Thanks to everyone who asked about our Patreon. I'll put out a full video when I get the time, but for those who want to jump the gun and get on board from the start, here's the link: www.patreon.com/rareearth It means a huge deal that so many have asked us to start an account. I never thought anyone would watch these videos, let alone support them.

@dAvrilthebear

6 жыл бұрын

I have a more extreme example of the expotation you are talking about. Some years ago I saw a documentary (that won some prises in the West) about Russian homeless children. They live in wells and pipes underneath Moscow. It was arguably the most traumatic thing I have ever seen. The camera showed them beat up and rob hobos, prostitute themsleves to rich pedophiles and sniff glue. That was the worst part. How could you keep filming and not stop that kid from doing what he did? Glue does irreparable damadge to the brain. Are all the prizes in the world worth as much as one kid's death? I don't know. They did win something and raise public awareness about these kids, I think... But that moment in itself, filming and not helping, how can an artist sirvive that?

@dennythedavinchi3832

6 жыл бұрын

Film makers give some goods to the local and ask little bit of artificial action cause the human life in modern days nothing much special. We all live in in same ways like my neighbor in truth. Some of the astonishing stuffs you address in your video is very rare minors story but most dominant majority's story is no different from you and me.

@totocaca7035

6 жыл бұрын

A broom is just a stick, not worthy of a video. Cat wielding, on the other hand, now that's a must-show!

@TenchiMasakiSama

5 жыл бұрын

Some of these questions of whether or not a person should or should not report something is difficult to answer, but I find the comparison between reporting genocide and reporting the secret location of telephone of console fairly easy to process. One is to uncover the heinous crimes committed against innocent victims, and to learn from our history. The other is invading the location where people seek to grieve, just so people can watch for entertainment. The act of watching does harm. I don't believe everyone has the right to know everything. People have the right to know when something immoral or a crime happens.

@FireShell7

5 жыл бұрын

This video is very Baudrillardian.

I grew up in an area where tourism was our main source of income. I hated tourists. I hated them for being wealthy. I hated them for ignoring us. I hated cooking their food for them and washing their dishes. I hated them for turning our towns into places filled with stupid knick-knack shops and restaurants. Now I am a tourist

@wanderer347.

4 жыл бұрын

That’s a twist That’s very twisty

@scottsorenson1859

4 жыл бұрын

That sucks. Meet some locals when you travel then.. buy in local shops and be aware of exploitation. Pretty simple. If you gotta give the guy with the broom 5 bux so be it, other people pay the tour guides and gift shops hundreds ... just do the research on your own and give yourself a “tour” and boom problem solved. Avoid hate by not looking obnoxiously rich or foreign. I’m a fan of this channel but he’s literally interchanging the words “poverty” and “authenticity”. If you’re touring around for extreme poverty that’s just insanely weird from my perspective. You can get that in Canada and the US NO PROBLEM.

@jroddimus

4 жыл бұрын

@@scottsorenson1859 The counter argument to be made is to not shop locally and not try to go where the locals go. This form of tourism (as seen in the video of this railroad street) can be more disruptive because where tourists go, rents rise. So souvenir shops and more expensive eateries pop up, pushing the locals out. Tourists who stay in their all inclusive hotels might be better for locals than those who seek out the authentic.

@nessbrawlaaja

4 жыл бұрын

@@jroddimus I'm embarassed to say I hadn't thought of that before. Thanks!

@An_Ian

4 жыл бұрын

Reminds me of what my brother once said I used to never understand why some people hate kids, then I got to old to be one.

Self awareness, is the most helpful, harmful thing that we have.

@Shankabottomus

6 жыл бұрын

The American military? LOL. How about the Japanese Army during WW2?

@tomoecchii

6 жыл бұрын

+

@Jester123ish

5 жыл бұрын

Nope, the truth heals, it doesn't harm, at least that is the wisdom of experienced Psychiatrists who have to help harmed people. I guess the issue is whether you should or should not do a thing even if it seems right.

@toastedorange9106

5 жыл бұрын

This is the deepest video I've ever seen

@JackTalyorD

5 жыл бұрын

I am aware I don’t give a shit I’m know you stand on my front lawn talking shit out your ass the least of your problems will be a brom I’m aware that’s a double stand some how,............. but I just don’t care................I’m white I’m male I’m in my 30’s single and self employed so. How do I put it well in the words of South Park “I do what I want” So fuck everything give me bread and circuses and stay off the grass. 🤪

I think the difference between the phone box and Cambodia's war camp sites is the intent. By sharing the horrors of what occured in Cambodia you are creating awareness to stop something like that from happening again, but in the case of the phone box you would just be invading the grieving privacy of people who could not be helped by your broadcasting. Broadcasting misery is only worth doing if you do not give back to those people in some way. Broadcasting the grief of others, with no intent of aid, seems to just extend their misery - good journalism must give more than it takes.

@quoth_raven

5 жыл бұрын

Agree: It´s like the difference between a documentary about traffic safety that includes footage of accidents and a russian dashcam compilation. The second is pure voyeurism.

@sazonada

5 жыл бұрын

And the only way to find this distinction (what story should be shown) is to be self reflective and humble.

@3daypriest

4 жыл бұрын

Fiona ... stopping it from happening again. It is starting in the U.S. possibly. Who knows where Trump and his ignorant band of religiously bigoted racists can take the country if caring humans don’t band together and vote that shameful fucker out of office.

@1240Dax

4 жыл бұрын

@@3daypriest What are you talking about? The Khmer Rouge was the most socialist a group could be, that's the very opposite of trump, are you really saying you can compare the two? Pot Pol had all prosperous farmers executed and most engineers, he refused aid from other countries, people were killed for the smallest things, what's Trump doing that's so bad? Lowering african american unemployment? Bolstering the economy? Improving relations with other countries (Think Russia or DPRK)? Sounds like a pretty good president to me.

@acninee

4 жыл бұрын

@@1240Dax No, Khmer Rouge aren't the opposite of Trump because Trump doesn't really function on a Communist vs. Capitalist scale. Trump is more of a narcissist who has no real political agenda. He can't see beyond himself to the larger society he operates within, so he has no real politics.

Whether your work exploits people can be determined through one concept: reciprocity. Are you giving back in equal measure to what you have taken? Your example of paying the villagers is a good example of this. When you offered money, they reciprocated with work; when you shared your gifts, they shared their emotion. And this goes further. When you went to film the telephone booth and were confronted by those whose lives it was attached to, you had nothing to offer in return. You could not give back in kind because what you where taking was so personal and so intimate that all you can offer is -nothing-. Reciprocity is what determines if what we do which benefits us is harmful to others. The caveat to this is that we must be honest with ourselves in our reflection on our actions and allow those whose lives we affect to have a voice in those decisions, lest we rationalize ourselves into doing harm.

@tilly3702

4 жыл бұрын

sk'mo This is a question of the morality and ethics of documented information that maybe should or maybe shouldnt be documented. The historian craves the full timeline. One long document of mans history. The local resident wants to keep their culture whole and uncorrupted by travelers that as far as their concerned,will necer understand (due to tgeir lack of first hand experience and need to advertise). The entertainer wants to show the world these cultures. (Mayne for money, maybe for education) Whoever is right in this debate, depends on your perspective. Some things are better left untold for reasons religious, personal, sacred, etc. Some things even if under protection of such conditions are truly inspiring, enlightnening, empowering, perhaps even necesarry for man to know. Some things with benifits none listed above have faded a long time ago. And live only to make money weather it be for entertainer or local trying to get by. See how all these points are conflicting and in the process of trying to decide what information we should and should not; what we can and will not share, the only real compass we are given to guide us toward an answer, is our own personal morals, opinions, ideas, and perspective. Its a debate nobody can win, because within their own respective lives and circumstances, theyre all right. For this reason i cant bring myself to beleive tyat the world operates on a fair i give and you give back system. Reciprication cant be the underlining factor that decides whats wrong and right in this case. Everybody uas their own agenda, some with zero intent to give back but perhaps to give to tge others or maybe just themselves. If an entertainer offers nothing toa local but in turn provides education to potential tourists there is no reciprication between the entertainer and local. No mutual agreement met. The question simply isnt as simple as "factor A decides right and wrong." Factor A being this idea of reciprication. .

@Azhar_shaikh1

4 жыл бұрын

What about concent

@Bee-bup

4 жыл бұрын

azhar shaikh it’s always a privilege to capture someone else’s story

@rekietabeatslc9980

4 жыл бұрын

I think it's lovely that these old traditions are being remembered & practiced, even if it's only to get your $6. The adults seemed genuinely proud of their heritage, & while the kids might have seemed a bit bored playing an old sport beats mowing the lawn, and they'll appreciate it when they're older. As long as their lives aren't reduced to only reliving history for a pittance with no other work available I think it's wonderful.

@mpumelelogarciasoumeyra2198

2 жыл бұрын

My country grants humanitarian visas. Many vietnamese have made their lives better by moving to my country. Can I take a picture ?

Self awareness is one of our most valuable traits. Sadly it is too rare. I am grateful in yours and your attempt to grow that trait in others

@jiffyb333

6 жыл бұрын

Agreed, please keep it up guys!

@redocchi9220

6 жыл бұрын

it is rare, its rare on earth. rare earth

@Halfded54

5 жыл бұрын

I live in Bangladesh and I was once going to my home with a rickshaw. I saw a Caucasian man filming some poor kids and people in Bangladesh. I gave him a stare since there was a whole line of rickshaws behind mine. I wish I had stopped that guy from invading their privacy. I wish I stopped that guy so that he wouldn't take pictures and circulate it and saying "Poor Bangladesh 😂😂." I apologise for being xenophobic, but you people shouldn't be here. You shouldn't take pictures and claim that a country is poor. You're making it worst for them. You're destroying what our government has helped build, not that they did anything other than censorship but yeah. You people shouldn't take pictures of people in our country. Look at the pictures of India and look at that of Bangladesh, it's batshit insane what these photos actually show.

5 жыл бұрын

what good is self awareness if it leads to no change, instead excuses?

@bruh-kj1qw

5 жыл бұрын

AJ Fernandez it’s better to acknowledge the issue instead of ignoring it, although others who are self aware might not do anything about the issue. That still doesn’t mean they won’t do something about it in future and by being self aware, it’ll help you fix the issues you had in the past and when confronted with the experience again. You will know how to act. But like you said being self aware comes with its faults, knowing all the time that your actions might’ve hurt someone or something you’ve done might’ve been wrong. Makes it harder to distinguish whether you should do this or do that. It is so hard to do anything when you know your actions could affect others negatively either way, I guess that you will just have to find the best outcome and try to find something that will be fair to others.

Wow. Just wow. I don't have any other words to describe. You sir are a hidden gem on the KZread. Glad that I discovered you.

@daemongamingtv

5 жыл бұрын

That's what I came here to say. Top-notch work from the whole team.

Mate, I normally do not comment on videos... but big time kudo's man. You are one of too few people that really care about how you tell your story to others. What is journalism, what is filming, etc. On top of that, you seem like a really kind and nice dude (eh, Canadians really live up to their stereotypes I guess ;D) and incorporate a little humor alongside serious talk in your videos. Keep this up and I hope you stay as true to your vision/mission as you are now!

@toddrickman

4 жыл бұрын

I tip my hat to you Sir

@aprilm.wemigwans-mezimegwa541

Жыл бұрын

Cannot say that unless you met and encountered the people who named this place Canada do you even understand is not an English word. I don’t apologize for existing I except you to apologize for being in my way. Saying that Canadians live up to the stereotype than say what you really trying to say stop beating around the bush Hudoas. Stop saying other ppls words and say what’s real fu. Kk

The phone booth made me teary. Can't imagine the emotions swirling around that space.

We were in Hanoi in July and went to train street There was a man who had set up a tripod for his camera across the tracks from us waiting for a train to come past. The woman who you can see at 1:20 has a young son who warned the man at least 10 times that he was too close to the tracks and that the train would hit his camera. He just kept ignoring the young boy. Finally after waiting around half an hour for the train to pass the man soon realised the mistake he had made and had to grab his camera and run down a stairway 😂 . It was probably my favourite video I got in my visit to Hanoi. If a local is trying to give you advise, LISTEN TO THEM! THEY KNOW BETTER THAN YO DO!

@Yoyoyoyoasshole

5 жыл бұрын

If a westerner were to have an accident there the government probably take note and forcefully displace those people.

@chairmanofrussia

5 жыл бұрын

Lol holy shit, small world. Small neighborhood. You’re telling me you’ve met some of the people in this vid?

@BS-jw7nf

5 жыл бұрын

You're telling me there live actual people there with lives and families. That's crazy!

@huuduyvu9714

5 жыл бұрын

Qui Tran bullshit, displace? You swallowed too much Western propagandas.

@karlobuot5037

4 жыл бұрын

who is Yo Do?

There's a fine line between sharing experiences and history that defines a culture, and tourism that tries to show who they are and why they are but ultimately fails to show either. Having visited over 35 different countries, I know this to be very real, as this video and explained this. One thing that tourism can do, despite our best wishes, is to rob a society of it's culture and replace it with a tourism friendly culture. One that has changed to fit the customs of the people who come to look, but if closely looked at, still has the echoes and shadows of it's former culture. This video shows me that what you're attempting to do is hard, but I wish you luck to continue to share the experiences and history of a culture, instead of changing it.

@moneylong6119

6 жыл бұрын

Dumman007 watered down basically

@-haclong2366

5 жыл бұрын

As much as I hate tourist destinations, tourist unfriendly cultures are often that, unfriendly and making people more friendly isn't always a bad thing (in fact it never is).

@clevoloki55

4 жыл бұрын

Times Square

Just wanted to say that I have the exact same dilemma as you when making videos. My thinking came down to that whenever you're filming people and telling their stories, whether with explicit permission or not, whether you're paying or not, you're exploiting them in some way. Sorry if you mentioned this, I watched yesterday but didn't comment until today, but did you think about the opposite side of things? The people making the videos are also being exploited as well if you think about it. Maybe it's a business that gets featured, or some activist who wants to promote a viewpoint, or a tourism agency that wants more visitors, or simply someone who gets a kick out of being in a public video. I think you're rather similar to me when making videos, where you're trying to capture some bit of truth. With all those factors in play on both sides, I do find it a struggle to tell a story that reflects reality, and it seems you do as well. Anyways, looking forward to your videos from Cuba. Keep up the great work!

@rexrex600

6 жыл бұрын

It feels rather like somehow that in telling stories some part of the story is necessarily extracted and exploited, but I guess the question we should be asking is when is telling the story has a lesser cost than not telling the story

@tomoecchii

6 жыл бұрын

+

@billbill3890

6 жыл бұрын

It’s exploitative and mass tourism often destroys want it originally wanted to experience. But then tourists are often a source of benefit to the locals but not always those who are the exploited locals. And not just money but also new ideas that can come in to shake up traditional cultures that aren’t living always in some Rousseau like paradise (but there are bad effects of tourism as well of course ). What are we to do about it, what can we do about ... not travel. That’s simply not going to happen.

@Halfded54

5 жыл бұрын

I live in Bangladesh and I was once going to my home with a rickshaw. I saw a Caucasian man filming some poor kids and people in Bangladesh. I gave him a stare since there was a whole line of rickshaws behind mine. I wish I had stopped that guy from invading their privacy. I wish I stopped that guy so that he wouldn't take pictures and circulate it and saying "Poor Bangladesh 😂😂." I apologise for being xenophobic, but you people shouldn't be here. You shouldn't take pictures and claim that a country is poor. You're making it worst for them. You're destroying what our government has helped build, not that they did anything other than censorship but yeah. You people shouldn't take pictures of people in our country. Look at the pictures of India and look at that of Bangladesh, it's batshit insane what these photos actually show.

@TheEpicSceptic

5 жыл бұрын

Wait, what mental gymnastics are you going through to say that the people making the video are being exploited? In the particular cases that are being discussed here, how are the people making the video being exploited?

Simple. It's exploitation if the person being filmed doesn't want to be filmed. It's also exploitation if the motive for filming is about career, money and glory. Many of these film makers really don't care about the subject and only care about the shot.

I have been a tourist in places where I've felt a similar discomfort. I'm there watching a show that's being put on for me. What right do I have to put myself in their lives? I want to make a connection with the real people, I don't want them to pretend to be something they're not for my sake. The fetishisation of the other is always lurking in the back of my mind, whether that's a farm family or reed raft group in Peru or a temple monk in Japan or a friends in LA showing me (a Canadian) around. And I can't help but wonder - do they actually hate me?

@democracydignityhumanrights

6 жыл бұрын

arrbos instead of going and seeing a show, I would love to bring my guitar to place that is radically different than where I am from, get to know the locals and make music with the local musicians, and I don’t mean like the dudes who play shows necessarily or what ever, I mean other people like me who just play music with friends and family within their community as a sort of social thing. That may seem like a weirdly specific desire, and maybe I’m wrong for having that desire in some way that I am unable to see due to my own ignorance. I guess what I’m saying is when I visit a place some day I want to try the give that community a good experience with me rather than just myself a fun experience.

@erejnion

5 жыл бұрын

You're overthinking it. There is no major difference between your home town and abroad, and as long as you keep that in mind, no exploitation will be happening. Share the experience, like Rare Earth shared their drone. Like you would do with your neighbours. If the locals don't want you there, well, that happens in your home town too, right?

@foxtrotecho9530

5 жыл бұрын

Most of them don't, 'cause most of them can't even realize that's explotation. But I think as long as you try to have autentic interations and share, not just get new, experiences it's ok. I'm saying as someone from one of those contries that are sometimes exploited.

@sayingthethingstheywont2619

5 жыл бұрын

They hate you. But they absolutely love your money.

@foxtrotecho9530

5 жыл бұрын

@@sayingthethingstheywont2619 I wouldn't generalize.

From the first video, I've looked at this series as one that would tell me stories about places that I'd never get to. On November 2, 2017 I suffered a major heart and ended up having a 3 way bypass. I got my sister to get me a laptop computer I could use in the hospital, I ended up in there for 34 days, 14 of with I was bed ridden. videos like this kept me going, something to look forward every week, that's what I used my computer, to aid in my recovery. I'm looking forward to season 3.

@Yesica1993

6 жыл бұрын

@ Charles Damery I hope you are continuing to improve!

@MJFallout

6 жыл бұрын

I hope you'll make a great recovery, Charles.

This is the most self-aware and introspective video I have ever seen on KZread. My utmost respect to Rare Earth for daring to ask themselves uncomfortable questions. This is why I watch. Peace be with you.

“Capture their poverty “ almost sounds a little perverse to me.

@shebastinson7813

4 жыл бұрын

I was told that its not tourism why alot of men go there. And the Philippines

@SuperSMT

4 жыл бұрын

kinda the point of the video

@Sp1n1985

4 жыл бұрын

Poor people exist even if you ignore them

@PasscodeAdvance

4 жыл бұрын

That makes it depressing.

The sentiment of this video is honestly beautiful. What a great way to end a spectacular season. Let's also show Franc the appreciation he deserves for immaculate filming technique. The drone shots from "Scars of the Secret War" are just breath taking. And a question, are you guys concidering adding some way for us to support you? I'd really like to help out.

Some may hate the term, but in my mind what best describes this Rare Earth project is philosophy. It's not the kind of philosophy that throws formal logic at you, nor is it particularly groundbreaking (most of the ideas and questions here have been around for a while already) but it is compelling. Very compelling. Perhaps it is to philosophy what scientific popularization is to science. A way in, an introduction. It's always struck me that the ideas you draw in your videos are not specific to whatever place you happen to be in. They're seemingly universal, they resonate with my own life and, I suspect, with the lives of others. I watch a video about the Burakumin, a nuclear tricycle or big funerary jars and I'm not left with any particular desire to go see those places for myself nor with some satisfaction of knowing a new bit of trivia to talk about, rather, I'm left with an idea, and I find myself drawing comparisons with my own world, my own "rare earth", the one that is directly around me and not half a world away. The locations you visit are a tapestry on which to weave these questions and derive these ideas. But it is not rare earth because what you show is exotic or far removed from my own experience, it's rare earth because it is so relatable, because what makes it rare is not the specifics of a given situation or location, what makes it rare is the same mechanics at play in my direct surroundings and in my own life. I don't feel like I have a necessarily better understanding of Japan, Cambodia, Laos, etc. thanks to Rare Earth. I do feel like I have a better understanding of my own life, or, at least, short of actual understanding, I've been led to pose some interesting questions about my own life. And isn't that what philosophy is about?

@alrobley9

6 жыл бұрын

Reflects much of my feelings and emotions connected to this series! Very deep and your conclusions were perfectly laid out. Well, well done. Thank you

@Crosshill

6 жыл бұрын

thats a lot of words for 'ur vids makes me think, man, sticks to my noggin like a haunting ghost' well done on nailing that strange effect these videos have. when i think back on this channels content, what i remember isnt specifics, but more like new dynamics of how humans are, and it sticks in your head because its real, and reality is rarely a simple, morally straightforward story

@richg2250

5 жыл бұрын

This is so wonderfully written. So will said. As moving as Rare Earth itself.

@adityanayak5939

5 жыл бұрын

Perk you were able to express perfectly what I was thinking watching Rare Earth's videos. I have a difficult time penning my feelings and thoughts. You were very apt in describing what you were feeling and that is an achievement in itself. Proud of you bro

@Gameshunter3012

5 жыл бұрын

Your comment gave me a better understanding of many things. Thanks.

from canada, i love your videos i first watched the one about japan where you talk about the outcast people, i was moved because i related a lot to it, and i never knew anything about that part of japan, its a country i love very much and to learn this really changed my perspective. i respect your videos and hope you keep making them, because people need to learn about the world, so many people live in a bubble and dont try to learn. for most of my life ive been a outcast myself, life is a struggle but seeing you expose other people who are suffering, i dont know how to say but its emotional, it makes me want to help myself even more to help those in similar situations like me, cause i know how it is to be hated and be alone. but we as humans, those that know suffering and weakness, should use that strength to help create happiness for those that lack it. i wish you best of luck, you're videos have great meaning.

We know you are next generation KZread and we are thankful.

@solsosoup900

4 жыл бұрын

Unfortunately this kind of self aware media doesn't appeal to the brainless masses. It's hard for most people to swallow philosophy and culture in this day and age, which is truly saddening. And as much as I would love to see this channel take off, by nature, it doesn't have a good chance of doing better than, say, a vlogging channel, despite it's originality and weight.

@commie281

3 жыл бұрын

@@solsosoup900 hey, it’s got nearly a million subs, maybe he’ll get recognized one day

I'm long past the time when you'll see this, I'm sure - but the heart you've been putting into this series is... infectious? Inspiring? Thank you, honestly, from the bottom of my heart, for considering these issues and for talking about them so honestly. I'm. . . not sure how I feel about your conclusion - The man isn't swinging silently, because you're telling us his story. And that's important. Respect his wishes. Exploit as little as possible. Share as much as possible. And do it all with a conscience. I think you're doing things all right.

@592sunrise

6 жыл бұрын

smAsPa trying to find a common ground in a world we're someone will always hate or dislike your reporting is hard..love how this guy approach the story..he's going to be big..

I think the best solution for this is to sometimes show the influence tourists can have to a place. Like the video "The Town Where Gap Year Kids Went To Die" or with a video like this. Because I think not enough travelers realise that just by being there, the place is different.

It is videos like this, especially, that have me coming back over and over. This type of self-aware critical perception leading to introspective unanswerable questions is something i do quite often and it is very refreshing to see someone presenting “news?” In this manner. Not telling me what is going on, not telling me how i need to feel about it, but showing me cultures and people and how they live as best as you can from the perspective of someone who doesn’t live there while being fully aware of your influence during your recording. This is the first time i have ever been compelled to actually give money to a show on youtube, but i support what you are doing and how you try to be as honest as you can while you are doing it. Thank you

I almost cried watching this video. Thank you so much for putting into words what I had so much difficulty communicating to someone who used to be my friend. He would constantly tell others what people had told me, to the point it felt exploitative and at my worst he made me feel like dirt under his feet. He never had the self-awareness you showed in this video, the only thing I wanted him to have.

this is such an underviewed channel and thats such a shame, the quality of this channel is astounding and the content more so

I feel compelled to share my adoration but everything I type feels like an empty platitude. I feel so humbled by your content, even just the silliness and thoughtfulness of the outro slide. Evan and Francesco and Chris, you are humans worth aspiring towards.

This is probably the best channel I've seen in a long time. It's just so genuine, thought-provoking, and informative.

This is so unbelievably refreshing. I love this KZread channel. Just wish I’d found it yrs ago. Very educational. Thank you

Thank you for making these Ethan! I watched all of your videos while going through painkiller withdrawls, and they really helped me get through that hell. I apreciate all that you do. Thank you.

You are amazing, I love you. This is great. Absolutely great.

@RareEarthSeries

6 жыл бұрын

Cooper Beggs Love you too buddy.

Thank you for doing this series! Its really calming to watch and really interesting, love it!

This video expresses a frustration I have had inside for a long time but couldn't put the words to. As someone who went to film school to make documentaries, I immediately became uncomfortable with the process of making them and I never understood why. Thanks for making these and please keep them coming. Responsible self awareness in how it relates to the subject is a crucial component lost on not only the audience, but the filmmaker as well.

Wow . I normally never comment on a video. But you sir are awesome. Love your video . Makes me appreciate earth so much more . Thank you.

Regardless of whether you consider yourself a true documentarian or not, this series, from the very first episode, is by far some of the most engaging and thought provoking content of this sort I've ever seen. The presentation and subject matter are tastefully and respectfully handled, and each video leaves me with a ton of things to think about after. To leave such an impact in just a few short minutes, so consistently, speaks to your skill at what you do. I can't wait for the next season, and I hope it continues for many more, because this is top notch stuff that deserves much more attention, and is easily one of my favorite series on youtube.

Just discovered your videos, I forwarded two of them to my daughters that are in high school, perhaps it will inspire them. Thank you, I love discovering rare gems...

Thank you for this insightful video. As a traveler, you’ve made me open my eyes to my own thirst for capturing content and documentation but to approach it from a place of awareness and hopefully, a moral high ground. Your voice needs to be heard by millions. Keep it up brother.

it is invasive to document someone against their will, unless it is being done to expose some harm they are doing

@devluz

6 жыл бұрын

In the end they often document the ones the harm is done to. The weak and the poor. I don't think anyone wants to feature in a documentary that shows your weakness :/ But to be believable I don't see what else they could do

@AlGoRythmAI

6 жыл бұрын

Yes I agree, but who then decides what's harmful and what's not - the crew passing through or the people that live there every day? I get what he means I think.

@dawsonparadise7132

6 жыл бұрын

Jason Lieberman it's still invasive to a person being exposed for doing harm, we just weigh the positive benefits to us in light of them being exposed to be greater than their rights to non intrusion.

@Thammarith

6 жыл бұрын

kwiztas Actually, CCTVs are invasive. We pay the price of security with privacy. Our eyes and memory could be invasive too.

@jasonlieberman9840

6 жыл бұрын

right, and that's an ethical balance for which responsibility falls ultimately on those who would choose to document them.

Thanks, looking forward to the next season. Absolutely wonderful.

Your narration is impeccable. You got the sound mixing spot on and your videos are well edited. Fell in love with Rare earth videos. So much knowledge squeezed into short windows of time.

Have you ever seen "War Photographer" with James Nachtwey? He talks a lot about the exact points you are making and how he connected with the people in these war torn countries. He even refused to take the photo sometimes. I think you'd like that documentary

Evan, thank you for not trying to answer what is right or what is wrong. I personally wouldn't exploit a similar situation for a bunch of reasons. You can cite lack of realness, lack of sensitivity, or respect for the wishes of the subject (which, in my view, are more important than the whims of the audience), it's all of them and more. But if some people do exploit it, and can live in peace with it, I wouldn't say it's necessarily wrong. Just bear in mind that neither is him, the man swinging the broom and cursing at you. I guess part of it has to do with how intimate and personal is the issue, and how socially and politically relevant its recording would be. Wanting to see that telephone, and maybe take a picture inside the booth - that's a whim. But discussing war atrocities, nationalism and the enshrinement of war criminals/heroes is more than that; it's necessary. But I wouldn't say you would be denying me of anything, especially not actively, if you didn't report on either subject. I would recommend everyone who's planning traveling somewhere in the near future to do so without a camera. I think you will come back with an understanding of that place that you wouldn't otherwise acquire.

@sjege

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks Paulo, I will definitely take that recommendation. I know not having a camera actually makes you experience more because last summer I went to Indonesia and I had a day where my phone battery was dead, I remember that day fully and the rest of my stay I can only recollect with pictures.

@101m4n

6 жыл бұрын

I disagree, I think. I have found that it is very difficult to despise something that you understand. When people understand each-other, it acts as a hedge against hatred, and all of the consequences implied by it. Whether people want to be understood or not is to me, irrelevant. There exists a middle ground I suppose. Somewhere between capturing that truth hidden in plain sight, and respecting the wishes of those whom would prefer to remain unseen.

@Jester123ish

5 жыл бұрын

I would say that for private matters that don't concern others you have to tread very carefully. The man with the broom is telling you no, and maybe he's right, maybe he's wrong but do you know any better? You have to ask your conscience and respect other people's wishes if they are valid.

@battletoad5396

5 жыл бұрын

Good video

@Halfded54

5 жыл бұрын

I live in Bangladesh and I was once going to my home with a rickshaw. I saw a Caucasian man filming some poor kids and people in Bangladesh. I gave him a stare since there was a whole line of rickshaws behind mine. I wish I had stopped that guy from invading their privacy. I wish I stopped that guy so that he wouldn't take pictures and circulate it and saying "Poor Bangladesh 😂😂." I apologise for being xenophobic, but you people shouldn't be here. You shouldn't take pictures and claim that a country is poor. You're making it worst for them. You're destroying what our government has helped build, not that they did anything other than censorship but yeah. You people shouldn't take pictures of people in our country. Look at the pictures of India and look at that of Bangladesh, it's batshit insane what these photos actually show.

This channel is beautiful. Your videos are honests, without pretension, and humbling. You're a great storyteller.

Ive only recently discovered your channel. Youve opened my eyes to alot of stuff i would have otherwise would have never known. Thanks for your hard work

I’m not sure how to describe your channel. But you give me a perspective that I haven’t heard before. In the descriptions you attach emotions so one can feel joy or empathy or shock. These are the reasons I watch your channel and I’m always fascinated and challenged. I guess in the end, you challenge me, and I learn something, you make me think. Keep doing that.

Came from Tom's channel. Loved the video, subscribing and binge watching your videos. Amazing stuff.

@dorkboi267

6 жыл бұрын

Ben also got here from Tom and the arctic expedition. Stayed for the awesomeness. KZread awards success to those who follow the pattern. Get more eyeballs on screen to sell more ads from more advertisers. Like Comment Subscribe Notify. Like Comment Subscribe Notify. Like Comment Subscribe Notify. Like Comment Subscribe Notify. Like Comment Subscribe Notify. Like Comment Subscribe Notify. Rare Earth bucks that trend. Chris has never spoken about how the sub box is broken and we need to be in the notification squad. Sometimes... bigger isn’t better it’s just bigger. Make good content and the people will come. Not all will stay but that’s ok. The good eggs.... they stick around.

@Snout007

6 жыл бұрын

I will be a good egg!

This is a deep and thought-provoking video. Thanks. As far as exploitation goes, you are right to say that 'somebody will always be exploited' one way or another. Socrates proposed the idea of 'virtue ethics', which judges a person not on their actions, but their intent. This I think is important when considering our impact on others. 'Exploiting' is one way to see it, but it is also a very skewed perception. For those who were willing to accept money and be filmed, it is a symbiotic relationship. Yet, for the wind phone, it sounds like more like ignorance than exploitation to me. We need to make these distinctions clear in order not to murky the waters of true injustices in this world. Somebody waving a broom at you because you took their picture is one thing, filming a dead person in a suicide forest and then laugh about it is something completely different. As long as your intentions are pure, and as long as you take time to reflect on your actions and its potential consequences, I think you have behaved responsibly. :)

@klayvonisme

5 жыл бұрын

Very well said. (or written) I appreciate your words and insight. Our world need more who think like you.

The way I see it, this channel is journalism worth getting up for. Your team provide so much context and perspective and not just dumping information on us. All of this, from so many obscure places in the world, is what makes you so informative about our world. (Maybe one day you'll even get to Australia/New Zealand.) Keep up all your great work, we love you for it!

Thanks Evan and Francesco for turning the lens on yourselves... and on us. A great inquiry, got me thinking and examining what I've done and what I want to do in the future. I love the meditations you bring to things. Also your end credit screen. :) Wonderful channel.

This was super thought provoking! I just discovered your videos and really like your style and the depth of your stories, thank you and keep on creating :)

Dear Evan, the level of reflection in your videos is unprecedented! Keep up the good work. I want encourage you to take on even more complex topics in the future!

I love this channel . such a fresh take on things. Usually these days we get flooded with irrelevant information but this one feels real, genuine.

I've just discovered your channel. Eagerly subscribed. I can't wait to plum the depths of your past content, and to see what's coming in the future!

I think you are doing a great job at walking the line between your perspective which you cannot shed completely, and the perspective of others that you cannot share completely. Anthropology uses the terms etic/emic, but those are arguably limiting categories themselves. You're reflecting upon what you see, you try be conscious. And that is what I like to get from Rare Earth.

Man, you are like, the better version of vice

@bofbob1

6 жыл бұрын

ouch...

@S2Tubes

6 жыл бұрын

Vice is a better version of Buzzfeed.

@rollingthunder8630

6 жыл бұрын

To be honest, the piece of shit I took this morning is a better version of Vice. Please don't compare Evan's work with Vice, one brings you inner reflection and a raw view of the foreign world, while Vice is meant purely to entertain some hipster kids in a biased political way.

@rust44

5 жыл бұрын

@Fardin Ahsan When did Vice promote communism? Get your head out of your ass.

Thank you for the work you do on these beautiful, thoughtful stories. Traditional travel vloggers show us a part of the world, but it's only the tiniest glimmer. Your videos reveal so much more and leave the viewer with insight to ponder rather than landscapes to envy.

This video is truly fascinating. I felt like watching it again today and wanted to say "Thanks". You guys inspired me to become a journalist.

Someone will always hate you. Damn if you do damn if you don't. For every man with a broom there is another pleading to be heard.

@bhatkrishnakishor

6 жыл бұрын

We need this quote in a rare earth T. And I am buying it ☺️

@seahyx120

6 жыл бұрын

I like your quote! There's always two sides to the same coin.

@stellla7045

6 жыл бұрын

I don't think that's the right response to have regarding this issue of tourist-natives relations. Native people feel exploited and violated by tourists who don't respect their rights to privacy. The right response isn't to shrug and say "damned if you do, damned if you don't". In fact, that's a very callous response and it shows that you didn't understand the point of the video.

@videogamebomer

6 жыл бұрын

stell la Expect that view is not share by all natives so not even natives can agree. Dosent help that you generalized entire group of people

@stellla7045

6 жыл бұрын

+videogamebomer it doesn't matter if some native people allow you to violate them. The behavior itself is exploitative. Besides there are all kinds of reasons for why native people might go along with such behaviour. They might be ignorant about their rights like their right to refuse to be filmed, they might feel coerced by the rich foreign tourist to go along with whatever hey want, they might want to put up a "polite front" but silently disagree, etc. When it comes to people's rights, I think it's better to generalize so they can be better protected than shrug in the face of blatant exploitation.

Your thoughts reminded me about a quote I recently heard about the nature of journalism: "to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable."

Oh boy am I glad I found this channel, so many of the videos makes you really think along with being able to see how beautiful some places can be.

Thanks for making theses videos and being conscious about the impact they have. Please keep up the amazing work!

Keep doing what you're doing... I love your videos they are positive and informative let no one stop you ....from Kenya respect man ...

Beautifully said.

A most ethical representation of obscure yet significant topics that I have ever come across.Keep up the good work.

Started rewatching everything, this is far the best. Thank you for sharing glimpse of rare earth.

Evan, I though I had an answer for your question but by minute 3 the superficial response I had in my head started to mature over the following hours and subsequent re watches of your video. I don't have the skills to enter this debate on what is right and wrong but I can't help but feel you know what you're doing. Some times we look to people to answer the questions we haven't thought to ask and I'm satisfied to hear your story and either agree with your view or not and to use your experience as starting point and put my own twist and experiences on it. That's probably selfish of me to just rely on someone else but there it is. Evan and team. Thank you.

Best video yet. (Also I wish Chris Hadfield still had a channel of his own on which he is active...after all I subscribed to HIS channel but stayed for rare earth)

Never seen any of your videos before and KZread suggested this to me... But I can honestly say this was one of the most interesting and thought-provoking videos I have seen on here! Great to see someone being so honest and sharing something many of us, even non video makers, may never think about on a daily basis. Subscribed!

This was a truly inciteful and interesting video. You bring up the questions and nuisances nobody else is willing to. Love what you do here, Evan.

WOW! What a wonderful reflection. Great questions that are both true and not. The answers will evolve as we do. Well done sir! Can't wait to see Cuba through our lens.

This series has been a amazing change from the typical content on KZread. Your consideration and willingness to change the script post recording is beautiful. Please continue your journey telling the stories like they have never been told before.

Wonderful! I really enjoy watching your channel. Thanks for publishing.

I freaking love your videos! Please keep making more. Can't wait for next season.

"Your right to hear the story"...Unless a person is a public figure or doing something that is really egregious, we don't have a "right" to their story. Whatever happened to the concept of privacy?

@gamongames

4 жыл бұрын

which story told here wasnt public?

@aathish04

4 жыл бұрын

There's ambiguity in the conditions you set. How egregious is egregious enough? How many people should know a person before they become a public figure? How much privacy should someone be given?

5:35 "mutual exploitation" is an oxymoron. Exploitation necessarily implies that one party is getting more out of it than the other.

@chllgy

5 жыл бұрын

well its just no longer exploitation its trade

@jakkank

5 жыл бұрын

What if both sides think they are the ones getting the better deal? In essence everybody exploits because nobody does something that has a net negative to his/her intentions.

@Ghonosyphlaids

4 жыл бұрын

It isn't an oxymoron per se, as both parties can perceive unfair benefit from another, but part of the appeal of the term is the inherent ambiguity.

@bgoonz89

4 жыл бұрын

the person with the expensive camera and airplane tickets is definitely not suffering “mutual exploitation”... that’s some bs, sorry

@dreamswimmer521

3 жыл бұрын

@@jakkank ryt point ..and thats a disease from of delusion from ignorance.

Incredible introduction to rare earth... new subscriber here... I have watched vice for a while and the most important thing is not much is sugar coated...I dont know how your stories come to be but I thank you for bringing raw emotions through your style of informing the world...

Love the way you guys frame this. Thank you for the series.

"Without that man swinging [a broom] in the background we realized we were painting a false picture." Your need to "paint a true picture" does not supersede the rights of those in the picture. That's the difference, and those are the two values that positively correlate in the case of the drone and the "museum-like" $6 folk-run tour. Not to mention feeling like something is missing because a real member of that society showed you what that society is like is just as futile as me feeling like something is missing because you produced the doc and I didn't. The former is no more sacred than the latter, so why elevate it at all?

Gosto muito da maneira como expões problemas, mas também soluções e algumas perguntas pertinentes que deixas por responder. Muito bom trabalho. Cumprimentos de Portugal

This is BY FAR , my favourite KZread Channel... I wish you guys could keep up the AMAZING job you do... Greetings from Argentina!

Found you guys on accident and I got to say, well done. Great emotion, story telling information and art. Keep going guys(girls)! I will definitely keep watching this.

"We are in Cuba, so my wife Kata is writing this description" wait what

@darthmusturd9526

4 жыл бұрын

KingLich ?? It’s a copy paste description

"By paying them we made them actors...." My heart broke.... a portion was smashed into a thousand pieces. No im not mad at the guy or the video... It breaks my heart is that its happening in my country... where our tradition and our culture turn into shows. The lack of realness, rawness.... how lost my generation became... where our culture is not something we enjoy but just a show to be praised, for attention, for money... turning a part of our identity for something lesser.... I love this video. There is wisdom in this and im very gladd its been posted

I just discovered this channel and I really, really like it. Really fascinating stuff, and so discerning.

I find you thoughts and analysis insightful. Thank you.

We have no right to demand you document someone's story. Their rights to privacy are more important. Foreigners have rights too and it's not right to scream and shout about our supposed "right" to information that's no ours.

_Because everybody hates a tourist_ _Especially one who thinks it's all such a laugh..._ _You will never understand how it feels to live your life_ _With no meaning or control, and with nowhere left to go_ _You're amazed that they exist, and they burn so bright_ _That you can only wonder why..._ -- "Common People"

@Halfded54

5 жыл бұрын

I live in Bangladesh and I was once going to my home with a rickshaw. I saw a Caucasian man filming some poor kids and people in Bangladesh. I gave him a stare since there was a whole line of rickshaws behind mine. I wish I had stopped that guy from invading their privacy. I wish I stopped that guy so that he wouldn't take pictures and circulate it and saying "Poor Bangladesh 😂😂." I apologise for being xenophobic, but you people shouldn't be here. You shouldn't take pictures and claim that a country is poor. You're making it worst for them. You're destroying what our government has helped build, not that they did anything other than censorship but yeah. You people shouldn't take pictures of people in our country. Look at the pictures of India and look at that of Bangladesh, it's batshit insane what these photos actually show.

@chairmanofrussia

5 жыл бұрын

Damocles So when we see footage of people in poorer countries staring at the camera, many westerners believe it’s because they “never saw a camera” but are you saying that in reality they’re just like “here goes another white guy filming everybody!”?

@Halfded54

5 жыл бұрын

+chairmanofrussia Think of this as something like this. A causcasian or asian man approaches a poor family. Those guys then take out their camera and point at the people. These people see the guy looking at them and then point the camera. Of course, they never saw a camera and they don't know what it does. But that is no excuse for filming people without their consent!! This situation happens so frequently that they actually go "Here's another man looking at us, filming everyone"

@TheAgeorge

4 жыл бұрын

@James Anderson It's as if no one in this thread has been to the rocky mountains, a museum or downtown in a western globalized city. It's not wrong for a busload of Chinese people to take in the beauty of the USA or Canada. It isn't wrong for Asian people to play western instruments like piano. All the same It's not wrong for a white privileged girl to backpack across India and find a passion or even a passing interest for yoga. You need to open your mind and see people through more lens than marxism/capitalism - we are more than that as a species.

@Ravi9A

4 жыл бұрын

@@Halfded54 This dude gets it.

I just came from the video you did on Tom Scott's channel. Wow. I had no idea you'd have something so moving, so thought provoking. I respect you for trying to answer difficult questions that matter in a realistic and levelheaded manner. You should use this video as your channel intro. It shows who you are.

Hi Evan, this is a little long and a little obscure but that only makes it seem more appropriate for you. One of the many things Immanuel Kant argued for was the idea that we should never treat people merely as means to an end but rather, we should also always treat people as ends in themselves. There are at least two things to take away from this: 1) People deserve our respect and consideration for no other reason than that they are people, and it at least hints at 2) It's not really possible to avoid using people as means at all. That is, it's not possible to ONLY respect people as ends in themselves. When you go to the doctor you may have nothing but respect for the doctor but you are also using the doctor as a means to your own health. So when are you MERELY using people as means to an end. Well, one way to tell that things have gone off the rails is if they don't consent to the ends you want to use them for. But as you noted, that's not always a sign that you've done wrong. From Kant's perspective, it's not so much the individuals you need to respect (although that's probably also a good thing) but their Humanity (Big H) - our shared humanity. Another thing to consider is that a person can fail to respect their own humanity (and get angry at other people who do). If you put that together I think you end up with an idea that you want to film in such a way that you are respecting the humanity of the people you are filming. Unlike Kant, I don't believe that there is a formula that's going to provide you with clear-cut answers for every case. I believe this is going to be a contemplative gut check for you every day you film. But having some general principles in the back of your mind as you make those gut checks can help an awful lot. They give you something to measure your moral record against as you practice the art of being a good human being. Here's a link if you want to dig deeper: plato.stanford.edu/entries/kant-moral/#HumFor Good luck and I really like the series.

I like how that video youtube says is "up next" is a video titled: hanoi train street will freak you out

Thank you for creating this awesome, inspiring series.

Always on point man, great video as always! I have no idea how you create such great and interesting content but congrats man, your work is amazing , keep showing us these incredible places and stories!

Hey Evan, I love how you didn't claim to know everything. I wanted to take this one step further and say that as much as emotion is important, it isn't simply about emotion - you can capture that or manufacture it in edgy photos or dramatic music. I like the idea of symbols and of leaving things unseen, too, and that's related to what I wanted to share. The word at the back of my mind was "relationships". As a psychologist and fellow human being, I believe that relationships are at the core of many of our problems and our joys. What made your experience with the kids and the drone non-exploitative? It was like one of those home video moments right? What then made it a good video in the sense that you could share it without feeling fake or exploitative? I want to suggest that it was because in that moment, you connected with the community - the relationship you had was the vessel of the emotions that you were able to capture and experience. Playing and sharing joy are really important to relationships, aren't they? It then becomes "ours", not just "mine" or "yours". I once had a client say to me that what she loved most about being close with her family was the ability to just "be stupid" together - which to me described a very non-judgemental, unconditionally accepting, and loving environment. And when we make these connections and relationships with the people we work with, it becomes so much more than a transaction (in the case of the $6), or emotional "theft" or exploitation (getting the immediate benefit, such as praise for making something great, where to focus ends up more on the artist than the subject - though I feel you guys do a great job of being tactful and focusing very appropriately). We have not simply taken from them - but also given of ourselves. This is my answer to why it feels wrong to share the footage of the man with the broom - to show it would just be taking, and profiting from his anger. He in the meantime would get nothing from it but further grief. You can't quantify this (like that unseen-ness of the man swinging his broom), but this sense of exchanging human experiences is, I believe, a piece of the answer to the question "What is Rare Earth?". It is "ours". Thanks for reading - I know it is a long comment! And thanks for continuing to make excellent videos that we can enjoy and, more importantly, connect to.

For once, KZread added a good video in the recommended section... Say hello to a new subscriber :)

I know this is now a year old but I've been on youtube a very very long time and I think this is the best video I've ever seen. Immense respect to you Evan Hadfield, and I also can't answer any of these questions.

Superbly thoughtful and thought provoking, well done sir.

The point is, we had no right to know about the phone in the first place.

@tilly3702

4 жыл бұрын

Manolis Theofilos but who decides that? Isnt it not our right to know tge history of man? There are people who dedicate their lives to documenting every detail of history so we can know. So tyat we can live on. So that others will know. Is it selfish to deny others that right? Or is tge telephone booth and history safeguarded by the sacred customs of an already established society and their culture. To what extent do we have the right to insert ourselves i to other ccultures and potentially change them? If a culture is dying, are we obligated to keep it alive and well? Or is change necessary? Who has the right to decide tgese things? That is the bigger picture.

There's an old man swinging a broom the whole time behind the camera.

Man, you are REALLY good at telling a story. Please keep up your videos and your style of telling them.

Excellent, excellent videos. Great subjects; great presentations: great perspectives. Rare Earth is a rare entity. Thank you!