams.

@WisecrackEDU

3 ай бұрын

This is maybe the most precise description of the algorithm I've seen.

@le2382

3 ай бұрын

@@WisecrackEDU thanks! ☺️ your video was my inspiration!

Speaking of toxic, you took a Better Help sponsorship

@ShadeCandle

Ай бұрын

Exactly. I stopped the video immediately upon seeing that. No respect for channels who endorse them at this point in the game.

@nickp8186

Ай бұрын

I don’t know what’s wrong with them, but I’m happy you said something because I was going to give them a shot, now I’m going to do a little more homework, thank you!

@chilled99

Ай бұрын

@ShadeCandle You already clicked on the video. Your act of rebellion and cancelhood is frivolous. You may as well watch the rest since your click has been counted.

@chimecha7960

Ай бұрын

@@chilled99 A good way to respond to the hypocrisy is to stop watching actually. Clearly, the information provided by the video is immediately devalued by that sponsor. "Cancelhood" makes you sound like a chud lol

@stpedro-ht9ng

19 күн бұрын

@@chilled99 well they can always add a downvote. You’re not very smart

Mr. Beast pitch "I did a real life trolley problem"

@ray5549

3 ай бұрын

I could definitely see a day where he wants to reach new extremes with his content. Maybe not to that extent but you get my point.

@gfuviddisf

3 ай бұрын

If youre interested in that, Vsauce made a video like that already

@rhythmandblues_alibi

2 ай бұрын

If he could generate clicks by partaking in human sacrifice and cannibalism, I have no doubt he'd do it.

@gfuviddisf

2 ай бұрын

@@rhythmandblues_alibi take your meds

@rhythmandblues_alibi

2 ай бұрын

@@gfuviddisf hey, he's the psychopath but go off I guess 👍

When you were talking about the 'Algorithms' I was reminded that while we are all up in arms about AI generated art, everyone on KZread is regularly enjoying AI generated content. Not because the people making it are AI, but because they will only create content that is approved for consumption by AI. (Similar to other algorithm based platforms).

@WisecrackEDU

3 ай бұрын

This is a very good point, and something we definitely try to get at in the video. Namely, that humans are now just thinking like algorithms when they brainstorm content.

@axellis8333

3 ай бұрын

@@WisecrackEDU It was absolutely a message you were sending to me so good job!

@ryepooh5052

3 ай бұрын

you have to be the dumbest person on planet earth xD

Michael has brought up the fact that there is a Patreon available, but what he didn't mention is the new $1 a month option. Instead of criticizing Wisecrack for seeking sponsorship with BetterHelp, why not consider contributing a buck a month.

@WisecrackEDU

3 ай бұрын

Thank you very much for saying this. And I do hope that if people love our content but hate sponsors, contributing that $1 a month (25 cents a video) would make a huge difference longterm.

@cass.n.m

2 ай бұрын

@@WisecrackEDU the majority of us don't hate sponsors in general; we hate this specific sponsor. A nordvpn or honey ad read wouldn't have prompted this backlash I don't think. Excellent video though aside from the glaring contradiction of the subject matter with this sponsor.

@WisecrackEDU

2 ай бұрын

@@cass.n.m All I can say w/o getting in trouble is that we are working very hard to align with sponsors that we like and we're pushing our sales department to help us with that.

You really shouldn't be taking Better Help sponsorships, my dude.

@chilled99

Ай бұрын

Are you giving money via Patreon?

Is it also damaging from the viewer side of things, where people expect entertainment like this to be "free" and are further divorced from the production of said entertainment. This didn't start with KZread, but with TV. Most people understand the economic model as the traditional producer-consumer model, where a producer makes a product and the consumer buys it. With entertainment, it is a more complicated producer-consumer-viewer model where the consumers are the advertisers and the viewers have no financial stake in the product. There's a similar conundrum in free-to-play games where the majority of players don't pay anything to play, so the game is designed around creating a mildly inconvenient but addicting game experience for the non-payers while getting people to pay extra for things that would be expected in the traditional pay-to-play model.

@yootx

3 ай бұрын

When did everyone start saying "addicting" instead of "addictive"?

@Sardonicus

3 ай бұрын

​​@@yootx They've done it a very long time, much to my dismay. "Addicting" has long been accepted as being as correct as "addictive". I personally hate "addicting" because it's so much more harsh sounding (phonetically speaking, not connotatively) than "addictive". If English were a language with prescriptive rules, I would shout from the mountains that "addicting" should only ever be used as a gerund (?), and that as an adjective, only addictive is correct-for example "he is addicting me to ice cream" fine but otherwise "ice cream is addictive". Addictive just sounds so much better than addicting.

@dontmisunderstand6041

3 ай бұрын

@@yootx Addictive has a more medical connotation. When it's a habit you choose to do and could stop at any time but is designed to try and make you keep engaging, that's addicting. When not having it causes your body to send the "I'm dying, fix this" signal, that's addictive. One of them describes actual addiction, the other describes the result of manipulation.

@solepsis

3 ай бұрын

@@yootx lol probably about the time Latin stopped being taught in schools. It’s a Germanic language, we should use the Germanic ending -ing (I almost said suffix, which is Latin)

@Sardonicus

3 ай бұрын

​@@dontmisunderstand6041 Got a source for that claim? Because I Googled just now and can't find any mention anywhere of a connotative difference between "addicting" and "addictive", and actually came across several places that claim "addictive" is technically more correct than "addicting" regardless of context... but not one source can I find that says "addictive" is a more medical connotation than "addicting". In fact, when I look up "addictive" in the Farlex, it gives several definitions from several dictionaries, none of which mention a medical connotation, but if I look up "addicting" it re-directs to the noun "addict" and doesn't give any direct definitions anywhere for "addicting"...

I'm at the point personally where the dread of losing my job has been completely overshadowed by my rage at this system. Take back the means of production! Eat the rich!

@HylianFox3

3 ай бұрын

This. Well, I have been unemployed most of my adult life and have zero desire to enslave myself to any sort of traditional "job"

@mystuff9999

3 ай бұрын

@@HylianFox3 Ah, yes, staying unemployed. That‘ll show them 👌

@Mcgif21

3 ай бұрын

@@HylianFox3So what do you do that is productive and brings values to OTHERS?

@titusorelius9458

3 ай бұрын

I don't think people really understand what that looks like.

@Mcgif21

3 ай бұрын

@@titusorelius9458 It’s just empty words, who is REALLY taking the means of production in that scenario? There is no nuance or practicality in that statement which is itself a dated understanding of the world born in the industrial age when the wage gap was a thousand times worse than it is today.

The fact someone has enough money to slime someone’s house then buy them a new one, while they’re people who are homeless blows my mind.

@ziglaus

3 ай бұрын

Really? Wait till you hear about people actually funding their own space flights

@gesshoku92

3 ай бұрын

You should check out Mr. Beast philanthropy where he takes ad rev from dumb videos and builds villages wells roads and treats people with easily curable but costly procedures.

@comradestannis

3 ай бұрын

@@gesshoku92 lol He should be lobbying for social services, not just doing it himself, because the government can do it better.

@FoxDie77777

3 ай бұрын

he does it mostly on africa@@comradestannis

@liquidKi

2 ай бұрын

Other videos have broken down the economics behind how he does what he does, revealing that all these philanthropic things are driven by the economics of taxes, write-offs, etc. @@gesshoku92

I think we treat MrBeast with kid gloves far too much. "Don't hate the player man, hate the game." Or we could just hate both? How long have we, as a platform, as a nation, as a society, let things go simply because of the word of law? We're literally about to let Donald Trump run for office again despite him clearly participating in sedition just because the 14th amendment could have been worded just a little bit more clearly (or the process of getting people into SCOTUS were a bit more clear?) MrBeast makes lowest-common denominator content. So many people can say they've seen a MrBeast video but how many can remember what it was? For years, Jimmy toiled in the desert not knowing the "secret" to the KZread algorithm and he spent so, so long doing random, spectacular, frankly, clickbait-y content until he earned just enough success with one stunt to fund the next one, to fund the next one, to fund the next one. When AI comes to replicate KZread content, MrBeast is going to be the first out of a job because his work is clearly designed to get people experientially addicted. He has taken the vapid reality TV show format and distilled it down further than anyone ever could, to a molecular level, because KZread as a platform is the only judge. He has crafted his own narcotic and he sells it hundreds of millions of views at a time. It's not that someone else wouldn't have cracked the code if he didn't exist. But he sits at the bleeding edge of this "race to the bottom" while gliding right past ethical boundaries and refusing to engage in any kind of thoughtful communication or civic engagement except to say that he's just doing it because the algorithm allows it. You hit the nail on the head: he keeps saying he wants to make the best videos, but you look at his videos and despite their spectacle, they accomplish so little. The Paul brothers occupy the same niche: they've found a way to become commercially successful and they use that as their leverage to justify their existence. Unfortunately, you go to Newtuber starting grounds and they take the Pauls and MrBeast seriously. Those forums and subreddits aren't about making the best possible videos, of creative exploration, they're about exploitation and how gross one can be before the filter clips a bit closer to the content you make. They dismiss luck and hunker down on the idea that success on KZread is a done deal if you simply make MrBeast like content. Jimmy is only half a notch away from the shady underbelly of "content creators" that steal others' content or use automation to generate content because they trade in the same currency: views/impressions/revenue dollars. MrBeast is just as much a villain in this as anyone else and so long as critics keep being nice to him, he's going to keep laughing all the way to the bank.

@rhythmandblues_alibi

2 ай бұрын

Exactly. I didn't realise until you pointed it out that the reason more people don't call him out on his bullshit is down to defamation laws and Jimmy's deep deep pockets.

Michael is 6'1" I'm saying it with confidence, but I truly have no idea

“Large bus versus sad dog” is a 10/10 one liner

Mr Beast is basically The Joker in Burton's Batman - flinging money at a greedy crowd from a parade float.

@thepickles8833

2 ай бұрын

And then everyone dies of fartgas

"People" are just things. Money is all that matters. I feel trapped in this human centipede of a culture.

This channel is one of my favorites for the very fact that your content is so deep, so thoughtful, and so thought-provoking. I never passively consume any of your work, rather I sit with Notes open to take notes, and as a general rule I am moving away from passive content for things that are more substantive, more enriching, and more intellectually fulfilling. This piece was no exception-it was an excellent deep dive into the physics of KZread and the current state of content creation economy, and I’m left with the tension around how we resolve this idea of attempting to outrun the infinite algorithm … Thank you for your work!!!

@WisecrackEDU

3 ай бұрын

Damn this is an incredibly kind comment!

@Thebettermartyr

3 ай бұрын

Well put

@copiumkiller

3 ай бұрын

I agree, I LOVE when content adresses the root causes and try to solve them, instead of just symptoms. That is why when I make my content, I usually ask to myself "how this will positively impact people AFTER consumption?" Sadly YT, people really dislikes things shaking up status quo, to take a different perspective.

@jadersanctem

3 ай бұрын

Agreed, this channel is basically my lunch break every day

@jeffplatt4194

3 ай бұрын

@@WisecrackEDU It's exactly the kind of comment you deserve. You made an excellent point about passive viewing on KZread, and when I think about the channels I follow, most of them make me thing and learn. I recently bought "The Burnout Society" because of you.

A friend of my friend has this channel/podcast on social media where he describes himself as a "creative" and invites other "creatives" to do the usual upper class mexican podcast thing, which is talk about self improvement and some other boring stuff, he also does some photography and videos along some motivational content. Now what i find amazing is that he is constantly sharing "creative" content from other "creative" content creators, stuff like: "10 things that all creatives do, 5 obstacles all creatives have to face, top 3 signs you are a creative" and a lot more of that. As to the content itself, you couldn't distinguish his "creative" work, be it pictures, videos or quotes from that of all the other users he shares or use the same "creative" label. Algorithms have penetrated so deep inside us, that even creativity is beginning to be standardized, crystallized and rendered totally uncreative because that's what the algo deems as "creative".

Great video. That Kierkegaard quote had me literally stop what I doing (while watching this) to process it. Money being the desire that "solves" all problems. Even in the hobbies that I have specifically to not convert leisure into labor, I'm struck by how often I think, "If I were to buy this thing, it would let me enjoy this more." Capitalism seeped into my ability to enjoy something I consciously tried to avoid being a "side hustle"

@HylianFox3

3 ай бұрын

ugh, there's few phrases I hate more in modern society than "side hustle" It further plays into the notion that we all have to be constantly productive to the point of self-exploitation

I'm now imagining Michael trying to do a serious ad read for raytheon or exxon.

4:11 Not my child, but me! I spent the first week of my life in a NICU incubator! Cube babies represent!

@WisecrackEDU

3 ай бұрын

Glad you made it out of the cube!

@ThisFinalHandle

3 ай бұрын

_OR_ I spent my first days alive in a cube and won. Alternate clickbait comment for the algorithm.

I really do sincerely appreciate it when wisecrack “dumbs down” some of these more complex philosophical concepts/arguments made by sociologists and philosophers( as I feel they often overcomplicate their language which makes it really hard for a regular joeshmoe to understand and really take in what they are saying)

@dontmisunderstand6041

3 ай бұрын

In general a lot of academia does this intentionally as a method to gatekeep both the knowledge and their profession. Specificity is part of the reason, but it's also true to say that specificity is not the primary purpose. In essence the language of academics has been molded by a need to feel more important and special than they really are, there is an active intent to communicate poorly; that is to say, they're literally trying to prevent as many people as possible from understanding what they're saying.

@blobyeol27i72

3 ай бұрын

@@dontmisunderstand6041 no. It's because you have to name concepts that are specifics to your field. Same could be said for "non academic fields" like plumbery, etc. But there is no intent to "communicate poorly" or "gatekeep" or "feel important and special" (you're making terrible assumptions, are you projecting ?) and that's why education and vulgarisation exist : spread complex concepts to everyone. The problem is when education and vulgarisation are gatekept or only accessible for some elites (especially in the US, your system is terrible), that's what is "preventing as many people as possible from understanding what they're saying". *it's not a language/big words problem, it's an education system problem*

@dontmisunderstand6041

3 ай бұрын

@@blobyeol27i72 If you'd actually read and understood what I said, you'd realize how ridiculous your response is. Brush up on your reading comprehension skills, then re-read.

Talks about losing his humanity then advertises betterhelp😂

still putting up better help ads is crazy

@nickp8186

Ай бұрын

Why? No one has explained why but a lot of people have suggested the same; I legitimately am out of touch and don’t know what’s wrong with them.

@tolulopeagboola640

Ай бұрын

@@nickp8186 just search it up on youtube they sell your mental health data to facebook

This kind of reminds me of the Neil Stephenson sci-fi book Snow Crash. In the book, people figured out the ur-language that existed before the Tower of Babel. The language can directly access low level functions of the human brain ("hacking the brainstem"). Turns out the ur-language is real, it's basically attention and spectacle and engagement, and some people are getting really good at speaking it.

@oceanwater6887

3 ай бұрын

This comment made me want to read snow crash. I’m listening to it after this video.

@inuendo6365

3 ай бұрын

Snow Crash should be read in schools alongside Brave New World and 1984. It's getting scary relevant to the tech side of life now.

@lordfreerealestate8302

3 ай бұрын

I'll have to check out that book, thanks!

Achievement culture: A long time ago I opted out of trying to achieve anything in life. It doesn’t seem to be directly a much of a source of happiness, fulfillment or peace.

@andresnyc3767

3 ай бұрын

Are you saying that trying not to achieve much in your life has led to more happiness or the complete opposite?

@copiumkiller

3 ай бұрын

Good for you - trying to transcend society's BS. IMO concentrating on enjoyable process is much better. Math and biology support it.

@hallorette5059

3 ай бұрын

I don’t “try” to not achieve anything in life. I don’t try to achieve anything. Life is less stressful that way and I measure success in a much more attainable way; am I happy? If so, I’m successful. Trying or not trying to achieve things doesn’t factor into it.

@andresnyc3767

3 ай бұрын

@@hallorette5059 I love your lifestyle approach, but sadly for some reason I don’t have the guts to do such a thing

@mystuff9999

3 ай бұрын

@@hallorette5059Sounds great. But what does that mean? Specifically? In what situation does „not trying to achieve anything“ change the way you’d act otherwise? What makes you happy?

One man's American Dream is another thousand people's American Nightmare.

@rhythmandblues_alibi

2 ай бұрын

Legitimately underrated comment.

32:36 "i hope that we're giving you something" yes, thank you for all the depression and hopelessness

Brb, starting a band and nameing it Gweneth Paltrow vs. Gweneth Paltrow

@WisecrackEDU

3 ай бұрын

What genre you thinking? To me it sounds like a good name for a math rock band.

@darejohnson2251

3 ай бұрын

Either Midwestern emo or Mathcore

@Thebettermartyr

3 ай бұрын

I’d listen

@yourfriendlyinternetmeatshield

3 ай бұрын

Are you gonna go the route of the "Okilly Dokillys" and band members cosplay Qwenenth Paltro? Maybe all fight clubbed out? I'm not sure what math core is, but it sounds interesting and probably exactly what I think it is.

@CortexNewsService

3 ай бұрын

​@@darejohnson2251why does that make so much sense

The Internet has sold its soul video sponsored by betterhelp makes you part of the problem here my dude

Does BetterHelp still sell their patients' private info to the highest bidder?

This is one of my favorite Wisecrack videos. Seemingly more than usual, I love the deep synthesis of different ideas: I thought I knew Marx pretty well, but you gave me some Das Kapital ideas that I wasn't aware of. And Kierkegaard was coming in hot with amazing foresights. I hope to watch this video again to go deeper on some of these ideas.

@WisecrackEDU

3 ай бұрын

Thanks so much, incredibly kind of you to say and really appreciate the support.

@copiumkiller

3 ай бұрын

Do you watch Second thought? If yes, what do you think about it?

@MikeCaputo1

3 ай бұрын

@@copiumkiller No, I haven't seen this: I'll have to look it up!

Of all possible sponsors... Better Help... Please look into them, seriously.

You know, as someone who is most definitely a passive consumer of your content: There's a LOT of knowledge and thought provoking impulses that I've gotten from your videos. And I'm not just saying that to make you feel better. Even when putting the video on the second screen while e.g. playing a game or something, I always find my attention drawn back to the video. Which sometimes sucks for the game I'm playing, but imo definitely speaks to how good the stuff is that you guys put out.

@WisecrackEDU

3 ай бұрын

Damn, this is so nice of you. Thanks you.

I am poor right now, but I love Wisecrack and actually came searching for this video because it didn't pop up in my feed. It's really brave to be so transparent about the professionalization of KZread, and how this channel is compelled to engage with it. I've never watched a Mr. Beast video. You mentioned Ren and Stimpy, and Mr. Beast reminds me of that goofy, hyperactive energy once reserved for ANIMATED subjects.

Just wanted to say, I rarely comment on videos but always find yours extremely thought provoking - I've heard countless "KZread is hard" videos, but instead of making one of those, you chose to make a study of a very successful youtuber instead, to compare and contrast. This is how we learn, by gathering information and understanding scope and perspective. Thanks for the effort, and as always I'm looking forward to the next one and to continue supporting you however I can.

the conceptual irony of this video having a BetterHelp ad rocks so hard

@WisecrackEDU

3 ай бұрын

the question is . . . how is it ironic? we literally state in this video that the KZread business is hard, and sometimes it destroys our souls.

@satyasyasatyasya5746

3 ай бұрын

@@WisecrackEDU then save your souls. if you think you have one even metaphorically, treasure it more than some internet job... you can and should do better.

@LonkinPork

3 ай бұрын

@@WisecrackEDU Oh no, I'm with you Wisefam. I might have misspoken calling it "irony," but my initial thought was "The medium is the message," and then you cited that same quote later in the video and I felt validated BetterHelp sucks, but not being able to keep the lights on sucks even more. I know whatever contract the channel has with them was signed much too long ago to do anything about it right now, and I appreciate all you guys do here despite the bleakness of it all 💖

@WisecrackEDU

3 ай бұрын

You've been so supportive in the past so I take your concerns super seriously - without getting in trouble I will say we are hoping to begin finding some new sponsorship opportunities in the coming year, but also, if we don't have sponsors we don't make money and we can't keep the channel alive. I understand wanting us to be ultra committed to our ideals, but I also like being able to take my child to see a doctor because of the health insurance that I get via this job. @@satyasyasatyasya5746

@WisecrackEDU

3 ай бұрын

Ah I get what you're saying and appreciate the clarification! @@LonkinPork

I'm a terrible passive listener but I'd do my best to partially pay attention if Michael wants to do a video where he counts to 100,000 (with ads).

@RickReasonnz

3 ай бұрын

I remember when VSauce did a live vid of him staring in to the camera while reciting prime numbers. Got far too many views than that concept deserved.

@copiumkiller

3 ай бұрын

@@RickReasonnz People are weird.

Hey Michael, Thank you for your content. It seems really tough, commenting and actively trying to understand a world which is by many metrics quite depressing, but I thank you for doing it. Sometimes, I feel like I have to close my eyes and not think about so many of things every day humans have to do just to survive and fit in and feel happy, but its kind of nice to know that every now and then, I can open my eyes and cry a little bit.

Hey we appreciate you guys too! I can't imagine the research and time it takes to make these videos. Having dabbled lightly in developing a social media presence myself, it's exhausting! Keep up the good work! I don't put your videos on in the background. Too much good stuff to just idly listen to!

I love philosophy. Thank you, Wisecrack, for sticking around!

Just don't, use better help

Love the video! Would also love links to some of the reading materials you reference in your videos! Always so many gems, but not always in a spot where I can take notes.

That was such a great video, Ive always been interested in this topic but when I saw this video length I didn’t really want to watch, but I thought lets see what he got, I ended up watching the whole video, not because I wanted to see what happens at the end but because the content and the analysis were really interesting and it gave me insight on how these KZreadrs are brainwashing young generation. Thanks Wisecrack.

@WisecrackEDU

3 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for this, and really appreciate you sticking around for the whole thing.

I didn't even know who Mr Beast was until this video. Guess that's what I get for living on the cool side of the internet.

I found this video one of your most interesting ever. Needed to be said. I grew up in and around media my whole life. I've always been fascinated by all of it. Thank you for your great work.

God the Kierkegaardian in me loves you so much for bringing him up so often! This is the tension I feel as a content creator. I want to be creative, not another cog like the dayjobs I've held. This is a bit depressing if I'm honest. Depressing but necessary.

@WisecrackEDU

3 ай бұрын

Thank you for enabling my Kierkegaard obsession.

Very funny with that train interview, how the first question that didn't pop into the head of a philosophy major was: Why? 😂Maybe it did but wasn't vocalized, I wouldn't have fared any better

@WisecrackEDU

3 ай бұрын

You're not wrong.

Betterhelp discourse aside, I really enjoyed the video. I'm a media studies student and I appreciate the inclusion of specific theories and models of analysis!

my head also went directly to the superbowl

That's such a great follow up question to him saying, "make the best content possible." "What do you mean by best?" It does seem as if he is a genuinely nice person, but creating a company that is dog eat dog speaks more than those few interactions.

With regards to the video about how algorithms flatten culture. Yes, I'm very on board with that idea... for what it's worth.

Liked and commented because this is the kind of content that I like. It's unfortunate the BetterHelp sponsor, but it is the world we inhabit, no avoiding. Video idea, could Stoicism help us combat this modern influx of prepackaged sensations?

I really love these videos. And your content makes gives me ideas to think about and generally breaks up the feeling of dullness I get through consuming other content. Thank you

This is one of my favorite channels, and it has been for nearly ten years. Keep doing what you do. Perhaps being the spectacle, or being a part of the spectacle, is where the human ego separates the individual from their own experiences.

A Random Diss 100 years from now "You have an attention span of a Mr. Beast Video."

@comradestannis

3 ай бұрын

Y E S

@jamesdrummond7684

3 ай бұрын

no one is going to remember Mr Beast 100 years from now.

You make some of the best content on KZread. I wish all of the children hooked on the KZread machine could comprehend what you're saying here and realize that "I don't need to go to school, I'll be a KZreadr" isn't a viable life strategy.

@WisecrackEDU

3 ай бұрын

Thank you very, very much. And agreed.

Watching these videos is a thoughtful experience that provoke thoughts and ideals for me. I watch this channel for the personal feel these videos bring and the expansion of my horizon. Keep up the great work, you all kill it.

This was a fantastic video that gave me a lot to think about. I hope you make more like it. That being said, it did make me feel a bit hopeless about the state of society and where it seems to be headed. I'd love to hear what philosophers say we can do about this problem

Everyone talks about Mr. Beast's current content, but no one every brings up the fact that he got his name out there by farming streamer's content by sending them large donations during their streams. Before he started making his own content regularly he was sending like $10k donations to big, medium and small streamers on the regular to the point there was a period of time when people were literally only streaming in hopes that he would drop in an throw a few grand at them. Now he's just farming people for content on a larger scale.

Mr Beast videos are so boring. You Aren't.

@paulgarcia6259

3 ай бұрын

Both are boring af.

You guys are doing a great job. I appreciate the content and the community you've created.

Its fair to say I watch Wisecrack videos passively, but not as background noise or a distraction to turn to when something explodes and people in the video loudly overreact. These videos keep my mind engaged and alive during the hours my body labors under a capitalist yoke. I would describe Wisecrack videos as the "best content" for a dozen reasons, not the least of which being that they genuinely keep me from pulling a full Severance and disassociating though the majority of the day. There have been so many books I've read and rabbit holes I've dived into because of these videos that I'm almost never without something for my brain to chew on for weeks at a time. I only wish there was a better ecosystem to reward content like that.

what about better help selling its costomers info?

Stop promoting Better Help please.

@Fallingslowly09

Ай бұрын

I'm a bit out of touch I guess. What's wrong with Better Help?

@Shaita

Ай бұрын

Somebody asked what's wrong and you didn't respond. What's the point? If you know something important please throw the warning clearly

@criticality2056

Ай бұрын

​@Shaita oh, raging fraud. There has been lawsuits.

Thank you for this thoughtful video on YT and one its most profitable creators. I'm so sorry to hear that the team behind one of my favorite channels struggles so much and has so much anxiety. I'll try to comment more often and share you more!

So brave of you guys to talk openly about the struggles of create elaborate content over just entertaining

_Mr. Beast: "We hired an intern who secretly wants to attack Jimmy with a hammer!"_ Yeah, I'd sign up for that.

I literally unsubscribed from Mrbeast after watching this

videos like this are so helpful because they explain pop cultural phenomena that we all know and often wonder about, and link them to philosophies that can explain something about the world beyond this specific phenomenon. the video makes you associate, and association is the only solution in a world of chaos.

What do I think? This is the video that made my (finally) subscribe. I've watched a bunch of your videos (thanks algorithm!) after they popped up on my suggestions. I've been really impressed with how much you guys quote smart literature and smart people. And I loved the self-awareness exhibited in this video.

Damn that betterhelp sponsorship is in really bad taste for this topic. Yikes

betterhelp is a scam

@satyasyasatyasya5746

3 ай бұрын

It also has ties to THAT country, doing THAT thing right now... But WiseCrack be like "but internet hurd, we need money soaked in blurd, uwu" at this point, they've used that excuse so long, I'm kinda considering unsubbing. They show no signs whatsoever, of putting their money where their so-called ideals, are.

@TheTransitmtl

3 ай бұрын

​@@satyasyasatyasya5746I'm not shilling for betterhelp but as far as I know it's owned by Teledoc. One of the founders was born in Israel. Is that the link you are talking about? That's a pretty faint link. Is betterhelp in any way supporting the IDF?

@paulgarcia6259

3 ай бұрын

Yeah, they suck. My first counseling session was a terrible experience. The therapist was late, and in their pajamas looking sloppy. It really made me feel like I didn't matter.

@dogbreathTK

2 ай бұрын

bad for therapists too

@deannaabeyta1855

Ай бұрын

They also assigned a homophobic "therapist" to a gay person then proceeded to try and cure him of his gayness

This video really makes u feel like a KZread cog. I got this eerie feeling like I was cognizant of the algorithm and how much content I consume. The sad thing is I don’t know if I can stop and I like supporting my favorite creators. I hope things change tho

This format honestly had me not only watching the thing in one sitting to truly want to understand the information, I was thinking about it all day afterwards to the point where I watched it again.

I'd much rather watch your channel than Mr Beast

Eeww better help...cut the bs

We love your stuff guys... always looking forward to them... still miss Deep or Dumb (series that made me subscribe) but I also love the stuff you do...

The video was very good. I really liked how much you showed that you also talked about yourself. This kind of honesty is always good. Yes, I would like to see more videos about the idea that engagement algorithms are changing contemporary culture. Great video, very thought provoking.

Oh? Mr Beast? They guy that makes Videos exploiting Poor people, or Desperate people? That guy?

@gudduentertains

3 ай бұрын

Yep, that one.

Seriously? Betterhelp?

I really liked how you're being critical and informative on the topic :)

32:30 Hey Wisecrack. I'm here for the high thought out, well educated and well informed opinions, discussions, perspectives, topics, etc. As long as you keep on giving me that, I'll keep on watching.

Making this video while taking money form BetterHelp and shrugging it off like that is truly scummy. Unsubbed. Also... Redbar's watching!!

@WisecrackEDU

3 ай бұрын

Shrugging it off?

@matturner6890

3 ай бұрын

@@WisecrackEDU Again, a short reply with no actual argument. Why take the money if you know they're in the wrong? Is this really the *only* way you can make money??

@WisecrackEDU

3 ай бұрын

It is incredibly hard to make enough money to stay afloat right now. @@matturner6890

@matturner6890

3 ай бұрын

​@@WisecrackEDU that is true for 99.9% of people. It doesn't justify taking money from a company like BetterHelp. C'mon! I'd even stomach Raid: Shadow Legends and still watch! Anything but this.

Being sponsored by "BeTtErHeLp" after all the videos that expose them is embarrassing. Unsubbed.

Did really love this video! It was really interesting to listen to. And it feels like why I like watching videos on this channel. Thanks!

Burns is 5’11” … and because I’m a family man, please give my money to burns’ kid so she doesn’t have to go in a cube

I love this channel cause your content makes me think and it is not a passive experience for me

I love the videos, but I have one question. I am not (as of yet) a member of patreon, so maybe this is done there. But I was wondering if you could start putting the books you reference in the description of the videos. Often when I watch a video I think to myself, "That sounds like a fascinating book..." but I often neglect to write the title down because I'm usually pretty interested in the video (consider my attention retentioned). The downside is that in order to find the title of a book I usually spend time clicking through the video to see if I can find it. Is it possible that I'm missing a list somewhere that shows the material that was referenced in the video? Some of it is very good and I think I want to read some of the books that you all read.

I really really honestly appreciate this video and its source material and philosophical questions. I know it’s hard out there to live as a creator in spite of algorithmic guides. But honesty of its presence makes the viewer or consumer less cheated on the authenticity of the material. I imagine this video was particularly difficult to make. But I want to say it was very much appreciated

Love your stuff. Thank you for doing this work. I'd love it if you guys would throw a bibliography in the bottom section. Or just a list of books you reference.

please do a longer video on "filter world"! i would love to hear you go more in depth! its also hapening in the film world. theres so many bio-pics now for example - not becuase i believe more directors are just so passionate about bio-pics but they tend to leverage the fame of someone people already know to tell a regerditated story that generates profitable content. theres a major flattening effect there for sure. i love your bracelet michael. where's helen!?

OH god, that Mr Beast interview reminds me of what all the tech companies were doing a decade ago. Google and Facebook made these stupid 'what would you do' questions sound like they were useful for finding 'smart' people. Some places still haven't gotten the memo that the questions are just stupid and tell you nothing about the person. Sad to hear this same thinking has made it's way into video content teams. Wisecrack will always get my support I love that you all can stop and look at yourselves and your industry objectively.