America’s Dying Legacy

[petermarkley]

I have a new video scheduled to release this Tuesday April 15, at 3:30 Eastern Time (19:30 UTC)!

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I poured my heart and soul into this one, aiming for higher production than usual. It took me a month and a half.

Hopefully I navigated well on what has become a very risky topic these days …

 

[Retro]

Cool, I'll watch it when I get some time. Knowing your usual standards, I'm sure it will be great.

Hey, I got in before @Hitcore!

 

[Hitcore]

Yeah well, I am busy with a video of my own as well, @Retro !
It seems that the premiere time is tomorrow at 9:30 PM in my timezone. I will make sure to be ready, @petermarkley . Also, I have subscribed to your channel.

 

[Retro]

Yeah well, I am busy with a video of my own as well, @Retro !

Looking forward to it.

Hopefully I navigated well on what has become a very risky topic these days …

Let me see if I can guess what it's about: the many benefits of this current historic Trump presidency that's bringing peace and prosperity to America and the world and finally admitting that the earth is, after all, flat? I think it's actually a flat square with properly sharp corners, but people seem to disagree with me for some reason.

 

[petermarkley]

lol Not quite …

 

[Tiffany]

I'm looking forward to seeing your video. Since you're showing broken glass, a bald eagle (our protected bird) the symbol of the cross presumably on a tombstone and an American Flag, I'm gathering your video might be about America's fall from grace into an abyss of a terrible future ahead due to failed policy, dishonest politicians, severe debt etc.

 

[petermarkley]

… America's fall from grace into an abyss of a terrible future ahead due to failed policy, dishonest politicians, severe debt etc.

lol Definitely warmer than Retro’s answer …

 

[Retro]

lol Definitely warmer than Retro’s answer …

Oh, I know where I've got it wrong: the earth is hollow and we're living inside it and the sun is in the middle and...

Ha, try to dispute that! <Retro feels smug>

 

[Hitcore]

America is living on fumes, it has been for decades. It has a debt of over 36 trillion.

https://www.usdebtclock.org/

This goes beyond any single president.
In Dutch we have a saying: dweilen met de kraan open. Mopping with the water tap running. No matter how well you mop, the floor is just going to get wetter and wetter.
That is going to backfire on every facet of life.



As early as the 90s Star Trek was spot on about this prediction. American inner cities may as well be Johannesburg at this point. Third world tier. Even a significant portion of the middle class is struggling, many of them ending up homeless even. And the middle class is the backbone of every society. Together with the working class they do the jobs that keep a country running. Now we are seeing it falling down, one after another, a domino effect.

I don't know if this will be mentioned in your video, @petermarkley , but in my opinion this is definitely a major contributing factor of why America will face perhaps the most difficult times since the civil war. Spending money one doesn't have only brings one so far.

 

[Mars]

@petermarkley looking forward to watching your video

 

[petermarkley]

I don't know if this will be mentioned in your video, @petermarkley

I don’t really touch on economics in my video, the angle I took is more personal and emotional. But I think you’re spot-on and that definitely fits as another piece in the puzzle of American decline.

significant portion of the middle class is struggling, many of them ending up homeless even.

I’m sort of technically “homeless” right now myself! (We are currently living in a temporary rented place.) I’ve been unemployed since August, looking for work as a web developer or designer. So the accuracy of your words hits me closer than you might have realized.

 

[Hitcore]

Dang. Good luck with that!

 

[Retro]

I'm curious why you scheduled the video rather than releasing it immediately.

 

[petermarkley]

I'm curious why you scheduled the video rather than releasing it immediately.

Good question. For many years I myself have wondered what purpose the “premiere” feature on YouTube serves, since it’s not a livestream and the content is inherently asynchronous. Why try to synchronize everyone’s first viewing? It just seems like preventing someone from watching if they are available to do so early, might result in them never watching at all, so at best you’ve lost a potential view.

However, over time I’ve noticed myself sort of rebuilding or wishing for certain aspects of the “scheduled premiere” experience. In 2019 I spent over 3 months on my first flat earth debunking video, and that time investment was so precious to me I hated the thought of dropping the video and it being too much of a “dud” with no “splash” or hype. So even though at the time I didn’t understand and was suspicious of YouTube’s premiere feature, I made a quick pre-announcement video telling everyone I was going to publish my video the following day. I wanted to give at least a little time for people to absorb the news and generate interest. It also gave me a little time to, for example, add closed captions to help the video’s accessibility and reach. Upon reflection later I have begun to realize these are exactly some of the benefits of the “premiere” feature.

Furthermore, I love seeing people’s initial reactions to my work in realtime. Back in 2019 several people in my target audience were physically nearby so I could see this in person, but my life circumstances have changed. I’ve also begun participating as an audience member of several content creators who do livestreams more than asynchronous video content, so I’ve gained more appreciation for the “live chat” experience that helps connect these creators to their audience in realtime. Some of this benefit actually translates pretty well to a scheduled premiere of a video because it has a “live chat” feature too. And Will Duffy uses this for almost all of his videos so I have seen it in action now.

So basically I have come to feel that it actually can be a helpful tool to provide a certain emphasis and community experience that I have found to be a bit lacking when I just publish a video with no advance notice. If my video is a big enough deal to me it can seem worth the wait, and today’s video absolutely without question fits that description.

Does that answer your question?

 

[Hitcore]

Hey @petermarkley
You’re an engaging speaker, and I really appreciate how authentic and true to yourself you are. That kind of openness is rare and refreshing. I have to admit, my own views are different—likely shaped by different experiences, as I come from a rather different place, a rough place—but I still found it genuinely interesting to hear your perspective. It’s always good to see someone express themselves with that kind of honesty; it felt real in an age of fakeness. Though I may not share your pain, I can see it. Looking forward to seeing more of your work!

 

[Retro]

Does that answer your question?

Yeah, that's a pretty full explanation, thanks.

It's roughly what I thought, to whip up interest and it's a good strategy as you see it done all the time with movies, TV programs, product launches etc. Seeing your friends' realtime reactions is a nice twist. I can understand that when you've given your all to something, you want it to have the maximum impact and even though I'm not a content creator, I do understand how much time, effort and money, it takes to produce something. I think for the vast majority of the time, that commitment goes completely unappreciated by the consumers of that content or product, especially when you see nasty, uncalled for trolling comments under a video.

The principle is the same with this forum. As you know, I created it and can tell you it was from scratch too and no partnership with anyone, just me, myself and I. While I had help with the logo and the theme, that was the only thing I had help with, the rest of what you see is 100% me and I'm pretty proud of it, I tell you. So, of course, I want it to be a success too with lots of members and activity, of which to date, it's fallen rather short, but I do have a few loyal members now and that means a lot to me. I hope the rebranding helps matters, but that's on hold for now until I look properly at the requirements of the new Online Safety Act and decide what to do with this forum. Having this thing hanging over NZ isn't nice, I tell you.

Now, I have another question: what made you choose that particular date and time?

Finally, I see your video is available now, so lemme go watch it and come back to you.

 

[Retro]

Having now watched it, I think you're feeling the corruption and damage to the country that is the second coming of Trump really deeply and I can only empathize. You can see what I think of him and what he's doing in the Trump thread, which you're welcome to take part in.

You try to analyse the reasons why people voted for him and they're probably true, but it just boils down to being duped by a conman, a charlatan who has somehow managed to create the MAGA cult in his name. It really doesn't take much to see right through someone like him, just a bit of critical thinking, so I think it's rank stupidity that they've voted for him and I have little sympathy for those now being harmed by what he's doing. However, I have all the sympathy and empathy in the world for all those who did see through him and didn't vote for him and yet are stuck in the same place and suffering the same things. @Astro What from this forum comes to mind and I appreciate how he routinely calls Trump out for what he's doing. Now, he's a Republican and can see what Trump really is, so why can't others?

Heck, the whole world is now worse off due to him. The only people seeing a benefit from it are dictators and some wealthy people, not all of them by any means. I think it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better, if it ever does get better in our lifetimes.

Visiting America used to be on my bucket list, but not anymore unfortunately, solely due to him.

 

[petermarkley]

what made you choose that particular date and time?

I finished the video late Sunday night, and I had seen people doing video premieres around 3pm so I figured that was a good time to do it (a lazy google search about “best YouTube premiere times” seemed to corroborate this).

My wife and I also wanted to be available to watch the live chat during the premiere, and we had other arrangements for both Mon and Tue mornings, as well as for Monday afternoon. Evenings were also typically occupied for some of my intended audience by the livestreams of other content creators. So Tuesday afternoon it was.

Heck, the whole world is now worse off due to him. The only people seeing a benefit from it are dictators and some wealthy people, not all of them by any means. I think it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better, if it ever does get better in our lifetimes.

Visiting America used to be on my bucket list, but not anymore unfortunately, solely due to him.

All of that rings true but is just sad to think about

 

[Hitcore]

From an algorithm perspective, setting a premiere boosts views, as likes and comments happen simultaneously (since people watch and interact with it at the same time), resulting in a fairly high engagement spike, placing the video more likely in the recommendations feed of non-subscribers.

I may consider this approach too. My view counts are peanuts.

 

[Tiffany]

I watched your video today and I felt that it was very raw, and authentic. You shared your vulnerability with the public, but also the deep pain you have for the current trajectory of the American people.

 

[petermarkley]

As a side note, there is another content creator, an astronomer named Professor Parks PhD, who had previously been sharply critical of both Will Duffy and me due to our “science denial” young earth creationist beliefs. In addition to his basic advocacy of mainstream science, he seemed to assume a lot of negative things about both of us, based on terrible stereotypes in his mind about YECists.

I suspected my new video might break some of these stereotypes, so I invited him to watch my video. Well, last night he did a 3-hr livestream reviewing it!

He seemed very confused by it in some ways. Apparently, he at first assumed the video title was a “dog whistle” and thought I was going to be pushing a right-wing agenda. Even now I’m not sure he fully comprehends much about the video content or why I made it the way I did.

He even seemed to somehow think I was … like … previously MAGA, and only recently breaking away from that. And that I currently think America was “a Christian nation,” rather than that just being a sentiment from my childhood which I can re-adopt whenever I’m trying (quite consciously and explicitly) to make a diplomatic appeal toward Republican Christians.

There was a lot that was disappointing for me about his review, but it’s okay because he wasn’t my main audience and he did somewhat learn that I’m not MAGA. So … I guess that’s a win lol

 

[Retro]

I started watching that livestream, but found it very boring after a few minutes, so didn't bother to continue. I was never gonna watch three hours of it anyway, though.

Me and you definitely disagree on the YEC thing, but that's one for another thread. If you want to debate it, feel free to start a thread on it, all views are welcome. I don't have a religion section, so just put it in General Discussion.

 

[petermarkley]

If you want to debate it

I have no interest in debating that topic, I’m afraid. Sorry if that’s disappointing.

Even the non-debate polite discussions on it, I’ve already had a bit more of than my appetite tbh … It’s almost to the point I can create a playlist of them:

• Dapper Dino (this one was especially exhausting)
• PhD Tony

Actually just now I was having another conversation on it in the comments under the PhD Tony livestream. That one is going decently at the moment, but it’s sort of rare. And I’m just generally not that interested in pursuing the topic or changing any minds.

 

[Retro]

That's ok, talk about whatever you like, no problem.

 

[Retro]

Looking at your links, why are those videos well over two hours long?! That would exhaust anyone regardless of subject, crikey.