Suspend Your Disbelief (or, how to ruin everything in 7 steps)

These good patrons have given particular support, thank you: Caleb Wright, Albert Wenger, Pat Devlin, Jack Heidrick, Jade Bilkey, David Perryman, Chris Pierik, Donald "Chronos" King, Carol Ghiorsi Hart, Andrea Di Biagio, Charley Sheets, Jodi Vezzetti, Andew Romaner, David A Smith, Michael Tiemann, and Yana Chernobilsky!

It is not inevitable that we ruin everything! People are good at stepping up and doing not-ruining, sometimes.

[Ardorstorm]

“It takes effort to not accidentally become a cult”
I uhhh... i just got here...

[Load_the_ducks]

I like this video; I'm a fairly information literate person (I _think_ ), but you make sure throughout the video that you don't do that which you warn of. I'm the guy who takes pride in disliking or not caring about clickbait, but you make sure to call me out on that too. I think this video raises a bit of awareness of how some content creators operate, but it doesn't allow those who aer allready aware sit up on their highhorse.

Also, it's an effective use of satire.
And it's funny.

Mainly that.

Now, let me resume my suspension.

[Sold_a_dummy]

Absolutely brilliant! A brilliant way to break down a very complicated topic.

This happens everywhere but is only seen by the _fake enemies_

[indecision]

"It might seem... unethical."
Ethics aren't the first thing you think of when you're trying to ruin everything.

[cucaulwell]

"It takes effort to not accidentally become a cult."
This is some Night Vale level stuff.


Actually, on the subject of Night Vale, Vihart would make a really good Voice. I wonder if they've ever considered a position in radio...

[dresdnhope]

"YouTube is like a giant cross-temporal Oujia board with a algorithmic triangle thingy."

That's pretty much what I've been saying all along. Whenever old people ask what's YouTube, I tell them it's a like a cross-temporal Ouija board, and they're like, "Well why didn't they just say that in the first place?"

[Koolstr]

That....was so much more profound than I was expecting it to be. You never fail to amaze and impress Vihart - with this superb self-awareness, meta-commentary, sensible metaphor, and powerful implications, I will never see my browsing on Youtube as I used to.

[conoroneill]

People should really watch this multiple times. The first time I saw this, I saw it as an allegory of Trump and the alt-right. The second time I saw this, I saw it as an allegory for... well... me, and my own political beliefs.

[folumb]

wow. I watch your videos to feel smarter than other people. I'm not as good a person as I thought

[benm]

This video becomes more relevant with each passing year. I try to watch it at least once a year, and every time it gets me to take a pause and think about what factors I allow to influence my media consumption. Thank you Vihart, you are a blessing to us all.

[xenathcytrin]

At first I was angry, thinking that your were talking about [INSERT BELIEF HERE], but then I realized you were talking about [INSERT OPPOSITION TO BELIEF HERE] and I totally agree. [INSERT OPPOSITION TO BELIEF HERE] is totally a cult and are basically evil in every way.

[OmniSzron]

Savage comment on radicalising echo chamber communities in a fun, innocuous package. Kudos. You've done it again.

[Carl.jpeg_]

When I was Still in school after I watched one of your videos I would talk about them with my math teacher. And we got really close over it and I just want to thank you. I also want to do more and more with math because of you.

[icannotchoose]

I am feeling so conflicted about buying a shirt after thus.

[ElectricLimeade]

This video is about your enemies.
This video is about your friends.
This video is about you.
This video is about me.
About all of us.

[niraofgallifrey]

This was fun and depressing and informative and thought-provoking. Thank you, sort of

[seanboyd]

Love the 1984 newspeak double entendre at the end.

While I never thought of those doodling in math class series as "real", I always assumed they were based on your grade school experience of being bored and doodling in class.

I've read it takes around 1, 000 hours of practise to obtain mastery, so you need to get your time in somewhere!

[somebody-xumz]

I love how you both completely simplify everything to the point where you use almost baby language (plankie) and also dissect incredibly complex social and culteral issues.

[thealsoperson]

This video is just giving me flashbacks to so many different online communities.

[prestonang]

“But im a professional person with a FACE”
But is ur face a triangle? :P