MythBusters will always hold a special place of nostalgia in my heart, but there’s just something special about a one day build, Adam unboxing a new trinket or seeing Adam get to handle props from various films that I just love to watch.
Mythbusters was my favorite show throughout its run when I was a kid (it actually began the year I entered kindergarten and ended the year I graduated high school) and was a constant for me throughout those years. I had some rough times that Mythbusters (and a few years later, Tested) helped me get through. I’ve seen every episode multiple times at this point and it remains one of my favorite shows ever, filled with nostalgia and comfort. I began watching Tested around my freshman year of high school and have many, many fond memories and “comfort” episodes of all of the various Tested videos out there as well. Just as there is with Mythbusters, there is a nostalgia factor to a lot of old Tested videos for me at this point (the channel is over a decade old now, so the nostalgia factor is starting to seep in for me), too. The one day build of Adam’s beaver box, tour of adam’s home office, and the video of Adam making omelets with Tracy Des Jardin come to mind as being some of those “comfort” Tested videos for me, but there are undoubtedly more that I am forgetting right now. Maybe not quite as deeply as Mythbusters, but it truly does hold a special place in my heart right there beside Mythbusters. And as good as Mythbusters was, Tested is a 100% perfect and suitable transition for Adam into this phase of his career and life. I truly love both of them on a deep level.
“We are all products of where we first started to see ourselves” Always impressed by your ability to be so eloquent off the cuff Adam, keep doing what you do
That quote really has me wondering about myself. Cos I've been getting more and more into musics from across the world. Makes me wonder where in my past that took root.
This is so true. When I was 15, I decided to learn Japanese to translate an anime that didn't get an American release. Back then, it seemed like an impossible goal, but now, I have successfully translated all 30 episodes. I'm currently working on a second draft.
I did, occasionally, watch MythBusters, but I wasn't particularly drawn to it. At the time, I thought of Adam, Jamie, et al. as somewhat unscripted actors playing their various parts. By contrast, I feel Tested has introduced me to Adam Savage, the person, and it's a much more gripping experience.
I love the intimate but not parasocial aspect of this channel. I grew up with Adam. He's a huge reason I still consume science edutainment content daily. Being able to be part of a one sided conversation with him is very cool. It's wild to think about but Mythbusters is older than youtube. And it's not as if youtube took off day one. If youtube ever dies off and Adam makes content on the next platform I'll be there watching him.
Out of interest, why don’t you think this is a parasocial relationship? I think it’s an amazing, deeply personal insight into a lot of aspects of Adam’s life, but you’re right that I don’t feel I know Adam as a person. It feels more like reading an extended autobiography!
I'm a recording engineer and a narrator. I was always fascinated by the old radio programs where the actors performed on one mic and used distance and intimacy to support the script. They knew how to use the mic. When I started recording VO performers back in the 60s and 70s I worked a lot with people from that era and I was stunned how well they worked a mic for effect. Your leaning into the mic for a different perspective is the way I like to hear someone use a mic. There is also something to be said for a closer mic use so no words are missed by the listener but it can be overdone and sound unnatural when it disagrees with the video. Sometime take a listen to the audio perspectives in the movie "The Last Waltz". Scorsese used distance audio in the long shots and "tighter" audio in the close ups. Brilliant.
THIS. 🫶. It really does make such an impact with performance and the impression of intimacy. I record a lot of notes and videos for myself and I’ve noticed how it can really change or set a tone or accent humor or interest or any other emotion. Also I think this is something that really makes Adam’s videos feel like I’m spending time with a very wise kind and thoughtful friend
That realization you had about the audio on the phone being more compelling is a singular example in the huge reason Tested compelled me and kept me around for all these years, not to mention the talent and amazing content that's on this channel and the folks that make it happen. Thank you guys.
Sound designer and Ph.D. in sound perception here. The thing about what Adam says about "not so perfect audio" and how he sometimes perceived the audio from the camera as something better than the lav is something that we sound designers do all the time in drama content. It is something called "audio perspective" and is really important in a good mix - not just to create a more believable mix, but also used as he said to enhance intimacy or other sensations. The second thing about the DJI recording the sound in both transmitter and receiver is a patent hold by Zaxcom, and is the only reason why not all transmitters also record. Is one of those cases where an obvious patent holds an entire industry quality back. Good thing it is about to expire in the next few years.
The part about going back to school was dead on for me. I had even dropped out of High school because i did not enjoy the environment. i Got my G.E.D. and went straight to work. Fast forward 10 years after working numerous dead end jobs, endless Warehouse work and alot of manual labor i went back to a Trade school that had a computer program.I loved every minute and excelled. After completing the program, i now work as a network engineer for a Major ISP in my area. The mindset really makes the difference.
You described going back to school later in life perfectly. I had a similar experience as your wife, went to college after working a year after high school and didn't have the passion. At age 29 I discovered industrial design and it was everything I wanted out of a career. Now I'm happier than ever and cherish the stories/experiences of what that degree on my wall represents, while making good money doing something I'm passionate about. If you know what you're after it's never too late to go back to college if that will help you get there. If you grew up with Mythbusters and loved those design/research/build/test shows, I highly recommend checking out industrial design as a career, it's a hidden gem and only a handful of colleges even have it as an option, so many aren't even aware such a career exists.
Adam will always be recognizable from MythBusters even after all these years with Tested. I wonder how he and Norm would compare their level of notoriety.
Your comments about going back to school are so spot on, Adam. I could write a book (if I had the talent) but I will say this about returning to school: having generalized and specific goals will assist you greatly. Don't discount your real world knowledge because, if you are an adult returning student, you may have far more practical knowledge than your professors, but they have the idealized theory. Use that to refine your education, find a meeting point, and if you can't reconcile what you know vs what they teach, find a new teacher.
"The royal you" lol Funniest thing to me about the english language was in the old days we had "You" for plural, "Thou" for singular. "You" became singular and we had to reinvent it with "Y'all" and "the royal you" is possibly my favorite version.
The plural “you” was also used to refer to a single person in a respectful way, similar to French and Russian. Hence “your majesty” and not “thy majesty”. Eventually using “thou” to address a person became perceived as rude and disappeared. So in a way using “you” to refer to one person is in fact a “royal you”.
As a recent grad school graduate in Mechanical Engineering, I can confirm that it definitely broke me. I went into it directly after finishing my bachelor's thinking "It's better to just get it done and over with" when in reality I just wanted to get into the real world and be able to APPLY my knowledge, or like Adam said, "know what goal you want to gain that knowledge for". Now that I am done, I'm still seeking that goal and I probably didn't learn nearly as much because I didn't have an end goal.
The microphone thing is very similar to me when I FINALLY after 25+ years of gaming decided to get a standalone mic and some good headphones. The ability to lean into the mic and either blow my friends eardrums out for luls, or get very intentionally more detailed and "close" sounding, is so much better than just having a microphone on a headset that never moves.
You know, I absolutely know that you are both smart and thoughtful, Adam, but watching videos like this one are great reminders of just how deeply you think about so many things, how self-aware you are, and how observant of all the things around you. What an uplifting thing to watch! Thanks for all you do, and thanks to the team around you that bring all that Tested does to us out here.
Going back to school, it depends on your reason for wanting it. I absolutely loved college the first time around. But I have returned at various times throughout the years, and while I didn't dislike it, I didn't find it as rewarding. I realized the reason was that my first experience in college was one of the newfound freedom of adulthood, and having my eyes opened to a dimension of knowledge that I, as a child, had been shielded from. In essence, my first time in college was a time of thrilling discovery. But I'm no longer the same person. While there are gaps in my knowledge, I generally know what they are. I'm going back to college with a purpose, rather than being surprised by what I am being offered. So, just be sure that you want to return to school to advance the person you are now, not to recapture something you had then.
I like it when you say you've gotta get something and walk away but we can still hear you talking from further away and it's a depth of sound that feels natural like your a shop teacher running around
Music. I too like pop music. I am 65. When I first became involved with music in my late teens and early 20's, punk was evolving into new wave. I found I enjoyed mixing and listening to new wave and Reggie. Punk and metal have an edge to them which quite often is driven by anger. Yelling at your audience. I too, like Adam, enjoy music that soothes, that puts me into a mellow space. Not to say that pop can't energize. It can. But pop does this without the anger, the edgy of punk and metal. Thanks Adam!
Adam's ability to speak extemporaneously while displaying his formidable mastery of the English language is such a joy to behold. I could listen to this man go off about anything, everything he says sounds like poetry.
"We are all products of where we first started to see ourselves." Just an amazingly insightful comment by Mr. Savage in the middle of him explaining his love of pop music.
Both of my parents were of the generation where you leave high school and start looking for your career without needing college, outside of like science, teaching or engineering. After about 15 years they crashed and burned. Then they both went to community college through the CUNY “My Turn” program, and they wound up finding new careers that were much more rewarding. (Recreation Therapy and Assistant Teacher for kids with special needs).
I went back to school, and also highly recommend it! 10 years out of school, working. Changed fields from business to engineering. No pre-reqs. Skipped masters straight to PhD. If you get accepted, thats all that matters. Then its up to you to learn what you're there for!
My middle son & I saw the live Mythbusters show in Detroit a few years ago. What a great show & we felt that you guys were loving it as much as the audience.
That type of audio thing is what makes your channel so unique and fun to watch. Minimal editing, just raw footage, which certainly does make it feel more intimate. You’re the only guy on UA-cam who can completely walk out of frame for like two minutes while the caption says “bandsaw noises” and the audience is like “this is awesome.”
its interesting finding this channel, i can vidily remember being about 8 or 9 and my dad telling me about this cool new website his friend told him about and wanted to show me. where anyone could upload videos and you could watch them for free. i can remember the cheap wood paneling on the walls and shag carpeted stairs we were walking down while he was telling me about this, and how the first question i asked him was about if "that myth show or monster garage" was on it or not, and how the first video i saw on youtube was a poorly ripped copy of the mythbusters christmas special rube goldberg machine. almost 15 years later... Still watching.
Going back to school is great and rewarding if you know what you want to do or have the desire to go to school for yourself. If you're going because you think that's what you "should" do or you're being pressured by someone in your life then it might not be a great decision, especially if you live in a country where university is very expensive. That's just my personal experience and the experience of the people around me. I spent 12 years doing one career (what I loved doing and what I thought I would spend the rest of my life doing) but due to circumstances I ended up needing to turn to a different career path. I'm currently working my way through my last semester of college and I am excited for my new career (which will be sustainable for me physically well past retirement age if I need to work that long). School is a very personal question and one that can only be answered by the individual. Trades and vocations are a good alternative to degrees as well!
The intimacy is there on the flip side for us too. Seeing someone on TV, you can be a fan. Continuing onto UA-cam feels alittle more like we know you, you're talking to us directly.
You Tube has made you become more you. Memories, stories, the natural drift of conversations. Hints, ideas, failures, and the sheer joy as you recall that high moment in your memory.
It’s nice to hear you speak on your experience of school. Back in high school, I moved across the country to take a space technology course and I loved it. After that we were kind of funneled into a satelite engineering course in a college nearby and I liked to be there for the social parts, but I was not ready for the academic part. I ended up leaving it after almost 3 years and spent the next 5 years thinking higher education just wasn’t for me. Now I’m ready to start my second year of college studying Digital Forensics and I feel motivated and excited to get going again after the summer.
Went back to school at the age of thirty for nursing. Totally different experience than my Bsc Biochem. When I did biochem, I was in my late teens and wallowing in a world I wasn't sure I wanted to be in. Going back at age thirty, as a male in nursing, I was SURE I wanted to be there. My marks reflected it. Now 26 years later I have no regrets, still hold my license, as does my wife, and though "retired" we both still practice. Maturity and motivation are huge things for success.
The energy and excitement you bring to everything you do is what keeps me coming back. I’m a banker and not an engineer or someone who works with their hands.
This isn't the same type of example, but I think it speaks to the same idea: I'm no celebrity, but I've hosted and provided panel content for a number of comic/pop-culture conventions over the years. They've varied in size, but it's always the smaller ones I've enjoyed doing the most, because the people who come to see you are right there, you can look them all straight in the eye and speak to them directly, and they can converse back, often without even needing a mic. The key word which you used is "intimate". Big conventions are fun for the spectacle of it all, but the smaller ones let you feel like you're actually making real connections with other human beings. It's beautiful.
Hey Adam. Your videos draw me in and I think I know why. You have an infectious excitement for projects combined with a readiness to admit ignorance/mistakes and an indomitable spirit. I have upped my maker game largely due to the inspiration I find in your videos! I have even starting to build an astromech droid!
That was a really good observation about the difference of youtube and TV. There have been many TV quality productions made for youtube that have gotten only a couple thousand viewers and thats precisely because the viewers perceive higher quality productions as dishonest. Thats why there is basically a trope you can only find in youtube videos where editors intentionally leave in behind the scenes moments, to make the videos more imperfect. Stuff like showing the host going back to pick up the camera that they setup for a B roll shot, or intentionally leaving in moments where the host asks for a cut. I’ve seen many youtubers over the last decade lose their identity because they were more focused on improving their equipment and the quality of their video than they were focused on the actual content of the video.
On going back to school: I went back to school last year and my experience is that, with age, I approached it differently. In contrast to the past it was more of a thought trough decision and I was committed more. You have a goal, like Adam said, and you don't want to waste time. But also, some stuff gets more difficult with age. I think it was more easy to learn some stuff 20 years ago for me than it is today. On the other hand, I am able to use knowledge I already have. I have a better tool box, so to speak, than as a young adult. I went to school for a couple of months part time at the evening and later for almost a year full time. And full time is much easier. I don't know how people do it part time, at the weekends or evenings and that for years probably. On thing in school did not change: Preparation is key. If you are constantly studying and preparing, it is not that hard.
Marshall McLuhan, “The medium is the message.” The way content is presented also contains its meaning. I’ve been a pastor for 30 years. There is a difference between a sermon, a newsletter article, my dissertation, an interview, or a vary rare video (I haven’t been in local parish ministry for a few years now.).
As a teacher I can say the students who do the best are the ones who pay attention and want to learn. After all, we are literally trying our hardest to get knowledge in your brain as easily as possible. I went back to university as an adult (to train to be said teacher...) and compared to adult working life I found education the second time round so easy. Everything is there for you, nicely organised. You just have to pay attention and take it.
Great video Adam! I especially liked the second question and the way you addressed it. My experience of going back to school was the same as your wife’s - I dropped out the first time, but went back about 10 years later with a goal in mind and studying something I was passionate about and I sailed through. I think going back to school is great, IF you have a goal in mind. I think one problem we have in this country is that many people feel like they have to go to college, or that going to college is the only way. There’s nothing wrong with going to college just to learn of course, but it’s an awfully big investment to make for something that might not be part of everyone’s path.
I’ve been re-watching Mythbusters in its entirety over the past couple months. I never got a real appreciation for how much work and skill actually went into making that stuff until I watched Tested. Now I see a build on Mythbusters emerge after 9 seconds and my brain has a whole new level of understanding for how it got there! Also it’s kind of hilarious watching Adam and Jamie interact knowing what I know now. 😂
Mythbusters is so special to me. I found it in middle school (I still remember the first episode I saw, the Hit the Ground Running episode) and it opened my eyes to the world of STEM. Before that I didn't really what to do with my life, career wise. I'm now 26 with a CS masters and I definately owe a lot of my current technical interests to Adam and the rest of the Mythbusters team.
I went back to school at 45 years old after working in warehouses my whole life. Now I'm a community and youth support worker. Best decision I ever made. I'm definitely living the best life I ever lived. I wish I had done it sooner, but I just don't think I was ready. If I did it in my 20s I probably would have dropped out.
I admit I'm one of those people that say youtube is not what it used to be but slowly figures like yourself that have done the whole TV thing and continue to do so, find the 'geeky' audience that originally tuned in in the formative years of what you have done because although the 'boring' science side might not of been fully developed in the commercial shows, you struck a great balance. Now you have the 'geeky' folk watching your youtube and also the casual watcher of your TV work is here listening to the technical side of things! Dare I say it I think you continue with some of the lost virtues of the Internet and thank you for showing your passion in being in a position of educating a lot of people, that much I think you still do not understand to its greatest extent, but also you learn from the interaction via youtube. Thank you for what it is worth in my own opinion you are a brilliant example of passion for a subject transcending any particular platform and bringing in every person to the subject. Nuff love Manchester UK X
It’s a small thing, maybe a silly thing, but I really appreciate your small caveat about graduate school. I’m someone who has gone back to school and finds it both rewarding and, due to a lot of the tradition of “training is payment “ leads to so much strain. There are also so many other pressures, but I also have seen people absolutely flourish. It’s not the kind of thing most people compassion for.
One of my favorite aspects of punk culture is the DIY ethos. Bands record themselves, distribute and make their own merch, make their own venues. I think it makes punk one of the most creative and unique genres
I could not read until i was in my late teens early twentys, I wnet to get my gcses and went to college and honestly when you have been with out and see what people your age are doing i had the best time learning and wanted so much out of it!! i had a bad childhood and school was not somthing i could focuse on due to home life but when i got the chance to be free and do it on my own i loved it
I think that before returning to school as an adult, it's important to consider what you're planning to do *after*. I've returned to post-secondary three times, and always did well at at - going from a 1.2 average to a 3.95 - but I've had mixed success in turning that schooling into anything *useful.* The library diploma turned into a good job, until the price of oil collapsed and killed Alberta's economy in 2014. The emergency communicator certificate probably would have turned into a good job, but the schooling largely taught me that I'm not that *interested* in 9-1-1 work. And finishing my bachelor's degree was satisfying... but has not had any real economic benefit for me, so that's a very expensive sense of satisfaction. Pretty much everyone I've ever met who returned to school as an adult did well at it. The big question, in my mind, is not "will I do okay at school if I go back," but rather "will this education further my goals?" And goals need not be economic - but whatever they are, it's a lot of money, so you need to pay attention to the education's utility.
Sounds like we grew up similarly listening to Casey Kasem’s American Top 40 during the 70’s & 80’s. I got my first set of Legos probably around the late 70’s, the Space Command set. It sparked my love of Legos. When my son became old enough for them, I lived my second childhood with him playing Legos for hours on the floor. The best memories ever…
Adam Savage's Epiphany on the Science of Measurement! ua-cam.com/video/qE7dYhpI_bI/v-deo.html Join this channel to support Tested and get access to perks, like asking Adam questions: ua-cam.com/channels/iDJtJKMICpb9B1qf7qjEOA.htmljoin Adam's temporary tattoo is back in stock! Get it at tested-store.com
I like how this pinned comment is from two days ago when this video was uploaded 9 minutes ago. Adam Savage is a confirmed time traveler. We got 'em, boys.
I have a doctorate in Clinical Psychology and all the other degrees before it. I make parents of my adolescent client mad when I tell their kids that you don't go to college for an education, you go to college for a job that requires specific education. If you don't know that the job you want to do requires a 4 year degree, don't spend $80k "finding yourself." I'm a very well educated person, and I recognize the value of trade schools, union training programs, and good old fashioned hard work as equally valid ways of skill building. In the end, you need to make your time more valuable to an employer or client. The means of getting there are highly variable.
What you said about grad school rings so true. Grad school was so surprising and dehumanizing. It's a unique experience up until that point in your life. Fast school is responsible for the great life I have and I don't regret it, but I wasn't prepared going in. A successful grad program, from the perspective of becoming an expert in your field, tears your mind down to its studs and renovates your brain and thinking processes. My perception of the world and how I approach life situations changed. In many ways, it was sharpening my existing tendencies to a razor's edge. In other ways, it stripped me of the variety and flexibility I had before. Very few graduates of intense programs can *enjoy* aspects of their field, but we exchange that for a satisfying depth of understanding that only years of study can bring. Wonder exchanged for appreciation. I can't imagine what one's life would be if one only got through the tear-down phase without completing most of the renovation phase. You would lose who you are without the support structure to find and rebuild your new identity. Harrowing.
I agree with Adam, I like how intimate these videos feel. Mythbusters and of course Adam were a huge part of my childhood and is still very important to me to this day. (I'm doing a Mythbusters binge currently and I'm having a ton of fun)
as a random internet stranger weighing in on the going back to school question, I agree with Adam’s examples of people who have found value, while also aknowledging that for me, going to school to learn something actually added time & confusion to my ability to learn. I’m a bottom up learner, so I learn best by doing the specific thing and infering my own general principles as i accumlate example sets. In all of my schooling experience they tend to teach you general principles and then instead of giving you the actual problem sets you’ll face at work, they give you contrived examples intended to “teach” you whatever they or the curriculum have decided is important, which is usually at a significant discrepancy with what is practical and important in a real work situation. At the same time certain jobs require you to jump through their system of hoops, which is fine if you don’t mind the arbitrarity and find the end result worth your effort. This advice is what i wish i saw somewhere when I was unsure about school. Instead i spent 3 years doing the wrong thing so that I could learn how I needed to learn so that I could spend another 1 year re-teaching myself the things i actually needed to know. also apologies for typos and random lower case letters. i recently broke up with auto-correct and it shows.
Your passion for metrology that spawned the series of videos regarding measurements afterwards is honestly one of the coolest I've ever seen. That 45 minute fever dream, as you put it, was an instant classic.
The video you mentioned, your Epiphany on the Science of Measurement, was honestly a turning point for me. I clicked on it and watched through the entire thing. I was enthralled, and I bought my first set of calipers that day. I never thought I needed them, but seeing you just gush over the tools you had at your disposal was absolutely infectious. The last 20 years of my life have been defined by one set of skills-designing and developing web presences. But that video, and those calipers sent me on a journey... a few months ago, I built my first 3D printer, a Voron 2.4. If you had asked me if I had the capability to build a literal robot before I watched that video, I would've laughed. But now, I am on a trajectory I would've never been on had I not clicked on that video. I don't know if you'll ever see this, but if you do, thank you. While like many here, Mythbusters was a cornerstone of my scientific interest, your love of those intimate moments on UA-cam changed my life.
Someone in their 30's who is going back to school, I can fully relate to Adam's wife, and couldn't agree more. I went to college right out of high school, I floundered around, didn't know what I wanted to do, eventually dropped out. Well I'm back in college, I know what I want, and I've only gotten A's in every class, even the few classes I wasn't looking forward to but had to take.
The evolution of musical tastes is an interesting process. I literally went from the pop that my parents listened to, then classic rock, and then Grunge exploded while I was in high school. And now you hear Pearl Jam on the classic rock stations.
Grad school dropout here. Yep, it harmed me. Or rather mental issues that I was able to hide and work around up to that point were no longer able to be coped with. It's nice to know my limits, but you never really stop beating yourself up about it.
Regarding going back to school at a later date (older age)... My 2 pesos (from experience). Be clear on what you want out of it (a goal or specific outcome is set as Adam says). Most importantly, be sure that you have the means (income, time, determination, etc...) to see it through the end. It's super important to have the necessary time and money especially. I went back to school in my mid-twenties and ultimately stopped going for a second time (dropped out), because I didn't have enough money (had to work 3/4 to full time through the nearly 3 years I was at it) and time to properly devote to it (due to working too much to get the money I needed). Unless you're extremely determined, time and money are going to be your biggest obstacles, at least if you have to continue working to support both yourself and pay your school bills. I tell my kids and any other young people who will listen... If you're going to do college at all, do it right after high school while your parents can still help you out, and see it through to the end while you're young. It becomes increasingly more difficult to do so later in life, especially once you start incurring debt from other things, and/or start having a family. Or maybe you'll get lucky and hook up with another person (significant other or spouse) that can support you while you pursue your education. Didn't realize Adam has as little college education as he does... I was pretty sure he didn't major in any engineering discipline, but didn't recall how little education he had. College is not the be all, end all. As Adam and others have shown, it's not necessary. He's clearly done VERY well for himself and he's got an "engineering mindset"... Would be interesting to see what he'd have done with a mechanical engineering degree.
I work with my dad doing remodel work, he likes to listen to the radio when he works and it's almost always reruns of Casey's AT40. Some are hits some are misses, but even as a 24 y/o I could see how it's just an easy going good time. A nice classy man giving you musical history on what you're about to hear, or might have heard many times over.
"Building with Legos while listening to Casey Casem" As someone for whom that resonated very strongly, I am delighted by this insight and how it compares to other people. Thank you!
Adam couldn't be more correct about going back to school. In my experience in education, adults who go back to school know why they're there and absolutely destroy all of the youngins.
On the question of music - much like Adam's comments about going back to school - it depends on what you're aiming to get out of it. I'm a hard rock/metal guy, unabashedly. Iron Maiden, Metallica, KISS, AC/DC, Rob Zombie. But when I'm getting ready for work, I turn on the Train Radio station on Pandora, with Train, Ed Sheeran, Maroon 5, etc. Because I don't need the high-energy, adrenaline-spiking feeling when I'm going to cover a city council meeting or rework press releases a briefs in the paper. It's just a different mindset. Even if he was a massive fan, I can't imagine Adam putting on something from Powerman 5000 and getting all cranked up to go do fine detail work on the lathe or mill. Driving home from the shop to wind down for an evening of making dinner and watching a movie doesn't seem like the best time to crank up an Anthrax album. We tend to see Adam in his work environment which he has said he sees as self-soothing and decompressing. The heavy stuff is probably not what I would choose in that situation, either.
I appreciate your insight on going back to school... I got 2 years in towards my upper education before forging my own path... when I actually figure out what I want to do, I'm sure classwork will really just fall into place
First few attempts at school, I flunked out. When I went back with a clear goal, I made the Dean's Honor list two semesters and graduated with a 3.65 GPA. (Only took a decade to figure out how to go back) I met a lot of older people than myself who were going back after having worked for many years and regretted not getting a better education earlier in life.
6:45 That's my exact experience. I dropped out because of a lot things going in my life but I came back at 27 after working on the field (computer science) for and few years and now I'm almost halfway doing great because I came back with a purpose and to learn as much as I can while using the homework and projects as an excuse to work on my workflow, presentation and use new tools and design patterns without that learning making me affect actual work projects. It's been great and I'm getting an opportunity to share what I already knew and help my classmates too
I'm just an average guy in I.T. working for a local telco. Not a machinist, but I love building models in my modest workshop and dream of someday having a machine shop like yours and a good mentor who will walk me through all those creative processes. I will tell you, after watching the "no such thing as a measurement" video, I went out and bought a "shop grade" gauge block set and 3 new calipers!
I love this channel. I really feel that Adam is talking to _me._ Personally. And yes, Adam, it is magic! (I learn a lot from you quite apart from making & engineering.) 😊💜 Re grad school: I went though decades of my career as a software engineer without a degree (I had to set my undergrad math degree work aside for many years -- chronically-ill spouse & child). I did eventually finish it AND what it did was qualify me for graduate work. My employer was so impressed that they put me through school for systems engineering. It has been an amazing experience (even though school as a working adult with a family is _never_ easy). I have six weeks remaining in my MSSE and I am making significant contributions to an investigation, AND the PI has invited me to continue as one of his doctoral students. I am now in my sixth decade, in my second career, and I will finally get the chance to fulfill my childhood dream of becoming a scientist. WHEEEEE!!! 😊💜😊💜😊
As someone who loves Punk I find it really good for working because I have ADHD so it’s like “Here’s a hyper fast paced action oriented piece of music that you can put on and work to.” And that is very much my vibe. Now my work playlist has expanded from the riot grrl, emo, and punk music into a lot of rap artists like Childish Gambino, Kendrick Lamar, etc. because the beat is good and keeps me in the zone.
I never imagined back when I was young watching mythbusters on discovery channel that I'd have a chance to say hi to Adam. Mythbusters are behind my attitude of let's test if it's true and if not then what do we have to do to make it so.
The question of music is an interesting one. Ever since I was a very young kid I've always gravitated towards movie soundtracks. When I'm building a replica prop, sculpting or whatever, I tend to listen to the soundtrack of what the subject matter is. I find it gets me really motivated and adds to the enjoyment of the build.
There is a world of difference going to school just out of high school and returning as a nontraditional student. I went back to school twice: once after getting out of the Marine Corp and once in my late 30's. Before the Marine Corps I had been on Academic Probation in 2 different institutions. That final time, out of the 6 full time semesters (not counting the single course summers) , I was on the Deans list 4 or 5 times. There is a big difference.
Dude, I went to one of the most prestigious music schools for my graduate program. I was a world-class player and had toured the world working professionally as a jazz artist and broadway musician. After my master's program, I quit playing. Not one note in 30 years. I learned to hate the industry and the cut-throat, selfish competition. It turned out okay. I went into corporate IT for a time, commercial building engineering, and ultimately, discovered that I am a maker. I literally know how (don't know why - no training) to fix or build anything. So, it was a gift (and a curse) to go to school. I suffered through school (severe ADHD), toured the world as a musician, and ultimately, learned who I was.
tbh I think even when Adam builds his miniatures for movies he is still seeing the end product through our desires in his eyes ... essentially making the model look right for the imagination to say yeah thats right . ... even when doing his recreations... he goes until they look right ... not before ... kind of like we all get to live vicariously with all these pros and stuff as we see them the way adam saw them and so feel the same way abut them ... the will and desire and focus to learn ... no better way too ensure you get your moneys worth by paying super good attention lego's yeah we need more lego builds been a while since one ...
Did not expect to hear Alex Cox mentioned today! Maybe the greatest sequence of cultural wonders in my teenhood was his Moviedrome series. Including Repo Man of course.
With the point about going back to school. I went to grad school about 5 years after I finished my undergrad degree. I will second everything Adam said. In high school and my undergrad I was a solid B student. When I went to grad school I had a 4.0 because I was totally invested in everything I was learning and I loved it. I don't think school got any easier, I was just so much more motivated.
MythBusters will always hold a special place of nostalgia in my heart, but there’s just something special about a one day build, Adam unboxing a new trinket or seeing Adam get to handle props from various films that I just love to watch.
ALLEN PAN DID NOTHING WRONG 👀⚖️
There is a reason this channel has 6 million subs lol, I think a lot of us love watching Adam do his thing.
It's amazing how many people grew up watching Mythbusters show or generally watched are now so against facts and following the data.
Mythbusters was my favorite show throughout its run when I was a kid (it actually began the year I entered kindergarten and ended the year I graduated high school) and was a constant for me throughout those years. I had some rough times that Mythbusters (and a few years later, Tested) helped me get through. I’ve seen every episode multiple times at this point and it remains one of my favorite shows ever, filled with nostalgia and comfort.
I began watching Tested around my freshman year of high school and have many, many fond memories and “comfort” episodes of all of the various Tested videos out there as well. Just as there is with Mythbusters, there is a nostalgia factor to a lot of old Tested videos for me at this point (the channel is over a decade old now, so the nostalgia factor is starting to seep in for me), too. The one day build of Adam’s beaver box, tour of adam’s home office, and the video of Adam making omelets with Tracy Des Jardin come to mind as being some of those “comfort” Tested videos for me, but there are undoubtedly more that I am forgetting right now.
Maybe not quite as deeply as Mythbusters, but it truly does hold a special place in my heart right there beside Mythbusters. And as good as Mythbusters was, Tested is a 100% perfect and suitable transition for Adam into this phase of his career and life. I truly love both of them on a deep level.
mythBusters to this day is still my favorite show and I watch rerun after rerun
Television would never give us "Adam sits down and builds Lego while just philosophizing about life." Some of my favorite episodes.
“We are all products of where we first started to see ourselves”
Always impressed by your ability to be so eloquent off the cuff Adam, keep doing what you do
I think that's another quote I need to add to my collection of various motivational/inspirational/general wisdom quotes
That quote really has me wondering about myself. Cos I've been getting more and more into musics from across the world. Makes me wonder where in my past that took root.
This is so true. When I was 15, I decided to learn Japanese to translate an anime that didn't get an American release. Back then, it seemed like an impossible goal, but now, I have successfully translated all 30 episodes. I'm currently working on a second draft.
I did, occasionally, watch MythBusters, but I wasn't particularly drawn to it. At the time, I thought of Adam, Jamie, et al. as somewhat unscripted actors playing their various parts. By contrast, I feel Tested has introduced me to Adam Savage, the person, and it's a much more gripping experience.
I love the intimate but not parasocial aspect of this channel. I grew up with Adam. He's a huge reason I still consume science edutainment content daily. Being able to be part of a one sided conversation with him is very cool. It's wild to think about but Mythbusters is older than youtube. And it's not as if youtube took off day one. If youtube ever dies off and Adam makes content on the next platform I'll be there watching him.
Out of interest, why don’t you think this is a parasocial relationship? I think it’s an amazing, deeply personal insight into a lot of aspects of Adam’s life, but you’re right that I don’t feel I know Adam as a person. It feels more like reading an extended autobiography!
This is a parasocial relationship though
I'm a recording engineer and a narrator. I was always fascinated by the old radio programs where the actors performed on one mic and used distance and intimacy to support the script. They knew how to use the mic. When I started recording VO performers back in the 60s and 70s I worked a lot with people from that era and I was stunned how well they worked a mic for effect. Your leaning into the mic for a different perspective is the way I like to hear someone use a mic. There is also something to be said for a closer mic use so no words are missed by the listener but it can be overdone and sound unnatural when it disagrees with the video. Sometime take a listen to the audio perspectives in the movie "The Last Waltz". Scorsese used distance audio in the long shots and "tighter" audio in the close ups. Brilliant.
Radio plays are not something I seek out, but when I stumble on them I am captivated at once, and wonder why the hell I don't seek them out.
THIS. 🫶. It really does make such an impact with performance and the impression of intimacy. I record a lot of notes and videos for myself and I’ve noticed how it can really change or set a tone or accent humor or interest or any other emotion. Also I think this is something that really makes Adam’s videos feel like I’m spending time with a very wise kind and thoughtful friend
i would not watch any other film about the doors
Am I the only one that wishes Adam was your brother or dad? Just imagine having him in your family. You would never have a dull moment!
That realization you had about the audio on the phone being more compelling is a singular example in the huge reason Tested compelled me and kept me around for all these years, not to mention the talent and amazing content that's on this channel and the folks that make it happen. Thank you guys.
Yeah its the difference from "watching" a video and feeling like you are in the shop observing.
Sound designer and Ph.D. in sound perception here.
The thing about what Adam says about "not so perfect audio" and how he sometimes perceived the audio from the camera as something better than the lav is something that we sound designers do all the time in drama content. It is something called "audio perspective" and is really important in a good mix - not just to create a more believable mix, but also used as he said to enhance intimacy or other sensations.
The second thing about the DJI recording the sound in both transmitter and receiver is a patent hold by Zaxcom, and is the only reason why not all transmitters also record. Is one of those cases where an obvious patent holds an entire industry quality back. Good thing it is about to expire in the next few years.
Hey Adam, I just want to thank you for the impact you made in my life around tinkering, exploring science and critical thinking.
The part about going back to school was dead on for me. I had even dropped out of High school because i did not enjoy the environment. i Got my G.E.D. and went straight to work. Fast forward 10 years after working numerous dead end jobs, endless Warehouse work and alot of manual labor i went back to a Trade school that had a computer program.I loved every minute and excelled. After completing the program, i now work as a network engineer for a Major ISP in my area. The mindset really makes the difference.
You described going back to school later in life perfectly. I had a similar experience as your wife, went to college after working a year after high school and didn't have the passion. At age 29 I discovered industrial design and it was everything I wanted out of a career. Now I'm happier than ever and cherish the stories/experiences of what that degree on my wall represents, while making good money doing something I'm passionate about. If you know what you're after it's never too late to go back to college if that will help you get there. If you grew up with Mythbusters and loved those design/research/build/test shows, I highly recommend checking out industrial design as a career, it's a hidden gem and only a handful of colleges even have it as an option, so many aren't even aware such a career exists.
Adam will always be recognizable from MythBusters even after all these years with Tested.
I wonder how he and Norm would compare their level of notoriety.
Your comments about going back to school are so spot on, Adam. I could write a book (if I had the talent) but I will say this about returning to school: having generalized and specific goals will assist you greatly. Don't discount your real world knowledge because, if you are an adult returning student, you may have far more practical knowledge than your professors, but they have the idealized theory. Use that to refine your education, find a meeting point, and if you can't reconcile what you know vs what they teach, find a new teacher.
"The royal you"
lol
Funniest thing to me about the english language was in the old days we had "You" for plural, "Thou" for singular.
"You" became singular and we had to reinvent it with "Y'all" and "the royal you" is possibly my favorite version.
The plural “you” was also used to refer to a single person in a respectful way, similar to French and Russian. Hence “your majesty” and not “thy majesty”. Eventually using “thou” to address a person became perceived as rude and disappeared. So in a way using “you” to refer to one person is in fact a “royal you”.
As a recent grad school graduate in Mechanical Engineering, I can confirm that it definitely broke me. I went into it directly after finishing my bachelor's thinking "It's better to just get it done and over with" when in reality I just wanted to get into the real world and be able to APPLY my knowledge, or like Adam said, "know what goal you want to gain that knowledge for". Now that I am done, I'm still seeking that goal and I probably didn't learn nearly as much because I didn't have an end goal.
The microphone thing is very similar to me when I FINALLY after 25+ years of gaming decided to get a standalone mic and some good headphones. The ability to lean into the mic and either blow my friends eardrums out for luls, or get very intentionally more detailed and "close" sounding, is so much better than just having a microphone on a headset that never moves.
You know, I absolutely know that you are both smart and thoughtful, Adam, but watching videos like this one are great reminders of just how deeply you think about so many things, how self-aware you are, and how observant of all the things around you. What an uplifting thing to watch! Thanks for all you do, and thanks to the team around you that bring all that Tested does to us out here.
Going back to school, it depends on your reason for wanting it. I absolutely loved college the first time around. But I have returned at various times throughout the years, and while I didn't dislike it, I didn't find it as rewarding. I realized the reason was that my first experience in college was one of the newfound freedom of adulthood, and having my eyes opened to a dimension of knowledge that I, as a child, had been shielded from. In essence, my first time in college was a time of thrilling discovery.
But I'm no longer the same person. While there are gaps in my knowledge, I generally know what they are. I'm going back to college with a purpose, rather than being surprised by what I am being offered.
So, just be sure that you want to return to school to advance the person you are now, not to recapture something you had then.
I like it when you say you've gotta get something and walk away but we can still hear you talking from further away and it's a depth of sound that feels natural like your a shop teacher running around
Music. I too like pop music. I am 65. When I first became involved with music in my late teens and early 20's, punk was evolving into new wave. I found I enjoyed mixing and listening to new wave and Reggie. Punk and metal have an edge to them which quite often is driven by anger. Yelling at your audience. I too, like Adam, enjoy music that soothes, that puts me into a mellow space. Not to say that pop can't energize. It can. But pop does this without the anger, the edgy of punk and metal. Thanks Adam!
Adam's ability to speak extemporaneously while displaying his formidable mastery of the English language is such a joy to behold. I could listen to this man go off about anything, everything he says sounds like poetry.
"We are all products of where we first started to see ourselves."
Just an amazingly insightful comment by Mr. Savage in the middle of him explaining his love of pop music.
Both of my parents were of the generation where you leave high school and start looking for your career without needing college, outside of like science, teaching or engineering. After about 15 years they crashed and burned. Then they both went to community college through the CUNY “My Turn” program, and they wound up finding new careers that were much more rewarding. (Recreation Therapy and Assistant Teacher for kids with special needs).
I went back to school, and also highly recommend it!
10 years out of school, working. Changed fields from business to engineering. No pre-reqs. Skipped masters straight to PhD. If you get accepted, thats all that matters. Then its up to you to learn what you're there for!
I've always felt that it's like Adam is talking to me, personally when watching his videos. I love his way of doing things. It can't be matched.
My middle son & I saw the live Mythbusters show in Detroit a few years ago. What a great show & we felt that you guys were loving it as much as the audience.
That type of audio thing is what makes your channel so unique and fun to watch. Minimal editing, just raw footage, which certainly does make it feel more intimate. You’re the only guy on UA-cam who can completely walk out of frame for like two minutes while the caption says “bandsaw noises” and the audience is like “this is awesome.”
its interesting finding this channel, i can vidily remember being about 8 or 9 and my dad telling me about this cool new website his friend told him about and wanted to show me. where anyone could upload videos and you could watch them for free. i can remember the cheap wood paneling on the walls and shag carpeted stairs we were walking down while he was telling me about this, and how the first question i asked him was about if "that myth show or monster garage" was on it or not, and how the first video i saw on youtube was a poorly ripped copy of the mythbusters christmas special rube goldberg machine.
almost 15 years later... Still watching.
Going back to school is great and rewarding if you know what you want to do or have the desire to go to school for yourself. If you're going because you think that's what you "should" do or you're being pressured by someone in your life then it might not be a great decision, especially if you live in a country where university is very expensive. That's just my personal experience and the experience of the people around me. I spent 12 years doing one career (what I loved doing and what I thought I would spend the rest of my life doing) but due to circumstances I ended up needing to turn to a different career path. I'm currently working my way through my last semester of college and I am excited for my new career (which will be sustainable for me physically well past retirement age if I need to work that long).
School is a very personal question and one that can only be answered by the individual. Trades and vocations are a good alternative to degrees as well!
The intimacy is there on the flip side for us too. Seeing someone on TV, you can be a fan. Continuing onto UA-cam feels alittle more like we know you, you're talking to us directly.
You Tube has made you become more you. Memories, stories, the natural drift of conversations. Hints, ideas, failures, and the sheer joy as you recall that high moment in your memory.
It’s nice to hear you speak on your experience of school.
Back in high school, I moved across the country to take a space technology course and I loved it. After that we were kind of funneled into a satelite engineering course in a college nearby and I liked to be there for the social parts, but I was not ready for the academic part.
I ended up leaving it after almost 3 years and spent the next 5 years thinking higher education just wasn’t for me.
Now I’m ready to start my second year of college studying Digital Forensics and I feel motivated and excited to get going again after the summer.
Went back to school at the age of thirty for nursing. Totally different experience than my Bsc Biochem. When I did biochem, I was in my late teens and wallowing in a world I wasn't sure I wanted to be in. Going back at age thirty, as a male in nursing, I was SURE I wanted to be there. My marks reflected it. Now 26 years later I have no regrets, still hold my license, as does my wife, and though "retired" we both still practice. Maturity and motivation are huge things for success.
The energy and excitement you bring to everything you do is what keeps me coming back. I’m a banker and not an engineer or someone who works with their hands.
This isn't the same type of example, but I think it speaks to the same idea:
I'm no celebrity, but I've hosted and provided panel content for a number of comic/pop-culture conventions over the years. They've varied in size, but it's always the smaller ones I've enjoyed doing the most, because the people who come to see you are right there, you can look them all straight in the eye and speak to them directly, and they can converse back, often without even needing a mic. The key word which you used is "intimate". Big conventions are fun for the spectacle of it all, but the smaller ones let you feel like you're actually making real connections with other human beings. It's beautiful.
Hey Adam. Your videos draw me in and I think I know why. You have an infectious excitement for projects combined with a readiness to admit ignorance/mistakes and an indomitable spirit. I have upped my maker game largely due to the inspiration I find in your videos! I have even starting to build an astromech droid!
That was a really good observation about the difference of youtube and TV. There have been many TV quality productions made for youtube that have gotten only a couple thousand viewers and thats precisely because the viewers perceive higher quality productions as dishonest. Thats why there is basically a trope you can only find in youtube videos where editors intentionally leave in behind the scenes moments, to make the videos more imperfect. Stuff like showing the host going back to pick up the camera that they setup for a B roll shot, or intentionally leaving in moments where the host asks for a cut.
I’ve seen many youtubers over the last decade lose their identity because they were more focused on improving their equipment and the quality of their video than they were focused on the actual content of the video.
On going back to school: I went back to school last year and my experience is that, with age, I approached it differently.
In contrast to the past it was more of a thought trough decision and I was committed more. You have a goal, like Adam said, and you don't want to waste time.
But also, some stuff gets more difficult with age. I think it was more easy to learn some stuff 20 years ago for me than it is today. On the other hand, I am able to use knowledge I already have. I have a better tool box, so to speak, than as a young adult.
I went to school for a couple of months part time at the evening and later for almost a year full time. And full time is much easier. I don't know how people do it part time, at the weekends or evenings and that for years probably.
On thing in school did not change: Preparation is key. If you are constantly studying and preparing, it is not that hard.
I know, or I hope you know just how much we love and value you, Mr Adam!
Excellent point about the audio preferences. UA-cam is not just a space for TV-style content, it does have its own grammar.
Marshall McLuhan, “The medium is the message.” The way content is presented also contains its meaning. I’ve been a pastor for 30 years. There is a difference between a sermon, a newsletter article, my dissertation, an interview, or a vary rare video (I haven’t been in local parish ministry for a few years now.).
Adam's depth of knowledge and interest in performance is always fascinating.
As a teacher I can say the students who do the best are the ones who pay attention and want to learn.
After all, we are literally trying our hardest to get knowledge in your brain as easily as possible.
I went back to university as an adult (to train to be said teacher...) and compared to adult working life I found education the second time round so easy. Everything is there for you, nicely organised. You just have to pay attention and take it.
I didn't think I could respect Adam any more than I already do, and then he professes his love for Repo Man.
I would really like to mention that there are plenty of people who find punk or metal really soothing.
Great video Adam! I especially liked the second question and the way you addressed it. My experience of going back to school was the same as your wife’s - I dropped out the first time, but went back about 10 years later with a goal in mind and studying something I was passionate about and I sailed through. I think going back to school is great, IF you have a goal in mind. I think one problem we have in this country is that many people feel like they have to go to college, or that going to college is the only way. There’s nothing wrong with going to college just to learn of course, but it’s an awfully big investment to make for something that might not be part of everyone’s path.
I’ve been re-watching Mythbusters in its entirety over the past couple months. I never got a real appreciation for how much work and skill actually went into making that stuff until I watched Tested. Now I see a build on Mythbusters emerge after 9 seconds and my brain has a whole new level of understanding for how it got there! Also it’s kind of hilarious watching Adam and Jamie interact knowing what I know now. 😂
I have so much respect for you, I can easily say that you are one of the people I look up to in so many ways! Thank You Adam!
Great questions and insightful answers, love how Adam runs with each question - genuine passion to share knowledge😎👌
Mythbusters is so special to me. I found it in middle school (I still remember the first episode I saw, the Hit the Ground Running episode) and it opened my eyes to the world of STEM. Before that I didn't really what to do with my life, career wise. I'm now 26 with a CS masters and I definately owe a lot of my current technical interests to Adam and the rest of the Mythbusters team.
I went back to school at 45 years old after working in warehouses my whole life. Now I'm a community and youth support worker. Best decision I ever made. I'm definitely living the best life I ever lived.
I wish I had done it sooner, but I just don't think I was ready. If I did it in my 20s I probably would have dropped out.
I admit I'm one of those people that say youtube is not what it used to be but slowly figures like yourself that have done the whole TV thing and continue to do so, find the 'geeky' audience that originally tuned in in the formative years of what you have done because although the 'boring' science side might not of been fully developed in the commercial shows, you struck a great balance. Now you have the 'geeky' folk watching your youtube and also the casual watcher of your TV work is here listening to the technical side of things! Dare I say it I think you continue with some of the lost virtues of the Internet and thank you for showing your passion in being in a position of educating a lot of people, that much I think you still do not understand to its greatest extent, but also you learn from the interaction via youtube. Thank you for what it is worth in my own opinion you are a brilliant example of passion for a subject transcending any particular platform and bringing in every person to the subject. Nuff love Manchester UK X
It’s a small thing, maybe a silly thing, but I really appreciate your small caveat about graduate school.
I’m someone who has gone back to school and finds it both rewarding and, due to a lot of the tradition of “training is payment “ leads to so much strain.
There are also so many other pressures, but I also have seen people absolutely flourish.
It’s not the kind of thing most people compassion for.
One of my favorite aspects of punk culture is the DIY ethos. Bands record themselves, distribute and make their own merch, make their own venues. I think it makes punk one of the most creative and unique genres
I could not read until i was in my late teens early twentys, I wnet to get my gcses and went to college and honestly when you have been with out and see what people your age are doing i had the best time learning and wanted so much out of it!! i had a bad childhood and school was not somthing i could focuse on due to home life but when i got the chance to be free and do it on my own i loved it
I think that before returning to school as an adult, it's important to consider what you're planning to do *after*. I've returned to post-secondary three times, and always did well at at - going from a 1.2 average to a 3.95 - but I've had mixed success in turning that schooling into anything *useful.* The library diploma turned into a good job, until the price of oil collapsed and killed Alberta's economy in 2014. The emergency communicator certificate probably would have turned into a good job, but the schooling largely taught me that I'm not that *interested* in 9-1-1 work. And finishing my bachelor's degree was satisfying... but has not had any real economic benefit for me, so that's a very expensive sense of satisfaction.
Pretty much everyone I've ever met who returned to school as an adult did well at it. The big question, in my mind, is not "will I do okay at school if I go back," but rather "will this education further my goals?" And goals need not be economic - but whatever they are, it's a lot of money, so you need to pay attention to the education's utility.
I have become fond of watching your videos. It’s great to have open, honest conversations of your heart. Thanks
Sounds like we grew up similarly listening to Casey Kasem’s American Top 40 during the 70’s & 80’s. I got my first set of Legos probably around the late 70’s, the Space Command set. It sparked my love of Legos. When my son became old enough for them, I lived my second childhood with him playing Legos for hours on the floor. The best memories ever…
Interesting perspective. Gives me insight with my online teaching.
This is one of the most humbling videos I’ve ever seen. Thank you.
You are a great mentor Adam...not only as a Maker....but all so as a human being...
You were very important to me Adam. Thank you
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I like how this pinned comment is from two days ago when this video was uploaded 9 minutes ago.
Adam Savage is a confirmed time traveler.
We got 'em, boys.
I have a doctorate in Clinical Psychology and all the other degrees before it. I make parents of my adolescent client mad when I tell their kids that you don't go to college for an education, you go to college for a job that requires specific education. If you don't know that the job you want to do requires a 4 year degree, don't spend $80k "finding yourself." I'm a very well educated person, and I recognize the value of trade schools, union training programs, and good old fashioned hard work as equally valid ways of skill building. In the end, you need to make your time more valuable to an employer or client. The means of getting there are highly variable.
What you said about grad school rings so true.
Grad school was so surprising and dehumanizing. It's a unique experience up until that point in your life. Fast school is responsible for the great life I have and I don't regret it, but I wasn't prepared going in.
A successful grad program, from the perspective of becoming an expert in your field, tears your mind down to its studs and renovates your brain and thinking processes. My perception of the world and how I approach life situations changed. In many ways, it was sharpening my existing tendencies to a razor's edge. In other ways, it stripped me of the variety and flexibility I had before.
Very few graduates of intense programs can *enjoy* aspects of their field, but we exchange that for a satisfying depth of understanding that only years of study can bring. Wonder exchanged for appreciation.
I can't imagine what one's life would be if one only got through the tear-down phase without completing most of the renovation phase. You would lose who you are without the support structure to find and rebuild your new identity. Harrowing.
I agree with Adam, I like how intimate these videos feel. Mythbusters and of course Adam were a huge part of my childhood and is still very important to me to this day. (I'm doing a Mythbusters binge currently and I'm having a ton of fun)
I didn't know I needed Adam's thoughts on going back for my Master's until this. Thanks for being so motivating.
as a random internet stranger weighing in on the going back to school question, I agree with Adam’s examples of people who have found value, while also aknowledging that for me, going to school to learn something actually added time & confusion to my ability to learn.
I’m a bottom up learner, so I learn best by doing the specific thing and infering my own general principles as i accumlate example sets. In all of my schooling experience they tend to teach you general principles and then instead of giving you the actual problem sets you’ll face at work, they give you contrived examples intended to “teach” you whatever they or the curriculum have decided is important, which is usually at a significant discrepancy with what is practical and important in a real work situation. At the same time certain jobs require you to jump through their system of hoops, which is fine if you don’t mind the arbitrarity and find the end result worth your effort.
This advice is what i wish i saw somewhere when I was unsure about school. Instead i spent 3 years doing the wrong thing so that I could learn how I needed to learn so that I could spend another 1 year re-teaching myself the things i actually needed to know.
also apologies for typos and random lower case letters. i recently broke up with auto-correct and it shows.
Your passion for metrology that spawned the series of videos regarding measurements afterwards is honestly one of the coolest I've ever seen. That 45 minute fever dream, as you put it, was an instant classic.
Hey, Grant, Jamie, Adam, Kari, Brain. Safe travels, & safe journey. We miss you. Forever in -our prayers.
The video you mentioned, your Epiphany on the Science of Measurement, was honestly a turning point for me. I clicked on it and watched through the entire thing. I was enthralled, and I bought my first set of calipers that day. I never thought I needed them, but seeing you just gush over the tools you had at your disposal was absolutely infectious. The last 20 years of my life have been defined by one set of skills-designing and developing web presences. But that video, and those calipers sent me on a journey... a few months ago, I built my first 3D printer, a Voron 2.4. If you had asked me if I had the capability to build a literal robot before I watched that video, I would've laughed. But now, I am on a trajectory I would've never been on had I not clicked on that video.
I don't know if you'll ever see this, but if you do, thank you. While like many here, Mythbusters was a cornerstone of my scientific interest, your love of those intimate moments on UA-cam changed my life.
Someone in their 30's who is going back to school, I can fully relate to Adam's wife, and couldn't agree more. I went to college right out of high school, I floundered around, didn't know what I wanted to do, eventually dropped out. Well I'm back in college, I know what I want, and I've only gotten A's in every class, even the few classes I wasn't looking forward to but had to take.
The evolution of musical tastes is an interesting process. I literally went from the pop that my parents listened to, then classic rock, and then Grunge exploded while I was in high school. And now you hear Pearl Jam on the classic rock stations.
Grad school dropout here. Yep, it harmed me. Or rather mental issues that I was able to hide and work around up to that point were no longer able to be coped with. It's nice to know my limits, but you never really stop beating yourself up about it.
It's so good and soothing to hear that my big childhood hero also didn't go to school. I just i could go back and tell my 12 year old self this.
Regarding going back to school at a later date (older age)... My 2 pesos (from experience). Be clear on what you want out of it (a goal or specific outcome is set as Adam says). Most importantly, be sure that you have the means (income, time, determination, etc...) to see it through the end. It's super important to have the necessary time and money especially. I went back to school in my mid-twenties and ultimately stopped going for a second time (dropped out), because I didn't have enough money (had to work 3/4 to full time through the nearly 3 years I was at it) and time to properly devote to it (due to working too much to get the money I needed). Unless you're extremely determined, time and money are going to be your biggest obstacles, at least if you have to continue working to support both yourself and pay your school bills.
I tell my kids and any other young people who will listen... If you're going to do college at all, do it right after high school while your parents can still help you out, and see it through to the end while you're young. It becomes increasingly more difficult to do so later in life, especially once you start incurring debt from other things, and/or start having a family.
Or maybe you'll get lucky and hook up with another person (significant other or spouse) that can support you while you pursue your education.
Didn't realize Adam has as little college education as he does... I was pretty sure he didn't major in any engineering discipline, but didn't recall how little education he had. College is not the be all, end all. As Adam and others have shown, it's not necessary. He's clearly done VERY well for himself and he's got an "engineering mindset"... Would be interesting to see what he'd have done with a mechanical engineering degree.
I work with my dad doing remodel work, he likes to listen to the radio when he works and it's almost always reruns of Casey's AT40. Some are hits some are misses, but even as a 24 y/o I could see how it's just an easy going good time. A nice classy man giving you musical history on what you're about to hear, or might have heard many times over.
"Building with Legos while listening to Casey Casem"
As someone for whom that resonated very strongly, I am delighted by this insight and how it compares to other people. Thank you!
Adam couldn't be more correct about going back to school. In my experience in education, adults who go back to school know why they're there and absolutely destroy all of the youngins.
Thank you Adam and crew for the fun story time 😂❤ love from Oklahoma.
On the question of music - much like Adam's comments about going back to school - it depends on what you're aiming to get out of it.
I'm a hard rock/metal guy, unabashedly. Iron Maiden, Metallica, KISS, AC/DC, Rob Zombie. But when I'm getting ready for work, I turn on the Train Radio station on Pandora, with Train, Ed Sheeran, Maroon 5, etc. Because I don't need the high-energy, adrenaline-spiking feeling when I'm going to cover a city council meeting or rework press releases a briefs in the paper. It's just a different mindset.
Even if he was a massive fan, I can't imagine Adam putting on something from Powerman 5000 and getting all cranked up to go do fine detail work on the lathe or mill. Driving home from the shop to wind down for an evening of making dinner and watching a movie doesn't seem like the best time to crank up an Anthrax album.
We tend to see Adam in his work environment which he has said he sees as self-soothing and decompressing. The heavy stuff is probably not what I would choose in that situation, either.
Adam savage is the reason I became a maker and got curious about things and stuff haha 🙏 one day I hope to have the chance to meet him.
Ghost is an amazing metal band. Quite a rabbit hole to fall into- and many songs are surprisingly soothing (and incredibly multilayered).
I appreciate your insight on going back to school... I got 2 years in towards my upper education before forging my own path... when I actually figure out what I want to do, I'm sure classwork will really just fall into place
First few attempts at school, I flunked out. When I went back with a clear goal, I made the Dean's Honor list two semesters and graduated with a 3.65 GPA. (Only took a decade to figure out how to go back) I met a lot of older people than myself who were going back after having worked for many years and regretted not getting a better education earlier in life.
I went to college after I got out of the Army at 30. It was very rewarding. It was fun. I got a 3.92 gpa. Way better than I ever did in high school
6:45 That's my exact experience. I dropped out because of a lot things going in my life but I came back at 27 after working on the field (computer science) for and few years and now I'm almost halfway doing great because I came back with a purpose and to learn as much as I can while using the homework and projects as an excuse to work on my workflow, presentation and use new tools and design patterns without that learning making me affect actual work projects. It's been great and I'm getting an opportunity to share what I already knew and help my classmates too
I'm just an average guy in I.T. working for a local telco. Not a machinist, but I love building models in my modest workshop and dream of someday having a machine shop like yours and a good mentor who will walk me through all those creative processes. I will tell you, after watching the "no such thing as a measurement" video, I went out and bought a "shop grade" gauge block set and 3 new calipers!
I love this channel. I really feel that Adam is talking to _me._ Personally. And yes, Adam, it is magic! (I learn a lot from you quite apart from making & engineering.) 😊💜
Re grad school: I went though decades of my career as a software engineer without a degree (I had to set my undergrad math degree work aside for many years -- chronically-ill spouse & child). I did eventually finish it AND what it did was qualify me for graduate work. My employer was so impressed that they put me through school for systems engineering. It has been an amazing experience (even though school as a working adult with a family is _never_ easy). I have six weeks remaining in my MSSE and I am making significant contributions to an investigation, AND the PI has invited me to continue as one of his doctoral students. I am now in my sixth decade, in my second career, and I will finally get the chance to fulfill my childhood dream of becoming a scientist. WHEEEEE!!! 😊💜😊💜😊
As someone who loves Punk I find it really good for working because I have ADHD so it’s like “Here’s a hyper fast paced action oriented piece of music that you can put on and work to.” And that is very much my vibe. Now my work playlist has expanded from the riot grrl, emo, and punk music into a lot of rap artists like Childish Gambino, Kendrick Lamar, etc. because the beat is good and keeps me in the zone.
I never imagined back when I was young watching mythbusters on discovery channel that I'd have a chance to say hi to Adam. Mythbusters are behind my attitude of let's test if it's true and if not then what do we have to do to make it so.
The question of music is an interesting one. Ever since I was a very young kid I've always gravitated towards movie soundtracks. When I'm building a replica prop, sculpting or whatever, I tend to listen to the soundtrack of what the subject matter is. I find it gets me really motivated and adds to the enjoyment of the build.
I’m just happy my Adam content has never stopped
There is a world of difference going to school just out of high school and returning as a nontraditional student. I went back to school twice: once after getting out of the Marine Corp and once in my late 30's. Before the Marine Corps I had been on Academic Probation in 2 different institutions. That final time, out of the 6 full time semesters (not counting the single course summers) , I was on the Deans list 4 or 5 times. There is a big difference.
Those lounge versions of the Circle Jerks songs on the Repo Man soundtrack are so fun!
Dude, I went to one of the most prestigious music schools for my graduate program. I was a world-class player and had toured the world working professionally as a jazz artist and broadway musician. After my master's program, I quit playing. Not one note in 30 years. I learned to hate the industry and the cut-throat, selfish competition. It turned out okay. I went into corporate IT for a time, commercial building engineering, and ultimately, discovered that I am a maker. I literally know how (don't know why - no training) to fix or build anything. So, it was a gift (and a curse) to go to school. I suffered through school (severe ADHD), toured the world as a musician, and ultimately, learned who I was.
tbh I think even when Adam builds his miniatures for movies he is still seeing the end product through our desires in his eyes ... essentially making the model look right for the imagination to say yeah thats right . ... even when doing his recreations... he goes until they look right ... not before ... kind of like we all get to live vicariously with all these pros and stuff as we see them the way adam saw them and so feel the same way abut them ...
the will and desire and focus to learn ... no better way too ensure you get your moneys worth by paying super good attention
lego's yeah we need more lego builds been a while since one ...
Did not expect to hear Alex Cox mentioned today!
Maybe the greatest sequence of cultural wonders in my teenhood was his Moviedrome series.
Including Repo Man of course.
With the point about going back to school. I went to grad school about 5 years after I finished my undergrad degree. I will second everything Adam said. In high school and my undergrad I was a solid B student. When I went to grad school I had a 4.0 because I was totally invested in everything I was learning and I loved it. I don't think school got any easier, I was just so much more motivated.