Humanity's Quiet Extinction Event

[@TheTaleFoundry]

Get Nebula using our link for 40% off an annual subscription! go.nebula.tv/talefoundry

[@tommysaint4687]

Yall at takefoudry might like these books the remnants of Earth's past trilogy existentiadreaded left me us something else

[@IsfetReigns]

I agree the rements of earths past is an exellent sci-fi series. @@tommysaint4687

[@thecatsgato5283]

Make a video on kinito pet and how it exploits your emotions and fear, i would like that.

[@Kuma_Kares]

The link isn't working

[@kharijordan6426]

Ooooooooh I get it now. He subconsciously realizes that if they aren't humans anymore... other arriving humans will think they killed the previous humans and then try and kill them. And then they slowly turn into aliens...and the cycle repeats if humans keep coming. And the slow realization that they killed other humans with it. It took me abm bit to know the horror. Did anyone else catch this?

[@wesguffey4503]

So fun fact, when you revealed the name of the story, I grew extremely confused. I remembered reading this short story in my English textbook in the early 2010s, but I remembered it being called “The naming of names.” Turns out, the original name was The Naming of Names when it was originally published, but changed later to “Dark they Were and Golden Eyed.”

[@SybilantSquid]

Thank you! I was likewise confused by the unfamiliar title and couldn't quite place where I'd read this story before.

[@kharijordan6426]

hey I want to know if you cached this. Did you know the guy who wanted to get off the planet wanted to do so because you knew and knew humans would try and kill him and his family? It took me a few days to figure it out. This is one of the most fucked ways humanity go out by killing themselves trop ever.

[@TK-5516]

Sameeee i was like “I swear this feels familiar..”

[@whisterbin]

there are more in this vein in "the martian chronicles" one book wasnt enough for all the short stories ig

[@giyutomioka1187]

I read this book in 7th grade but forgot the name of it and I knew the story sounded familiar until I saw this and it clicked

[@screamingcactus1753]

Honestly, the main thing that shifts it into a tragedy for me is them forgetting their past lives. Their memories being altered to believe they were always martians is the point to me where this goes beyond metamorphosis into identity death.

[@lemieux-z8933]

r/transformation moment

[@tanuki01]

Do you remember very well who you were as a grade schooler?

[@valentinewiggin9152]

It is an interesting thought, but for me it wasn't tragic. Looking back a few years, I remember what happened, but it is hard to remember, how I was, what motivated me to make certain decisions, what changes happened in my personality since - even though I remember events, people, interactions. I think the inability to remember their lives is a metaphor for this. They changed, so they could not tell, where they came from, or what the events of the past meant to them. But the family is still a family - so connections for example, didn't disappear.

[@catpoke9557]

@@valentinewiggin9152 That, and there's also the fact that if you don't know something, you can't be sad about it. And ultimately if there's nobody who is experiencing or has experienced the tragedy of it, is there really a tragedy at all? The fact they've forgotten their history is making nobody upset. So ultimately, it doesn't really matter. There's nobody for it to hurt. The only way it can really be considered a tragedy is because Harry was so upset when he saw the changes happening. But he had already become like them by the time they forgot their history. So even he didn't get to experience the consequences of it, and therefore it has harmed absolutely nobody that they have forgotten things.

[@EchoSaintEco]

SAINT RAIN WORLD!!!!

[@aquaticcatfey]

Small correction: the word for Earth was "Iorrt," not "Lorrt." A capital I, not a lowercase L. Fonts where those two letters are identical are a plague.

[@eigilholm6979]

Fun fact: "Lort" is Danish for "shit", so Iorrt (capital i) is much better.

[@evilpompom]

When you pronounce it like that you can kind of trace the word Earth back to Iorrt.

[@zerotwo7319]

Sorry. I am Having trouble to adapt.

[@IgnisBB7]

So, the martians are british

[@Someone-sc2hk]

they're kinda funny

[@Lucius_Shiro]

I remember when I got onto uni one year ago. I checked my schedule and saw "Universal Literature" on it. I thought "Why am I going to learn literature? I'm gonna be a history teacher, not a literature one". One year later and I'm here, leaning about all those amazing stories I always ignored.

[@Vaeldarg]

Literature has its own history too. Whether written by Greek philosophers, Victorian poets, Gilded-age journalists, Civil-rights activists, Cold-war propagandists, Space-age futurists, Information-age forum-posters, Modern-age social media memelords, or future A.I generative models.

[@kharijordan6426]

hey I want to know if you cached this. Did you know the guy who wanted to get off the planet wanted to do so because you knew and knew humans would try and kill him and his family? It took me a few days to figure it out. This is one of the most fucked ways humanity go out by killing themselves trop ever.

[@Dachusblot]

To be honest I learned more about history in my literature classes than in my actual history classes. Literature is a great glimpse into the mindsets and trends of other eras, not to mention the way language evolves over time.

[@berry3099]

I let out such a big grin when it was revealed it was written by Ray Bradbury. I read his The Illustrated Man recently and this story gave off such similar vibes. Truly an icon of classic scifi literature!

[@Outrageous_Bear]

Me too, I heard the intro and I instantly said “ ray freaking Bradbury”

[@iananelson8256]

Thanks I am halfway through and was like, "This sounds eerily like The Martian Chronicles!"

[@Larper64]

Just started the video but now I have to ask, is this an adaptation/reading of "Dark They Were and Golden-Eyed"? It was the first Bradbury story I ever read. I always found it weird that it isn't included as part of the Martian Chronicles. I kind of understand why, as there is no where it can easily fit chronologically, but thematically it works so well that I was always surprised he never found a way to insert it somehow in the fix-up in some way.

[@Airsoft_stopmotions]

I love Fahrenheit 451

[@kharijordan6426]

hey I want to know if you cached this. Did you know the guy who wanted to get off the planet wanted to do so because you knew and knew humans would try and kill him and his family? It took me a few days to figure it out. This is one of the most fucked ways humanity go out by killing themselves trop ever.

[@michaeljebbett160]

I'd say Henry embracing his Martian-ness wouldn't be so bad, if it weren't for the fact taht they seem to not only forget who they were, but have disdain for them. They've forgotten their past, and are thus doomed to repeat it.

[@Antasma1]

Being necessary for survival and growing to like your environment is one thing, but things like that still make the story creepy

[@JB52520]

The same past won't necessarily emerge from different beings. The mistakes I've made were a product of my many flaws. If I became a normal human, I would hope to forget the cringe-inducing memories of things no normal person would ever do.

[@vladyvhv9579]

@@JB52520 It's not necessarily individual pasts, but as a whole. A smart person learns from their mistakes. A wise person learns from the mistakes of others. If the mistakes of others are forgotten, and the mistakes of one's self are forgotten, there is only ignorance. You can in fact see in human cultures some that have repeated the very same mistakes that lead to the fall of others, and those mistakes leading to their falls. I belive this can be extended to encompass all sentient beings, life form, machine, etc. If you don't learn from the past, you're likely to fall into the same pitfalls as those who came before you.

[@michaeljebbett160]

@JB52520 true, but that's not what happens here Thr metamorphosis seems to rob them of their prior perspective and history, which IMHO, is the most chilling part of the story

[@The-Busy-Beeeee]

@@michaeljebbett160I feel like if someone where to learn Martian as a human they could put the history down in writing

[@michaelcherry8952]

When Bradbury wrote this story in 1949, it was a time of very rapid change in the world. He reflected the uncertainty about change in the best way that science fiction can: by setting the problem in another world. I highly recommend Bradbury's "The Martian Chronicles" as well. I remember reading his short story "And There Will Come Soft Rains" (later included in The Martian Chronicles) in high school and being profoundly affected by it. Later on, I was fortunate to find a very nice copy of The Martian Chronicles in a second-hand bookshop. Ray Bradbury is definitely an author well worth checking out. Thank you for this analysis of "Dark They Were, And Golden-Eyed". I truly enjoyed it.

[@Redfern42]

I can't recall, was this story part of the "Martian Chronicles" collection? I definitely remember "There Will Come Soft Rains" as it was a reading assignment in high school (77-81 for me). My school actually offered a semester of science fiction literature, but when I started it was only for, maybe the 11th and 12th graders. By the time I reached those grades, that class was dropped from the curriculum.

[@michaelcherry8952]

@@Redfern42 I was in high school around the same time (1975-1978). "And There Will Come Soft Rains" was in one our short story textbooks, but we unfortunately did not have a specific class for science fiction literature. I just dug out my copy of The Martian Chronicles and "Dark They Were And Golden-Eyed" was not in the collection. Bradbury wrote a lot about Mars and I think this story predates the ones that were eventually collected into The Martian Chronicles. Guess I'll be looking for more Ray Bradbury collections!😁 Not a bad thing at all to have on my bookshelves. I wonder why the science fiction literature class was dropped in your school? Given the time period, perhaps the stories were hitting a little too close to home!😟

[@Redfern42]

@@michaelcherry8952Why was the class cancelled? In some ways, I'm astonished it even existed given I went to high school in south Georgia, arguably slap dab in the buckle of the "Bible Belt", so to speak. As this was nearly 4 and a half decades ago, I can't remember exact events. It may have been an "elective" (that still existed) but one that had a conflicting time slot with a required class by the time I reached that grade. That seems to ring some bells on the cusp of my conscience mind, but again, I can't be certain. Hmm, the more I think about it, the course may have been slotted against a mandatory "American Literature" class. Thankfully, I enjoyed the Am' Lit semester, too. Taught me the basics of the "5 paragraph" essay which gave me a "leg up" when took a particular lit course in my freshman year of college.

[@iananelson8256]

@@Redfern42 it wasn't included in The Martian Chronicles but as I was listening I was having a Mandala Effect moment where I was sure I had read this story in that collection. According to Wikipedia it was in "S is for Space" and a couple of other places.

[@mildlymarvelous]

Thanks for the recommendation! I have a collection of Bradbury’s short stories that is one of my favorite sci-fi books!

[@Terran123rd]

I see it as not only a tragedy, but as outright cosmic horror, if an uncommonly subtle sort.

[@coffinmyface4237]

It's definitely cosmic, but horror and tragedy? I personally disagree, harry describes it as blissful, while sad to those of the past this is just what our species does as we grow, what have you abandoned that the you of 7 years ago loved dearly? While far more dramatic, in reality it's just the aging and growth everyone of our species goes through.

[@robertsteinbach7325]

I feel it is a metaphor for what is happening now in the world. Some of us want to change to fit the changing world and others are determined to not only keep themselves in the 1950s, but to keep everybody else in the 1950s as well. More like freedom for me but not for thee. The ones fighting change can't stand it when change around them and others choose change around them therefore they feel that the choice of others impacts them and they say that they are being "forced to accept the change". This is how the justify enforcing their views on others.

[@coffinmyface4237]

@@robertsteinbach7325 this was written in 1949, your interpretation is outright false, youre free to take it as that, just know that youre wrong

[@blarg2429]

@@coffinmyface4237 The dates may be off, but do you believe that 1940s America and 1950s America were so very different in this sense? When it comes to the zeitgeist of a whole culture, rapid change is a somewhat rare thing, is all I'm saying. And people who are trying to turn back the clock are never too discerning about what their ideal historical moment was actually like, either.

[@TheAstrospace2]

@@coffinmyface4237 that was the most redditor response ive read on youtube in my entire life

[@Ryu_D]

The problem I have with this story isn't the change in the environment, or even the physical change of the humans themselves, but in the lack of care for the things that mattered so much to them before. If there was still a sense of wonder for the stories that the earthlings made, for the beautiful and bizarre things that mattered so much to them, and a desire to find how they can matter to the new culture that the martians develop, then it would be a change I could accept, because the important parts of what made them human would still remain. But with all those things being deemed nothing but clutter, being completely forgotten as if they never mattered to begin with... It's one thing to change. Everyone grows up, after all. But to have never been a child to begin with, even with all the remnants of that childhood around them. The people they were before haven't changed. They died. They were replaced by something that doesn't care, or even know, that they had been something wonderful in the past. They may be something wonderful again, but something deeply important is lost in that transition, and that's not something I could possibly consider a happy ending.

[@jessicaclakley3691]

Well phrased! I believe that’s the element that makes it “horrific” right? For me, the transitioning and becoming of oneself is a constant element of the human experience, part and parcel of it. So the change isn’t what sends chills down my spine, it’s the idea that I could lose touch with who I once was, that I could forget all that came before, and more so… that I wouldn’t care that I lost it. Now, that’s really chilling to me.

[@kotatsu7968]

If I understand your positioni correct;y, the horror/discomfort is tied to the humans in the story forgetting who and what they once were. This is something that huamns experience every day, and because they can perceive a continuity between then and now it does not cause alarm. Nobody wakes up in the morning the same person as they were when they went to bed. If an outside observer with no prior knowledge of humans were to look at a human infant and then the same human as an adult,, the observer not knowing that they were the same individual, might conclude that these were two completely different creatures. The adult human has little to no memory of what it was to be an infant, looking upon a new world with new senses, and behaves in entirely different ways than the prior form. The adult might even look down upon other babies from the high hill of their experiences and think of babies as clumsy, ugly, or irritating. This seems natural to us because we understand the context and process of how a baby becomes an adult. The difference here is that these humans undergo the process having already developed minds that can be conscious of the change and remember that they were once something other than they are by the end of the story. We as the reader can see this because we are outisde observers. The humans in the story are not overly concerned because they have lived a continuous existence from where they started to where they ended. It's difficult to find fault in the martians forgetting who they were, since how many humans keep detailed diaries of their daily existence? How much experience is lost to the noise of chaos from one moment to the next? Is that a cause for mourning?

[@amberlynightengale8382]

Exactly what I was thinking. I think Harry and the other settlers represent two extremes on a spectrum, and like most moral spectrums, it's best to meet somewhere in the middle. Harry embraces his past by fully rejecting the future, while everyone else embraces the future by fully rejecting the past. The idea that kept coming to my mind was "Remember your past; embrace your future." Your point about being a child and growing up is absolutely correct. I have been many people over the years: a sweet baby, a stubborn toddler, a distractible child, a lovesick teenager. I am none of those people now, but every one of them influenced the person I am today. One day I will cease to be who I am, but who I become will still be created by my past. Change as drastic as this should not be viewed as a death and total rebirth; change should be viewed as an evolution from one point to the next.

[@Mansplainer2099-jy8ps]

Everything matters. Nothing is "important".

[@Ryu_D]

@@kotatsu7968 The issue is that the story portrays it as an absolute. The ending of the story shows that they don't remember that they were human. What they are is completely disconnected from what they were. It's one thing to gain a new appreciation for a different way of life. It's quite another to throw out all your favorite things because that's not who you are anymore, and you don't know why you ever thought you were. I'm not a child anymore, but I remember many of the things I loved as a child, and even if I don't love them now, it still matters that they've affected my life. I'm ashamed of some things, proud of others, appreciate different things in different ways, but even when I wake up as a somewhat different person tomorrow, and again the next day, and so on, I'll still have that past behind me, influencing who I am, and who I will become. Now, maybe I'm wrong, and the story just doesn't show the details of how their past still influences their present, even though it does. But without those details, it looks more like their previous selves were replaced, and their brains slowly overwritten with the martian family that they become. With only seeing that much of the story, I can't see it as a happy ending, because neither the earthlings, nor any of the things that made them human, that let them express themselves as people, have survived the transition.

[@omnipenne9101]

Silly theory: I think this is a cyclical thing. The martians had their own atomic war and they sent families down to Earth. Those survivors underwent a similar change and became humans. No matter where they go and what they become, these things won't ever go extinct.

[@doncomputer5931]

That is a silly theory, but I like it. Cool Idea.

[@KawaiiHamsteruwubean69]

Yeah it's just evolution

[@leebulger7112]

​@@doncomputer5931This story sounds like a story about immigration and adjusting to a new culture while trying to hold on to the traditions and culture of where they come from.

[@addison_v_ertisement1678]

Proof?

[@Waffle_bleb]

That’s actually awesome

[@hartthorn]

Really like this one because it understands the fear that change can bring, but by having an ultimately benevolent ending it tries to comfort. I can't say EVERY change is always good. Some times resistance is warranted. But so many fears about change are nothing more than uncertainty.

[@HyenaPlayGames]

I feel this story is horror because the chance in the humans were outside their consent/control. I enjoy post-Humanism Sci-fi, but mostly when is a "cyberpunk type" where the change is voluntary.

[@Shoxic666]

For real. It's skin crawling but intriguing.

[@rodneykelly8768]

18:05 The whole video could be summed up with a question I was often asked when I was a child, "If everyone jumped off a bridge, would you?" Statistically speaking, the majority are usually correct, but there are many historical examples of when the same group was wrong.

[@honeybeemoo]

Bradbury's short story 'All Summer In A Day' was included in our English text books in 6/7th grade in school. It's really cool to see one of his other works here

[@ronaldcounterman5812]

Bradbury is truly one of the greatest, with his stories running the gamut between sci-fi, fantasy and blood-freezing horror. That's why many of his stories were adapted to the EC horror comics (Tales from the Crypt, etc.).

[@eloquentornot]

I'm so used to 1950's ideal American suburbia being a setting for horror that I was actually relieved when you revealed the twist in the intro lol!

[@jeremy1860]

How we end is a question nobody wants to think about, and yet, it seems it's the question we can't help but ask over and over 😟

[@vladyvhv9579]

Another question here though, is "Is this really an end?".

[@thisgoddamusernamestoodamnlong]

global warming. it's global warming, that's the answer

[@alanabyss9246]

We’re gonna end up like the humans in Wall-e

[@diegolopesme]

nope global warming will never end humanity@@thisgoddamusernamestoodamnlong

[@orekihoutarou6107]

​@@thisgoddamusernamestoodamnlong Artificial Intelligence, Nukes, and Bioweapons are possible options as well. On the other hand, the advancement of those technologies can help the Climate. Artificial Intelligence is increasing productivity, Nuclear power is a good alternative power source, and artificial photosynthesis is in development.

[@StoryMing]

I understand that the original ‘I Am Legend’ (which I’ve not read) explores similar themes; the last remaining human on earth comes to realize that in this new world… _HE_ Is the Monster.

[@robertjames8183]

This is a good tale about what really matters in life. Your food, looks, belongings, location, and even your thoughts, can all change, even drastically, but as long as you're happy with the people you love, even if they've changed, it's okay. As long as you have food, even if you don't recognize it, some belongings, even if they're not what you once had. Does it matter to "be human?" Is being human so cut and dry? Maybe that ability to adapt, to love, to think, and reason is more important than some superficial bond you might feel to your physical identity. This doesn't feel like the end of humanity, just another branching path that it takes to survive in the face of overwhelming change, which is a large part of what it means to "be human" to me.

[@Mansplainer2099-jy8ps]

Everything matters. Nothing is "important".

[@toddberkely6791]

One thing it glossed over is that in the reality of radical change, you can lose even your friends and family. Of course, you can find new friends and start a new family but nothing really makes up for that loss.

[@badger273]

This may be a wild take but I feel like this is a story about war and xenophobia. The humans down on Earth were being consumed by their fear for each other, their fear for being changed by and into each other. They came to Mars with those fears, and it was only by letting go of them, represented by literally letting go of their human possessions and embracing a culture completely foreign to them, that they were able to achieve happiness

[@bea7823]

I don’t know if it’s that wild a take, because I felt the same way watching the video.

[@badger273]

@@bea7823 idk, I just never know how on-the-mark I am or how people are going to take my interpretations, so I just always like to make it clear that they *are* just my interpretations. But yeah judging by the fact that TF even hearted this it's probably a pretty modest take lol

[@kharijordan6426]

Cool

[@catpoke9557]

It definitely seems to be about acceptance of change. The only reason the change was ever a bad thing was purely because Harry made it out to be as such. He was the only one suffering as a result of it, and all that suffering was purely because of how he perceived it.

[@paulhiggins105]

I would like to expand on this because I thought you were going to go somewhere else with it. I read it as a critique of humanity that distances itself from and ignores the atrocities it creates, which makes them no longer human. Harry is desperate to go back and fix it or at least try, but he’s surrounded by people who wilfully ignore what’s happening, because it’s not their problem. And he too slowly loses his humanity as he’s brought down by their apathy.

[@Eileeleedon]

Not accepting change is what makes people hateful and bitter. We should strive to never forget our pasts, while still being open to the future and change. If they hadn’t forgotten what it was like to be human, I would say this story was almost uplifting. But forgetting who they once were is what makes it sad.

[@cullenlatham2366]

My problem with the story as it is told here is less about the concept of change, but instead the lost history. They forget they were once human, and with it, loose sight of the culture that would let them communicate. The cycle wouldnt be so scary if there was a guiding hand or diplomacy. When the anomoly becomes a known science, then the choice can be made consciously compared to the subtle "corruption" of self that gives the story its horror elements. Acknowledging "i was once human, but now i am not."... I dont know, that just feels less like a loss of self and more an acknowledgement of the change.

[@justanaverageuser8884]

See, this wouldn't be a problem if everyone wore sunscreen

[@Theuncletoeticklingtoddler]

This comment is so underrated 😭

[@DevaDragon911]

space radiation is no joke

[@Weaklytune]

Lmao

[@red-E3-3E]

sunscreen, sunglasses and tinfoil hats to protect the mind

[@BeastyJay1234]

Bro, bring a f***ing tube of sunscreen 😂😂😂

[@MrSC219]

The grown food being the first noticeable change and Harry losing his desire to leave Mars after a trip to the canals made me think the water is what changes people which brought to mind "The Waters of Mars" from Doctor Who. "Water is patient, Adelaide. Water just waits. Wears down the clifftops. The mountains. The whole of the world. Water always wins."

[@Christian_H3rnand3z]

I've been Reading "Farenheit 451" for a while already, and I completely cut off guard when you said *"Ray Bradbury."* I can't believe I couldn't see it!!!!!

[@solarchos4352]

17:15 - Yes, it WOULD be that sad. In fact, it would be terrifying. In the case of this particular story, the people who came to Mars weren't transformed; they were _consumed_ and remade into the new host bodies of the world's previous inhabitants. The tragedy is that the characters in the story never stood a chance and they were never given a choice. "They didn't know any better. Such ugly people. I'm glad they've gone." When put in this context, the story sounds more like it's a form of cosmic horror.

[@ubermonkee]

just an open question, has Tale Foundry covered Flowers for Algernon? That story eats my soul every time...

[@allissane290]

I feel like why we found this disturbing is because it's like a betrayal from what you were before, its a betrayal to being human. Because why could you just let your past self go?

[@Shoxic666]

It's like a kind of soft death, like becoming a zombie.

[@berserker5551]

To keep living

[@berserker5551]

@@Shoxic666nah, if ur a zombie ur already dead

[@himynameis3664]

This has become my favourite channel. Who would've thought a robot telling me about human stories could be so compelling. Great channel, keep it up

[@cwaufy2868]

You are the best creator on youtube tysm💜

[@Glory2Arstotzka]

This story has pretty clear parallels to cultural assimilation in the real world. You see the younger generations slowly losing their old way of life, instead adapting to the new world they live in, losing their language, customs, and beliefs. Though I don't think the new generations aren't doing anything wrong on a personal level, it is deeply melancholic seeing how many unique cultures and languages have been lost to time.

[@SmollRuby]

This channel was actually a inspiration to make my own books

[@maxwell8758]

Cool! Good for you! Don’t give up!

[@SmollRuby]

@@maxwell8758 ty

[@Raybro16]

When I saw the thumbnail, i was expecting you guys to be covering SCP - 001: When Day Breaks. However, you covering a Ray Bradbury short story was not only a surprise, it was even more enjoyable than what I was expecting. You're very right about how haunting this story is despite it ending on a seemingly happy note. What I find about the ending is how tragic it is on a human level with the main character, his family, and every other survivor forgetting their past humanity. It's a bit hard to describe, but if I had to put it into words it would be this; it's right for us to embrace change. Everything changes on some level, whether it be on an individual level, a generational level or upon billions of years, and to fight that will always be a losing battle. However, to dismiss the past when that change comes strips away a fundamental part of ourselves. To distance ourselves from where we come from and the potential for how we can learn and grow from it, we might as well be a completely different species altogether. Onions, but not onions. Humans, but not humans.

[@ubermonkee]

Very thought provoking - it put me in mind of an ex-pat, living in the 'us' section of the quaint seaside village of their sunny retirement life, going to the 'us' bar and the 'us' restaurant; never learning the local language, local customs - until their child meets a partner and the worlds have to collide. How the world opens. How the nuances are better understood. Even trying new foods, new clothes, new experiences... No, I didn't see a horror story either but understand how it can be seen that way, fear and unknowing are hard forces to overcome - maybe just succumbing to it isn't the best idea tho lol

[@jessicaclakley3691]

Well put! I was struck by the final discussion and its broader application to cultural shifts occurring today. I was reminded more of my parents generation’s general distaste for discussions on identity (this is an over generalization and by no means am I saying that all older ppl do) Your “ex-pat” example illustrates this idea further by applying it in a broader cultural context.

[@DarthBiomech]

I'll never understand that, honestly. Imagine escaping your old country... to just bring what you've been escaping from with you into the new home that you've supposedly chose because you like it there better.

[@christinearmington]

Well, their money goes further anyway. 🤷‍♀️

[@rustyjones7908]

That's the vibe I got

[@ixisnyx6860]

Kinda feel like your closing thoughts grossly downplayed the scariest thing. By the end of it they don't remember they where human. They act as though those houses where made by someone else. That is not just a replacement of the human form. It's not a choice. The planet just takes you. The cosmic horror of warping the human mind like that is genuinely scary. It's not just the loss of self on a physical level, but the the genuine loss of the self. No agency. You belong to Mars now. Have always belonged to Mars. It determines now what you are, and what you think.

[@unoriginalname7925]

I agree, the settlers unknowingly become something else physically and mentally with nothing hidden. ngl almost feels like 1984 but somehow without a government, probably because of how controlling and strong the invasion of privacy and manipulation is

[@thedigodragon]

Related to the human extinction bit-- millennia after humans are long gone from this world, if another intelligent species were to dig up a fossil record of the planet, they would know us from a thin layer of plastic/petrochemicals in that record. In a sad way, that is the monument we made to our existence that can stand the test of time.

[@JoseMartinez-jj6vt]

I do agree with your sentiment of which side you’re willing to be on any particular situation. I do value in fighting for your core beliefs and principles but at the same time I can see the daunting task that is as well. Who is right, and who is wrong is only met with time as a measurement.

[@QueenBoadicea]

15:45 That's the thing about Ray Bradbury. He claimed, to the end of his life, that he didn't write science fiction. His tales deal with the human mind, heart and spirit. Whatever setting his characters find themselves in, it's the humanity (or what passes for it) that makes the impact. Even stories where the humans don't exist (such as "There Will Come Soft Rains") have a poignancy about them as you ponder the end that came to these people and the sorry remains of civilization that trundles on without them.

[@amjthe_paleosquare9399]

Why is the intro always so pretty? I've seen it plenty of times but is always so amazing to look at! Also, always love the stories you cover in these videos. I want Nevbula T_T

[@ShadwSonic]

The problem isn't that they changed, but rather that they lost aspects of themselves in the process. Becoming tall, having random words added to their vocabulary, deciding they feel more comfortable outside of the settlement they had created initially? All fine. But they've forgotten the importance of their art, forgotten that the human settlement wasn't originally so warped, forgotten they were ever human to begin with. _These_ are substantial losses, and should be mourned.

[@gamers-xh3uc]

Not really thats what evolution is like humans going from apes, do we have to mourn we are not in trees anymore?

[@ShadwSonic]

@gamers-xh3uc 1. Evolution isn't actually a thing. There are far too many incongruities between what we observe and what we'd need to be observing for it to be anything other than a failed hypothesis. 2. We make treehouses, our kids climb trees, our adults climb mountains... can you really say we "lost" anything even if evolution was true?

[@0XBlondie96X0]

​@gamers-xh3uc Evolution doesn't happen anywhere near as rapidly as the changes in the story. It happens so slowly and gradually that thousands of years can pass without much, if any, change to the genome of a species. The story features changes happening to specific individuals within the course of mere months-- change so drastic that the individuals in question don't even remember how they once were, or what was important to them. I don't think the two are comparable. No human had ever been an ape, but these Martians, not too long ago, used to be humans.

[@ShadwSonic]

@@0XBlondie96X0 Nah, that doesn't track. Most of the fossils we'd be finding would be "transitional" if that were true, but we haven't even found ONE that's uncontested.

[@TheOneWayDown]

​@ShadwSonic that's the problem. Every fossil is "transitional." The point of the theory of evolution is that everything is constantly undergoing it at an imperceptibly slow pace

[@marlutteyestrelt3441]

Humanity's modular metabolisms undergoing chimeric mutations depending on their surroundings is one of my deepest passionate hopes for our idea of species. I always felt comfort in the idea that our bodies will adapt regardless of how dismal, excessive, hellish or heavenly our surroundings are. I definitely feel the beauty of how humanity dissolves, with a change of world. There is a cynical part of me that our idea of humanity can be a burden, only preserved by collective fictions like myths and religious philosophy. I hope our species can truly evolve and thrive, as far and distanced from what we are now.

[@henriquebitencrt]

Just discovered your amazing job right now. I'm grateful for i have the opportunity of watching all the videos for the first time.

[@Nyghtking]

I consider "humanity" to be something other then genetic, it's a mental thing and an emotional thing. Much as there are humans who one wouldn't consider to be human I think there are, or will be, non-humans we would consider human. In other words the martians, despite their changes, I would probably consider to be still human as long as they kept the emotional and mental aspects that make a human.

[@mlgodzilla4206]

I vaguely remember this story from my middle school days. To me, this is like borderline fantastical speculative evolution

[@WolfBoy-om6dw]

The thumbnail of this video is officially the creepiest thumbnail Tale Foundry has ever made

[@Christian_H3rnand3z]

Facts. Very bold of them.

[@Shoxic666]

I think the death magic one is the most creepy overall.

[@swiip100]

I kind of felt an opposite message. Mars is another planet and another culture. Everyone was adapting to their new environments while Harry was feverishly holding on to the ideals he brought from home. When he learned to let go of them and live like the Martians did, he became happy. Change is scary, but its not evil.

[@robertsanders4575]

Change is natural, but not all changes are good. There's a difference between assimilating to a new culture and a collective amnesia while you and everyone you know is reprogrammed both physically and mentally - to the point where they despite what they were and what they were from. In this story, humanity is gone and - for now - some combination of what's left of humanity and martians live. Ignorance may be bliss, but knowledge is power.

[@The-Busy-Beeeee]

@@robertsanders4575I see it more of a growing process similar to how we all thought we were so cringey when we were younger or how artists have a journey if progress

[@Shoxic666]

Losing your culture and identity sounds horrible, idk about you.

[@Vaeldarg]

@@Shoxic666 Depends on what that cultural identity was. Just ask the Germans. Now they're horrified where they see it making a return.

[@SubtleStair]

@@Shoxic666 Having it be something you didn't want and can't control is pretty horrible. Being conquered and colonized is the ultimate IRL example of this. This story treats the involuntary loss of identity like a good thing, which it most certainly is not.

[@SniperkingSogeking04]

Ahh good old *Dark They Were, And Golden-Eyed* by Ray Bradbury. I remember reading this back in like... Middle school? Somewhere around there. And I adored it! The slow creep of horror that the humans as well as everything they brought from Earth are changing into something distinctly non-human and than watching as that horror turns into innocent ignorance as the changed humans forget about Earth and that low-laying knowledge that we the audience now have anyone that ends up on Mars ends up becoming a Martian in the end is just so lovely.

[@ShawnRavenfire]

I remember reading this story in school. For some reason, it always stuck with me. I'm especially reminded of it recently, watching older politicians and business-owners holding onto 20th-century practices and policies that don't even make sense in the 21st century. I really do feel like humanity is entering a new chapter of history, and that our progress is being slowed by people resisting change for its own sake.

[@def3ndr887]

Quite the dilemma, the old too obstinate and set in their ways, and the new seeking to overtake the old but seems no better than what came before.

[@katking9574]

the twilight zone episode is gonna be good

[@rika8484]

congrats, you have won the "Most Unsettling Thumbnail" award of the day.

[@josephwatkins1190]

I think it'd be less unsettling if they didn't lose whi they were. The changing of language and talking about the "earth people" as though it wasn't them sounds less like change and more like who they are being overwritten by something else. If it was a purely physical change which led to their culture shifting naturally then i think that'd be less foreboding

[@Antasma1]

I agree. Otherwise, it just feels like a small price to pay to eat the food and maybe experience new culture

[@unoriginalname7925]

I agree, the settlers don't choose to change, they don't notice change, they become something else physically and mentally with nothing hidden. ngl almost feels like 1984 but somehow without a government.

[@foolsgold_2558]

this reminds me of a dream i had once. there was a chemical spill of some kind and the grass and trees turned bright pink and the trunks of said trees were a type of cyan, and while i begged my mother that we needed to leave it had affected her mind in some way where she hadn't noticed the changes. i was on my knees begging her to get in the car and that we had to go as the sky turned more and more a shade of deep purple. i woke up crying.

[@michaelklaphake4093]

I don't think this is what the author meant but it maps pretty well to people who come into money and their lives change dramatically. At first you keep doing the work you had to do to stay "down to earth" but as time goes on you accept and enjoy the ease of your new life. Eventually, you forget what it was like to not have these things and can't relate to the people who you were once part of. I've only gleaned this from this video. I've never read the story so I could be WAY off base but the way it was presented here works pretty well.

[@def3ndr887]

Same here, read Fahrenheit 451 though and from the looks of it, it’s similar in that the plot of people not caring about the past and thinking they’re superior to it yet they’re far from it.

[@Antasma1]

I like this brand of horror. This could have easily turned into a message about GMOs or something, but you couldn’t exactly say the ending was bad. I wonder if this story would be considered a cure of culture shock if you look past the creepiness? It’s creepy they mentally and physically changed against their will but this was a small price to pay for survival

[@StevDoesBigJumps]

I think this relies on a simplistic idea of what being human means. At it's root, being human is simply about your genetic heritage, which is subject to constant and evolved additions. Having an increased or altered melanin production, lengthened and skinnier bones and a jaundice-like eye pigmentation is not a disqualifier.

[@finaldusk1821]

Honestly, strange as it is, the gradual physical adaptation to a new world doesn't bother me at all. However I'd argue being human isn't about genetics, it's our experiences and memories, our 'mental heritage' for lack of a better term. And it's one thing to move from old ideas to new ones, but to forget that you ever liked those old ideas and can't understand why you ever did? When the Martians didn't remember that they were once Earthlings or why they would ever want to be, THAT was downright tragic to me.

[@sarahbousquet2739]

It’s insane to me how I clicked on this, listened to a few sentences and could immediately identify that this is bradbury’s work. He’s got such a distinct style that even without his prose you know it’s his story. I am happy I clicked on this, I didn’t know this story existed. Most of what I’ve read by him is from the Martian chronicles. If you haven’t read anything by him, check him out.

[@Balthizar101]

"All things change in a dynamic environment. Your desire to remain as you are is what limits you." -Ghost in the Shell

[@SubtleStair]

I would like to change as and when I please, as much as is possible.

[@MiniCatapillah]

Nest thing you know, some aliens called the Qu decide to fuck around and find out years later.

[@TeeKing]

You are still changing worlds, Mr. Bradbury. You wrote so many stories of my life. And Foundry friends...you've brilliantly captured the feelings I felt when I first read this in my early years.

[@icemaster-]

This animation is beautiful! I believe that you could animate the wild robot books.

[@CorbinLeonard-rp4et]

Sometimes change is good but sometimes it isn't

[@Solstice261]

Change is change, whether it is good or bad is completely reliant on the subjective perspective of the person judging it, we do not like thinking about our future because we are inherently more tied to our present, any divergence from that may seem alien, that in no way means bad, we have seen species change disappear be discovered a new yet the main thing pointing out wether they are good or bad changes is how close it brings the situation to what we are familiar with. At least that's how I see it

[@CorbinLeonard-rp4et]

@@Solstice261 true

[@addison_v_ertisement1678]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure everyone knows.

[@Alyrael]

@@Solstice261 That's just hard cope. A change to have developed a thicker circulatory system that's prone to clogging is not a good thing, no matter what perspective you're looking at it from.

[@Solstice261]

@@Alyrael change in the way this video is portraying it, isn't. I wouldn't call an illness change but hey whatever, however try not to start accusing someone of coping, I did clarify it was my opinion didn't I

[@evilpompom]

Amazing story! It reminds me a little of The Colour Out of Space by Lovecraft. And your voice is perfect for it. I often listen to your videos before I go to sleep 😊

[@lucusenvrai]

Best episode i seen yet! The stoeytelling was just AWESOME! Thanks!

[@jonasholm-mw5bn]

It could probably be a nice little horror game. Reading the desperate diary of the farther as he tries to go home as everyone around him changes. What happened to them would sound monstrous, but was it really that bad

[@owen_the_oddball8907]

The most horrific part of this whole thing is the video cover especially when you’re watching videos while it’s dark outside

[@franciswalsh8416]

This a Ray Bradbury story called "Dark They Were, and Golden Eyed" with a different twist. Great "re-telling". Loved it

[@zachialadams9279]

"Is changing, really that awful? We all change in some ways over the course of our lives. Humanity isn't our appearances. It's what we DO, that matters."

[@SubtleStair]

It's being changed against your will, fundamentally transformed, that is awful. Loss of one's humanity is legitimate nightmare fuel, yet this story glosses over that.

[@Madaseter]

​@@SubtleStairyea that's the most horrifying thing

[@unoriginalname7925]

In this story, what should take hundreds of thousands of years physically, happens in a year, what should happen mentally in maybe 400 years minimum happens in a year The settlers unknowingly become something else, they unknowingly forget they were human on a personal level. This, and the fact there is no actor causing these changes, is what makes it horror for me. Somehow it also feels like a complete invasion of privacy for the settlers

[@DouglasSquiggly]

I remember reading this book in school! Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed I actually liked this book and I like the way you commentated it.

[@daniell1483]

This reminds me of "The Monster" by A. E. van Vogt. Both explore the idea of human change and extinction. Change is just a thing that happens, it is how we react to those changes that make the changes seem either good or bad. The only question I have is what is up with those "Martians" at the end. It almost seems like some kind of possession is going on.

[@haruthegremlin]

As soon as you mentioned people living on mars, I was like "It's Ray Bradbury." I haven't read this story, but even without hearing it in his writing style, the feel of it combined with the idea of humans traveling to Mars (Bradbury _loved_ writing about Mars lol) was a dead givaway. I love how I can recognize his work so easily; I think that really goes to show how incredible a writer he was.

[@villeandersson4317]

you should make a video about "all tomorrows" by C.M. Kosemen. Its an absolutley amazing exploration of evolutionary horror/what it means to be human.

[@jessicajayes8326]

I imagine there had to be at least one artist of the travelers who found a cave and started painting the walls as we did ages ago, depicting how they got there and what happened. They still might call it a mystery, like with what happened in Roanoke. A colony was established then everybody vanished, according to the founder. The settlers literally left a note, the name of the local Indigenous tribe.

[@sonicthehedgehog2928]

Endermen from Minecraft in a nutshell

[@comentaristametaforico9287]

"Hey guys, I think our fruits are starting to look different." "Nah, it's just your mind, Steve." *teleports away

[@Iratepaddy]

I’ve been writing a lot lately, and I came across your page. It's clear that you're much more optimistic than I am, which I find interesting. I enjoy your take on certain themes because they often lead to conclusions that are vastly different from my own. I think a lot of that comes down to the different lives we've lived. Your perspective adds a fresh contrast that really gets the brain juices flowing. Your videos are great for sparking new thoughts and ideas.

[@darnaryelfantaisie5737]

I think that's quite a fallacious conclusion. It's not just about whether or not change is good or bad/should be embrasssed or fought. That would only make sense if there was a clear continuity of individuality. Without that, since the person on whom the change was made is not there anymore to appreciate it, it is similar to a slow conscious death of the self. That's what makes it eery/hard to swallow. It's not simply being hesitant to embrace a new piece of technology. It is seeing said technology physically replace you by someone else not even pretending to be you. The you that was there doesn't exist anymore to be happy or sad about it. So yeah, I fundamentally disagree with the conclusion of this video. 🤷🏿 Good story anyway! 👌🏿✨

[@eric988]

I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS STORY!!! My Sixth grade teacher would play old radio shows on tape for us! I couldn't find this story again! I am so glad you covered this! Thank You!

[@shobhanagesh454]

unpopular opinion, but it is better to hold on, what you actually are, as long as you can, insted of, just accepting "it is what it is" change, even if it leads you to live in complete isolation.

[@johnathanmonsen6567]

If you think the Martians are really happier, then consider this: The previous Martians in Bradbury's stories had already wiped themselves out by the time humanity started really building things on Mars. Their psychic abilities had causes some sort of runaway reaction when they sensed the first explorers coming, and IIRC by the time the third expedition arrived, there was only ruins to find.

[@MatNichols-iz9dy]

0:08 there is no perfect suburb. They all suck (this is coming from a kid who is growing up in one)

[@chibiktsn3]

The second I saw the thumbnail, I knew what this would be about. I remember reading this short story in my middle school English class, and your take on it made me realize things I didn't fully understand at 13 or had forgotten at 30something.

[@remicaron3191]

Humanity has no choice. We have already changed several times in the past and are continuing to change as we speak. The people who refuse will eventually cause the complete extinction of our world.

[@jerrym1218]

It was kind of a depressing story of one species dying off and a new one starting off through the bodies and souls of the remaining last species. It was about just accepting a fate that was totally out of their control.

[@Jman0163]

in the end, does it really matter if you are "human", as long as you are a person?

[@bananamanchester4156]

I feel like theres something in this story about grief and loss. Harrys family amd friends are in denial that anything is wrong, when actually, moving to a new planet and being one of the last humans alive would be a terrifying prospect. Harry's fear is completely understandable and an appropriate reaction. On the other hand, Harry is in denial over his need to change and adapt to his new surroundings. When we suffer a great loss, it's normal to feel like you have changed. Not allowing yourself to adapt to your new circumstances is emotionally unhealthy, as we can see from Harry's paranoia. I believe that the healthy way to adapt is somewhere between Harry's approach and the approach of the townspeople- you can allow yourself to adapt amd evolve, while still acknowledging the past and what it meant to you. There's no need to disregard it fully.

[@theiathegondia7349]

i thought it was happy until they forgot that they used to be humans, i think its better to accept who you become while also remembering your past

[@SavageMonkeyJizz]

Apparently earth has a hum (frequency I think) that astronauts have reportedly stated they can feel that something is missing and a feeling of dread.

[@lerneanlion]

As Saw Garrera said when encountered the Bad Batch for the first time: You either adapted and survived or died with the past. So what should we choose here? Of course, learning from the past is still important. Very important, in fact!

[@Mansplainer2099-jy8ps]

"Should" is a myth. As is "importance".

[@def3ndr887]

Contradicting, he says adapt yet he refuses to submit to the emperor.

[@Shoxic666]

​@@Mansplainer2099-jy8psWhat about "pretentiousness"?

[@Shoxic666]

> We have to adapt > Literally fighting for the alliance to restore the republic

[@anony_apis]

your voice is so perfect for storytelling! i feel horrified and existential. Familiarity is nice afterall, it’s difficult when change is fast and things are lost

[@inzyniertv9305]

Evolution =/= extiction But at the same time not all change is good

[@RelwarctheMighty]

I'm glad I took the time to read "The Martian Chronicles", despite somewhat mixed feelings about the collection of stories overall. "The Martian" was always the most evocative and moving story in it to me. But alas, for every "The Martian", there was an "The Off Season". Bradbury at his best was a brilliant and insightful writer, but consistency isn't a trait I'd attribute to him. Still, this synopses was a lovely reminder of the summer I read the book, took me back to simpler times. Hopefully it will encourage more people to read older sci-fi.

[@lesliewolfe7643]

4:46 those guys are bad at hammering

[@deepfriedfish]

I absolutely loved this story growing up! Great work as always!

[@quaktoons331]

It's 100% a tragedy. The people of Mars left their planet and moved to earth(perhaps escaping a disaster) where they started to change and forget their Martianity. The people of Earth left their planet and moved to Mars(perhaps escaping a disaster) where they started to change and forget their humanity. Ect... "Those who can not remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Repeating the past over and over again IS a tragedy.

[@PlanetaryFacts]

This was actually required reading for my eighth grade english class. I remember this story fondly as one of the best required readings.

[@Dark_Jaguar]

The only thing that I consider a tragedy.... besides the nuclear devastation on Earth of course... is that they abandoned the books. At least keep that stuff around in a museum.

[@Shoxic666]

And, you know, their memories.

[@Dark_Jaguar]

@@Shoxic666 They lost their memories too? I guess I didn't quite pick up on that.

[@someguycalledCh0wdah]

Discovering some horrible danger only to be ignored by everyone you care about is literally what my nightmares are made of

[@__-be1gk]

"Bro we've sent seven ships to mars and none of them have come back" "Guess we'll just keep sending every single human ever 10 people at a time" wow, what a horrible and not stupid tragedy, I feel so disturbed

[@themanfromtheeast2048]

That has been one of the most intelligent ways I've ever seen the idea of extinction explored. It does not necessarily mean total death, but simply forgetting what once was.

[@elusive-osmium]

This is terrifying

[@Shoxic666]

It's weird to me that so few people recognise how scary this scenario is. Seeing your very being bleed away...