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Do you find Youtube as a waste of time?

In every intro its always "If you enjoy the video, please consider Subscribing to the channel and leave a like on the video!" What annoys me about this is that its always in the beginning of the video instead at the end of the video. Like do I really need to be reminded everytime I watch a new video to hear that sentence? I get it its for the new people who are watching your content, but still it can get overused. I seen some creators overusing it in their videos like you're watching it, but in the middle they tell you that same sentence.

Now don't get me wrong I get why they do this, they do it just to get more people to subscribe to the channel and help it grow I don't have a problem with that, what I do have a problem with is when they keep on reminding those who are already subscribed the same stuff over and over again. I hope that made more sense, because man I have to keep skipping ahead in the video everytime I hear that sentence it drives me crazy.
If someone asks me to subscribe at the beginning of the video, I will click off 99% of the time. To me, that’s just unnecessary and asking someone to do something for you before you’ve even done anything for the person watching.
 
Generally, if you're getting recommended a bunch of drama, click bait and politics, it's because you're engaging with a lot of drama, click bait and politics videos.

Ignore it, unsubscribe from it and it goes away.


I have Youtube on daily. It's the main thing on our TV, shared between me and my partner. All we get recommended are video game related videos, Warhammer/DnD miniature videos, dinosaurs and the stupid ghost channel 'Slapped Ham' because we like calling the ghost videos stupid. We don't get drama, click bait and politics because we don't watch those things, so it has stopped recommending it to us (I don't think it ever has).
 
I view YouTube as no different than enjoying any other form of media. Time enjoyed is not time wasted.
 
I used to like youtube. I guess I still somewhat do. I detest the youtuber culture though and the fact that way too many kids aspire to be one now, rather than develop an actual skill/area of study.

It started with Zoella (who I despise due to the fact she thoroughly neglects her dog, even if it's not glaringly obvious - things like the fact she's never toilet trained it despite having it since it was a puppy amd now she's had it years, which is cruel) and her boyfriend, but just got progressively worse, with more and more people wanting a slice of the Get Rich by Doing Nothing pie. Family channels like The Shaytards and their contemporaries annoy the crap out of me. Like your kids had zero choice but to have their entire life, most of it fairly mediocre despite their ridiculous wealth for doing literally nothing, plastered for the world to see. It grosses me out. Also it's boring, I do my own stuff every day, I don't really wanna watch youtubers theirs, especially as they do basically nothing.

Politics are important and political news is important. But way too many youtubers, who know sweet eff all about them, nor will whoever is in power affect them personally due to their lifestyle, have stuff to say that is often badly misinformed/leaving important info out.

Too many kids get their opinions formed for them by youtubers now. If a youtuber they like says something, they agree with them. Way too many aspire to be a youtuber and think being one is the ultimate goal. But that's so sad, because they're worth way more than that! Society couldn't function if we were all just lopping around, occasionally making a video to flaunt our wealth or visiting a garden centre.

Come work in the media if that's your interest (I work in screenwriting)! We would love to have you and there are so many entry level jobs for those starting out - like if you like more journalism, start out making tea and coffee in a newspaper office or general office admin. If you like production, runners are the obvious starting point, but a lot of production companies really want apprentice camera crew and assistants. Even if it's unpaid initially, it's a skill that WILL get you paid. I started out as a child chaperone, which was basically just supervising child actors, mostly when they weren't on stage/performing, and checking the welfare standards are being met once they are performing (safety, time spent working etc).

I did get lucky by having my silly internet postings spotted, hence my massive jump to the position I'm in now, but part of the reason I was taken on so quickly was because I was already somewhat experienced in the industry, so would respect it. If you have dreams of being a writer for film/tv, I highly recommend getting in some experience, because it's highly desirable to employ people who aren't going to be a liability and lose their crap when a celebrity is in a readthrough or on set/stage. Plus I was a proofreader already.

Don't aspire to be a full time youtuber. You're worth a million times more than that x
 
I used to like youtube. I guess I still somewhat do. I detest the youtuber culture though and the fact that way too many kids aspire to be one now, rather than develop an actual skill/area of study.

It started with Zoella (who I despise due to the fact she thoroughly neglects her dog, even if it's not glaringly obvious - things like the fact she's never toilet trained it despite having it since it was a puppy amd now she's had it years, which is cruel) and her boyfriend, but just got progressively worse, with more and more people wanting a slice of the Get Rich by Doing Nothing pie. Family channels like The Shaytards and their contemporaries annoy the crap out of me. Like your kids had zero choice but to have their entire life, most of it fairly mediocre despite their ridiculous wealth for doing literally nothing, plastered for the world to see. It grosses me out. Also it's boring, I do my own stuff every day, I don't really wanna watch youtubers theirs, especially as they do basically nothing.

Politics are important and political news is important. But way too many youtubers, who know sweet eff all about them, nor will whoever is in power affect them personally due to their lifestyle, have stuff to say that is often badly misinformed/leaving important info out.

Too many kids get their opinions formed for them by youtubers now. If a youtuber they like says something, they agree with them. Way too many aspire to be a youtuber and think being one is the ultimate goal. But that's so sad, because they're worth way more than that! Society couldn't function if we were all just lopping around, occasionally making a video to flaunt our wealth or visiting a garden centre.

Come work in the media if that's your interest (I work in screenwriting)! We would love to have you and there are so many entry level jobs for those starting out - like if you like more journalism, start out making tea and coffee in a newspaper office or general office admin. If you like production, runners are the obvious starting point, but a lot of production companies really want apprentice camera crew and assistants. Even if it's unpaid initially, it's a skill that WILL get you paid. I started out as a child chaperone, which was basically just supervising child actors, mostly when they weren't on stage/performing, and checking the welfare standards are being met once they are performing (safety, time spent working etc).

I did get lucky by having my silly internet postings spotted, hence my massive jump to the position I'm in now, but part of the reason I was taken on so quickly was because I was already somewhat experienced in the industry, so would respect it. If you have dreams of being a writer for film/tv, I highly recommend getting in some experience, because it's highly desirable to employ people who aren't going to be a liability and lose their crap when a celebrity is in a readthrough or on set/stage. Plus I was a proofreader already.

Don't aspire to be a full time youtuber. You're worth a million times more than that x
I still think there are benefits to certain informed and educated YouTube videos, and I also think that screenwriting opportunities on YouTube are actually more available than the more stringent Hollywood or even indie scene (not to mention giving aspiring screenwriters like myself a window to express our passions for film), but I definitely agree that there are definitely toxic YouTubers out there, the most well-known of whom is, of course, Logan Paul himself, notorious for his 'prank' in one of Japan's renowned forests. Since we're keeping it PG-13 here, I'd prefer not to say the 'S' word.

But yeah, I pretty much despise those guys as well, along with their frightening influence on children who imitate their behavior. It's certainly made this generation a lot more depraved and apathetic, all those childish prank videos baiting for attention and likes. And god, don't even get me started on those apology videos. Logan Paul literally exploited depression to make a stupid, insincere apology video. Screw you.
 
I'm going to agree with everyone who said that it depends on what you're subscribed to. There are great educational channels, some of which make learning pretty entertaining too. I've found some good channels on my own, but word of mouth is also a great way to find relevant content for your interests and quality standards.

My mother has learned new recipes through YT, my brother gains scientific knowledge through it, his friend makes money through a career on YT primarily then Twitch, I've found countless tutorials on the platform, etc. If anyone is not happy with their experience, it may mean it's time for that person to reassess what they want out of it and curate a more in tune library of subs.
 
Oh yeah, completely agree with the benefits of it, which is what youtube predominantly was at one point. There were of course popular youtubers even back then, but they were few and far between, which I preferred as it meant I could avoid them. Now they're just everywhere and it's annoying. Logan Paul is the absolute worst, I agree and it chills me to the bone to think kids look up to that guy. But there are great videos on there that can help with all manner of things. I just hate the youtuber culture, youtube itself is great.
 
a little bit.. in all honesty, i only use yt to listen to songs i cant find of spotify or soundcloud, listen to my fav podcasts, learn and watch videos from my favourite channels. other than that, i truly have no other reason to use it.
 
YouTube generally recommends videos relating to topics you engage in. Most of my YouTube feed is filled with traveling related videos. I’ve been getting a bunch of random community posts though. They range from stupid questions like “Are you subscribed to me?” or some related to political stances which inevitably cause drama. I think these community posts are just random because I’ve seen some from channels I haven’t interacted with before and are totally unrelated to the usual topics I search for.
 
So, just to create some positivity here towards YouTube, here's a list of channels I find interesting that you might try to watch some of their videos of, see if it's something you're interested in or just a waste of time:

  • NerdWriter1 (video essays about nerd stuff, from art to films to Humphrey Bogart)
  • Entertain the Elk (another nerd-related edutainment channel)
  • Full Fat Videos (this one's more mainstream as it tackles more popular pop culture/Marvel entertainment videos more often, as opposed to more niched topics like the above two)
  • ALTER (horror shorts uploaded frequently)
  • DUST (just like ALTER, but with sci-fi short films)
  • Small Beans (features Cracked.com's Michael Swaim and Abe Epperson; has podcasts about a bunch of stuff, but I mainly tune into their film discussions in their "Kings of King" and "Frame Rate" uploads)
  • A24 (the movie studio's official YouTube channel featuring their movie trailers, which is a no-brainer if you love their artsy films, which I do)
  • HD Film Tributes (multiple well-edited music videos featuring many, many classic movie soundtracks from "The Graduate" to "Amadeus")
  • The Off Camera Show (fantastic channel that features engaging celebrity interviews with unorthodox questions that offer a deeper insight into the film industry and their ordinary lives, something the more conventional and shallow interviews won't offer)
That's about it for now.
 
I don't feel like Youtube is a waste of time for me since I tend to listen to music while I'm trying to do something or whenever I want to watch something from one of the people that I'm subbed to currently. It certainly does keep me busy everyday at least.
 
If I'm looking for something specific, like a how-to, I might use Youtube if there's no alternative. There are some great videos on there, but so many are bogged down. Like:

ADVERT. "Hey everyone! Today we'll be learning how to draw an owl. Don't forget to subscribe and leave a comment!!!! So first of all, use Cool Crayons, we're sponsored by them! Cool Crayons are-" (skip) "so first, draw this circle. Now my friend likes to do it this other way, he's crazy! One time, he said-" (skip) ADVERT "Now you've got your circle, draw the eyes. It's just like my other video, watch that one for more info on how I do this"
etc. etc. etc.

If I can get a photograph/text tutorial for whatever I'm looking for, 100% will go for that.

The only thing I reliably use Youtube for these days are long, ambient/music videos that I can play in the background (and I still have to be careful, in case there are adverts halfway - they can be very jarring and sometimes even give me a mild panic attack if it's during a calming melody).
 
If I'm looking for something specific, like a how-to, I might use Youtube if there's no alternative. There are some great videos on there, but so many are bogged down. Like:

ADVERT. "Hey everyone! Today we'll be learning how to draw an owl. Don't forget to subscribe and leave a comment!!!! So first of all, use Cool Crayons, we're sponsored by them! Cool Crayons are-" (skip) "so first, draw this circle. Now my friend likes to do it this other way, he's crazy! One time, he said-" (skip) ADVERT "Now you've got your circle, draw the eyes. It's just like my other video, watch that one for more info on how I do this"
etc. etc. etc.

If I can get a photograph/text tutorial for whatever I'm looking for, 100% will go for that.

The only thing I reliably use Youtube for these days are long, ambient/music videos that I can play in the background (and I still have to be careful, in case there are adverts halfway - they can be very jarring and sometimes even give me a mild panic attack if it's during a calming melody).
I use Adblock on YouTube to block ads, but unfortunately, YouTubers are smart enough these days that they'd insert the ads into the videos themselves. "Hey everybody, we're going to talk about important political discussions. But before we begin, today's video is sponsored by [skip]."

Yeah, annoying.
 
I don't think it's a waste of time if I'm having fun watching what I'm watching. I like following cooking and crafting channels for inspiration when I want to try a new recipe or craft. And I follow a couple of nature channels just to learn a bit more about the creatures and plants around me. Music is also something nice to have playing while I go about my daily schedule, and I don't try to read too much into the comments section or into any discourse. That's not why I wanted to be on Youtube anyways!
 
So, I know it's an old thread, but something just occurred to me while I was watching a YouTube video, so it's relevant and contributive.

So there's this YouTuber you might know, H3H3 Productions. He made a video about the YouTube Rewind 2018 (which is essentially a look back at all the exciting stuff that happened on YouTube and to YouTubers), and he was whining so hard about Will Smith and how all these irrelevant celebrities basically hijacked YouTube Rewind. I mean, look, I don't care much for Will as a person even though I really want to watch Fresh Prince someday 'coz he killed it there, but I also don't really care much about YouTubers in general, YouTubers Ethan Klein (aka h3h3) put on a pedestal and saying how YouTube Rewind 2013 was so great for highlighting them. Like gimme a freaking break.

You're YouTubers. You make jokes and memes and complain about a YouTube microcosm that anybody who doesn't watch YouTube doesn't give a crap about. Get off your high horse. Logan Paul vs. KSI? Nobody gives a crap. It's not important stuff.

You know which YouTubers do deserve a highlight? Ryan Hollinger, The Closer Look, Filmento, Full Fat Videos, video essayists who worked hard to discuss filmmaking and intelligent topics unlike your goofy comedies. They actually have something meaningful to offer and contribute, unlike you guys.

So get off your high horse, Ethan. These are the YouTubers that are a waste of time and you shouldn't bother with them.
 
So, I know it's an old thread, but something just occurred to me while I was watching a YouTube video, so it's relevant and contributive.

So there's this YouTuber you might know, H3H3 Productions. He made a video about the YouTube Rewind 2018 (which is essentially a look back at all the exciting stuff that happened on YouTube and to YouTubers), and he was whining so hard about Will Smith and how all these irrelevant celebrities basically hijacked YouTube Rewind. I mean, look, I don't care much for Will as a person even though I really want to watch Fresh Prince someday 'coz he killed it there, but I also don't really care much about YouTubers in general, YouTubers Ethan Klein (aka h3h3) put on a pedestal and saying how YouTube Rewind 2013 was so great for highlighting them. Like gimme a freaking break.

You're YouTubers. You make jokes and memes and complain about a YouTube microcosm that anybody who doesn't watch YouTube doesn't give a crap about. Get off your high horse. Logan Paul vs. KSI? Nobody gives a crap. It's not important stuff.

You know which YouTubers do deserve a highlight? Ryan Hollinger, The Closer Look, Filmento, Full Fat Videos, video essayists who worked hard to discuss filmmaking and intelligent topics unlike your goofy comedies. They actually have something meaningful to offer and contribute, unlike you guys.

So get off your high horse, Ethan. These are the YouTubers that are a waste of time and you shouldn't bother with them.
Oooh, i agree! i definitely think some youtube channels are a lot more pointless than other ones. for example, i usually watch a lot of musical artists on their writing process and tutorials, same with traditional art. these are a lot more helpful and arent a waste of time because they're building your hobby and interests, but when youtubers are just calling out people for attention i find that very disinteresting.
 
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