Dear Young People, You Terrify Me
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- Опубліковано 8 вер 2024
- Once I started writing this video I realized that there was a great deal that I wasn't going to be able to fit into a 4 minute video. There are times, like when I'm watching a Logan Paul video or reading about Tide Pod challenges that the natural response for an older adult is to just overwhelming anxiety for next generation.
And, indeed, I've watched as bad ideas (much worse than tide pods) have taken over young people in a way I did not expect and am extremely stressed out by. I worry a lot about people who figure out how to capture this energy for their own gain and do not consider the responsibility that their power brings, or think that they are righteous when they are in fact leaning into culturally destructive ideas.
But also, I have found the level of responsibility pretty paralyzing. John and I have both been shying away from cultural criticism on this channel because, like, I feel more and more drawn to stability and that means compassion for people who are intolerant, but don't necessarily know they are. And I feel like people often (maybe rightfully, I don't know) get roasted for that kind of behavior.
So this video was a surface-level discussion of a deeper and more intense thing that I've been experiencing, and that is pushing me a little bit away from four-minute explorations of culture because:
1. I don't know if I have the guts to put myself on the line for things that I completely recognize I might be wrong about.
2. I don't know if internet-based, echo-chamber-riddled discussion about any of these things is actually helping.
Also, a thing I cut from this is how, just like genetic mutations usually do nothing, I believe we can freak out about cultural changes that actually have no real effect on people. And sometimes the changes are absolutely negative. The way brains are set up after new dopamine channels open around puberty to when the frontal cortex finishes developing in the mid-20s is a recipe for indulging in bad ideas, and individuals certainly suffer when that carries them to the wrong place. Culture at large can suffer as well.
But it can also mean great things...great change...great action. And that's how I'm feeling right now.
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Dear Hank, I'm terrified of myself already, thank you.
I don't think that is a good thing.
The Suicidal Muffin That's why you want to get eaten? :D
The Suicidal Muffin you are what makes the internet a happy place
"12 to 24 year olds"
Me a 27 year old: ouch
IT'S BABY-MAKING TIME.
@@ElectricityTaster what?
@@rebekahnunes8480 PROCREATION
me, turning 25 in two months: guess I don't have much time left
Welcome to old age; most of us are already here^^
No more technological progress until we fix printers. They still suck.
Yes
also braces . for the love of god ...
That’s why I use brother!! I haven’t replaced my ink and it’s been 3 years since I got it. Also pretty easy to use for someone who doesn’t get technology.
@@vlc-cosplayer Yes. Why do these bulky printers exist? It's 2020! We've miniaturized computers--why can't we miniaturize printers?!
I've never felt so strongly about a youtube comment
If he’s “middle aged “ ( he looks 35 to me) , then I don’t want to know what I am
55 in December
But I’m not dead yet folks
Don't worry, the day is still young.
@@screamingweevil3410 You are young as long as you can firmly support the young feeling in your heart. Age is just the number that decides how hard it is for your physical body to feel young lol
I'm 49, but I feel like I've been middle-aged since I was 5.
Old as balls.
Me and Hank are the same age and if our life expectancy is like 72 we are definitely in the middle. But then again people die at 50 too. We could all be well past middle and not know it yet!
And a person in his thirties just referred to himself as Middle-aged... Get off my lawn you kid!
Exactly! What the hell?
Considering the average life span of an American man is 78 years, hes not actually wrong...
I am turning 57 soon. If Hank is old, I must be an antique. And my 80 yr old mom will not want me to finish THAT thought.
I'm just 6 months from 48. Am I old?
A person who died in their 40s was technically middle-aged in their 20s.
Damnit Hank, you can't be middle aged, because you're my age.
I looked up the definition of middle aged on Google and I have bad news for us...
vlogbrothers first result from Google says 45 to 65. I'm sticking with that one until I'm at least 45.
Plus under most definitions I'm a millenial, and I don't think the universe can handle middle aged milenials.
Joshua Hillerup there are now some middle aged millennials wow
Joshua Hillerup the definition I heard from a vlogbrothers is that if you can triple your age and it's still feasible. So if your 33 then you are not middle aged. But if you are 36 then you are middle aged.
I can confirm that I, a young person, also find young people terrifying 😂
Me too.
Same. And my name is young.
hunter young haha poor you :')
hunter young or should I say poor you(ng)
Same +
One thing that never seems to get said about how the older generations always feel like the world is moving faster and faster is that we become slower and slower the older we get.
The first ~20 years of our lives are filled with instability and change. We go from baby to toddler to child to teenager in next to no time (ask any parent of an adult child, it zooms by). We move from home to pre-school to primary school to secondary school (where every day is different as you move from classroom to classroom) to college to university and then... we kind of stop. Most of us find a job that does more or less the same thing every day. We settle into routines that, if they change at all, tend to become variations on a theme. We find the things we like and do them more. We find the things we DON'T like and cut them out. It becomes harder to expand our social circle, so we maintain the same friendships. Many of us engineer our lives to reduce the chance of major change, the Big Book of Life says we're supposed to "settle down" and many of us do. We settle down, we quieten, we become comfortable, and we forget that all the huge changes that happened in the world while we were growing up happened in a comparatively short period of time. They took place in the 'now' of our youth and we took it in our stride because we were part of it. The 'now' of adulthood is much, much longer. As a teenager, a week can last a month as you're dealing with all the concomitant drama. The assignment deadline tomorrow, what that girl said about you, the friends that have had a fight. SO MUCH happens to you. As an adult, your perspective has shifted. Time feels different because, for you, today is pretty much like yesterday and it's easy to forget that the world hasn't slowed down with us. It's moving as fast as it always has, we just aren't part of that change anymore.
I'm rambling now. Sorry. Did that make sense? I hope so...
kathmonkey That made perfect sense, thank you.
+ DFTBA!
Perfectly stated.
kat, start a vlog :\
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If ya didn't read the doobly-doo, you've only experienced half of this vid
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agreed
What id the doobly doo, i feel dumb
The description.
Sometimes I feel like literally the whole world should collectively take a year long sabbatical.
And in that year do some shrooms.
@@johndifrancisco3642 Eh, give me a bottle of red wine and some old literature.
Maybe longer, indefinitely perhaps
@@_00_36 Bacchus, the one true god who works.
Same
I love and applaud this intersection of fields of knowledge! Looking at culture through the lens of biology- I feel like I just listened to a 4 minute TED talk! haha
Strange Rebel Gaming I was going to comment something similar, but you beat me to it! I completely agree! 😊
Memes and communicating cultural information is a great way of understanding how people behave.
Hey, thanks!
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Old people terrify me more than young people though. Unlike younger folks, they DON'T have that impulse towards change or growth, and that tendency toward stagnation/regression is coupled with a disproportionate amount of power to affect society. It's harder for us to improve things when a large, powerful portion of the population says "slow down, everything's fine, we've already progressed pretty far, why move on to the next thing?"
Sayed Asif It’s terrifying because it’s not just the older generation wanting to “slow down a little”. More and more lately it seem that they want to completely stop and maybe even regress. The idea of going backwards is very scary and the idea that young people are “too young to understand how the world works” is just plain dangerous.
Sayed Asif It's a balancing act, but I'm a believer that without pushing established boundaries, we will end up stagnating or regressing. Obviously the term "progress" means different things to different people, but there is a clear delineation between what has happened in the past and what has yet to occur. I am terrified of people who attempt to either maintain the status quo or return to old ways of thinking; such people are typically on the older side, which is one reason why they scare me more.
Why am I terrified of this? Because lots of really, really negative mindsets have existed in the past, and those mindsets are often entrenched/ingrained/unchanging. A natural part of a younger person's life is development, and this tendency toward change is what spurs progress. It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks, no?
Of course it is necessary to reflect on what worked in the past... for example, many political activists today could seriously take lessons from the Civil Rights movement (I recommend the book "Where Do We Go From Here?" by Dr. King). But the benefit of reflection is that we can look back, see what was beneficial, and then *change society based on that knowledge*. It is that last part that necessitates an open mind and a mindset towards growth, two traits that (according to personal experience) younger people are more likely to have.
I am an old person and I have two observations about old people. First: Old people like things from the past not because the past was objectively better ( it's not if you look at all the ways in which the world as a whole has improved) but because it was better for them because they were young and youth was such a great time ( though not necessarily for everybody)
Second: This is not so much an observation of old people as an observation by an old person: Our current culture is not conducive to moving into the future. Old ways that stem from tribal/ agricultural thinking are still very much with us. That is not our future, that is stagnation. Too many of our standards are either arbitrary or benefiting tribal leaders. We must test each one of these with thought and care. We need to be inclusive of the human race to meet the challenges of the future. Some people are comfortable living in their past but the human race cannot do that and remain viable.
I guess you are the kind of person that would be fine with slavery if it still was legal in this country.
I'm a bit confused, who are you talking about ?
Hi, Hank. My name is Julia and I’m a terrified senior in high school getting ready to go to college. I’m scared to leave my home, be out on my own, and never be able to get my “normal” back. But this video made me feel so much better about my future. In leaving home, in going out on my own, I will be presented with so many opportunities to help people, incite positive change, and leave a mark on the world that I, up until this point, have been completely complacent in. Thank you for showing be that while this is scary, the fear is power, and I need to use it.
juliacar +
Yes.
If each generation does not scare the previous generations, they are not doing their job.
They don't scare me, they make me sad. Incels and sjw's are just plain sad.
thegreendank1 boo. its octubre. tiem to get spoopy.
So you're saying if the next generation brings back slavery and human sacrifice to the abhorrence of the generation before, they're "doing they're job? Lol
@@thegreendank1
Incels are a different beast all together. They may represent a for of mass psychosis. I'm a psychiatrist but they generally seem ill.
@@thegreendank1 sjw is just a right wing buzz word. No one describes themself as a sjw unless it is a joke.
Hank: "to the 12-24 year olds out there"
me, being 25: 😨
U got 2 more years. U'r noticing ur age, meaning you have a chance;)
He is already over the "i have _decided_ i've grown-up, i'm old, conservative" spot @28.
He realizes correctly that @24 u r da most powerful you'll ever be, that so for *a few years*.
U have until 28,
glhf
Hey, im currently 25 and I found this comment to be very funny and relatable. I noticed that this comment was made 3 years ago, and it made me wonder how you are doing now. Do you reckon you've used that 'fuel' wisely, is it still going?
Curious to see if three years from now I'll share the same sentiment
I’m 34. 😂😂😂 one year I’m a single, serious but party girl grad student 💃🏻and the next year I’m a pharmacist (but somehow SAHM🫠🥰🤷🏽♀️ ) of 2 kids who think I’m in charge. I feel like all I did was blink😂. Life is wiiild! Getting old happens fast. But I love what gen-z is doing and the discourse it brings, even when it’s off kilter sometimes. We’re all trying our best🎉
@@schmexyboi yup so currently 28 years old! I am starting to notice that I'm aging but tbh, that's been going on for the past almost two years already. On the other side, I don't think I've run out of any fuel, on the contrary, realizing my gender a little over a year ago gave me new things to figure out and learn and while I am now a working adult living in a small town (instead of being in uni in a city), I don't feel any less about wanting to change the system and culture. I guess being part of marginalized groups does that to you regardless of age
me: shit, 1 year until I'm 25
As a 16 year old this was inspiring so thank you.
Ps try to keep up old man 😏
Cosmonaut cries LOL
Damn zoomers XD
Dunning Kruger effect. The world is bigger than you know. You don't know how much you don't know.
How was "don't try to revolutionize the world too fast" inspiring?
how’s being 18?
Advice for everyone: Read the description box. (I can't spell what John calls it)
Hank, I'm a part of 'young people' and I'm immensely scared of us.
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I wholeheartedly agree that people should read it, and it's "doobly doo".
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Mister Apple Yes Thanks!
I've been thinking about culture and society and how it changes from generation to generation a lot lately. I find this likening to genetics a really interesting perspective, I like it
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Yep, the original intention of the word "Meme" was to be the cultural equivalent of the Gene in genetics. The smallest identifiable units of culture which are constantly changing or being recombined in new ways.
You guys in West still have it easier. In India , we youngsters think so radically from our parents generation that it's like a 100 year difference of culture. That's because of the fact that we see what cultural practices works in the west and adopt them. For example , arranged marriage was very common until the past decade but since internet grew more common ,now people in their late teens can't even think of arranged marriage. Without internet that would have taken at least another 60-70 years.
They said that, "teenagers scare the livin' shit out of me!"
RandoZero Guitar Haha yes! I thought of this too
Good one 👏👏
Why did i sing when i read this
@@distressedghost because u must
me being 14 agreeing with you
Message: never slow down or you will turn into Jimmy Buffett
You mean we can't have a license to chill before we make our coastal confessions? Well, that sounds simply complicated for a piece of work like me and the rest of us.
I had to look him up to understand the reference, and merely by the names of all the UA-cam song results that came up, I’m deeply amused
That sounds great... that guy has like billions of dollars... I think he even owns BNSF... I always wanted a train set when I was a kid... but if you owned a whole freight line... you could just hop in your hello-copter and spy it from the sky! I used to hop the trains in and around Chicago. I only ever went as far as the freight yards, but you know... it was punk-rock, kinda. I once got stuck at Harlem by the commuter line in Riverside... I had been walking for a few miles and ws ramped-up... didn't want to stand round for half an hour so I hopped it. I meant to hop off the other side immediately, but I got into the ride. Then I realized it was heading into the yard in broad daylight. I was on a flatcar and real exposed... I didn't want to get pelted with salt-shot so I decided to hop off the other side already... but a 6ft chainlink without a top rail appeared beside the track--just level with the top of the flatbed I was on. So I got a sense of the rhythm of the posts whizzing past and stepped-off onto one jumping from it immediately. I hit the commuter tracks on the other side, sprawled-out, right in front of the station platform... I hit so hard that my hawk flattened out and I twisted a few fingers, but otherwise, it was a successful landing. I stood up, brushed myself off and look up at the platform to see it crowded with early evening commuters... embarrassing. They split like the red sea when I pulled myself up, though. Train sets... loads of fun.
@@charlesjurgus I know I'm way late to this, but that's Warren Buffet. Jimmy Buffet is the singer.
@@Eylrid Who???
All progress is change, but not all change is progress.
Yay young people, but also, yay for old people who also imagine a better world and work toward it, and who teach young people to change the world effectively. Gotta work together.
Absolutely, and I still do that, I just do it very differently than I used to.
vlogbrothers Yes! I think that's good, and necessary. I've just also seen too many older people this week saying "the teenagers will save us" and I just want to scream "YOU HAVE THE POWER TO SAVE US NOW, SO PUT IT TO USE"
This. 100 times this. +++
Hank, I am older than you (I am older than John), but I can still imagine the world in a different way you cannot, because I do not benefit from the world in the way you do. Imagination does not require youth. It requires discomfort.
those are nice words in a very good order
Yes! It does require discomfort!!
I'm pretty sure it doesn't require discomfort. That may serve as a reason for wanting to imagine, but it's neither necessary nor sufficient.
Although there’s imagination that leads to good effects and imagination that leads to bad effects. It takes a lot of imagination to test whether ideas are good or bad. And that’s a lot of mental discomfort that people just live life by avoiding it, sadly. And that is what leads to the discomfort of the physical world and half baked ideas. When someone’s discomfort cuts deep to the brain and the soul, that’s when someone can imagine a world and then test its possible effect.
This video made my 14-year-old self feel so much more assured about the current state of the world. I was under the assumption (my bad, it’s wrong to assume) that we were moving too slowly and we needed change. That’s true of course in a lot of areas, but not all of them, and this video just reminded me of all the advancements we’ve already made. Thank you for creating hope and educating us and allowing us to make big decisions about what we want our world to look like.
Hank: Maybe I'm out of touch? No, it's the young people who are terrifying.
Young people: Yeeeeeeeet
As a 20 year old, I am constantly in awe of the things people my age will do just to fit in. Sometimes altering whole parts of their personality, covering up the quirks that make each one of us unique.
Reading the comments I'm more terrified that young people are scared of themselves. I understand the older generation having some fear because it is natural to be afraid of new things, but young people's fear of themselves definitely shows the power they have and their fear that they may not use it correctly.
It feels as though, as we progress further, some views expressed by and "passed down by" older generations are become more polarized and radicalized because those are the voices that will be heard. But by having those voices be far more prevalent incites that same radicalized passion in others and instills fear in those of the "opposite perspective." Young people create an impassioned, often uni-dimensional persona, especially online. I don't know if that makes that much sense, but power in the hands of any people unwilling to be open to the views and insights of others or to any amount of reflection/change can be a terrifying thing.
ShaynainShambles +
Rebecca Nielsen +
I'm in the same head space lately too, Hank. I'm in my mid 30s and starting to feel "old" and a bit left behind by the pace of cultural and technological change and alarmed at how so little of it seems to be done with even the slightest thought to its consequences. That said, I don't find myself longing for the past as much as frustrated by how much of the technology I try to use simply doesn't work. I'm frustrated by how so many of the institutions we rely on as a society are being eroded by either active, villainous intent, or by criminal neglect. If anything I don't find myself asking "what are all these damn kids up to?" as much as "where the hell are the other grown ups?"
Yup. I effectively opted out of Facebook more than a year ago for a lot of reasons, and their hostility (and now negligence) in regards to privacy was a major factor. Mostly though, I'm feeling like these digital interactions are fooling our brains into thinking that they're genuine connection. They can definitely grow into that, as any vibrant online community can easily demonstrate, but we haven't learned to reflexively consider these digital interactions as additions to, rather than substitutions for, actual human interaction and connection that only really happens in person. So this year I'm trying to avoid the all-too-easy, sort of junk food versions of human connection offered online and spend my energy seeking out human interaction in the real world. So far, it's much better. It's more work, but it's worth it.
Thanks for the affirmation. This week I got fired and the real reason is being held from me. I worked in a day care and I approached caring for my students with an idea of their growth and better understanding of the world. My bosses didn't like it because my students wouldn't snap to attention when I wanted them too and I think ultimately that's why I was fired.
It was very important for me to work with my students and it was kind of a bombshell when I was suddenly fired, I've been wrestling in my head back and front about my value as an educator, but this video affirmed me. Thank you.
"To the 12-24-year-olds"....As a 25-year-old, I now feel old AND excluded. =(
I think it's really great how honest Hank is about things, that many wouldn't like to admit (e.g. being old/ out of touch with the youth). Only if you accept your weaknesses you can grow as a person and Hank is setting a really great example for this
"Use your fuel wisely"--that got to me. As a 19 year old in college right now, I can think of a lot of things to use it for, but it's hard to figure out how.
Proud to be a cultural mutagen. Quick, someone make a shirt.
I'd buy it.
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if someone makes it please link me to it
As an older person I find the younger people in this world give me hope. No idea what happened to my generation but I am very disappointed in their lack of vision or courage. Go young people
Conservatism happened.
@@Ninjaananas same old propaganda, just with a new face.
"Be scared of things and people you don't understand"
"Trust in money and the rich and the right and god"
@@phatdookie4207
Absolutly.
And then they do not even give them money.
@padrehousecat as a 22 year old, I like your optimism :)
As a 27 year old game developer, I consider myself pretty hip. But then I see all the weird stuff kids are doing and feel very out of touch.
In 10 years we went from basic text chat like MSN messenger and SMS, to the crazy world of Snapchat, UA-cam vlogging, hoverboards, and other weird stuff.
Not only that but back then tech wasn't a critical part of life - you could still get by without checking MSN every 5 minutes. Now having your phone by your side at all times is a must.
Luckily I'm in a position where I don't need to keep on top of these things - I don't have kids, I'm self employed. So I just need to try to relax and step away from it all more often.
Also props for bringing up evolutionary biology. Would have been a good chance to bring up the origin of the word "meme" - a gene for ideas.
"12-24 year olds" Well shoot. I just missed the cutoff. I am old.
oddrey52 I am 26, so me too.
@Turquoise Cheetah being born in 1995 is really strange to me as I dont remember the 90's at all and essentially grow up in the 2000s but when people hear when I'm born they somehow think I remember when I was 1-5 years old, I remember some scenes at nursury and thing about a holiday that I went on yet thats it. Yet with people born in 2000s I feel to old lol, I'm either a millional or a generation z but no clue which one XD
As a young person, I constantly find myself dissatisfied with the pace of change. Specifically, how slow it is. It’s sickening that people too young to vote are being forced to take the lead on issues such as gun control. But what I’ve seen and experienced over the past week is a feeling of power that is refreshing because finally, the rest of the population is starting to listen.
Except they aren't. The ones that are listening have always listened, the others are as deaf as always. Unfortunately, gun control appears to be as partisan as ever. I think the few that have dissented from their political party, have only done so in a marginal way, to save face and votes.
I’d rather have slow change than instantaneous, revolutionary change. I don’t believe change is inherently good, so the slower it is, the easier we can realize what’s working and what’s not before we get too far down the road. And unless we can adapt to the new patterns of behaving/thinking in the world, good change won’t work properly.
slow, step by step change is better imo. that way we can correct as we go. not all change is good.
I think it's incredibly valid to be dissatisfied with the pace of change. We all want to see instantaneous results. We want to see rights and views and everything else immediately reflected in social attitudes and responses. In a lot of instances, it's so unfortunate that we can't see that. But the way that I see it is that small changes, step by step are better than no changes at all. And slow changes mean we're building a firm foundation for the end result. It's easy to destabilize a momentary revolution, but one built on a solid thoughtful history of reflection, adaptations to achieve the greatest results, etc. is likely to be stronger and integrated more fully. But definitely, we can use that power to be the initiator for further change, that feelings of power and dedication is essential for any movement forward. :)
It depends on what kind of change you are talking about. Governmental change is extremely slow at the current time, and I do think we are due for a large amount of change in the way our government works. But cultural change is happening at breakneck speed, and no one really knows where all this change is leading to. The social media revolution, allowed for young progressive people to come together and demand change. But more recently, other groups have caught up with social media, and now it can be used to spread disinformation, propaganda, and hate like never before. It's a bit scary. Here in the US, it seems that the national political conversation is just extremely out of control, and it scares me, even as someone who is currently pretty progressive but was conservative up until about 2.5 years ago.
There is a thing Douglas Adams said about change. Admittedly it was about technology but I think it pretty much applies to tech, culture, ideologies, everything basically.
Everything that exists when you're born is the standard and is to be built on, then everything invented before you're 35 is revolutionary, but anything after 35 is unnecessary.
And I think about that so much when I look at people, like Germaine Greer for example, who were radical progressives in their youth but become part of the opposition to change later in life.
But I also see the fear of being outpaced. I don't have long before I'm in that 35+ group and I don't feel I've done enough to help bring about that youthful change, not that helpers don't exist after 35. Change does seem to come faster, though I can't tell if that's the illusion of time as you get older, or if like Moore's Law change gets faster the more it happens, but I can see where some fear comes from - the fear of your accomplishment being overshadowed by change brought about by another generation.
I'm only 17 and I agree. Things are getting out of hand.
Hank, I want to thank you for your message to the 12~24 yr olds. It may not have been said for this exact purpose but it has really helped me and have me a sense of hope. I have been experiencing quite a large amount of stress lately. Most of which I put on myself. I have especially been doubting myself a lot since high school admissions are just around the corner and I can only apply to one school. There are a lot of amazing schools I want to apply to but I feel like it's very unlikely for me to be accepted by said schools. Like close to 0%. And whenever my friends, family, or teachers tell me that I should apply I just can't convince myself to trust them. Because of this new cause of self-doubt, often times I feel beyond useless. There are times when I genuinely believe that there is nothing I can do and feel like giving up in life. And replaying that last part of this video gives me hope. It keeps me going and makes me believe that although I may be nothing right now, I can help make a change. And I feel like this feeling also may apply to others. So on behalf of all the people who remembered that there is something to keep moving forward for while watching not only this video but the ones before and those yet to come, I would like to say thank you.
Hank, your concern about the changes the youth are making happen are just as healthy a part of society as the changes themselves. Like with biological mutagenesis, balance is key. You wouldn't want your cells to have no mechanisms trying to prevent transcription errors. For the most part, you *want* those mechanisms to function. If they didn't, you'd be all cancer all the time, which wouldn't be much time because you would die quickly. Likewise, for a large part having a healthy conservative streak (in the lower-case 'c' sense of resisting change, nothing political) is part of having a functional society.
Most new ideas will be bad ideas, just because most ideas are bad ideas period, and if there's not some filter making sure that only the best of new ideas take hold, then we'll get the cultural (or memetic, if you will) equivalent of cancer. Some idea that spreads rapidly and without control through all of society and then destroys that society.
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We're terrified of ourselves too
I, as a member of gen Z, am terrified of gen Z
I am a member of Gen Z. I love this generation. This is the Meme Generation, and it can not be stopped. We woke up from our social justice infested class rooms when we heard the sound of teachers hating on Trump. This is why we said enough is enough. Now we are winning and the liberals are scared for their safe spaces, because they built up their lie for years and, now Gen Z comes into their campus to destroy it. If you are a liberal, you should be scared, because more of Gen Z is waking up everyday. But, if you are conservative, you have nothing to fear.
Pokenaut7 Suggestion: chill
lol. Just explaining.
Pokenaut7 lol most gen z are liberals though. Listen. You know you don't have to choose Republican or Democrat...IT IS OK to be in the middle. People need to stop being told ur either one boat or the other. And you need to learn that too.. please I beg of you guys
Kind of a trite complaint, but: WHY DO WE HAVE TO BE SO OBSESSED WITH AGE!?! It's like the older we're told we are, the less willing to adapt we become. If no one told me I was 26, I act so much differently... (I think I'll work on that.) DFTBA :j
don't think it's so much about the number as it is the life experience
So, thank YOU Hank, for being so mindful of the ways in which you perceive the world. I'm a mid-20-something, and I've followed VBs since I was a teenager. You've always seemed youthful to me (And I'm pretty sure this is because of my first, more targeted compliment to you, here).
I think another great way to look at this is by acknowledging that no matter how comfortable we grow in our pockets of increasingly civilized life, in the current global landscape of inequity, there is always someone whose life has yet to become as comfortable as yours has. Someone who has yet to come to see their way of existence as something they've "gotten used to." There are many people that never grow apprehensive about change. They welcome it with open arms, because they understand that although it may prove punitive, and sometimes happen faster than we're comfortable with, there's also plenty of reason to believe that it may get better. And, that because there's a sound likelihood that it will get worse, it's always in our best interests to at least have hope that it will indeed get better, even if it's without us.
Hope isn't just for the young--it's also for the disillusioned, and disenfranchised. It might be corny, but I also think it's something that postmodernism (a very relevant topic among the American youth) has pretty much taken a torch to.
3:31
"To the 12-to-24-year olds out there: you might feel powerless sometimes, but in some ways, right now you are the most powerful you will ever be, because you can imagine the world in a way that I no longer can."
Dang. That's deep. Thank you for the encouragement, Hank. Even though I'm (somewhat) new to this community, some of these videos are here to inspire. And that segment of this video...it's pretty inspiring.
And I can relate to that. I sometimes feel powerless and overwhelmed by the world's problems, but I have to keep reminding myself I can imagine a world that's better. And that is the thing I have to spark and cause causational change--not correlational change, but *causational* change. And now I have you to remind me of that. So thank you.
i didn’t know you guys did clean covers of mcr songs
Killjoys never die!!! We will carry on
CRYING lmaoo ++
Saved me the trouble of throwin this one out there.
ALL TOGETHER NAOW! :v
Hell yeee! Somebody else noticed it!
I am crying, wow XD
Whenever I feel powerless, I just make Shrek memes.
Am I making the world a better place?
YEESSSSS
vlogbrothers All of you are. You're all beautiful wackos. We need those.
Yes
*no.*
JJ, what message does a shrek convey :\
Great video Hank! I'm always concerned when 'old' people talk about how they've settled, or set their ideas in a way that's resistant to change, even if it's them just getting used to the world.
As a young person, one of the things I'm constantly trying to do is trying to change myself.
I don't like the idea that once I get older, I'll lose the drive to do that, because it feels like I'll stop improving.
Is this really what happens? Or is this a trend that can be broken if older people (including older me) continue concentrating on how they can improve themselves?
Monim Wains
If it makes you feel any better, my grandmother went through tons of change as she aged. Now she has new hobbies, travels the world, and makes new friendships. I think your approach to life establishes how you live it
This trend CAN be broken! DFTBA
So you can find a general stasis and still make big strides for positive change, I make big strides for positive change in my life frequently I just don't have to recreate myself from whole cloth as much to do so as it felt like I had to in the past. At this point in my life it feels like I can take some time to let the story arcs develop. Don't get me wrong I got a lot out of my rough and tumble 20's and there is a part of me that misses living life at 120 MPH but it's nice being able to take time to let that which will be to play out without feeling like I have to turn myself inside out.
I work with kids from the age of 15 and up as a training manager in a local fast food chain. Most of the time this is their first jobs, and while I may wonder about them or question their choices, I wouldn't change it for the world! They both terrify me and fill me with so much hope for the future, its great! I love it and 100% agree with all this!
It's so strange but I'm experiencing what you describe, I feel old, and I'm only 22.
Part of it is this resistance to change, part of it is the way my peers have accomplished so much.
This helps. It always helps when you recognize what you're feeling in another person.
So, I am scared of generational disconnect. There have always been older people scauling at younger ones and the other way around. However, we have less connections to other generations now, for many reasons. So how do we talk to each other again? How to we distinguish the common goals?
Pauline
I think for a long time that connection was based on family. In my own community, I only know the elderly because I happen to know my grandmother’s friends without that familial link, I probably wouldn’t know them as well. I definitely see your point and I do agree and, of course, my response is only from my own personal experience
I think you're exactly right.
Really? How weird. Seems like a thing to discuss with Millenials, and not in a seperat room from them.
Pauline, those are some weighty questions. I share your fear of generational disconnect (actually, I think we have a problem with a general lack of connection) but am unsure what to do about it. One answer: get older people and younger people to interact more. We are far more likely to empathize/connect with others when we are around them more; this is known as "the mere-exposure effect".
Maybe you like to read, so do it at the local library; if you go there enough, you'll recognize a few familiar faces. Maybe you like to sing... if you live in any major city, there's likely a bar or club or even a rec center that has karaoke night. Maybe you're a sports person, join a team or help someone at the gym. Maybe you like the outdoors, so do your hiking with a group or work in the community garden. These are all simple ways to get people interacting that don't require much extra effort. Once we actually interact with one another, we might see that our goals are more aligned than not.
How to communicate with younger people had always been a problem to solve, and we have to solve it anew every time a new generation comes up, but it's just now we tend to have meetings and formal scheduled workshop sessions about how to solve problems instead of just having it out over a martini lunch or a closed management meeting in the boss's office.
Man this was oddly inspirational
I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on the deeper, more intense thing you've been experiencing which provoked this video, but I also understand your hesitance to risk being roasted for them. I do wonder sometimes how many interesting ideas go unsaid on the internet because people are afraid of making others angry.
noodletheriddle well, alienating parts of ones fan base usually isn’t a good idea.
Not usually, no
noodletheriddle Exactly! I've made many posts around here so Hank might see it. He NEEDS to talk.
Genuinely feeling refreshed and better when I'm not being judged for my age by people older than me, including my parents. Thank you, Hank, sincerely.
Hank, I love this so much. I am, well, older than 24, so not a young person by the group addressed at the end of your video. And I love the recognition of getting older, how it changes, the fact that THAT IS OKAY, but most of all I love the advice to use your fuel wisely. That is one of the single most important things people can do, and to learn it early...that could make a world of difference.
What you said about talking to young people is one of the reasons why I want to be an educator. Thank you for this video, Hank. DFTBA!
"you, 10 to 24 year old, you're the most powerful you'll ever be"
Yay, I'm turning 25 in two weeks. D:
J. Matthew M. +
I'll be 29 this year! D:
You can still be powerful.
You'll be even more powerful knowledge-wise when you pass 30.
Me too D:
i feel like getting Hank in a headlock and screaming at him "YOU'RE. NOT. OLD. HANK. MY LOVE. YOU'RE SO NOT OLD." honestly.
* Reads title *
Me: I'm about as intimidating as a butterfly stuck in a marshmellow
I am constantly worried of the time I get older and get "out of touch" with what the younger people do and experience. And right now I am considered young. And the fact that people only slightly younger than me, experience a whole different life than me, fuels that small anxiety. I always try to be open, accepting and to changes and try look at them from positive or even neutral perspectives, even though people around me, even in my age don't always agree. And that can also be overwhelming. I would love to pursue a lifestyle close to young people and culture progress, just so I could consciously experience them and be part of them, but being old and unable to run behind change someday, is inevitable. That said, I still love your approach, that we should allow things to be and that those feelings are normal.
As a young person reading the title of this video, AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
Yeah like, no, please not Hank too! I though he was on our side. And then you watch the video, and your like... why did I even doubt him?
Old generations and new generations need to work together to make the best possible society. In the words of Troy Bolton and the high school musical cast, we're all in this together.
DM slider How do you work with the new generation which is made up almost entirely of communist lites? It's damn near impossible considering what they want (safe spaces, the extinction of the white race, free college, free healthcare, no guns, no free speech, high taxes, ect)
a LOT of us arent, please take my word for it. its all these hyper-sjw 16-25s who get all the representation on social media etc. , lot's of people my age (15) are completely normal and aren't the anti-white neo-liberal utter twats that we're represented as...we're just normal people like you. we do homework, we hang out with friends, we work afterschool, just like you did when you were our age, it's just that because it's so normal it's not talked about. not everyone is like that. most of us just live normal lives that you don't see.
Adam Smith, Hey dude I know what your talking about I often find myself annoyed by people my age (Often my own family) because of how my view differs from theirs. I'm an 18 yo dude and I often find the exaggeration many of the people I see, annoying. It's exactly because of that exaggeration that the ideas of the extremists from any side of a debate are shared more thoroughly than better ideas that come from a more centrist viewpoint.
Nevermind that giving everyone access to college and healthcare have been proven to be more successful in plenty of other nations?
Not everything breaks down into simple binaries of democratic nations with free markets on a good side and totalitarian communism on the evil side.
The easiest way to end up viewing a group as a monolith is to not actually sit down and talk to any of them.
Well there are actually a few hundreds of people who think that the extinction of the white male should be a important aim of modern society (easiest way to find these people, besides searching up on google, is by checking out certain porn vids. Safe spaces i don't really care about (if you feel uncomfortable you can leave but know it's not helping anyone but yourself to not broaden your views.) I would like more accessible health care for people, and being 18 i would also like to not feel like collage is more of a economic burden for me than an educational positive. From what I've seen and heard from videos / debates / my classmates from high school two years ago. Many people 14 - 30 do not want free speech for anyone except those they agree with or, for leaders of some groups, those who can push their narrative into the common thought.
There is a whole generation who have grown with Literature such as Harry Potter and the Hunger Games, with worlds that are not right but look scarily like our own that gave young people change them. Then people are surprised when they turnout to be Katniss.
BTW I saw this on twitter and had to share
"you might feel powerless sometimes but really right now you are some of the most powerful you will ever be" (not quoted word for word I think) but I love that. I love that you are honest about how you feel about the next generation but also hopefully. I'm not told to my face, but I hear all the time that the newer generation is ruining everything, or that because some are doing the "tide pod challenge" (a topic I feel you would be REALLY good at talking about) that we can't be trusted. You and John have made me want to learn about the world around me more and get involved in it. You guys make things- the old, and the new and scary - feel easier. And though I don't comment a lot and I just joined a few months ago, nerdfighteria has become my home💕🙅🖖
I swear, so many of these videos are timeless in what they say, like this is no less true than it was 2 years ago.
they terrify me too hank...and i’m a young person
I would say you were a millennial.
You are sad of you don't want more progress. If you havent noticed our parents generation have royally screwed everything they touch.
As a 15 year old, I am similarly terrified of those aged 3-12. And terrified of how radical these changes seem to those accustomed to institutionalised tradition and custom.
why?
KnightofAntiquity The economy is good and the crime rate is down. Explain yourself.
Thank you for posting, im having a difficult day and your adorable innocence and optomisim always cheer me up.... Even if your like 25 yrs older than me
I can't help but think that the focus of society on younger people, particularly in order to make more money off them, has an amplifying effect on how quickly that change happens.
WE'RE inspiring YOU? Now that's something I don't hear often from older generations.
Thank you for this video, Hank. It really touched me with hope.
“Some people say old men are behind the times, and I have no doubt that they are right. But I would also submit that there is a lot of time behind old men.” -Hugh B. Brown
Personally I would add that this is not necessarily a bad thing. Our time period has politicized the terms liberal and conservative but in the original sense that they were used in philosophy it simply meant that the liberal mentality values positive change, and the conservative mentality values stability. Two much of one and your society becomes stagnant, to much of the other and your society falls apart. Personally, one of the reasons why I think people become more conservative as they get older is because they been around long enough to gain experience and see what works and what doesn’t. So then they can say to the inexperience but energetic youth, “That’s a bad direction you’re heading in. I tried it when I was a kid and it didn’t work out well. Why don’t you try this direction instead.”
Dear Hank, I'm reading your brother's book ("The Fault in Our Stars") for the third time since I graduated high school. You and your brother are such inspiring people. Thank you.
Love,
Ash.
Bookishly Reads read looking for Alaska instead
TheOrangeOne I will read it when I have the chance to go to the library again.
In the dooblydoo Hank wrote "I feel more and more drawn to stability and that means compassion for people who are intolerant, but don't necessarily know they are. And I feel like people often (maybe rightfully, I don't know) get roasted for that kind of behavior."
Hank, if I understand you right I feel the same way (both about compassion for intolerance and fear of people getting roasted for that), and if you feel brave enough to do so here, I would love to hear more of your thoughts on that subject.
Well, that's the thing though, I feel like if I explained how I felt it would be perceived as an attack by a lot of people, and a condemnation of how they're doing it. I just think there can be more than one way to make progress, and just because I don't think it can happen immediately doesn't mean I'm condemning murder, which is literally what I see people saying to people who argue against revolution.
I am so confused. Did you mean "condoning murder" rather than "condemning murder"? Saying murder is bad seems unlikely to get you roasted.
I would also really like to hear more discussion on topics like this. You don't exist to continue to be popular, you exist because people value your compassion and nuance. These are nerdfighter values. DFTBA.
Just because someone is angry doesn't mean that nuanced discussion isn't important--and actually probably means we need deliberate thought even more. I'm a young person and I have recently been thinking about how ineffective collective rage is, but also how hard it is to converse with. It is important to hear compassionate voices. Compassion is never wrong.
Here's what I've been thinking about. Recently, an astronomer named Christian Ott left Caltech after doing some bad harassment. He was offered a job without any mentorship aspects...and then people got angry he got hired at all and now he is jobless again. Why! I just don't get it. Revenge isn't how I do. But I'm in a society full of it. These are important discussions to have, Hank!
I've been seeing a lot of posts calling youth to action (We fed our youth with dystopias and now we're surprised they are calling for revolution?) And while I (as a 19-year-old) believe strongly in youth activism, revolution also terrifies me. Conservatism is geting a lot of hate recently and while I find it frustrating in excess, it is a crucial part of our culture. It can be hard to separate the good ideas from the bad and I think experience and age are perfect for that, especially coming from someone who actually considers these new perspectives. Hank, we need adults like you to guide us, even if some of us may not recognize it at first.
vlogbrothers Hank, I feel like you should talk about it. It's your channel, and you should never feel bad for speaking your mind on it.
Hank, you are like a role model to us. I was once a teacher in a foreign country and I always looked for personal advice on how to shape my world from you and your brother. It was important to me to be able to see things from multiple perspectives, and moreso than anyone else on UA-cam, you've been successful at helping that idea come alive. You use this channel to rant a lot, but it always has a purpose. You always figure out how to say something difficult without it coming across as condenscending to your audience. You treat difficult topics with the respect they deserve.
I know it's a lot of pressure, but if ANYONE can talk about the extraordinary values of seeing culture from a complex, critical lens without alienating an audience, I trust you two to be able to do it. If nothing else, you work best when you plan something out, too. Build on your experience from past videos, build on your personal strengths, and of course, build on your dream for the world DFTBA and nerdfighteria has been about since the beginning.
i am extremely proud of my generation rn with our resilience and our willingness to fight for change. i hope this trend continues.
Sonnet Lockheardt just watch and tremble as gen z is going to undo everything you’ve worked for.
Sonnet Lockheardt change isn’t always good. Also, generation z is projected to more conservative.
i was talking specifically about parkland but as a part of the gen z generation i just want to say that in my opinion we are the ones who will make our society more inclusive, healthier, eco friendly, and diverse. obviously we will have to wait 20+ years to see, but i have hope in us.
Happened to read the description box on this video, and I’m very glad I did - thanks for bringing such reflection and thoughtfulness to the internet, Hank.
When I saw the title of the video it made me sad. I was like, "et tu Hank?"
But it was an interesting take, and you weren't mean to the children, so that was a relief. I hope they change things up in radical ways so I can't comprehend what's going on. It's so easy to get caught up in the despair with the way things work, and it they might not let their opportunity pass. It's great and gives me hope.
"12-24" ohh just made the cut off on that one. How do you do fellow kids?
Chris Choban Depressed due to all the problems, eager to bring about change, sometimes lacking the motivation, but the desire remains unfettered. That is a lot of us.
How do you do fellow adult?
I'm irrationally afraid of pasta.
To quote Gerard Way: Teenagers scare the living shit out of me
it's almost like... they could care less as long as someone'll bleed
I'm scared of everyone. Its not paranoia if everyone really is out to get me.
This is really interesting (and inspiring to me as a 14 year old human), so thanks for that. (I, a young person, am also sometimes scared of young people)
how is it being 18?
I'm freshly 18 and realising (again) I have no idea what to do with my future- thank you for this
Whenever I feel like I can't do anything i think about all the people my age (or around) who have changed the world in big or small ways.
You might feel powerless right now, but you’re only going to get more powerless in the future
Thank you Hank for uploading this before my bed time 😭
India
As someone who is now 26, a lot of times as a younger person I felt powerless, and that was really crippling me in many ways. But as I have been growing up and recognizing the factors that made me this way - my family's influence and possible mental health issues - it gives me at least some hope because I am aware of my problems, know that I need help (even if I can't afford it right now), and as I progress in that help I can make more of a positive change in my life and in society.
Thank you, thank you for making this a well-reasoned view of the subject beyond merely supporting or resisting change. This sort of point of view is so needed. I'm within a year of your age, Hank, and as a programmer who constantly has to stay current with a changing technology environment I feel maybe a little better equipped to accept the change and even help drive it. But man, sometimes I'm just exhausted by it, too. But my personal feelings on the matter are precisely that. My feelings. And while I should have as much input as anyone else in where this crazy human experiment is headed, my feelings should never be a reason to stamp out, judge, or limit the world of those younger than myself. Or older than myself, for that matter.
'and now I'm Jimmy Buffett. GREAT! Thanks. Wonderful. THATS what I wanted'
These damn jump cuts are giving me anxiety, let one sentence finish before the next starts!
The video needs to be less than 4 minutes long!
I’m 18. I’ll be honest and say that most days, I wish I were not a part of my generation. Some of my generation can be stupid, materialistic, and ignorant. But lately, I’ve been proud to be a millennial. I’m so incredibly proud of the Parkland kids speaking out and demanding change. It’s so cool to watch and participate in making history with these kids.
@@TotallyNotClover eh, the time cutoffs for generations aren't very concrete. I find that late millennials are close enough to early gen z anyway (being part of the older gen z myself) so /shrug it's not too much of a bone to pick
None of us ever thinks we will grow old. I’m not going to be like my parents generation set in my ways and disdainful of change. Then inevitably one day you have that terrifying first thought about the strangeness and unrelatability of today’s youth... and suddenly you understand your parents better, you understand what it means to be grown up better, your world view somehow both grows and shrinks as you gain one thing and sadly lose touch with another.
I'm 62 and I couldn't agree more. Our youth of today are growing ideas and eschewing the norm. Good on them!!
But then I think of myself. I'm an original hippie. I believed we could be the change needed. I marched for women's rights, civil rights for all and against "the man". I honestly with my whole heart believed my generation would be the answer. That we'd do everything differently, not be like our parents. In many, many ways we did succeed~women's rights, jim crow and basic human rights, including protections for minorities. But we simply didn't do enough. And now we are worse off than ever~well, I'm Canadian, so not me personally so much, but my sisters and brothers in the US seem to be far more into regression than progression.
I don't know when "we" (my generation) turned into the "them" who are absolute anathema to the ideals we held in the 60's and 70's. Not knowing what went wrong makes it even more painful for those of us who believed that, what we shouted in the streets was going to bring about real change.
'sigh'
The adults were scared of the young ones in 1984 too.. 😢
I rember that particular kid the one who hit Winston 😱
Dude, you are a YOUNG PERSON!
crying actual tears thanks hank 😭
I'm 17 & I totally agree with you. This is the best time to learn everything I can apply them later in my life. Thanks for the inspiration.
Hank, you are not old. You inspire change every day. With every UA-cam venture you embark. I’m old. I am in constant awe of your’s and Johh’s journey through so many mind boggling changes and both of you teach, inspire and change out world for the better! So you two (and so many other awesome teachers on UA-cam) have that same value the teachers in our classrooms do.
Having said that, our teenagers today have simply amazed me. They have decided “#NeverAgain is going to make s difference. They have shown their grief in a way we have not seen before. And they have brought the conversation about gun violence to the legislatures table more this week than any adult group has done. And they will succeed. This is nationwide and all done in one week. Kudos to you Hank. For changing the way we see our lives and showing can create change during every age we are lucky enough to see. Kudos to those kids across the nation
Me reading the title of this video: don't worry Hank, we terrify ourselves.
On your third point of the description:
I sigh a sigh of relief. I had started to pull away from this channel for that very reason. It is hard for me to engage mentally with a video that gives a moral judgement when there is no objective morality. Not to say things can't be right or wrong, but an internet discussion on the merits of a crisis, I think, takes away the nuance of the realities of said events when the media only feeds one side of the argument. It is really hard to provoke equal discussion when you speak and we(the audience) type back at you. This is why Cons are so important, I think. When you meet the people you disagree with it is much harder to hate them. I wish there was some sort of Conference where people on opposite sides of an issue had to talk about nerd stuff. Be friends. The last day we can debate world issues. Idk. I digress. Thank you for your videos,
-Long time silent fan
Was this video created because of the half million or so kids who refused to go to school because Florida wouldn't even debate new gun laws after that horrible school shooting?
That would be a safe assumption, yes.
More like just an excuse not to go to school. Sorry snowflakes your not getting my guns!
Oh no not my widdle guns 😭
@Adam Smith God you're an idiot
Adam Smith you really don’t get it, do you ?
Thank you for this video and for the insightful description. I am a senior at a creative arts school. Lots of my peers and I are unhappy with some of the authority at school, including our principal, who we find particularly incompetent and ignorant. This is exemplified by what they said to us today after a fire drill: "This was part of the problem in Florida." They were, of course, referencing the recent school shooting. And she was comparing it to how students were talking during a fire drill. There are many things wrong with this statement, including how the problem in Florida was not that the students were talking during a fire drill but that someone with a firearm freely entered a school and began shooting students, but that, as well as a situation with transgender students' birth names being used in the yearbook even though the entire senior class asked not to do that, have made my day particularly sad. Then we had the school talent show. This consisted of a black, Jewish kid performing his own 50s inspired tap choreography; a 13 Asian kid playing an incredibly intricate piano piece; one of my good senior friends who suffers the fate of a more conservative outlook in an aggressively progressive school playing "Hallelujah" on the violin and using some cool music technology, which she intends to pursue in college; a boy singing The Beatles "Blackbird" while his boyfriend of one year danced behind him; a trio of young black girls danced a Hidden Figures inspired piece; one of my non-binary friends sang "A Million Reasons" by Lady Gaga through the flu and strep throat. There's so much bad happening to me, but there's also so much good around me, and sometimes I forget. There's so much Suck in the world, but there are also so many people who specialize in Awesome. I used to be of the opinion that there is no hope for the human race; now I am proud to be of this generation of "young people." ☺️
Wow. If I could find it and if video responses were still a thing, I would have THE BEST clip ever to add here: Hank at VidCon 2013 on a panel about UA-camrs’ social responsibility talking about young people’s role: being old enough to recognize things could be better than they are and yet not too tired to do anything about it. It was the first time I’d seen him live; we got to speak one-on-one for a few minutes after the panel, and IT CHANGED MY LIFE. Even if I am not a young person.