I Long for Liminal Spaces

Why are we so drawn to places that do not exist? From childhood basements to endless hallways, this video explores the places we cannot.
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[@ScrimmyBingus42]

Tbh liminal spaces never really scared me. I find them incredibly comforting in a weird, melancholic way

[@jktech2117]

1# a skulldoggo 2# i dont find melancholic, is just purely comforting.. i just love the feeling of being in an empty space.. if i gone to these liminal spaces sure im alone i cant feel stronger peace.

[@beautifulgorgeousman]

lol they scare the crap outa me

[@ayoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo]

Agreed

[@DaroTheDragon]

Same no people would be great

[@generatoralignmentdevalue]

I agree, but that's what makes them such a fascinating thing to base horror on.

[@PastelOddity]

I’ve been SEARCHING for more liminal space content that actually dives into what they’re about and less “creepy Backrooms har har har”, so so far: thank you.

[@eli-pi5mz]

YESSS AGREED

[@JamesR624]

I am REALLY annoyed that gen zers have turned the interesting concept of liminal and nostalgic places into just yet another cheap horror-subgenre, when horror originally had NOTHING to do with liminal spaces. Just younger people can't deal with quietness or anything that isnt' CONSTANTLY OVERSTIMULATING their brains 24/7 because they've never known a world without iPads and instant and constant stiulation The entire concept of "rest" or "quiet" outside of going to sleep is foreign to them. Good god that's sad.

[@dividedstatesofamerica2520]

@JamesR624 It was forced on them by your generation and the ones before. You reap what you sow. But alas, they're still annoying.

[@javcis31]

THANK YOU. Could not agree more.

[@kaeriangrin5149]

When you didn't already find him, maybe the channel of GregBroDudeMan is for you. 😊

[@Beeyo176]

My finger reflexively clicked

[@itsatomiccc]

how did ur finger click

[@ChariTheAlternate]

XD

[@backwardsface3046]

Might want to get that checked out

[@As8bakwTheSage]

“I long for liminal spaces” Me too brother, me too

[@griefer5846]

there is one way to get to these liminal spaces, through lucid dreaming, it would also feel as real as real life as well, plus you could choose how u want ur liminal space

[@jayl5032]

Anemoia is the feeling if nostalgia for a time/ and or place you've never been to. This is what the liminal spaces seem to evoke in a lot of people.

[@sarahsimons1965]

YOOOO my favorite word spotted in the wild!!! Thank you kind Mx. I greatly appreciate this

[@IrishMorgenstern]

I always loved liminal spaces. Then I also became a night worker at a gas station, then moved onto a hotel. It is an environment that can make or break people. It's not the night hours, it's being alone that seems to really bother people.

[@Luna_Knight_vods]

How would you rate working nights at a hotel?

[@IrishMorgenstern]

@@Luna_Knight_vods much preferred to the gas station that's for sure. The hotel is rather nice. I work at a hotel with stars though so there isthat. If I worked at a seedy dive my milage would be dfferent.

[@beans_of_jelly]

This gives strong Magnus protocol vibes. There's an episode about almost exactly this

[@IrishMorgenstern]

@@beans_of_jelly I am actually going back through the magnus archives in preparation to listen to the magus protocol for the first time all fresh! You just made my day! And yes, I am listening while being the solo caretaker of a hotel throughout the night. 😅

[@Moonotter1]

​@IrishMorgenstern you know what's seems nice, like my dream job mabey a gas station in the middle of nowhere.

[@attackfrogs]

every time basements are brought up as an "innate childhood experience" i always feel cheated by having grown up in louisiana. we don't have basements here because sea level reasons, alas 😔

[@spookymcg]

heartbreaking. basements are prime spooky locations.

[@paranormalmommel1626]

Same! Florida is not made for basements, even if basements are made for nostalgia

[@QEsposito510]

Same in California, but due to earthquakes. I always wanted to have a cool basement.

[@mayorkoopbob]

same in philippines. so far, ive never found a home with neither an attic or basement. probably because of floods and typhoons.

[@boxcarz]

We had basements in Pennsylvania, but not after moving to Indiana for some reason, despite the incredible amount of tornado warnings we get here... I swear there's something in the water here making our house designs go to shit! JUST BUILD A GODDAMN STORM SHELT-

[@Luna_Knight_vods]

I just want to get lost in a forest, fog so dense i cant see more than 20 feet around me, with it raining. My ideal liminal space right there

[@spookymcg]

absolutely. nailed it. i love going on hikes in the winter when it’s a little icy out- it’s a harder walking experience, but you’re almost guaranteed no one else will be out there. when you’re totally alone, it’s something else.

[@13.ethana]

@@spookymcg😊😊

[@13.ethana]

@@spookymcg😊😊

[@VuddyProductions]

That’s on some Slenderman shit, like some of the original photoshops

[@Moonotter1]

I really want to be in an abandoned play place like chuck e cheese is my ideal, that or a long grass plain that just goes on for eternity, that I can just walk forever with my thoughts.

[@binkbonkbones3402]

When I was three years old my mom took my sister's and I to a pool party for my cousin All I remember from this trip was breaking down hysterically because I had suddenly found myself completely alone in an empty room of shallow warm water with a ceramic dolphin at the center As I started to cry desperately for someone I knew or any of the people I had thought I was with previously eventually my bigger sister ran up to me picked me up and asked where I had wandered off to. I had never done anything more than turn in a circle I feel like there may be more to the backrooms lore now

[@animatronicentertainmentfa8227]

The grain of the liminal photos remind me of when you just woke up and your vision is blurry. It’s like when I used to fall asleep in the car, and would wake up and try to figure out my surroundings.

[@BillyTheKidOfficialYT]

I’ll die on this hill I think nostalgia plays the biggest factor in liminal spaces. Yes “lack of people 🙄” and “emptiness of the room 🙄”so on and so forth. But I can’t drill this in enough I swear it has to do with 2000s architecture and nostalgia the most. Which , makes them even more interesting to me. Each liminal space photo I see I can almost associate a year with it. Ex: 2004, 2002, 2005, etc. In conclusion - I think we need to start deep diving more into 2000s architecture and the effects it has on your subconscious that make these spaces feel THIS heavy for us.

[@SkulCat]

TY. also dreams. i cant believe people dont mention dreams more often, its so obvious

[@BillyTheKidOfficialYT]

@@SkulCat true. I remember when I was young I had a dream about a place that looked exactly like something you would see in a dream Core Video 🤣 and it’s funny I had known what dreamcore is / existed for like two years until I remembered the dream was similar. It was like a big white interior mall / pool room looking building with play place stuff on the inside

[@WhitneyDahlin]

Nostalgia has never felt good to me. It's makes me deeply sad. And I feel like a lot of people also dont interpret nostalgia as a pleasant feeling. I suspect this dissonance has something to do with it

[@crispykornflakes5990]

You’re so right. 2000s shit was just different. The inside of 2000s houses had that ‘apartment’ kind of feeling. The fast food restaurants were colorful and inviting and just popped. Now the inside of houses look like they’re trying too hard to look rich and the fast food restaurants looks flat and lifeless like they’re shadows of the past. Just two of many examples.

[@BillyTheKidOfficialYT]

@@crispykornflakes5990 you are also 100% right. There was so much color before. And home felt like home. Can’t explain it. The newer homes are all trying to look minimalistic and “rich” like you said. Everyone has a “live, laugh, love” sign in the house along with white pillows. Very bland if you ask me

[@owloko1349]

I love Liminal Spaces, the eerie feeling familiarity of this place i don't know. I love this kind of terror, not a momentary jump scare, but the growing uneasiness

[@kovy6447]

That's what horror should be about. It shouldn't boo you with a quick little image and a loud sound, it should make you feel uneasy the whole time you're playing it, like you hear footsteps behind you, but theres nothing.

[@RigepFroggit]

I am a commercial driver which means I'm often out working during hours when everybody else is asleep and most everywhere is closed and empty. I see liminal spaces all the time, and it's comforting to me not horrifying.

[@Cosmid_]

Liminal spaces are so comforting to me because i've always been into abandoned places and most of them just look really comforting

[@PiggieMom]

I spent the first 10 years of my life in a suburb of Detroit where a majority of the houses were built in the late 1940s to early 1960s and were of similar design. We moved when I was 10 to the other side of the state where each house was very different. Sometimes, I go on real estate listings to look at houses in my old hometown, and it is such a surreal feeling. I know the tile in those basements. What it feels like. What it sounds like when it cracks. I know those bathrooms and closets.

[@PawlH]

You’ve got a gift for putting these impossibly abstract thoughts and feelings into words that somehow completely hit the nail on the head. Glad I found your channel man!

[@spookymcg]

Thank you so much! I love talking about these kinds of things, and it means so much that other people do too!

[@bramblechaser162]

Some of the most chilling memories are that of these little spaces. To the point where you don’t know if it’s memories or dreams you had when you were young. For example my grandmother‘s house is a important place for me specially when I was a kid. I have vague memories of sitting on the floor in warm light. Everything is bigger than you. I remember being afraid in a weird way during these times. Like I remember it being around Christmas. So many things you don’t understand. but the scenes are like the memory is like darkened around the edges. Whether that be how your brain processes your surroundings as a child or if it’s weird dreams but you have as a kid. It’s both terrifying and comforting. It’s so hard to explain and get you some manage to do so well. This video is really well-made.

[@LonelyArchivist]

Amazing! Especially after The Magnus Protocol's last episode, I wanted more liminal space content

[@spookymcg]

Such a crazy coincidence. When I heard the premise of the episode, I was delighted!

[@Hi_Im_Autumn]

This is the video essay I wish I would have thought of, written, and had the energy to make. This is just about my favorite topic regarding liminal spaces; connecting the backrooms to nostalgia is my favorite thing!

[@spookymcg]

Happy to help!

[@Izzy_Dead]

I don't find liminal space horrifying or scary unless I'm trapped or something, I just find the idea of exploring an MC Escher painting fascinating.

[@claracarrion1300]

i have an obsession with video essays about liminal spaces, that fundamentally understand the concept behind them and analyze the feeling they provoke in people. It´s one of my favorite topics of disscussion, but i don´t have anybody to talk to about it. So whenever i encounter these videos i feel understood. There are so many people out there that think endlessly about these random internet niches just like i do, and i love finding them. Thank you for sharing your thoughts:)

[@Forever-ec8tm]

so glad people are still doing long form videos on liminal spaces tbh

[@YetAnotherGeorgeth]

“You played minecraft as a kid” Don’t make me feel old, i was 25 when I first played minecraft when it was beta 1.7.1!

[@PossumGod12]

Most liminal spaces freak me out because of how alone you are in them. Idk im more scared of actually being alone or thinking I am when in not, but both give me a bad feeling.

[@koboldparty4708]

I live in a swamp. Basements are a myth. As an aside, I've never seen a liminal space that really did it for me. They're often neat spaces, but I've never felt nostalgic looking at them.

[@jakelenhart1456]

I live in a swamp. I put up signs. I’m a terrifying ogre! What do I have to do to get a little PRIVACY?!

[@t0rya]

Bro really just explained perfectly why i too love liminal stuff in a way i could never, gonna send this vid to everyone that will ask about my interests now 😭

[@spookymcg]

I appreciate that!

[@twistingfogg]

You are very quickly becoming my favorite youtuber. Your essays like crack for my AuDHD hyperfixations

[@Lotusgarden11]

It's hard to explain the feeling liminal spaces create, I think it's similar to nostalgia in the way that it can feel somewhere between happiness and sadness, almost like bittersweet. Really enjoyed the video!

[@zer0theassassin60]

Dude, unironically, you are one of the best video essay channels on the platform. It absolutely blows my mind how well made these are and how many interesting things you have to say on each individual topic without repeating yourself! Keep it up!

[@Yahyia-cv3sx]

One of my first dreams as a child was of walking through a place that reminds me of the set of Dark Shadows. Only there were no people, no animals, no plants, nothing but some nondescript living room furniture. This was sometime between 1963 and 1966. We didn't have computer graphics then. Come out to the Fox River valley,with its wooded hills, its fens, marshes, lakes, ponds, creeks, and "the places in-between". I would be your guide, if you feel okay with it, after meeting me. I'm a combat veteran, high on the autistic spectrum. I grew up in struggle, learning to survive. When I was 26, I left the dysfunctional family in the rust-belt town, went hitching and hiking,and never really stopped. Nowadays I center about an hour west of Chicago. Did you know Chicago is still on and surrounded by wetlands?

[@noeticgames]

The concept of repeating mental visitations to a "personal fantasy area" is one that I don't see talked often enough about, and it's cool to see here! I often visit an outdoor waterfall/springs area surrounded in grass and trees, and that feeling of never being able to actually go there, but simultaneously knowing that it's somewhere you can go pretty consistently in the right moments mentally is... a wild feeling lol. Definitely something that could be connected to a wide variety of personal liminal space favorites for people!

[@beepbeep2347]

i rarely comment on youtube videos, but everything about this struck such a violent cord within me i feel compelled to. this and your modern ruins video have done irreparable damage to my physche, but also have so eerily described exactly the way i feel abt things, things i didnt even know could have words put to them. i have had an animalistic yearning for the liminal pools unlike anything else, so at the very least it makes me glad im not alone. all of the description abt the past and childhood resonated so deeply, its something i personally struggle with and have had many negative spirals over, that things will never be as they were, and how deeply i crave being in that time, but cant. this got very personal very fast, apologies, but thank you for this. genuinely, deeply, from the bottom of my soul, thank you. youve changed me, at least a little 💘

[@djmasterruski]

if anyone remembers some of those old ~2012 era modpacks for minecraft, some of them had at least 5 mods that added tons of empty structures, especially over and near water. there was one structure mod that added tons of things like hot air balloons and pirate ships and huge vacuous cathedral like buildings with no mobs set to spawn on them or anything, they were always empty with maybe some chests in them. It was a landscape filled with basically empty buildings that gave me a feeling that i have not found anywhere else.

[@ADHD1080P]

When I played minecraft as a kid I would frequently wonder who (in a lore way) would have built the pregenerated areas, the sand temple, and sand well specifically. I remember digging out an entire sand well to see if I was missing something. Good times.

[@rowanoak433]

I wondered for a while why I never really got drawn into the "empty basement" photo you go in-depth describing-- at least, not the way I'm drawn into a lot of other popular "liminal spaces." Your analysis opened my eyes. I never moved houses as a child, so I never had that unsettling moment of seeing my home fully stripped of what made it *my home*. I love learning more about why people think and feel the way they do, and I think you really captured the essence of liminal spaces here

[@spookymcg]

Thanks so much! I’ve always wondered about this exact phenomenon, and I’m glad to have gotten a few other comments affirming my ideas!

[@scaper8]

It's fascinating how different people experience these things differently. I never had any tragedy or suffering in a place like the Poolrooms, but, even as you were talking the fascination and wanting to walk there halls, I was filled will a deepening dread. Just watching the footage was unsettling in a way I can't fully understand, let alone verbalize. It's like the architectural version of the uncanny valley.

[@skyhawkslcb18]

you hit it right on the head. architectural version of the uncanny valley. and when i experience the uncanny valley alarm bells and sirens start going off in my head and i have an extremely overwhelming urge to run away. it's so powerful.

[@PunmasterSTP]

Sometimes I long to be able to walk around in liminal spaces as well. And not just in a video game, or at least, not with current technology. I want to feel my body move and have the tactile sensations of sun shining and wind blowing, as well as have the time to just wander around. And wanting that makes me feel sad that my childhood is over 😥

[@MeonLights]

Genuinely, I am also on the side of enjoying the strange calm and maybe even melancholia/nostalgia of liminal spaces. You and Supereyepathwolf are the only ones so far focusing on the original exploration of these. The dream pools to me give me a sense of yearning. I loved big public pools as a kid and this place would have been literal heaven. The echo, the smaller pools, the floaties. Except loud screams in areas like that would always make it hard for me and hurt my senses. So the dream of having one all to yourself seems tempting, but again, it is almost sad. There is a sense of loss, a place that should be filled with life but isn't. Idk, just my brain jumble. This video brought those ideas back 😅

[@SharlaBlades]

It's very, very rare for me to find a video essay I like. Even rarer that they teach me something. I never understood liminal stuff or people's draw to it. But now, now I kind of do. Thanks.

[@spookymcg]

Happy to help!

[@PH0B0PH1L1A]

i work at an indoor swimming pool that teaches swim lessons to kids. during the day, it's a vibrant place, cheery music playing on the dry side while parents sit and watch their kids swim through the glass viewing area, and a very loud but cheerful environment on the other side of the glass/in the pool while the instructors work and the kids swim. i've worked late to clean up after birthday parties on weekends for years now, and the manager often turns the lights out while we wait for our rides home to save electricity. it is SUCH a different environment when the lights are off and the place is empty. when you said "all these places need to close sometime" about the playplaces early on in the vid, it struck a chord in me. because.. yeah. you can create a liminal space in your own workplace if you turn the lights off and make it empty. and it's eerie. the photos/videos of the 'poolrooms' specifically always get to me, considering i work in that kind of environment. wild to think that places we walk around in and work in every day could invoke such bizarre feelings just by turning off the lights and emptying it of people. overall, very good video about this stuff! absolutely love it. found your channel, love the excellent writing & smart editing style, and will be staying to watch more.

[@ernst1183]

I worked at a theme park many years ago. I remember the eerie feeling when I finished the last shift and walked with my coworkers through the park at night, when all the rides were closed and the lights were being switched off. If i then turned my head all saw was a lonely place which looked completely sad and longing for the presence of people. Now I know about liminal spaces and kenopsia and can finally name what I felt so many years ago.

[@fluffytheprotogen3061]

I was about to pass over you while scrolling my recommended but I'm so glad I gave you a try dude. Something about liminal spaces and the Poolrooms especially has always brought me a cold, yet comfortable sensation. Like a longing to wander the infinite tiled halls with redundant geometry and artificial light. Even though I know such a thing is impossible, I still like to play as many games with limimal space themes to try and capture that hostile nostalgia in a bottle. The moment you mentioned Piranesi I was hooked, I gave it a bit of a read and while it's sorta confusing, it's awe inspiring in it's world building. Liked and subscribed man, keep it up!! P.S you should cover impossibly large spaces at some point, the idea of scale has always fascinated me, that feeling of insignificance in comparison to vast empty spaces.

[@fluffytheprotogen3061]

Solar Sands' "Monumentality" really got me into this kind of theme of liminality and the idea of vastness and scale. Anyways figured I should give a little bit just to show my support and give ya a bit of help in whatever you got goin' on. Taking a bong rip for ya bro, keep up the good work ❤

[@spookymcg]

Thank you so much! Your support means the world to me! Large empty spaces is a great, thanks for the suggestion!

[@fluffytheprotogen3061]

@spookymcg Of course man!! Can't wait to see more videos from you!

[@noodletribunal9793]

i love liminal spaces. i would really love to go to one somehow

[@electroblastz]

It's so nice to be able to find a video that perfectly encapsulates how I feel about one of my strongest interests. I feel like liminal spaces have become even more appealing to me as I've just turned 18 and have left my childhood phase that I've become so strongly attached to. Liminal spaces really help me just escape the stresses and responsibilities of adulthood even if just for a short period, as they evoke within me a childlike urge to explore the unfamiliar space around me, despite not physically being in the liminal space myself. The way you compared this feeling to Minecraft was spot on since I felt the same way when exploring new biomes and uncharted territory. I also feel the Source engine (as seen in Half-Life 2 and Garry's Mod) evokes this unfamiliar yet nostalgic feeling as well, and there have been many popular videos discussing how Source presents liminality effectively too. Beautifully presented video Connor, it really resonated with me. I hope you continue to produce high quality work like this in the future.

[@iamjackspyramidshapedhelmet]

For me the perfect representation of liminal spaces in gaming is Super Mario 64. Running through an empty castle that should be filled with people was so eerie yet so peaceful at the same time.

[@BabyCharmander]

“I think most people started playing Minecraft when they were a kid” …Minecraft came out when me and most people I knew were in college. This always feels so weird to hear. Enjoying this video-I love the aesthetic of this kind of stuff.

[@lagerku.3137]

I think we've all visited the pool rooms at least once in our dreams. Only now that I'm watching this video did I recall dreaming of the expansive empty pool and, while I played there as one would expect, I still felt unease just knowing that there was no one else around.

[@maddhistorian_jil1464]

I worked at a movie theater for 10 years and would often both open and close the theater. Doing the checks at the end of the night was absurdly sureal especially on major box office nights when a few hours before there would be literal 1000s of people. I never had the words to describe weird dichtomy of unease and comfort i could feel at the end of the night round 3am as the last theater completely emptied and it was me and one other person locking up and leaving the building. I now have a longing for that feeling, but have no desire to clean up after people on a busy night lol.

[@NeverParty]

Thank for this video. You actually brought me to tears. I sat in my chair after this video and thought about all the fun times I had as a child.

[@Big_Money_Salvia]

I would unironically love to swim in an indoor pool styled after these bizarre, CGI liminal pools. Honestly, they look cozy as all hell, as ever since I was a kid, I found surrealist environments to be oddly comforting.

[@ChristmasHarbour]

One could argue that the lack of human presence in the photos, does fit with his original definition, in the sense that if you were travelling between groups, there would be a period where you are not with anyone. Walking through liminal spaces always has the tension of a return to people, a return to a group.

[@Wild.Bunny.Galaxy]

The Piranesi audiobook is amazing and definitely gives me the same vibes, I want so many more books like it or a game like Dreamcore to allow you to explore the House endlessly.

[@ImmaLittlePip]

You might like the myhouse mod for Doom 2 Its one of the best Doom mods and also a good house of leaves reference but also filled with liminal spaces

[@moss3152]

Liminal spaces have always given me immense comfort and the way you describe your own emotions related to them hits very close. id love to hear you talk more about the topic, be it focused on a game or real life

[@dr.purple3315]

I love liminal spaces and this is a great video. I never even thought of the home = comfort aspect of these images, and it's really eye opening to consider that, given what kind of feelings these spaces evoke

[@ureldestemo]

I feel like you took every thought I've ever had on nostalgia and liminal spaces and put it into a video. 😮

[@Moonotter1]

I think i just miss being a child, they way things were so simpler, that the most simplest thing id be in awe. That these little things were memories weve forgotten and hidden, its like seeing the past weve forgot, and we miss it...

[@pliskenx51mm83]

We all have that deep yearning for adventure in our hearts and minds and liminal spaces are like a new frontier.

[@articdragon4252]

I...will admit, I mostly clicked because Herobrine was in the thumbnail for some reason and I could NOT be more baffled to see his face attached to a video about liminal spaces Edit: Okay, I understand why Minecraft is in this video now.

[@AllMagicComesWithRice]

Excellent essay! Very well put together, and honestly by the end of it I could only wish there was more.

[@RPKGameVids]

That basement picture looks like a Heaven's Interior.

[@grapeape325]

I miss my job as closing bellhop. I had to lock up the hotel restaurant, ballroom, some external doorways, and pool/shower areas.

[@TLHaney]

Love how this small community still keeps on keeping on. It’s one of those things that when you catch it, you nvr let go

[@molamola9723]

I applaud Kane Pixel’s work but I think his series has single handedly done the greatest damage to the backrooms and liminal spaces. He turned the series from genuine unnerving psychological horror into just another generic sci-fi flick. Enjoy the creepy empty loneliness? Well too bad there’s this noodle monster around every corner now, you also got all your scientist buddies with you so you won’t feel alone. Stuck forever in endless hallways? Don’t worry now there’s an exit portal thing, just gotta find it or wait for scientists to rescue you. Feeling unnerved by these spaces that feel so close to reality or familiar to something you might’ve experienced one late night as a child? Well now there’s all these goofy impossible room designs that have no way of invoking real life experiences and just look too fake to be liminal.

[@MarlKitsune]

I think part of the appeal of liminal spaces is they are familiar yet alien. A space that feels like it could be around the corner yet is so detached from out current reality just teases that there's more to see in a world that's so well understood that a fraction would be seen as magic to even people a century ago. A call to explore the unknown that's suffocating because there's so few unknowns left and all of them are out of reach.

[@LuigiCotocea]

Reminds me of: *Liminal Spaces (Exploring an Altered Reality)* video 12:28 Back in Beta 1.7.3 it was much darker in those beta nights and it were very eerie and uncanny times at same time!

[@crispykornflakes5990]

Ever since I was little I’ve always felt like I was tapping into a place outside of here. When I see certain images, hear certain sounds, smell certain smells, etc. it takes me to “that place”. I’m almost convinced certain things from my childhood and a few things in recent years I was at that place. I think that place is our own internal worlds. The same place we go when we dream. When you have an experience that feels like you’re there, it’s your external frequencies matching your internal frequencies. I also believe the collective unconscious has something to do with it as well. Maybe even past lives. Shit goes deep man. This reality is very strange.

[@voidlayern9368]

How do you not have like, a million subs by now. This is immensely professional work. Genuinely impressed. The detail, the flow, the appeal to emotion in such a way that it provokes and activates the exact response you're describing. It all works splendidly together! The hopeful and honest telling of your own experiences separates this from being just a detached work, and really elevates it! I especially respect your earnest admittance to your feelings regarding these places and the 'Call of the Void' phenomenon. I sincerely look forward to seeing your thoughts on what else you find that interests you!

[@spookymcg]

what a lovely comment. thank you so much, this means more than you know

[@t0astyloaf]

Thank you YT gods, for showing this video on my feed. I put it on in the background while working but i became totally absorbed. You somehow effortlessly put into words how nostalgia really hits home through liminal space. The minecraft section, in particular, made me feel that mix of happiness experienced as a kid, followed by a heavy sadness that i am old and cynical now lol. Fascinating video, really amazing work.

[@ne3333t]

Finally, more people talking about the comfort and longing that liminal spaces create. Most of what I see for liminal spaces is mediocre horror with goofy monsters. When I think of liminal spaces, it's more of an aesthetic that I would love to experience. I think you hit the nail on the head with the childhood experiences. I have blurry memories of places just like liminal spaces from my childhood. Btw, what do you use to make music? I've been trying to get into that for years now.

[@voidwalker5784]

The longing for something undocumented, untreaded, and ultimately unknown. Struggling in the face of opposition you may not live to understand be that old age or the opposition itself. The pursuit of answers to questions that just keep piling up. All the while you realize that you still need two things that you understand very intimately. Food and water.

[@bluesrocker91]

I've long had a fascination with American road movies, where the concept of liminality is a common theme... A highway being a kind of liminal space in itself. The imagery of these movies is often dominated by shabby motels, lonely gas stations, billboards and decaying, long abandoned tourist attractions... For some reason I always get this uncanny feeling of nostalgia from these images, but it's physically impossible for me to have ever been near any of them, having never even left the British Isles in my life. The only thing I can think of is that these places are bringing back memories of days in old seaside towns I visited as a kid. Seeing old fairgrounds and roller coasters slowly rusting away. The way the evening sunlight gives everything a surreal glow. It's a strange, uncanny feeling, but I'm absolutely captivated by it, and have been for all my adult life. Though its only in the past few months I've had a name for it.

[@Keihart]

i really dont share the sentiment that the unsettling part of liminal spaces is on their nostalgia factor, but instead, in their uncanyness. Liminal spaces are familiar places made to look alien by robbing them of their context and purpose.

[@TheComiKen]

Great encapsulation of my thoughts surrounding the this feeling. "Longing" is a great way to put it. Def checking out the those books you mentioned!

[@xviolaa]

I was just talking to my friend about this as we were driving through the country at night - we drove past a turnoff that lead to a small clearing illuminated by a single street lamp in the otherwise pitch darkness. Most people would find it creepy but to me locations like that are absolutely beautiful for reasons I can't explain

[@solidice5660]

Fantastic man! You perfectly described the way I have been feeling for the last few days. Though I don't wish to actually be lost in a liminal space, they seem like really cool places to explore. I suppose it hearkens back to my childhood when everything was new, everything was unknown. I distinctly remember going to play places, and getting lost, going in circles. I'd scurry about all the passage ways I could, I had no sense of direction nor spacial awareness, so I was just randomly roaming the course. Eventually, I'd find the tunnel that would lead be back out of the maze. There came a certain thrill with it. I avoided the dark, curvy slides because I didn't know where I would end up. I wanted to see where I was going, I could peer out the plexiglass bubble and see my friends and family below, and I would want to go back to them. In there, was like another world. The uncertainty of it all. When I think about it, those were the first times I was alone, independent, apart from my parents; they couldn't follow you in, so this was your world to discover, your puzzle to unravel. The other random kids you would encounter inside, some never seeing again, perhaps they went down that dark slide, did they come out at the bottom? Or are they now somewhere deeper in this labyrinth? You dare not follow, for you might not return. Those were all questions I asked myself in one form or another. In hindsight It's so silly, over the years I have gained an incredible sense of direction and mental mapping/memorization, I couldn't get lost if I tried. Don't get me wrong, it's an incredible skill, and has served me well in my career and in turn, improved me as a person; yet part of me yearns for those days when every corner was wholly unknown. As mentioned, a thrill. Running down that dark hallway to the light at the end, trying to outrun the darkness. Nowadays, my rational mind knows there is nothing there, but the factual. *Monster!???* No. I don't think so, it's just a shadow, a tree branch, a cat or some rodent. I see why people are quick to fill these spaces with monsters. Though, I feel the lack of anything is truly what makes these impossible places so intriguing. If you're actually being chased, you don't take in your surroundings, you are always looking for an escape. You're not only escaping a monster, but you are escaping your self, you aren't present in the act of escapism. I'll just end it by saying I would truly enjoy exploring the poolrooms, the architecture is so pointless, it's inspiring. The lack of logical structure, it simply allows you to let go... I could vibe there easily. Part of me is sad that I'll never experience a poolroom such as that. In the same way, it's kinda sad I'll never experience a play place again. I suppose that's part of the realization when it comes to growing up. There are certain experiences that only kids can experience because of their boundless potential. As an adult, you contextualize your existence with the known, filtering away mystery in exchange for certainty and security.

[@Ferlan-dc8sm]

I love your essays, they are incredibly unique and always bring something new to the themes you talk about

[@realMrVent]

I never thought of the Backrooms/Poolrooms as a fear-inducing environment. I feel an urge to explore, to map out and to behold the strange curiosities of that realm.

[@Nightshade_goblin]

I thought the platform was saturated with Liminal Space-esque content, but you provided a bunch of new interesting ideas and angles in this piece. Most of the time, people reduce the art to the same vague and abstract talking points (sometimes copied straight from an aesthetics wiki), but you added value to the discussion with your own perspective and tied it together nicely imo. Much luv

[@ghostplace]

5 seconds in and i already know im gonna love every minute of this video 😭

[@romeINRI]

You did a great job with this. I’m not one to have trouble articulating my feelings about things but you really hit the nail on the head with this one on every aspect of the subject matter. You said everything I think needed to be said not more or less. 👏

[@lalalandd123]

if you haven't played paradise killer, i would 10000% recommend it. EXTREMELY liminal space vibes throughout pretty much the entire game, especially the very beginning area

[@AstroDadGaming]

Dude i found my favorite channel. thank you for this.

[@Melchizidek777]

Excellent video essay. I really enjoy these sorts of analytical takes on odd concepts. Thank you for taking the time to make and share this. Keep it up!

[@AmiMichelle]

I am soooooo happy you mentioned Piranesi omg HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO EVERYONE

[@spookymcg]

it was such a fun read

[@StyleshStorm]

Subscribed and liked. Not many people covering liminal spaces, backrooms or weird/dreamcore content anymore.

[@scifi5832]

This is my first time commenting but your videos are absolutely amazing! They perfectly scratch that niche “horror essay” part of my brain that I love!

[@sparks-of-magic]

After your quiet horror video, i've watched quite a few of your videos and i really enjoy them! Thank you for creating them!

[@justaemptymall]

My finger was suddenly spazzing out and clicked on this video. Haven't regreted it a bit :) (Am I the only onr who feeps comfort and inner peace in liminal spaces? Like the total opposite of people who are scared or terrified by them).

[@colewalker8710]

This is good stuff, keep it up. You’re good at this.

[@benmcreynolds8581]

Liminal spaces have so much allure to me. Since seeing how things are nowadays, I'm so grateful I was born in '89. It was such a great time to be a kid. The world seemed to have so many creative outlets & forms of expression. Ways that kids, teens and adults could enjoy themselves. Places to go, things to do, unique style and design. I really miss the Vibe of that Era where it treated us all like it respected our intelligence, time & experience. While also providing aspects with in our society that help keep our inner kid in us alive. It felt like everything acknowledged how important YOU were as a citizen, customer, fan, person because without us they would be nothing. The creativity that came from that era really put effort into it's ingenuity, not this bland minimalism we see today. I really hope we find a way to reconnect with it because the world really needs it right now. Look how soulless so much has become nowadays? Look at the horrible aesthetics, poor quality & creative design in modern cities, or even in shows, movies, & video games. Things have become so bland, bleek, and minimalistic to the point that it doesn't even make since. Most Old house's/building's/uúnique shop's are gone. Interesting oddities like drive in movies, indoor fun zones, arcade's, magazines that came with a demo disc to try out game's, blockbuster/Hollywood video, McDonald's had N64's & crazy fun zones & art designs all over, you could preview music before buying it, they had great kid's toy's, Roller Rink's, Garbage pale kid's card's. You get the point. Bring back Retro-Futurism or Y2K Vibes. ANYTHING compared to this current Dystopian toxic positivity. Our society feels more lost then it ever has. Society is solely focused on out of control capitalistic agendas. That anything that isn't constantly increasing profits is a failure and has no value to society? Our Quality of Life should be better than this. Basic living shouldn't be this unaffordable. People should be able to have fun, dork around, have things that engage them. The list goes on. Bring me back to the 90's.

[@nysaea]

honestly, great work! thanks!

[@kimicappiello5480]

These are places that show up in my dream landscape.

[@dreamsanime3224]

This comment probably won't get noticed but, i feel like you managed to see what most people dont see when looking at a liminal space picture, or atleast i feel like they dont. Most people are focused on the horror aspect like in the backrooms, but you got it right i always loved it for the feeling it brings and why i want to be there when i see a liminal space. Anyways great job

[@spookymcg]

I noticed it. Thank you! Liminal spaces deserve multiple perspectives

[@AutMouseLabs]

House of Leaves is also my favorite book. Cheers friend!

[@dotoin9320]

I really needed this video, felt so damn personal

[@Takoala]

Really chill vibes, loved it!

[@nihon.ni.sumitai]

Great video essay ☺️ this is my first video of yours I've seen and I just subscribed. I look forward to your future vids

[@neill6585]

I think, reduced down to its core, liminality is human abandonment. With the backrooms, pool rooms, and liminal spaces being artistic expressions of that abandonment. There's everywhere, but nowhere to go, familiar strangeness, the expectation that around any corner someone will be there for us but isn't.

[@spookymcg]

Well said

[@abymathews9586]

First time viewer, amazing job on the essay, feels pretty dense and well researched. My only nitpick is a bit on the speed on how you read the script, perhaps with a slower read would have made the pacing more enthralling, but that’s my only thought. Overall amazing job.

[@TheAnimefan1412]

Liminal spaces are one of my favorite concepts! Amazing video as always, thank you for sharing