A Note on CC Human Geography

We have removed and are re-working our Crash Course Human Geography series. John explains.
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[@elliebrill459]

ayye look! someone on KZbin who takes responsibility and doesn't throw it on someone else !!

[@savagepinksock]

I don't see how it's his fault? did he write the script? no. the only issue is that the video wasn't fact checked and people blindly pushing an agenda were allowed to publish content.

[@traplover6357]

savagepinksock who are these "people"? Because John Green responded to his audience and presumably the team backs him up

[@vlogbrothers]

Here's why it's my fault: I produce the show. Overseeing the editorial content of the crash courses filmed in Indianapolis is MY responsibility, and mine alone. Making sure the videos are adequately fact-checked is also my responsibility. That is not the host's job, or the writer's. It's my job. I didn't do it well. It's that simple. I appreciate the reluctance to blame me, but this is 100% on me. I would be very happy to blame someone else if they were at fault, believe me. :) -John

[@socchikurokawa9640]

he didn't write it, but being in his position means he's in charge of vetting and final checks, which he admits to rushing/doing cursorily. He did explain that in the video

[@JoneseyBanana]

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[@jeremysnead9233]

This is the most adult decision a youtube channel has ever made. You guys are human.

[@laineylarsen245]

JayRay Snide +

[@brendanbrett6947]

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[@jayatherton8673]

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[@elianaperetz9143]

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[@ezekielmoreton3788]

Doubleplusgood

[@lauraameliarr]

I am not mad at all. I am very thankful that the Crash Course team is so brave for admitting their mistakes and so kind as to rework a series to make it better for us. You guys never FTBA. We love you, and thanks for all you do.

[@laurenwalker6875]

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[@MrChickennugget360]

i would not so much as say "brave" as willing to admit when wrong. Brave is saying something that is unpopular but true. all they are doing is apologizing for screwing up. "Adult" not "brave"

[@lauraameliarr]

MR.Chickennuget 360 I see your point, but I think what actually defines as brave varies from person to person. What you think of as brave might not be what I think of as brave, and viceversa.

[@Kirby-Krios]

What's FTBA?

[@lauraameliarr]

Thane Krios Well, DFTBA stands for Don't Forget To Be Awesome. I meant that they never forget to be awesome.

[@honeydew1]

if only politicians made these type of apology videos haha

[@SHPEntertainment]

The world would be a much better place!

[@jayatherton8673]

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[@alexg3348]

too true! well said

[@user-yk1cw8im4h]

You've mistaken. That's a note, NOT an apology. He doesn't owe anybody anything.

[@esmereldagonzales9613]

honeydew +

[@BoboTalkClown]

That takes some serious guts! Thank you for responding to legitimate and serious criticism with a legitimate and serious response.

[@JoneseyBanana]

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[@thomasholt3570]

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[@mementomori2285]

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[@karicorvidae]

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[@miavanamson8055]

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[@VintageLJ]

I used to never really like your content John, since I always thought it was too ideaological. But this has completly flipped my opinion of you, and shown that you are intellectually honest and willing to admit when you are wrong. I can only hope to replicate this for myself. Well done John, you are a shining example of what an educator should be.

[@SuperRichyrich11]

You thought he was ideological? lol He's always been extremely objective.

[@AwakeWithTheDawn]

Just curious; are you talking about CrashCourse Videos or the vlogbrothers videos? Because I agree that educators, such as in crash course, need to be objective and share both points of view, so that the "students" can come to their own conclusions. With the vlogbrothers though, John and Hank talk as themselves. I would argue that all of us approach discussions and thoughts from whatever our ideological views are (unconsciously sometimes), as that is part of our identity, and influences the way we see the world.

[@meatrace]

I don't think he's ever been completely objective, but he makes his biases known, and presents opposing views in an intellectually honest way without poisoning the well, which is honestly the most an audience can ask from a presenter.

[@ownageDan]

objectivity in the humanities is an illusion. you can strive for it, but you can never change the fact that your upbringing, personal ideology and education strongly affects everything you do.

[@SuperRichyrich11]

meatrace no one can be "completely objective" in this field. Even in the hard sciences there's still faults of the mind that influence interpretations of data. But you have to admit, John Green has been as objective as he could be. He states his biases so we know where he's coming from, then gives fair credit to other view points..... what more can you ask from someone in fields as messy as Humanities?

[@JennEiland]

I am incredibly impressed by this. This is why I continue to support the vlogbrothers, Crash Course, and their other products.

[@Azzarinne]

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[@SamiBennett]

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[@robthehitmanrude]

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[@jetblackbiovuac]

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[@rexappleby4981]

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[@shelbuchler]

This proves the sincerity of John and the entire Crash Course team that they truly want to produce videos that educate and a community that makes the world better. Recognising and admitting a mistake and then correcting a mistake is much harder to do and is worth more than not making the mistake in the first place. Thank you for producing such thoughtful shows and holding them to such a high standard!

[@sreside94]

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[@heypookeybearitisi]

Sheldon Buchler +

[@SamiBennett]

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[@jetblackbiovuac]

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[@johntheidiot9046]

Can someone explain the ''+'' allready?

[@DaSpooge]

Good on you for taking responsibility. Glad to see someone who stands for reason here on KZbin.

[@fatsamcastle]

DaSpooge stands for reason? If that was the case then they'd have nothing to apologise about in the first place.

[@owenferrara]

Absolutely, I have respect for people that can admit they were wrong.

[@BlindBloomer]

fatsamcastle your being too critical it's 1 mistake

[@fatsamcastle]

Empty Existentialist several mistakes over 1 video, how many other mistakes in over videos that are just left in simply because not enough people complained? That's the point.

[@andagain9826]

noone is above making mistakes; the magic is in how those mistakes are addressed

[@CulpFiction]

I really respect and admire your quick and thoughtful response to recent criticisms about the Human Geography segment. I think it is extremely admirable to admit and own up to mistakes, and I look forward to watching further content from Crash Course! :)

[@sydney3213]

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[@user-bl6ix9dt7r]

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[@daeken]

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[@Lumicouco]

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[@3Ravens98]

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[@jnsnj1]

John Green. A man who did not forget to be awesome.

[@bobs344]

"Only the hand that erases can write the true thing" -Henry David Thoureau

[@hq4287]

Amen

[@skintstudios]

this was a brilliant response, they diddnt try to avoid accusations and they took upon the constructive critisim with calm and measure. good on you crashcourse.

[@jsredrose]

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[@JoneseyBanana]

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[@flszen]

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[@paulandrascik8680]

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[@theintrepid7583]

All these plusses, can't you just like and move on?

[@JoneseyBanana]

Now this is how you do a proper apology video! :) I'm glad to see that you took the valid critiques on board (despite the level of venomous shittiness in the comments section) and didn't blame your audience for "not getting" what you were saying. ...Unlike some channels that have previously had a different ... - cough - REACTion. :P

[@Gallalad1]

Did you just react to Mr Greens comments? #suedbythefinebros

[@theenigmaencoder92]

Dead meme buddy.

[@Gallalad1]

No such thing mate

[@theenigmaencoder92]

NotSoSober Gamer I guess you still watch keyboard cat then.

[@Gallalad1]

Yeah clearly..... To each to their own

[@GEO-Heather]

As a geographer and professor, I appreciate you and your series. Crash is always accessible and on target. I appreciate the intention to "get it right" and support the team in taking time to better understand the breadth of our discipline. Human Geography is so often lumped in with social studies and taught by non-geographers especially in the United States...mistakes are made. Alexander B. Murphy addressed the need for Geographic Education in the US in his 2004 piece "Awash in a Sea of Geographic Ignorance," drawing attention to the lack of access from K-12 and beyond. America doesn't get the importance of geographic awareness so I commend you in, not only taking on such a wonderful series, but also wanting it to be "right".

[@phoenixshadow6633]

Iroh quote time "It is usually best to admit mistakes when they occur, and to seek to restore honor."

[@UwU_for_Christ]

Biggest respect to Crash Course and Hank and John for this. It's rare to see people so quickly own up to their mistakes and publicly set out an action plan for improvement.

[@JoneseyBanana]

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[@djangomarine6658]

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[@herbstschmerz6044]

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[@shadowsfromolliesgraveyard6577]

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[@tonsilromancer]

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[@ajithrajaful]

Hey just so you guys know that most of us care more about quality over quantity.

[@TheThreeMavii]

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[@literaturesim]

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[@ismailsarti9060]

Ajith Raja +

[@caizic263]

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[@oimrqs1691]

It's not that simple. Any business, crowdfunded or not, HAS to grow. How do you grow a channel in 2016 making one or two videos a week? It's hard, the KZbin's algorithm doesn't help you. Unfortunately this is how it works these days. Early days of KZbin are gone, now it's a full blown business. They have to make smart choices! Don't judge them, they're surely doing their best.

[@rileysebby138]

Finally someone on KZbin that can come out with an appropriate apology. 😂😂

[@xxMariaAthenaxx]

I'm really impressed with how professionally you handled this situation. Thanks for re-working the series rather than brushing off the criticisms that people had to offer and continuing as planned (which many people probably would have). Seeing how "The Discourse" on KZbin often tends to have this "I'm right, you're wrong" mentality at its focal point, it's rare to see channels correct their mistakes or address the criticisms against their viewpoints/material, which does nothing to further one's argument or broaden their understanding of an issue. Once again, many thanks!

[@Studio-7V]

I admire you for fixing your mistakes, the human geography course was downright underdeveloped and jumped to far too many conclusions. Good luck with the next iteration!

[@JoneseyBanana]

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[@ln2718]

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[@phoenixfromtheashes]

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[@mats1456]

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[@laurenkil]

Crash course is educating thousands of people all over the internet who would not otherwise be able to afford it. Learning is expensive... Thank you!

[@JoneseyBanana]

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[@Ash-xu2fv]

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[@chrisgriffin4012]

I applaud you good sir. This is the reason many of us hold you in such high regards. We know that we can rely on honest, concise, and intellectual information coming from this channel. Thank you for upholding your commitment to these ideals.

[@scyther1141]

Good on you guys for admitting and taking responsibility for a mistake.

[@dwood2001]

So few people do this kind of thing. That's just what makes both Nerdfightaria in general and projects like Crash Course so special. I'm sure this sucks financially, but thanks for being so committed to quality content. This is pretty much the perfect response. I look forward to the revamped version.

[@flowingpixels]

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[@vespum2855]

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[@thewpbard]

+Scooby Dooderino Nerdfighteria (www.nerdfighteria.com/) is another Hank and John Green production. According to the Wiki page for it (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerdfighteria) "The term [Nerdfighter or Nerdfighteria, it doesn't say specifically which, but I think it is Nerdfighter] was coined when John saw a copy of the arcade game Aero Fighters and misread the title as Nerd Fighters"

[@heypookeybearitisi]

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[@FrankMoodyJr]

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[@skwiggsskytower2517]

"Crash course needs a point of view" Why? Making conclusions from facts is thinking FOR the person instead of informing them. If you believe that your audience can't grasp the topic it needs to be broken down further. There is a fine line between educating and indoctrinating.

[@starrstark]

Skwiggs Skytower Because crash course isn't soley for educating. It's always served as a community for people that like to learn and with that has always come with some common interests and opinions. Also, crash course provides multiple points of view and cases against/ for to prompt the viewer to determine their own stance.

[@Yamikaiba123]

I think what he meant by 'point of view' was 'a stance on an issue'. For example, a scientific paper without a stance would be all Results and no data analysis, interpretation, discussion, or conclusion. Arguably, it would have no Hypothesis or Discussion without a point of view, either. But that's another issue.

[@NWRIBronco6]

Because you CANNOT present the information in an unbiased way? Ever? "Facts" have inherent biases - what you choose to attend to and what you assume when you present those facts. And "facts" alone aren't knowledge, nor does presenting one with 'just facts' help them learn (why and how to use the facts - these are important questions). Much better to acknowledge bias and to present multiple perspectives on how the facts are used. At least that's not disingenuous.

[@Moviegon]

See also: the work of Max Weber and Gouldner (The Anti-Minotaur: The Myth of a Value Free Sociology).

[@elliottmcollins]

History isn't just the naive recitation of a random set of facts, it's the project of using those facts to construct a narrative. Which facts you use and how they're connected (or not) is necessarily informed by your values. Take the American institution of slavery, for example. A Confederate apologist and a reparations activist could both tell you about American slavery using nothing but objectively true statements and ultimately cast the institution, the people, and the implications for modern life in profoundly different lights. There's no way of telling that story without a point of view.

[@fearlessmidget]

I was both disappointed and surprised at the human geography series, but I'm glad to see that you had the guts to admit there were problems and fix it. I had a hell of a lot of respect for you before all of this, and even more respect now. You're damn good people.

[@larrybobinski7156]

It is so refreshing when people who produce a product admit they were wrong. Both John and Stan are men of great integrity. Admitting when you make a mistake often increases creditably, not diminishes it. Great job! And thank you for your honesty.

[@fununclenerfs]

When do we get to vote for John Green for president?

[@sherlockb2214]

He'd get my donation.

[@adamrose5690]

It's not to late liberals!! lock Hillary up, and put John in. I'd vote for Him over Trump

[@chromicm6686]

damn straight I would have John any day over the two idiots currently in the running

[@chromicm6686]

you know what never mind the presidency elect him as the UN secretary general

[@gabebaum6527]

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[@danielcharman9550]

I mean it wasn't due to a short budget that you used incorrect facts but still it's good that you apologised and it shows a very mature approach. Edit : To clarify, I'm not saying that a short budget or limited timings have no effect on the factual basis of the video, I'm saying that the video was so politically motivated and clearly biased that there is no way that this was simply a mistake or due to ill timings. Edit2: I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt that due to time constraints he only read James Blaut, Lest there be more bickering in the comments. I am only attempting to be constructive regarding the issues and not overly negative.

[@coolcool5181]

KZbin's algorithm favors uploaders who upload content as quickly as possible and as constant as possible. Look at LeafyIsHere, he makes videos everyday and makes bank. So, with videos like these where it takes a while to make and polish up, it seems as though the only way to profit off of the video is to rush it a little bit. That doesn't excuse it of course, but that's my rationale behind it.

[@danielcharman9550]

Cool Cool I agree that was one of the factors, but the video in question(the Crash Course Geography one) contained many factual issues which couldn't of been related to time or rushing as they were heavily political motivated going as far as to suggest that Jared Diamond was racist which besides being incorrect is wrong as a whole to present that opinion as fact. I can't speak for any of the other video's however.

[@charlotteusher9518]

I think the point is that with more time more research into opposing points of view could have been done to have created a more well-rounded video

[@cOmAtOrAn]

Of course it was due to short budget that they used incorrect facts. It takes manpower to find and double or triple check facts, and if people want to be able to do things like eat food, manpower takes money.

[@izzya8132]

+Dan Charman The lack of budget is responsible for the script not being properly vetted and rigorously corrected.

[@TheSeandroog]

I only stumbled upon this video after having just seen clips of the video you are referring to. I was initially puzzled, but after seeing your apology I just want to say I really appreciate the humility in this video. I'm a big fan of CC, and this only strengthens that.

[@the1exnay]

I had hoped you would redo the episodes, but i hadnt really expected you to actually do it. Props for this.

[@DomyTheMad420]

John, you still should have demanded that your viewers didn't *SHIT* all over that poor girl. She was the focus of far too much negative comments that ranged from 'having a point' to simple being abusive and *harassment* . Please stand up for your fellows and demand that viewers have some goddamned respect. That sh*t was NOT okay. In the slightest.

[@MxChloeB42]

He did, he said it wasn't the fault of the presenter, it was almost entirely his fault and that you should blame him instead. He has to keep it as polite and non hostile in his response to everything to avoid further fallout.

[@jpz719]

"Muh harrusment" is useless in the face of factual innaccuracy.

[@brianb.6356]

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[@firudu]

Domyras ge literally did that by entirely putting the blame on himself AND telling viewer to stop the hostility. insults are obviously never okay, but of course any comment WOULD be directed towards the person that both represents crash course and presents the ideas people had issues with. did people actually go after her in her personal life or was this limited to this comment section? because the latter wouldnt be harassment

[@DaedricSheep]

John has never been the type of person to demand anything from anyone other than himself, and he's absolutely never attacked someone who is attacking him or someone he cares about. He figures out if something is wrong with his work, fixes it, and lets the changes speak for themselves.

[@Yosi-Berman]

The time to make better content is greatly appreciated :D

[@FancyGeeks]

YOSi! Hey dude, It's me, Jay from the NerdSync discord server.

[@Yosi-Berman]

FT Productions it's a small internet after all

[@JoneseyBanana]

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[@Cameron-hz9wc]

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[@polkadottedpolak]

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[@superbubbleaquapower]

I haven't been following Crash Course in general (although it's on my subscriptions feed) but I want to say massive, massive kudos for every word of this video. Apologizing publicly for mistakes made on a public forum, not blaming anyone who wasn't responsible, and forging through the amount of vulnerability that public apologies demand, takes an incredible amount of inner strength and integrity. Many thanks and much respect to you, Stan, and the rest of the Crash Course staff.

[@kaylaslack9276]

This -- if anything -- makes me love Crash Course even more. I am not mad at you guys, never could be anyway, but still. I'm not mad, and I'm proud of you for stepping forward and admitting the mistakes you made, and now taking steps to better the production and CC itself so that those mistakes (hopefully) won't happen again. That makes me proud. And that makes me want to give you all a hug. I'll be patiently waiting for the HuG CC videos to come back -- it is my absolute favorite subject -- but in the meantime, I'm going to pop over to the Chemistry CC videos. Gotta make sure I don't fail that class, too.

[@erickrizizke3483]

Thank you for paying attention to the quality of these videos

[@138_paul]

I have an even greater respect for the Vlog Brothers, they are as intellectually honest as educators should be. Thank you for this act of humility. From, a fan

[@jsredrose]

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[@ryanl8226]

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[@44cheetah1]

Paul Miller +

[@user-nm4pr2ru9d]

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[@izzya8132]

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[@mrhainer]

John, I very rarely engage in online discussion, but the fact that you made this says so much about who you are as a person and the kind of company you are a part of. Thank you so much for being you.

[@junoguten]

You handled that really well. Respect.

[@JaffaCakeGecko]

Props for taking the comments on board and reworking the show, it's a testament to how good your content is that you want to maintain the quality for us viewers. This was the series I was most interested in so I look forward to seeing where it goes in the future! Best of luck with it

[@MarkHatlestad]

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[@Ash-xu2fv]

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[@mortimermcmirestinks]

I don't think that these nerds will ever forget to be awesome.

[@mortimermcmirestinks]

#JohnGreenAndHankGreenForPresidents

[@firewordsparkler]

Green, Green 2016 would have been an excellent campaign

[@heypookeybearitisi]

mortimermcmirestinks +

[@gjml1597]

Totally. JOHN GREEN FOR PRESIDENT.

[@emmilytheengineer]

mortimermcmirestinks +

[@ericchristensen788]

Thank you John. One of the most enlightening and thought provoking themes about your social science videos is looking at the big picture and how smaller perspectives throughout history make up that picture. A trend I've noticed in formal education, is honing in on an unpleasant detail or implication of a particular perspective and using that detail to discredit any thought or insight that may be gain from studying it. I'm glad you acknowledge the mistakes in this series and are taking the steps to correct them and to preserve the integrity of the Crash Course brand.

[@kathrynmiesse806]

It's rare and heartwarming to see this kind of humility on the internet. We all make mistakes, but owning up to them and apologizing takes courage. Thanks John and Crash Course for your honesty, generosity, and graciousness. Can't wait to see more Crash Course videos in the future!

[@pellaken]

Thank you for paying attention to the concerns of your viewers.

[@Waltham1892]

INTELLECTUAL INTEGRITY (MIKE DROP).

[@Fooglmog]

What'd Mike do to make you drop him?

[@Waltham1892]

Jon Mike was being a jerk.

[@Grafknar]

I hate it when Mike is a jerk.

[@Waltham1892]

Grafknar Would you talk to him? I talked to him about it and he blew me off. Cause, he's a jerk...

[@rory3155]

Waltham1892 sounds like something FLVS would say 😂

[@pbllomas]

This is exactly how to respond to criticism, i am so happy that you did this. I wasn't even going to leave this comment because everyone already said it before me, but i thought it was important.Kudos to you for having this kind of integrity!

[@Dsinkular]

I have enjoyed and used your videos for the past several years and believe that you do an excellent job in producing and sharing them. While my students don't always look forward to the video, they ALWAYS pull information from them and your style is something that they can all relate too. What is probably even more important to those that use this channel as a way to learn about a variety of topics, is that you also recognize and take the time to acknowledge a problem. I appreciate all of your videos, including this one, and wish you nothing but the best in the future. I look forward to the continued success of all that work on the Crash Course channel.

[@sreside94]

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[@Azzarinne]

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[@willemvandebeek]

Poor Myriam :-/

[@Shangori]

Yup.. As long as she understands that the backlash was mostly towards the content rather than her.

[@wilhelmrk]

Exactly, which is why I don't want to give in to the people that wish to claim that this CC episode was hated because a woman did it. No, I didn't have anything against her or her way of presentating the stuff, only that the content was bad (but most likely done with a good intention.. as it always is)

[@Shangori]

wilhelmrk Eh.. See, I was curious about the theory, so I looked around. I got to the wiki page of environmental determinism.. and instantly understood why it was such a bad ep.. They looked at the wiki page, accepted it as gospel and ran with it. Which is why it was so bad.

[@wilhelmrk]

Shangori True, whilst I do not know if they picked it from wikipedia it was simply (and quite sadly so) an episode filled with little information and more of a "Dont touch this, it's baad mhhkaay"

[@justadude4938]

I think a lot of the backlash was toward her hair too. I don't have a problem with it, but tons of comments are "You should wash your hair".

[@ownageDan]

crash course music history/theory please!

[@Scifiguy11th]

ownageDan PLEASE DO THIS I NEED IT

[@mastelsa]

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[@nicholase4850]

ownageDan +

[@liambaillargeon1875]

You just made me hyped for that.

[@curtishammer748]

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[@jimmyriba]

I am so happy to see you make this principled stand on the side of intellectual honesty instead of pride. So many (otherwise reasonable) people think that admitting to a mistake makes them lose dignity, and instead either defend their mistakes or sweep them under the rug. Thank you so much for not doing this, but instead both taking responsibility *and* withdrawing the content to fix it and make it better.

[@Pinkkatcat]

This is very gallant of you, Crash Course. Thank you for all that you have done and making sure that you being as truthful as possible. You guys (and gals) are the best and my favorite KZbin channel.

[@Hakuu_A19]

Nice to see you guys taking responsibility! Can't wait to see it come back bigger and better!

[@Njald]

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[@JoneseyBanana]

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[@polkadottedpolak]

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[@btdtpro]

I've very impressed by CC for doing this. Do to anything great, there will almost always be failed attempts. If we fear failure or demand 100% perfection, we'll likely miss out on a lot of great stuff and great moves forward. The key isn't to never have failed attempts, but to instead learn from failed attempts and rectify them if we can. I think what John and CC did here was a great example of recognizing a poor execution, and doing what they can to rectify it. Thank you Greens and everyone involved in CC for all the hard work you put in, and good you've done for the world. I and I'm sure many others are here to support you, even on the miss steps, because over all, we are moving forward.

[@cognitivedissonance9737]

Thank you for the honest response. perfectly handled. Love all ya' stuff!

[@bruceboa6384]

Cognitive Dissonance +

[@heypookeybearitisi]

Cognitive Dissonance +

[@Azzarinne]

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[@SamiBennett]

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[@Gavrahil]

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[@dellboid]

John Green, that was awesome. I had always respected you before, but now its on another level. Thank you for making such a commitment to the quality and integrity of your channel so that we can all continue enjoying your work.

[@n7o7v7a]

Glad to see someone on KZbin who actually takes responsibility for their mistakes and works to fix them. Good job

[@napamodesto8001]

Oh my it's a real apology. This thing is so rare it qualifies as currency. On a serious note this is very much appreciated. Thanks for being sincere.

[@morrgash]

Between the many channels i have in my list, this is by far the best one, thank you for working on and improving the channel, it didn't only teach me about the things i like such as Space but also brought me closer to other people on this Earth! So thank you from my heart, As a Human, Muslim, Swedish/Iraqi...

[@jurilaamanen4760]

Now this takes some balls to do. Can't be mad at anyone that apologises with this much gratitude for the community.

[@amy8144]

John saying "thanks, bye" at the end rather than his typical "DFTBA" or "best wishes" caught me off guard the most. I hope he doesn't feel badly or stressed about this mistake. I think Nerdfighteria realizes that there are bound to be some ~hectare moments~ with so many videos, and loves the content all the same.

[@scottchristesen2660]

This is exactly why I watch Crash Course videos. Thanks for your honesty and great work.

[@jsredrose]

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[@chetanyarlagadda6203]

This channel saves some of classes so doing this makes me feel way better about this channel. Not only do I learn a lot but it also makes learning fun. So on behalf of everyone watching your videos, thank you.

[@shelaghsalisbury1325]

Wow. Thank you John, for showing how to not apologize like a 'fart bag'. This is one of the best demonstrations of integrity that I have ever seen. My respect for you only grows.

[@anaxim1]

This is a pleasant surprise. It (CC:HG) felt a little bit rushed without the little flourishes like the mongoltage. I eagerly and wholeheartedly look forward to what you folks cook up next. Side note: Expected apologetic John Green to have a shock pen.

[@MarkHatlestad]

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[@vespum2855]

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[@tiaanengelbrecht9378]

I could've been easy to just ignore all the backlash and just continue on with the series. Glad to see you take responsibility, I hope it comes back bigger than ever.

[@MorganMaumell]

Thanks for taking a break, guys. I respect and admire that you owned up to your mistake and I think we'll all be patient for videos as long as they're made with integrity. I personally adore Crash Course and I want it to continue. If that means slower production due to staff and budget constraints I will gladly wait. Careful work does and should take time. I am glad for your example, John, on how to own a mistake with grace.

[@sreside94]

+

[@JohnMontet]

Bravo. Vetting already published content for accuracy is a show of true veracity and intellectual maturity. While I was not a viewer of the CC Human Geography series (though I am happily on the CC Philosophy track), I look forward to watch it when it reemerges.

[@BobbyK19]

I really appreciate and admire you guys for being able to rework this, and understand other people's thoughts. :)

[@Alwayz114]

These videos are timeless. They are a wonderful source of information that will be on KZbin as a resource forever. Please focus on quality over timeliness; in 2 years, no one will care when the video came out, just what it says and how they learn from it. Keep up the great work, guys

[@MarkHatlestad]

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[@djangomarine6658]

Alwayz +

[@victoriaridgway2286]

Alwayz actually the vlogbrothers have a video somewhere explaining that they don't really care about ad blockers because they don't make that much from them and if you want to be helpful the best thing you can do is donate on patreon

[@Cameron-hz9wc]

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[@Mrbertiification]

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[@cammelspit]

Awesome you guys took those videos down and owned the mistake of them ever going up in the first place. I can't think of anyone else who would have done so much to correct an error in judgment. You guys have my respect for this, truly. Keep it up!

[@AndieETC]

What a great example of how to be genuinely intellectually curious, and how refreshing when it seems everyone's just getting more entrenched and tunnel-vision-y, and calling it "integrity" or something. Thank you!!

[@Linkous12]

Props to John Green and the CC crew. It takes a lot to admit when you're wrong.

[@ZLemur2]

Triple double bonus props for admitting a mistake and putting in the effort to fix it and prevent future mistakes. You've taken the highest of roads and I, for one, appreciate what you've done here a great deal. I also appreciate CC and will continue to learn through it! Keep doing what you're doing ... or rather, the new things you just said you're going to be doing. Keep doing those things >.

[@nathanfei9101]

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[@heypookeybearitisi]

ZLemur2 +

[@shaterproofblosm]

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[@dacelikethefish587]

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[@jwt242]

You are a very fair and reasoned person and regardless of how one feels about the decision you discuss in this vid, you should be applauded for having the courage for having done so.

[@MegaKoutsou]

As someone who posted a comment on that human geography video, in which I, along all the other commenters, expressed my opinion on that video, I have to admit that this response exceeds my expectations. CrashCourse has for a long time been one of my favorite youtube channels, and I admire your self-conscious and responsible response. Thank you so much for keeping the torch of education lit on youtube

[@sprret]

Might I make a suggestion for future Crash Course series: Extra Credits' Extra History series has a closing episode to each of their series called Lies where they talk about all the mistakes they accidently made in the run of the series. I think this might work for Crash Course as well.

[@crait]

I kept up with a lot of Extra Credit's Extra History because it was really interesting. I must have missed that one. I think I'll go add it to my queue. Thanks!

[@chaosof99]

They do a "lies" episode for every topic they discuss after its conclusions. They are in a different format though with James talking directly to the camera and little or no graphical support.

[@elliottmcollins]

I think it'd be *amazing* to have a Crash Course Discussion channel with responses to comments like you see with PBS' Idea Channel with Mike Rugnetta. It leads to thoughtful comments and discussion and lets them address both mistakes and simplifications.

[@theeutecticpoint]

This? This is an excellent idea!

[@Nemoy-wq6rb]

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[@indeliblyronnie]

John, my respect for you has skyrocketed.

[@MrMurc2]

John Green You are the best. This is why I stick around feel good about sharing your work with others and feel confidant that im always giving my friends and family a quality product here. Don't forget to be awesome John.

[@shirelletubbs6285]

You have my full support Crash Course creators and staff. As an educator, I understand what it is like to admit your wrongs in front of your class and have to correct your wrongs and reteach. I appreciate you hitting the pause button. As an AP Human Geography teacher, I can't wait until you return.

[@nicolasfox564]

This is how you make an apology video. Apologize, don't excuse. Be quick and to the point. Explain how you'll make up for it and fix the issue. I applaud John, Stan, and the rest of the CrashCourse team for having the integrity to do what a surprising number of people in today's society can't.

[@amandawittenstein1873]

Way to own up on your screw ups. Everyone makes mistakes, but dealing with it with grace and humility, especially on a medium known for mud slinging and blaming is a breath of fresh air. Bravo.

[@benjamingehring7509]

I'm a geography teacher from Kansas and I use Crash Course all the time in my other social studies classrooms. Glad you guys are working hard, no shame in making mistakes. I'll be looking forward to the finished product to use in my classroom!

[@carsontroeh127]

I don't understand why environmental determinism necessarily equates to racism. Like, the people in Europe aren't better than the people in Africa, they just happened to have more easily accessible resources (other than oil) and settle in a more temperate climate better for the production of large scale agriculture. that sounds like the opposite of racism to me. But I guess everything somebody disagrees with is necessarily racist.

[@paultorrisi4992]

That's pretty accurate. The guy who wrote Guns, Germs, and Steel said basically the same thing, but CC kind of implied he was a racist, but I don't really trust everything they say.

[@iAmTheSquidThing]

Exactly. You're right. That was the objection to the original video. Though it was used by some to justify colonialism at the time. Like "Well, our civilisation is more developed thanks to its temperate climate, so let's go and spread that progress to the rest of the world… Using guns."

[@chromicm6686]

Carson Troeh yes in fact if you take away this purportedly racist theory of environmental determinism then one of the only alternatives to why the west and Asia are more advanced is that their citizens are racially superior to those in Africa and america, which is a truly flawed and racist theory

[@carsontroeh127]

Andy Brice "Well, our civilisation is more developed thanks to its temperate climate, so let's go and spread that progress to the rest of the world… Using guns." Yeah, it's social darwinism at work when it goes like that, but I don't think the idea of environmental determinism necessarily concludes with social darwinism.

[@iAmTheSquidThing]

Carson Troeh Absolutely. Just like Darwinism inspired Eugenics. But that doesn't mean Darwinism is Eugenics.

[@juandominguezmurray7327]

This speaks really good of yourself and of the crash course team. Keep being awesome!

[@marsgreekgod]

I like the person that did it. you should bring them back.

[@ItsRadishTime]

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[@djangomarine6658]

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[@kuyaleinad4195]

marsgreekgod Wait the video was already out? I think I didn't see it :(

[@AntiComposite]

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[@Cameron-hz9wc]

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[@xemmyQ]

ty John for admitting to the shortcomings of the human geography course. It shows a lot of integrity on your part. I've been a fan of CC for a few years and I'm glad to have the pleasure of seeing the channel grow. I look forward to the revised HumGeo course. Please do take your time. I love this channel and the knowledge it provides. I'm not even in school/college lol I watch because I love learning new stuff, or learning about old stuff in a new way. I have fun. so, thank you 😄

[@jaimeo8792]

Thank you for being responsible about this. I have a lot of respect for John Green and Crash Course as a whole, and I'm really looking forward to the reworked series when it is ready.

[@sreside94]

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[@trustthebook]

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[@sineadkearney1635]

Physical geography crash course please

[@EpicLuigi24]

Something something african borders

[@scbond]

Sinead Kearney Not sure I want them to butcher my actual profession though!

[@kellyscriven4143]

This would make my 8 year old son ridiculously happy, he loves Crash Course and he loves physical geography.

[@sineadkearney1635]

I basically just want one because my university lecturer is terrible 😂😂😂

[@scbond]

Sinead Kearney Go to a better university then.

[@ethansuranie5139]

Well done crash course thank you for listening to the community and then taking responsibility

[@TheCheeseman1983]

Bravo, John. This is an unfortunate circumstance, but you have faced it with dignity and integrity. I am an informal educator myself, and I wish I could say I have never gotten anything wrong in the curriculum I have designed, but when you have to work with the budgets most educational institutions must adhere to, it's simply unavoidable that, eventually, an error will make it through. I know that sinking feeling--that knot in the pit of your stomach that you get when you suddenly hear a presenter speak your words aloud in front of a classroom, and realize that you just spread misinformation. It's the worst, especially for people who are passionate about the importance of education to our society. But the best way to handle it is to admit your mistake, take responsibility for it, and do everything you can to correct it. That is exactly what you have done here, and that has earned my respect (and solidarity!) "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." --Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

[@AntiCliche]

I appreciate your moral and intellectual character and I respect your decision to rewind and start over. Making mistakes is not a failure, not correcting them is. You and your staff have outpaced many others in the educational field by being forthright and honest in your attempts to educate, and have taken action to correct the things you've done incorrectly. Take pride, and do not let a failure reflect upon your self worth negatively. Let your refusal to be a bystander while your project falters be a symbol of your integrity and commitment.

[@dddz961]

You need to review your other Crash Courses for factual accuracy.

[@anyotherdayortime]

It would be more helpful to point out which videos in particular are problematic.

[@poohpush]

stop being a douche

[@Yosi-Berman]

darrin42 wait... it's "hear" not "here"?

[@dijek5511]

This etymology is from Wiktionary: Hear, hear! (1689) imperative, used as an exclamation to call attention to a speaker; now a general cry of approbation. Originally "hear him!"

[@DuranmanX]

a lot of the content in their other videos is subjective or just a microcosm of events

[@yuirick]

There's also that one philosophy episode you might want to double-check about harmful words, but besides that, nice to see that you're taking criticism. I'm not sure if I fell into the 'well mannered' or the 'ill tempered' category, so I'm guessing I was somewhere in-between reasoned response and emotional outrage. I apologize if that was the case, and I'll try to give more reasoned responses in the future.

[@jayasuryangoral-maanyan3901]

Anos Anosn i feel the same

[@brianb.6356]

Anos Anosn If we're going to look at philosophy episodes, that was actually one of the better ones. Just because something is vaguely aligned with SJ doesn't mean it's wrong. Please look at the episode on Existentialism (no, Nietzche wasn't a nihilist) or the episode about Wittgenstein (which seemed to be very confused about what he actually believed) or the episode on philosophy of science (no, Popperian falsificationism is not the only game in town) if you want to maybe redo some of the philosophy episodes.

[@tara.5986]

Anos Anosn +

[@MorpheusXRD]

Anos Anosn fair play man.

[@icedragon769]

Like who? That video was pretty straightforward and correct. Whenever anyone even so much as acknowledges that words can harm people the internet assholes jump out of the woodwork to defend their rights to hurt people with their speech calling any discussion of hateful speech "censorship" as if Hank had some evil agenda to regulate what people can say.

[@cookiesxsugar9447]

A really brave and admirable aproach to take. I'm glad the videos are getting reworked, and I'm glad for the straightforward communication. Sometimes in education it can be really hard to get things right, and every subject can be a different kind of challenge.

[@sreside94]

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[@grote_2018]

Thank you John green. I have never seen any other youtuber who is even able to acknowledge mistakes made on their channels, let alone take the full blame for them. I have nothing but respect for you and your staff.

[@plucas1]

Everyone is praising John Greene for owning up to a mistake and apologizing, etc. But is anyone going to apologize for the hate-filled vitriolic comments they made during the original Human Geography vids? There were thousands of negative comments Are none of YOU going to step forward and admit you were wrong in how you handled things?

[@kiwisoup7450]

plucas1 None of them will, and if one does happen to come along, they will be ignored. Props to whoever does apologize, but I'd rather forgive those people than stay angry at them.

[@izzya8132]

The people who made those comments are clearly just shitty people who think it's legitimate to insult and attack other people on the Internet. They would not apologize, because they don't believe they did anything wrong. Some people are just assholes... It's not a big deal, don't take them too seriously.

[@UwU_for_Christ]

Because the people praising JG and CC arent the same ones leaving those comments?

[@jfrd-pw4hk]

Those commenters are weak beings. John Green is strong. The weak are lucky to live because the strong let them be.

[@Gregory-the-small]

it was deserved

[@BaresarkSlayne]

I am so glad you did this. I was really disappointed by some of the things said in it, it was a blemish on an otherwise fantastic record. I'm not mad at anyone, the undertaking you guys do for CC is massive and mistakes are bound to be made. The main mistake, in my opinion, was the tone and how certain things were stated. Like, I felt it was written to lump Diamonds work in with some other works that it shouldn't be, but also there was this idea that you may have been stating some things in Diamonds work we know are incorrect now. I feel the main issue was not the video though but how stridently people defended the differing points of view. If anything, it shows that many people trust and rely on your work for accuracy purposes which is a huge amount of pressure. This also shows you respect other peoples opinion and how they relate to the topics at hand. In your defense, this particular subject is incredibly complex and not as binary as many other CC's. Props and respect to all of you at CC.

[@metabeard3788]

This is what quality control looks like. Super appreciated! Can't wait for the season to return better than ever.

[@ddmagee57]

Mr. Green! It takes one hell of a man to study mistakes and learn from them Bravo!