there is a rock in my house
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- Опубліковано 12 тра 2022
- been feeling kinda rough so i made this. be back to silly things soon.
thanks to my patrons: / briandavidgilbert
with camera help from karen han: / karenyhan
this is where brian david gilbert is:
/ briandavidgilbert
/ briamgilbert
briandavidgilbert.com - Комедії
this song hits harder than actually getting hit by a rock.
it rocks harder than a rock
One thing! Just one thing! Please tell IT to me: WHY tf do I have so many fans even though no UA-camr is unprettier than I am? WORLDWIDE!!!! WHY??? Tell me, dear ba
even if its a metaphorical rock
i know from experience
Fr
Brian is so good at translating “mundane” fears, like attaching yourself to an online persona and becoming dependent on it, into “post-scary” horror. It’s not scary to watch, but it sticks dread in your head the same way as horror.
Yeap, also am i the only person who thinks the rock is a stand in for phones, the internet and social media?
@@dyppityjoop5912 I thought it was a stand in for an abusive relationship
The idea that it might all be in his head is there, but what if the rock is really doing that to him? Both options are unsettling.
I think it is about abusive relationships, becoming dependent on something that isn’t good for you. I also think it’s a rock to make easy to see something in your life that troubles you as well. Relatable
I think it's about a rock
“so I guess I will be treating myself bad for now” is such a poignant line
I know. And I said aloud, "badly"
It wouldn’t scan in the meter… also I do think people use “bad” in that way informally. It’s fine.
If anyone ever finds out when "for now" ends please let me know
@@seven471 Well you’re not doing badly, you’re being bad, to yourself
@@DeathnoteBB it’s modifying “treat” which is a verb so you would want to use the adverb “badly”, but it’s informal so “bad” is fine too
"And the rock tells me that if i stop looking at it, then i will stop existing and there's no more me. And i think the rock is lying, but i really can't be sure, because i've never tried to stop looking at the rock."
This is what trying to get out of depression feels like.
oh god yes, this hurts, it resonates with me so much I can feel it. And the fears were right for me. My major depression has passed and now this normal-ish less intense depression doesn't define me, doesn't cradle me like it used to and I have been struggling with not knowing who I am or what I want. I'm totally lost without my rock. Ohhhhh... My rock... lol I get it now.
@@Erin-000 i understand how you feel. this is the last weapon that depression uses against anyone trying to leave, but let me tell you from experience that this feeling means you're already on the right path. i know it's a cliche phrase, but things do get better. it might feel that by clearing away the depression you've created an empty space in the place where your identity used to be, but actually you've just created the necessary space for yourself to grow and evolve as a person. it's scary at first, but it's worth it. keep moving forward, my friend! i wish you the best
I get this so much. It's like, I know that the way I feel isn't normal, and I also know that I'm slowly improving (which SHOULD be a good thing), but at the same time, it feels like the less depressed I feel, the less like me feel. I've also used suicidal ideation as a coping mechanism for years (never made an attempt, I've gotten close before, but never made that step), and I know it's not healthy to start wanting to die every time something in my life goes even a little bit badly, but by giving that up, I somehow feel like I'm no longer myself.
My self-identity is so tied up in depression and suicidal ideation that I often don't know where the depression ends, and where I start.
As I said, I'm slowly getting better, but it often feels like I'm fighting against this other part of me (that might not even be me, it could just be the depression) that just wants to go back to how I was before, and give up and die, because I'll never really be free of this.
@@electroman224 i understand. it's so difficult to get out, because the depression keeps saying that you can never escape it and that even if you manage to, you will no longer be yourself. these things aren't true. getting out isn't easy, but it's possible. and even though going back will feel tempting and easy for a long time, eventually even that feeling will fade away.
as for the identity part, who we are is always shifting and evolving. just because you are leaving something that feels like a part of you behind, doesn't mean that you'll have nothing left. it just means you're changing and growing, and that is scary but it's also good
sometimes toxic coping mechanisms are all we have, and they can help us out to an extent, but in the end they just make things worse for us. i have my own share of unhealthy coping mechanisms, so i know both how helpful they can be when you have nothing else, and how difficult it is to get rid of them.
im glad to hear that you're doing better. remember that this is a slow process, and not always straightforward, but there is an end to it if you keep moving forward. i wish you the best
Hope everyone is doing good.
Oh good he's still alive and doesn't have to always look at the rock
If you check the shirt... I think he does have to look at the rock actually
@@Urammar OHH ITS A DRUG METAPHOR
or is he? *vsauce music*
he took so long bc he was busy looking at the rock
aye i like ur stream
At first I was so sure that the rock was a one-to-one metaphor for a phone and social media addiction and scrolled down to the comments to see if others felt similarly. Instead, I found every one finding their own meaning and different rocks taking over their lives and that was so much more beautiful. I hope we can all choose to look away from our rocks and find some peace some day.
That was what I had thought
i think its about a rock with the devil living inside it
okay but what if your rock is just a rock
@@PandaXs1 might be true but dont take it for granite
The rock is a stand-in for anything or group you are attached to, especially ones that are emotionally manipulative
Brian. I saw this for the first time just 2 days ago. Today I went to the doctors to tell them I was an alcoholic. After which I called my mom and admitted it. I'm going to go to treatment and counseling now. I'm terrified. There are certain people in my life who I love very much, who I may lose as a result. But I can tell that I'm killing myself. I have no choice. But I know I'm finally doing the right thing. Thanks Brian. You have genuinely and literally inspired me to get help. Thank you so much.
I hope everything goes your way, and wish you only the best!
best of luck !
Good luck mate. Stay strong.
You've got this :))
hope everything is going okay for you! you deserve to be happy!!
This is the song of all time. It’s about cell phones. It’s about the guy I like. It’s about cool rocks. It’s about Cthulhu.
i thought it was about eds/toxic relationships/self harm
@@AlexLynch-tz9ep It is. It’s about all of those things.
@@AlexLynch-tz9epit is about everything
People often make jokes about how you're never sure whether a BDG vid will turn into an existential horror or a banger of a song, but I think Brian just managed to do both
That's a pretty common third category, tbph
@scale Hell yeah dude I'm also glad Brian uploaded again
It’s pretty much always both
a
i both want to listen to it again and am scared to do so
The songs hit different when you're a geologist with a rock collection.
they're *MINERALS* KIMBERLY!
Yeah studying geology and I have a lot of very needy rocks
@@NoStereo you beat me to it with the Hank joke.
typical geologist, can only see rrrocks and minerahls
this comment hits different when your hate for geologists is purely theatrical
brian, if you see this i want you to know this video genuinely gave me the strength to begin moving on from an incredibly toxic relationship and to stop punishing myself for the things he did to me. thank you so much
You can be proud of yourself for that 🤍
I'm proud of you. I think if Brian saw your comment, he'd be proud of you as well.
Fantastic job. I'm so proud of you
You tore yourself away from the rock. That takes a lot of resolve
That’s so awesome!!!!:D wow congrats man nice job 👍
Everything Everywhere All At Once: We're the only ones who can tell a decisive story beat through dialogueless shots of a still rock.
BDG: Hold my beer
But the rocks in EEAAO do have a dialogue...
@@brendonhavenerand more importantly, googly eyes
Such a jaunty, fun tune about obsessive-compulsive intrusive thoughts.
Or possibly a metaphor for an abusive relationship
And here I was thinking it could be referring to smart phones
@@olive_riggzey "it tells me that if I stop looking at it I will stop existing"
I don't think that works with smartphones tbh
Social media maybe?
I thought it was about addiction to substances to be honest.
@@fakename287 That was kind of where I was going with it, but I really like the intrusive thought take, too. So many different ways to interpret things! For all we know it could just be about a very scary rock.
I’ve always liked rock music, but this is a new level 🪨
I just got the joke lol
"music with rocks in" 👍😁
💀👨🏻🌾🌾
Check out Rocks Rock by Henry Oak
Specifically by Dungeons and Daddies
🪨
So strange that Brian looking at the rock brings color to his shirt
I never noticed that before.
Considering he starts wearing it after explaining how he feels he is insufficent to the rock's standards, the clip before showing an insecurity with his appearence facial appearence, the rock is making him wear the shirt.
He feels compelled to make clothing choices due tot he rock's influence
@@jacobcarrasco6539 Right? Also I've noticed he shaves for the rock, hurting himself in the process and the band-aid is there showing hurt until he stops looking at the rock
If we think of the rock as a metaphor for the internet, then the colorful shirt could represent putting on a persona, which as any content creator can sympathize can be an exhausting thing to maintain.
That is just such a small thing that I would have never found it without you.
@@dorianhargis6246Brian David Gilbert puts stuff like this in basically all his videos.
I did end up watching this several dozen times before I noticed
This song is either the deepest, most ingenious and well thought out commentary on all of the world's issues and mental illness or just a song about literally looking at a rock.
Maybe it's both, maybe it's neither. Either way it's neat. Like a cool rock.
Ingenious? More like igneous
that's art babey!
@@sithdude2436💀
Babe wake up new BDG song...
Look at the rock.
I create entertaining vids as well
This is josh's first comment on a bdg video i can smell the nft potential
Damn look who it is, "funny haha British man" himself
second monitor comment
really loved that he looked back at the rock at the end. very concisely got across the “well, one more look to see if it’s still there won’t hurt” kind of feeling, especially because that “last” look often restarts the cycle of obsession. and it doesn’t necessarily mean he can’t ever look away from it again, just that it’s alright if fails and has to try again
The rock is eurydice.
And the fact that his shirt changes makes me think it didn’t end well
As a person with OCD this is a perfect summary
@@k80_ Now I'm imagining a modern portrayal of that myth with Eurydice played by Dwayne Johnson.
Well he did have to check to make sure it wasn't moving closer to try to kill him for discovering all of the lies the rock told
This song works as an anthem for explaining so many things. It sounds like OCD, it sounds like trauma bonding, it sounds like parasocial relationships, it sounds like addiction, it sounds like an eating disorder. I don't know what Brian was thinking about when making this, but it kind of doesn't even matter. Somehow this is a song that resonates really, really widely. That's a powerful talent 🌱
Prolly' thinking about rocks.
That's the thing about art. Art is never blunt, it's always vague to some degree (in a good way) and always open for interpretation.
Having said that, it amuses me that in schools (at least where Im from) they make you read certain books from an obligatory list and then literally kill them by providing the "one and true" interpretation of the texts. And if the book resonates with the student on a different plane than what the teacher (or rather the educational system) intended, it's considered incorrect.
@@Protegit my brain hurts
Can we go back to just thinking about rocks? c:
@@FriendlyNeighborhoodNarcissist Umm, sure XD
@@Protegit c:
When your date leaves you alone with their Himalayan salt lamp , and you're resisting the urge to lick it.
both "I guess I will be treating myself bad for now" and "so I'll keep myself attached to the rock I have" hit hard, especially since calling something "your rock" is usually the thing that keeps you grounded, but in this case weighed down with the pull of self destruction
Jesus christ this hit me hard
ua-cam.com/video/mpOkBNG6Elg/v-deo.html
Finally it’s here.
What are cement shoes but simply shoes made of lots of tiny little rocks?
the rock is actually the friends we made along the way
Yup!
Okay serious analysis time:
When Brian turns away from the rock, we see he is wearing a different shirt, however when he turns back he is wearing the same shirt as before.
This implies to me that the rock was, to a degree, correct; Brian, as he is in that moment, does not exist when he looks away from the rock. The moment he looks away from the rock he is someone else, someone happier, someone less burdened. But when he looks back at the rock his anxieties and self-doubts flood back and he goes back to existing the way he was before.
It raises epistemological questions about our definitions of the self: Are we still ourselves when we grow and shed our inhibitions? Or do we become someone else? And if we do, what happens to that previous person we were?
And, more importantly, where do I get a sweet rock like that? It looks neat.
And most importantly, where is Dwayne Johnson?
ronck
Interesting, I took it as a metaphor for phone-use/social media. Phones are really just a bunch of rocks, after all.
@@Eclyptical That's actually a much more obvious reading I hadn't even considered, nice!
The rock is cool, but it started taking up more of my life than I intended. It fills my brain with bad thoughts, but I’m afraid to look away.
He also started out reading a book, and by the end all he can do is stare at the rock
This song is not a metaphor. Brian just thinks rocks don't know what's going on.
they're dopey as heck, don't know why we respect something that can't do long division write petitions or pay with a cheque
I CAN DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS!
The rock obviously a metaphor for the Ice crown
real
@actualwomenlover finally someone who got it
what is this a reference to
@@childeofepickness Adventure time
I know a lot of other comments have said this, but I love how the rock works as a metaphor for so many types of addictions. BDG is very good at what he does, whether it’s deep metaphors, short-form horror, ice cream recipes, Halloween-themed ABBA covers, being an entire boyband, or whatever the birdwatching one was.
"whatever the bird watching one was" is the only way to describe it
the bird watchers were clearly an elder god's cult. same with the boyband
And Pumpkin Cowboy, cant forget him
We Like Watching Birds was just a 100% accurate description of twitch birders. (Nothing to do with the website)
The birdwatching one was about birds. AND NOTHING ELSE.
Am a geologist, can confirm, I can't look away from rocks either. You can look away from a rock but another one takes its place, it never ends
Life is just a constant sequence of moving from looking at one rock to another.
Like Sisyphus, we are bound to our own rocky torment
Brian's shirt changes when his feelings of the rock become resentful and changes back to his old shirt when he isnt focused on it. Weird little touches like these are so fun to notice
Brian I really hope you're okay with all of us in the comments so strongly and sporadically relating to such a personal piece of art as this. I'm torn between wanting to make sure you have space to let this song be about what it's about, for YOU - and losing my mind because I've never had a literal OCD anthem like this before. I'm also becoming more and more aware of silly artsy internet creators I love having a wildly complex relationship towards having such a big and focused following, so I REALLY hope you're taking as much time away from all this as you need to take care of yourself and get whatcha need to feel better. you don't owe us anything king!!!!!!!
YO IT IS A PERFECT OCD ANTHEM HOLY SHIT I ALSO HAVE OCD
Holy FUCK you're so right
Yeah...BDG you a person too...who deserves time to himself
Rachel Bloom, who has OCD, wrote this song complete with dance: ua-cam.com/video/Ug19JBIIycs/v-deo.html
As someone with OCD who has things he "must" do, this hits pretty hard, and I've never felt so seen, and I'm not sure how to feel about that.
Agreed. I have it too, my friend 🥲
Being seen is weird, isn’t it? I wonder if BDG has OCD. I’m not sure if the song is even about OCD explicitly, but to me, it feels like it is.
@@silversalmon1541 doesn't it? Like, I feel this so strong. There are so many things in my life that feel exactly like this. This one was wild for me. Lol.
I was seconds away from commenting this is exactly what my OCD feels like
100%
People with addiction can relate to some of this, too. I just recently read some fascinating literature about how both conditions partially work with rushes of dopamine, a signal of wanting to do, that can grow stronger and stronger while the answering opiate response of satisfaction is dwindling or completely absent.
Man the harmonies at the "la di da" part at the end were really satisfying. How is Brian this good of a musician and a weird music skit writer and an editor? Damn.
Wow you're right that's top notch
Especially with the winds in the background.
for some reason, the audio did not play on my device and i was so certain everyone saying the music was good were just joking. there is an uncomfortable horror in watching this video completely silent.
I came to the comments to see if other people appreciated that part as much as me.
I didn't have to look for long.
Right? I had to rewind and listen to that part again because it’s so pretty.
Something I enjoy is the droning ambience when Brian says the rock told him things, and how it stopped and became very quiet and calmer when he finally stopped looking at the rock. Sometimes we may think we've stopping thinking about a subject, but sometimes It'll always be there.
The rock reminds me of a short story by Jorge Luis Borges called The Zahir. The premise is that there is always something on earth that is the Zahir. It can be anything from a coin to a tiger to the bottom of a well, but no matter what it is it creates an all consuming obsession for anyone that even momentarily glances at it. No matter how briefly you look at it, it slowly eats away at your mind and dreams until you can no longer perceive external reality, being too obsessed with the Zahir to even conceptualize anything else.
this really resonated with my experience of having ocd, with the rock representing compulsions and intrusive thoughts. glad to see there are others in this comment section sharing the same sentiment :-) amazing work as always mr bdg
The same sediment? Eh?
@@ejmcmurtrie lol
Absolutely my first thought as well
Me too!! It's actually such a great metaphor for it.
I was literally just thinking that, and scrolled down into the comments to see if anyone else mentioned it!
Two weird details I noticed:
-At 1:00, when Brian is outside but the camera is in, the vocals are slightly muffled, as if the song is diegetic.
-The end of the song confirms that the weird rainbow shirt is directly correlated to him looking, as soon as he looks away, it’s off, but when he looks back, it’s on again immediately.
In other words, great work as always, Brian!
I mean he's mostly looking at the rock while shaving and all scenes prior but maybe that was the 'point of no return'
we loved the detail with the music being muffled, it's so funny
What's diegetic mean?
@@deella.3339 Diagetic means that the song actually comes from somewhere in the scene.
Also when he looks away his bandaid is gone.
I feel like everyone can relate to this song differently. For a lot of people it’s social media, or a certain toxic person in their lives. When I first watched it, I thought it was about substance abuse. It’s really beautiful and I think helps a lot of us remember that we really can, in theory, just stop doing these things. Physically, that is, we can just walk away from our phones. But we’re tied to them, and afraid that it contains all that we are. Something like that.
That said, I hope you’re okay, Brian. And if you need time to stop looking at your rock, I hope you can do it. We’ll all still like you, even if you can’t come back. Your videos have been an important part of my life, and I’m just glad I could enjoy them.
Can we just take a moment to appreciate that when the shot is looking through a door the audio is muffled? The details are astounding in everything BDG produces.
don't know why, Brian's smile after he chose to turn away and stopped looking at his rock is so……so charismatic and emotional, it's almost infectious.
It’s some really good and very subtle acting, actually - I knew he was great at over-the-top comical bombast, but those expressions at the end of this video go through a lot of really subtle but effective looks.
He conquered his rock. He conquered his worries.
it's so extraordinarily _genuine_ that it almost makes me think this isn't a metaphor and he legitimately has a magically addictive rock.
If you need to look away for a while or for forever that's ok. You've given us so many classic videos I think we can let them pass into legendary status.
@Schlugel oh no
Yeah, I'm grateful for all his work. Given how much he's done for us, he deserves peace.
ua-cam.com/video/mpOkBNG6Elg/v-deo.html
Finally it’s here.
This is extremely similar to an experience I had once except the object was a flag and the goal was to NOT look at it. If I looked at the flag something bad would happen. I didn't know what, but I just knew that if I looked at the flag it would be bad. This went on for months, I passed that flag every day on my way to work. I memorized where it was on my journey so that I knew when to not look out the bus window. Because if I looked at the flag something bad would happen. Thanks BDG, I feel seen(but don't worry, seeing me probably wont incur the wrath of the horrible unknown, unlike that fucking flag).
How do you know it was a flag? Did you _look at it?_
My 10-year-old and I love watching BDG videos together, and we were talking about metaphors and all the things this song could be trying to say... she said, "He's such a good boy, I just want him to be happy, even if that means he needs to take a break from making videos." I couldn't agree more.
Whoa. I feel like this is a great analogy for fear, anxiety, abusive relationships, toxic religious dogma, unquestioned overbearing ideals forced upon us by the media, and others, and society! Or it's just a alien rock holding a dark wizard.
or it could be a metaphor for internet addiction
Definitely all of those things - the dark wizard is powerful and has minions.
@@sophiarhoads1196 Internet/Twitter was my first thought, too. I mean it's broadly applicable to any toxic relationship with anything or anyone of course. But this song specifically, but this person specifically, with these words specifically... I think it's the internet, being a content creator, us.
It is the phylactery for a real cruel son of a lich.
never feel guilty for looking away from the rock. the rock can only give you so much before it's taken more than it deserves
Thanks PuttPutt
Very very well said. An important thought to keep in mind, for sure.
this came out at a time where i was recovering from eight months of hell that an abusive significant other had put me through. although its a far cry from what the other people in the comments seem to be putting it felt like it fit so perfectly. my abuser always made me feel like i was awful for doing anything other than serving his every need, be it emotional, social, s*xual, you name it. this song really hit me bc the idea that it was a rock reminded me of how i saw him as my rock and if i left him my world would fall apart, and the fact that i was a jagged rock even reminded me of how much he hurt me. i dont feel like i need to decipher the lyrics bc this seems like a song about a toxic relationship with literally anything in the universe. still, it hit home and made me feel a glimmer of not being alone.
thanks brian, you're pretty cool i guess.
For me, my 'rock' I guess would be the anxiety and intrusive anxious thoughts that I've been struggling with for years. Lately I've realised that it will feel easier to let myself stay anxious than to try and get better, simply because that anxiety is all I've really known for much of my adolescence. When I first started therapy I had a significant decrease in my level of anxiety. Which got replaced by anxiety about the fact that I wasn't feeling anxious.
The more I stop looking at the rock the easier it becomes to do.
I love that his work feels open to many interpretations. To me it sounds like a toxic relationship. You feel "tied to a rock," weighed down and unpleasant, with too many demands on your hands--but at the same time you are afraid of what you will be/the guilt you will feel if you leave that "rock," that person, behind you.
I'm gonna say rock = phone and by extension social media and mob mentality
also the line ”so I guess I will be treating myself bad for now” because you know the person is bad for you, but also in some situations are reliant on you and you’ve decided to put their well being above your own
As soon as he turned around, he got cleaned up and lost the cut, yet when he looked back at the rock, it all reappeared as though it never left. Beautiful
That's partly the case. He had still lost the beard he'd been growing, and which the rock had told him to shave. But also, his shirt changed from the colorful one he wore once he'd shaved to the grey one he wore before he looked at the rock. Also, his hair before he looked away was messier than when he looked away.
And then he looks back.
Once you've clawed your way out of the hole, don't look back guys. It's the first step to falling back in.
It seems like part of the filming process as well
as someone with ocd, i can relate to this a ton- especially the part where he says he doesn’t know if what the rock is saying is true, but just in case, to be sure, he might as well just keep looking at it.
now, thank you for THIS existential horror dream...thing (catchy. I think I should listen to it... again... and again?)
And watch Brian's shirt. It changes when he's not looking at the rock!
The amount of emotion this man can fit into subtle expressions and movements astounds me, and Karen's camera angles added a lot.
Most of all, though, I'm impressed by how specific yet general this is. It could apply to something internal or external of various causes and yet fits each one perfectly.
Yes, the facial expressions at the end were incredible acting.
I love that everyone has such different interpretations for what the “rock” specifically is and I think that it was done intentionally. *Everyone* has their own version of what their rock is. Maybe it’s a relationship with a person, or maybe it’s an attachment to something like social media or even the idea of having to mask who you really are around others.
There is no right or wrong when it comes to what the rock is, but one day we may all break free of having to attach ourselves to whatever it may be.
100%
I think, when I share this, I won't mention what Brian said the 'rock' is to him simply because the bias we emotionally offer the authorial intent can get in the way of valuable personal interpretations. Hey, sometimes you even see something about the author; one of the most famous horror stories about an alcoholic family man was written by someone who would not have called himself that at the time, but now often does. Not saying that's happening here, just that it happens.
But anyway, Brain Divide Gilded says this song is about the metal, gold, silicon and glass brick that his job and hell live in.
For me the act of looking at the rock reminded me of some of my OCD compulsions, the lingering fear that if you don't engage in your compulsion something bad will happen is very real.
on a serious note this is quite relatable in terms of toxic relationships. ive just gotten out of mine. it is now illegal for that rock to contact me. I hope this means ill never have to deal with a rock like that again.
i really did hit rock bottom for a while... ( you may cheer and holler and shit yourself uncontrollably in the replies)
I like how he adds identity into the mix, he changes his whole appearance when he looks away from the rock, his identity is consumed by his addiction, he thinks that the rock is all he is, but when he looks away his actual identity returns.
I love how the color of the shirt contrasts directly with a narrative of control. The shirt is grey (may be interpreted as mundane) while free, falling into, or breaking out of the influence of the rock and the shirt is colorful, vibrant, and energetic while being held against your will. I almost thought it an editing error the first time I saw it (1:24 wardrobe change) but subtly returning to a previous state through the use of wardrobe is unbelievably clever. I also appreciate the complexity of forced performance (colorful shirt being a representation of a performance, assumed forced by the rock) from abusive and controlling forces shown through shirt color choice.
I know Brian will probably never see this but I'm sending you good vibes, healthy boundaries with people and work, and lots of rest. I love your work but I hope you're taking care of yourself
Yes!!! The rock is obviously a metaphor but the shirt is a visual metaphor too and I didn’t see it until the very end. Such a minor detail but very powerful and totally brilliant of Brian.
The colorful shirt symbolizes the need to "put on a show" for social media/society (or an equivalent). Society can influence you to be creative and colorful, but it can be overbearing. Wearing the grey shirt while out of view or influence of the rock symbolizes comfort and tranquility. Life might be unvaried, but life is simple.
the colors in the colorful shirt look puke the background of his profile pic and hasn’t he talked in an unraveled about people telling him what to do with his facial hair before ?
This feels like a representation of a toxic relationship, he one day looks at the rock, he finds it neat but then the rock tries convincing him that without it he will die and he has to give it attention.
And its important to add, that toxic relationships can be formed with ourselves. Everyone has, for lack of a better term, brain-rocks that we know are untrue or unhealthy thoughts, but we've become reliant on them for whatever reason. Step 1 is recognizing the rock, step 2 is seeing what it's like without the rock, and then step 3 is the long rocky back and forth of healing. It's why I don't see the end as a negative. It's ok to return to comfort zones when dealing with new things. But acknowledging what ones rocks are is the most important step. What's great about the metaphor being so well streamlined is that the details are irrelevant. For me this reminds me of my journey as a trans woman, but that's because I'm the one looking at it. The rock can be anything: relationships, addiction, anxiety, ocd, intrusive thoughts, identity, sexuality, whatever. And as an added bonus, it's catchy as hell 💜
I had the same interpretation
It's cool how every line feels like a setup to a nice rhyme right up until he definitely does not rhyme.
coming from a geologist, that's actually a mineral and they're much needier than rocks
“They’re minerals, Marie!” OK, Hank…
'I will feel extremely bad for choosing to do other things' hit me harder than it should've
Also I hope you start to feel better soon. With my authority as a preschool teacher I also give you blanket permission to take an extra long nap when you need it and drink some apple juice. Sometimes the idea of resting is scarier than the actual responsibilities that are keeping us from doing it
appy juice and naps, the best recovery. god bless you.
"and I think the rock is lying but I really can't be sure because I've never tried to stop looking at the rock" ok but this is just how I experience paranoid delusions
I beat the bot to this one
thank you bald neil cicierega
Yes exactly!!! Omfg
Beat the bot by a whole hour
I like that at the end he looks back at the rock, it's never so easy as people say, you son t just look away and then everything is better and you never look back. You look back and look away over and over again and go to therapy and gain skills to stop looking/ put parameters in place to not look until you can finally stop looking for long periods of time then eventually be you slip, but you keep trying and working on it until it's been years since you looked at the rock
His background working with polygon makes this an obvious league of legends analogy
I love the sense of unease he accomplishes by throwing away a rhyme scheme. It reminds me of baroque music using weak cadences to create more forward momentum by depriving clean resolution
I noticed the drop, but I never thought it could be intentional. Sounds like something BDG would do. Nice catch
to me the rock is isolation
i’ve always liked being alone and never had many friends, at first I enjoyed it, but recently I realized how terrible it was for me to constantly be alone. now i’m so used to it that I don’t know what kind of person I am without it and tend to push people away from any form of connection. every time i’ve tried to stray from the rock and try hanging out with friends I find myself feeling miserable
I think I know what you're going through. I used to be similarly isolated and didn't enjoy interactions, and I didn't really understand what my "specialty" was or what I brought to the table when interacting with people. But through a lot of trial and error, I slowly learned what kinds of interactions and people I truly enjoyed, and I figured out what my personality really was and what I was good at. (For example, it turns out I really enjoy 1-on-1 deep conversations over video chat, and there are specific friends I have that are on the same "wavelength" in that sense, so I end up talking to them a lot.) I'll admit that I had to try a bunch of things and interact with a lot of people to get to this point, and most of the things and people I tried didn't resonate with me, even after multiple attempts. But it was ultimately worth it because I'm in a much better place now. I know exactly who I enjoy spending time with and what I enjoy doing with them, and I now have the confidence and skills to do those activities well. Stay strong and keep trying. But do it all at your own pace. :)
fucking hell why'd you have to remind me, i was having such a good time not relating to this video
I relate to this very much as someone who's Autistic and also has complex PTSD. If you're very different from the norm in terms of socialising, do consider if there might be some neurodivergence and/or mental illness behind it. My suggestions for being more sociable are:
a) focus on quality of interactions not quantity - the goal might be to find a small group of people you genuinely enjoy talking to / hanging out with, and maybe still needing a lot more alone-time than most people - rather than setting the goal of a 'normal' amount of socialising.
b) once you find some people like that (or if you already have a few) tell them what you're going through and that you want to work on it, so you have their support, both to help you connect more, and also to understand why you aren't always able to connect.
c) make a plan, but take it slow! Having a structure to help motivate you to build in more social time can be really helpful - like "for the next 2 months I'm going to make an effort to send a text to each friend/close family once a week, even if it's just to ask 'how's it going?" and the next step might be "I'm going to try to have a short skype with my closest friend every Sunday afternoon, even if I don't feel like it. They know I'm struggling and will understand." If you aren't able to meet certain 'goals' on time don't beat yourself up, just adjust your plan. Remember the whole point is to find a way to make social time an enjoyable part of your life, not punish yourself. There's a concept in the treatment for c-PTSD called 'The Window of Tolerance' which is about finding the edges of where you're comfortable (which might currently be very narrow) and then incrementally pushing those edges a bit further out and getting used to feeling comfortable in that slightly bigger space.
Hope some of that helps! Good luck x
isolation getting into every aspect of my life is something I definetly relate with. So I'd like to remind you the same thing I remind myself every once in a while: You are not your lonlieness. There is so much of you outside of it. It's possible for you to live without isolation. The road to get there is really hard, so when in doubt remember! There is a you that is happy at the end of the road! Stay strong!
hey thanks for all the advice, I actually really appreciate it :)
This has been helping me with my OCD so much. Brian, you have no idea how much good you've done for my mental health.
Mmm, a metaphor for existential crisis disguised as a story about a rock is my favorite genre of content
This is literally just what having OCD is like. Not even a hyperbole.
For real, there’s so many comments like “wow so many meanings” and like, great that people get something else out of it, but the most crushing part of the song is that it’s just a totally straightforward description of OCD symptoms. It’s just not a metaphor or a layered thing at all.
100%, the compulsions and how you want to stop but your brain tells you that you will not survive if you ignore them. And you can avoid them for a while sometimes, but still end up giving in unless you have enough outside support.
I had a wrist surgery and the stitches were driving me mad from the sensation of them but also because my OCD absolutely laser focused on them and I was barely able to sleep for over a week until I had a breakdown and ended up removing them a few days before the 2 week mark that they were originally supposed to come out (but I wouldn't have been able to get done until week 3.) And I had been asking for help, I'd asked to get them checked at the ER and stuff but my family blew me off because it seemed fine to them, and when I was having the breakdown I tried to call my partner but they didn't pick up and I couldn't hold off anymore.
Terrible decision to make and could have ended up with a nasty infection, but in the end I was ok and holy guacamole the relief when they were finally out and my brain was quiet for the first time in two weeks. I think if I'd be able to get an appointment to remove them at the time they were supposed to be, I would have been able to hold out just a few days longer. But my body was not responding well to them and my brain wasn't helping me ignore the worrying sensations and symptoms I was experiencing.
In the end the only negative impact was that my scar is slightly wider than it might have been otherwise (though that could've been from my ocd fueled dermatillomania) but I am incredibly lucky it turned out that way
I definitely need to make sure I have a good support system before the next surgery I get. And probably have a nurse come a couple of times during recovery to help with care and soothe my worries
"The rock" is many things. It's different for everyone. BDG really excels at making absurd sounding songs with deep metaphorical meaning.
Unless this one is literal, then I'm worried for him.
If you check the description, I’m pretty sure it is.
No, I’m pretty sure this is quite literal.
Everyone in the comments is like “wow so many layers” and obviously it’s great that people relate to it in different ways, but it’s clear enough that this is just straightforwardly about serious OCD.
It’s so crushing because it’s *not* a metaphor. His “thing(s)” might not actually be looking a rock, but even then the point is that what the thing actually is is totally arbitrary.
@@PseudoPseudoDionysius I have OCD, and I agree with you 100%. It’s the first thing I thought of when I saw the video.
I wonder if BDG has it? Even if not, this video makes me feel validated in my illness and I love that.
I don't doubt that this video is about something in Brian's life (personally, I think it's very likely talking about his UA-cam career), but that is still a metaphor. The song being literal would mean there is an actual rock/eldritch horror (eldritch horrock?) forcing Brian to look at it.
To be fair, nowhere in the song does he say "this song is not a metaphor," so it could go either way.
This song, unironically, hits different after you’ve been in a toxic relationship.
I… feel like this song has absolutely no deeper meaning
The pressure of being a "content creator". Us. We're the rock.
Notice how when he's looking away he's wearing a normal grey shirt. When he looks back at the rock he's wearing vivid, bright colors again. His "persona". What he *has* to be for the rock.
This is such a good interpretation of the shirt color change oh my god
I finished watching and my wife immediately asked "is the rock my cell phone?" and my mind was blown.
I mean it seems like he's taking a break from twitter recently if there's any connection
Glad I'm not the only one that immediately thought of my phone!
Definitely where my mind went. I was surprised to see takes on abusive relationships - I guess it struck a chord for different people in different ways.
i don’t know why more people dont get that, like hes laying down outside looking at it like you would in bed
@@musicbykurt it gave me OCD vibes off the bat but it's pretty amazing how many ways this can be interpreted
I love how everyone is relating to this song because music brings people together even if it's a song about a threatening rock, music is a gateway to minds, but I'm just thinking about how that rock is most likely quartz. You can look through a window or at some ceramic and you're looking at the same rock
from the way he was dressed while looking a the rock vs when he looked away, ie as the character BDG vs a normal everyday guy, it seems pretty clear to me the rock was the youtube channel, and the feelings of guilt one can get when you just can't muster up your all into "creating content" for an audience that's constantly reminding you that they're waiting for you to give them more teehee funnies
Makes me wonder if this could be about his time making Unraveled
You're more than what you create. Even on a superficial and impersonal level, you're cared about beyond just being someone entertaining. I hope you have a good break!
The Redwall nerd in me is going NUTS seeing you reading a Brian Jacques novel at the start. This brings me joy ❤
my eye also caught that instantaneously lmao
Looking forward to more from Green Bastion.
Had to rewind the first bit because I spent that time being catapulted back to middle school
Came here looking for this. Eulalia!
@@CaptainOblivious23 Salamandastron!
I hate that I legitimately don’t know what I’d be without my “rock,” it’s something I discuss a lot with my therapist (though I don’t see her super often)
I should honestly show her this video, though idk how I would because we have phone call meetings
Say "pull up [this video] on UA-cam and watch it. Right now. I wanna talk about it "
Email it to her
This song applies to anyone, we all have something like this in our lives. Its an excellent song.
For some its their work, for some its social media.
For me its my large collection of rocks.
Love all these different interpretations in the comments. OCD? Abuse? Content creation? There's so many ways to think about this song and the things it parallels or can describe, it's really cool
I think that is because it isn't necessarily describing any one condition or action, but instead a state of mentality that all these conditions relate to. Personally I identified with this song in relation to my anxiety that I've been experiencing lately. My world is changing, but I'm unprepared and unconditioned. Nothing is as easy as it was before, yet I keep acting like it will be. I have been stuck doing the same things I've always been doing even when those things don't make me happy anymore. Even when life is so different that those things can no longer provide for my basic needs. I feel the need to change my behavior, but it feels overwhelming and scary at the same time. Just like looking at the rock does for Brian.
We as a race all fall into this bad habit way too easily. The habit of staying in the familiar, even though the familiar is bad for us. Whether it's conditioning as in abuse, different brain make-ups like OCD, the pressure of maintaining that which we think gives us value that so many content creators suffer, or the unwillingness to make drastic life changes that cause my anxiety, all of these conditions stem from the same root. Fear of the unknown.
At least, that's what I think. Also, in case you were wondering, I am making moves to better my life despite my self-conditioned reluctance.
I’m not an English teacher so my interpretation is that this man REALLY needs to look at that rock.
I think this song is just a great metaphor for just unhealthy attachment, it's so interesting how other people interpret it For me, this song instantly made me think about alcoholism and other substance abuse. Alcoholism runs in my family so not only seeing this in other people but trying to both prevent myself from falling into it while also trying to just enjoy it and life hits in a werid way.
I very clearly connected it to my body dysmorphia
@@BeeGuns In the words of Brian David Gilbert, "this song is not a metaphor."
This has BIG They Might Be Giants vibes.
Sorry to hear you've been feeling rough. Sending some positive energy into your life, as you've brought so much into mine.
It makes more sense once you realize that BDG was reading a Redwall book before all this occurred.
The Brian Jacques backs are part of the experience.
it's a pretty cool rock so i understand why you feel that way
My man just made a song about a rock reflecting perfectly what it feels like to be in a toxic friendship/relationship I-
the real question is:
did he find the rock and make a video around it, or think of this video and have to search for the perfect rock
Considering him, it's the first one.
I kept expecting the rock to be revealed as the internet/screens lol
So this is what happened to the Winter King to make him go insane...
This feels like such a perfect summary of OCD and magical thinking, especially when he finds he's happier without the rock, yet turns back anyway - thank you for capturing this, BDG (edit: this is just my personal impression, i'm not suggesting that this is the intended take-away!)
the rock is twitter
...what's magical thinking?
@@walkerx1813 It's the term used for the OCD symptom where the suffer believes irrational solutions will solve unrealistic problems - for example, in my case 'if i don't hug this person a certain amount of times before i leave, a bus will crash into their house'. The suffer often knows this kind of thinking is ridiculous, but can't stop themselves following the compulsion to 'resolve' it
@@Nemrex Wouldn't be surprised lol! This is what it makes me think of though, personally :)
I hot the dame thing out of this
I love a good healthy relationship between geological formation and song man.
'good' 'healthy'
@@h.c.49 rocks are natural so it's natural :^)
This song has really open message that changes through each person's experience.
For me it's the toxic attachment to something you really like. Like, anything. A person, a game, a movie/show, a dream, a place, a relationship, a role, a job.
At first things are all good. You like the thing. You love the thing. Than that become an obsession. It became your identity. As much as you want to "look away" you're afraid of losing sense of self. The worries that if you no longer have/like/are those things, you're not you anymore.
Whatever you wanted to say to us. Good job, you made me tears up at the end
scientists have asked for ages whether it was possible to launch someone into an existential crisis using just one listen-through of a song about a rock.
and today they have finally found that yes. it can be done.
thank you BDG for going where no scientist has gone before.
Can we take a moment to appreciate that Brian found a way to put those years of recorder practise we all had to go through to good use?
The man is _an artiste_
@@chizy3904 Thank you scambot, very cool
Edit: The scambot is gone :D
I don't know if Brian *intended* to make a song about OCD. But as someone with OCD, this is 100% a song about having OCD.
I thought the same thing, it captures the absurdity of needing to follow compulsions while still portraying the anxiety of not doing those things
as someone who does not have OCD, my first thoughts were "well this is not a song about being mentally stable that's for sure"
@@epikitee2186 Let's be fair, that can be said about most of his content.
This was my first thought as well and I don't even have OCD
I think the song is more so about his relationship with the internet and creating content. it seems a lot of creators are getting burnt out but don't want to quit because it's the only job they know now, and social media does often feel like if you stop paying attention then you stop existing. also, there was that meme a while ago talking about how we found a way to make a rock in your pocket hold the worlds store of knowledge on it. it also works for OCD, though.
To me, the rock is GPA. You don't realize how all-consuming it is until the stress becomes too much and all else is forgotten. I especially believe the rock making you feel bad about the things you are is true, in reference to the direct emotional ties grades can result in. Unfortunately, it's not a rock which can be so easily torn from one's self, not if a future is wanted. But this song has told me that more disconnect from grades is perhaps warranted. Thank you.
I'm proud of you.
I love how the comments are split between "haha funny geode song lol" and "this speaks to me. We all have rocks. What's your rock?"
As always a great and mildly stressful song, I hope you do feel better soon though!
The people reading it as intrusive thoughts or hyperfixations are a neat take I didn't consider, I jumped straight to social media/phones and the feeling of constantly needing to be online and connected and feeling bad when you doomscroll yet feeling bad when unconnected as well
Usally atleat in my case hyperfixations give me joy
I wish to be that rock just so someone will call me neat
Based on your pfp alone, I’d guess that you *are* neat
I create entertaining vids as well kuz
Brian, preferably
You're pretty fucking neat my dude
@@quincyhethey6220 stop I'm crying
I really feel weird feelings when at 1:00 the voice goes muffled like it's a buried thought, always there but not on the surface just a feeling deep down your chest
6 months later, this is still my favorite rock song.
man this is just such a perfect interpretation of OCD intrusive thoughts
no idea if that's the intent but
I'm 100% adding this to my list videos I use to explain to people what intrusive thoughts are like
what a great playlist idea, also i agree!!
This is exactlywhat it sounds like when your brain has worms in it
Oh my god. This was exactly what I needed to hear. My "rock" is someone who abused me, who made me feel like I had to devote my life to doing what he wanted or else he would end up hurt and alone. I've since thrown my rock into the ocean, but I still feel that guilt for getting rid of it sometimes. Thanks for reminding me that I made the right decision in the end.
You threw your abuser into the ocean? Power move but maybe don't admit to it online lol
@@witchydragon106 it was a metaphor, sorry if that wasn't clear from my comment lol
@@itsrainbow123 good save lol, nothing to see here folks, nobody got thrown into the sea, nahhh. screw that drowned ass mf tho lmao
@@itsrainbow123 I think they were joking
@@lasagna3289 ohhh yeah that makes more sense lol
I think that the rock is a metaphor for a toxic relationship, where the bad freind/lover need consent attention, and threaten them that something bad would happen if they stopped giving them the attention that they want. But ive also seen alot of other people draw their own parallels (like ocd, social media, ect), and it makes me admire bdg for making a song that could be relatable to so many other people in so many different ways.
I'm glad I'm not the only one whose first thought was that this felt like an allegory for their OCD :)