....See? Nobody cares.
So, this is a new genetically modified skeptic video. And idk, I didn't vibe with this one at all. It just came off as like "arguing on the internet is a waste of time, i could have argued on piers morgan and instead spent 20 hours waiting to testify at the capitol! And idk, he looked so fricking drained. I know I would be. Like "oh god, why am I here? I can be arguing with steve bannon right now."
But yeah. He literally had an opportunity, argue with steven bannon or go out into "the real world" and do something there. And like many who go out into said "real world", they come back and act all super self righteous for it, acting like arguing on the internet is wasting time and blah blah blah.
now, sometimes it is a waste, and even i tend to get a little too wrapped up in it sometimes. Like I spend too much time arguing with people, and blogging about it, when I could be doing other stuff. but you know, someone has to do it, it's outreach, and it can make a difference. Especially if, like GMS, you have actual reach with your channel. Like dont ever think, if you got 900k subscribers youre wasting your time. Also dont think youre wasting your time if youre debating ideology. That stuff is important as it can define movements. Like, me crapposting on reddit might have actually helped eventually inspire some of andrew yang's philosophy. If you get in with the right people, you can make a difference.
if anything, for all the talk of "real world" activism changing things, i dont see how. And this is the disconnect I think a lot of people have with this stuff. Like Biden would always talk like he accomplished this, he accomplished that. but at the end of the day, a lot of people are like "did it actually tangibly make my life better? no". I mean, when you got people working all day, their work is their world. And most tend to define their world through said work as a result. But that also leaves people very distracted, and stuck in that little island of life, separated from everyone else. So people spend 40 hours a week working or more, they go home, they're too exhausted to do anything, they get a paycheck, and what do they notice? Rent going up, healthcare going up, groceries going up. And they get angry and vote for fascists like donald trump. because they dont know how to fix it, they see the democrats arent, so they vote for republicans.
Often times, the right news guy, if they watch the news, or youtube personality is the only way to get through to them. They dont have time to think stuff through themselves so they consume stuff.
but then you guy this guy doing community stuff and its like YEAH THIS IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE. I mean, I wanna quote Thomas Paine here:
There are, in every country, some magnificent charities established by individuals. It is, however, but little that any individual can do, when the whole extent of the misery to be relieved is considered. He may satisfy his conscience, but not his heart. He may give all that he has, and that all will relieve but little. It is only by organizing civilization upon such principles as to act like a system of pulleys, that the whole weight of misery can be removed.
And that's the thing, this itself is a trap. This idea that because you're doing "real world" charity work, youre making a difference. I mean, you might help SOME people, I'm not saying you wont. But are you gonna solve problems? Like on a systemic level? No. I mean, you might think arguing on the internet is like being the kid brother playing on a controller that isnt plugged in, but so is a lot of that stuff. It doesnt fix problems. it makes you feel like you are, but honestly, it's just too much work to solve problems. You need a systemic solution. And when I think of the most influential moments in history, like Jesus with his sermon on the mount, or various philosophers with their texts, or people like Rush Limbaugh, influencers MATTER. And we on the left need influencers. As some have been saying, we need our own Joe Rogan. We need people willing to put on that suit of armor and go out there and slay the dragon...which in this case means debate the fascists.
I'm not going to say that everyone arguing on the internet is doing so effectively. Im not saying it changes that many minds. A lot of the time, it is a relatively thankless task. And maybe for some, it doesnt get the old dopamine centers in the brain going like real world interaction does. But yeah. Idk, as I see it, someone has to do it. otherwise the other side wins the ideological war to change peoples' minds.
We need people who fulfill different roles. Some are good for in person real world things, but hey, dont knock the online crap, dont knock the arguing. Idk, it just comes off as self righteous. And then them talking about struggling and acting like they made a difference because they had to take care of a screaming kids or something, and how REWARDING that stuff is....ugh...no, can we NOT? Again, it's good SOME people get off on that, but I don't. And maybe I'm too terminally online here, but that's how I view it. Like, I just don't see the point. I dont think I would get enjoyment from that. I would find it very stressful. So stressful I'd probably be like "man I could be arguing on the internet right now instead of doing this." Or, you know, not just arguing, but you get the point. Point is, idk, I LIKE my quiet life of nto having to do a lot of in person things. Like, I watched another video where Linus worked at a tech mall in china for a day. And idk, again, I would find that stressful. Even if I like computers and could possibly enjoy troubleshooting stuff or doing tech support, I could see the pressure of the time sensitive nature of the job, the compulsion to perform quickly and well to be overwhelming. it would suck the enjoyment out of it. And yet, people act like this stuff is fulfilling, it just isn't to me.
Maybe I'm just different due to likely being autistic, but yeah.
I'm not saying this stuff to dunk on anyone who actually enjoys IRL stuff. I mean, we need people who do different roles, I just look at GMS and his choices and Im like "oh god, I'd rather do debate crap any day of the week than this crap." Even if I get burned out on it sometimes, and I DO get burnout from doing it too much, trying too hard, trying to force things, etc., I do get compassion fatigue and dillahunty syndrome, but a lot of that is because I dont really take care of myself and disconnect and chill sometimes. And some of it is because people are genuinely morons. Idk, like, I should try to chill out and do other things sometimes too. Instead of feeling a compulsion to perform 24/7. Even though I hate the protestant work ethic, I get very work ethicy sometimes in my own life and I end up pushing myself too hard, rather than letting myself be rejuvenated and refreshed from breaks and occasional disconnects.
But that's a lot different than being like "debating is totally a waste of time, so why not engage in IRL charity work instead?" Again, if you're an extroverted person, maybe you like that stuff. I would find that to be hell. So nah, back to my cave with me. I'm good, GMS, really. You do you, though.
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