Hello! Hi...
It's been four years and I still don't know how to introduce myself on a vlog.
But Hello! How's it going? I'm here because I want to say words.
And words is the only thing that I know how to do good- apparently not...
God dammit!
Okay, so I wanted to make a video because I wanted to talk to you guys
about some thoughts that I've been having about YouTube.
Because just a few days ago it was actually the four year anniversary that I've been on YouTube.
It's four years ago that I started posting videos,
and four years ago that my life totally changed,
and became all about YouTube.
And the only thing that I have the right to talk about is things that are in my immediate bubble,
And my bubble is very small,
but my bubble involves YouTube.
I don't want to talk about international politics or bullshit like that,
But I do know YouTube because I live YouTube.
I experience YouTube everyday. I wake up and think about YouTube.
I wake up and think about the videos that I was supposed to make the day before
but I was too lazy to make
And then I gotta make them that day and then I gotta hurry up and get ahead of my schedule.
I know YouTube.
And I love doing YouTube. I love making videos for you guys.
it's -- it's
Literally the purpose that I have put my life to.
And that is good.
Because it gives me something that I am motivated for.
It gives me something that pushes me forward and higher,
and makes me a better person.
And also, it puts food on the table so that I'm not starving.
So, this all combines into something that is very important to me.
YouTube is my Life.
YouTube is everything that I do,
It's literally the only priority that I have in my daily life.
And that's because I love doing it.
And
I love doing it ...
and then that makes me self-reflect on what YouTube is turning into.
YouTube has changed over the years, many times.
YouTube has changed over the years, many times. It's changed leaderships,
IT'S CHANGED DESIGN DECISIONS.
Sorry.
New people have come in, old people have left.
People have moved around, you guys have changed your tastes.
But what I see...
from doing this for four years is what I can only describe...
And I took a lot of time thinking about these words,
is...
a self-fulfilling cycle of pessimism.
And that's a big phrase for Markimoo to say but...
That is the only way that I can describe what I see every day.
And what I mean by self-fulfilling
Self...
Pffff what did I even say?
I don't even know
What I say by the 'vicious cycle of pessimism' is what I'm going to call it now,
someone quote me on that,
is that when people are doing YouTube, they are after a few things.
And you can't fault them for it because of course people would want to do this for the living, but...
They're after 1) Influence 2) More Viewers 3) and Money.
And that's fine!
You kno- you
I -
I am --
I would be a hypocrite if I said I would do this for free because I couldn't
and I wouldn't, because it's part of my income and it's how I live, so of course I want to do it -- It's my job.
But I don't treat it as my job but it is my job.
So I'm hypocritical if I was to criticize anyone for going after YouTube for money.
And that's not what I'm doing.
Because even YouTube the business -- If you asked an executive at YouTube they would go -
"We want more views, more money, more ad revenue, and"
"MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE"
And you can't exactly fault them for that; It's the nature of the business of things.
But what I know, being at the heart of YouTube and being where I am now from where I started, I've seen...
this change in attitude.
And...
It's very subtle and it's hard to see, but it's definitely there.
It's a change from seeing YouTube as a platform where anyone can do anything
and anyone can put up whatever they want whenever they want...
To a system where you have to follow strict rules.
You have to follow strict protocols.
You have to criticize others.
It's every man for himself,
and no one can cooperate!
And I'm not saying it's bombastic "that's what it is"
but that's what it is starting to be.
Because as more and more people try to flood in the system,
the more and more people try to hold *tight* onto what they have and they don't want to let go.
And I can't fault for that eizer! (either)
Like, they worked hard to make their YouTube channels and they worked hard to make something,
and so they-they want to attack others and they want to cause drama
and they want to make things happen.
And I'm not naming names here. This is a general sense.
I'm never gonna name names on this;
I have way too much respect for too many people to start calling people out
and doing exactly what I'm saying is happening.
But it >is< happening.
And it's a self-fulfilling cycle of pessimism because people want more.
And then MORE people want more.
And then the people want other people to have less.
Because they want more!
And then now MORE people want more.
And then more people want others to have less.
And it's becoming less of a community about making cool videos for you guys,
Which is what it >ALWAYS< has been about.
It ALWAYS should about! It should be about you guys and you guys alone.
And you guys actually have the power in this system.
Because it's a weird democratic process.
If you guys watch a video, obviously there is a demand for that video.
People are gonna make more of that type of video and you guys get what you want.
If you guys don't watch a video, then obviously that video isn't going to do as well
and not as many people are gonna want to make that type of video.
And that's fine!
That's how it works!
That's how you guys have the power --
and tha -- cah
How you guys shape what YouTube is.
The only thing that I have wrong with it is that it stifles creativity for the sake of creativity.
And I'm-I'm like,
I'm guilty in this too because I do the same thing!
Like, I make videos because...
people want to see them. And I do that...
And so that is the thought that I had recently was....
Why do I do this?
I do it because I love it, right?
That should be the answer.
Like, I do! Yes, of course!
And it is the answer, but at the same time ...
I felt like this...
pang of shame.
Y'know, this sense in my mind that I was almost ashamed of what it's become.
And I'm not, but I felt it.
And ... it-it dawned on me.
That I had more fun making a video where I stared at a banana for five minutes
and then 1.7 MILLION people watched it!
Ah, by the way, I didn't make those subtitles, the subtitles are open to you guys.
You guys make the thumbnai --
you guys mae--
YOU GUYS MADE THAT BETTER!
You guys made it better from the subtitles. That was soooo cool and soooo fun.
And THAT'S what I love about YouTube.
Like, you can put up ANYTHING!
ANYONE can put up anything!
And that's great! And that's wonderful!
Anyone can put up absolutely anything, but that's happening less and less.
On my part, too.
Like I said, I'm guilty.
I'm hypocritical for criticizing anyone for doing this because I'm guilty too.
I've made videos, you know, just because people wanna see more of 'em!
And, there's nothing wrong with that, but it's,
leading down to a road where that's all that's ever going to happen.
Instead of trying to surprise you guys with new and interesting things-
and sometimes very stupid things, like me staring at a banana for five minutes
or eating a bowl of cereal for five minutes...
It's...
Y'know...
It-it's moments like that, that I look back on my channel.
Y'know, I don't look back at like, part 13 of a Let's Play that I did 3 years ago,
I look back at...
'The Fall of Slenderman'.
I look back at...
Like, uh... 'Jumpscare Friends'.
I look back at...
[Laughs]
'Markiplier's Magic Touch'.
I look back at those, y'know I think about the Impossible Let's Plays,
th-the WEIRD things that I've done,
the- the April Fools' jokes that I've done.
I think back to those...
And I love those.
Those are cherished memories in my heart...
And they're always gonna be there!
Always!
And that's what I wanna see more out of YouTube,
and that's what we're NOT seeing more of out of YouTube.
I mean, I'm not saying it's not happening, it's definitely happening,
but in smaller and smaller quantities as years go by.
So...
If-if you guys are looking for a point to this video, I don't even know if I can wrap it up in one sentence.
But the point that I'm trying to make, or that at least I'll try to halfway get to making,
is that...
YouTube is changing into a system that...
is only rewarding for more views and more money.
And it's been that way for a long time, and me-
It's easy for me to say it's not a good thing because I'm obviously sitting
high up on the YouTube rung and people looked to me for advice,
I'm like 'Wah, I don't know what I'm doing, why are you talking to me?'
And so...
Like, who am I to say,
what one thing is or another?
But these are the observations that I make.
And me, being someone that loves to watch YouTube videos and loves to see these cool things...
I don't want it to turn into a constant money mill.
And I don't want to make sure it doesn't do that either! Because...
I love making videos for you guys.
I LOVE making videos for you guys.
I love it with all my heart.
I love doing the weird things so much!
You guys don't understand how much I LOVE doing these things!
And I care about it.
I care about YouTube, I care about what people make on YouTube.
And it sickens me.
To see some of the bullshit that comes out
of the stupid cycle of pessimism,
that ever-turning wheel of 'I'm better than you'!
And that sucks.
And I don't know how to fix it.
I really don't.
Because I don't think I can.
But I know that you guys can.
And I KNOW that you guys can because you guys are the ones that are in control of literally everything-
We are slaves to you guys! Like, we, the YouTube creators.
We are... like, indebted to you for everything that we have
and I always try to maintain that sense of gratitude to you guys.
Because I am so grateful for what you guys have done to change my life,
and change the world in what we've done, you know,
and all the charity efforts.
But expanding beyond just me...
Like, you guys are in control of everything.
And I love you guys for that.
And I love what we do together, and I love everything about YouTube.
And I just don't want to see it down a dark road.
And AGAIN, I'm not being apocalyptic, I'm not trying to 'fight the system',
I'm just saying thoughts that I have had...
Given my 'expertise'...
on YouTube.
So, I don't think I made a single point in this entire video,
I think I just rambled for way too long,
but those are my feelings about what it means...
to make videos on YouTube. And what it means...
to owe something to you guys, and what it means...
to do things... for the sake of having fun.
And make things because no one asked them to be made.
No one WANTED it to be made. [chuckles]
But it was made anyway, and it was wonderful.
And that's the beauty of what YouTube... is.
And hopefully will be.
So anyway, I'll stop rambling. That-that's pretty much all I wanted to say.
If-if anyone wants to try to stitch a coherent paragraph out of everything that I just rambled about,
FEEL FREE!
Go to town on it, maybe I'll put it in the description. But...
You know, just...
In the end, thank you guys for letting me be stupid.
In front of millions of people!
So, thanks again everybody so much for watching.
And as always, I will see YOU
in the next video!
Buh-bye!