Like_youknow

Clip for Def Poetry Season 2 talking about the use of like and you know in today's society

[@aarodful]

Sad to see the comments where so many people didn't get it. Speaking in a declarative tone about beliefs or ideas you have is good. It doesn't mean that you will never question those beliefs, or have a closed mind, it just means that you currently believe them. It is ok to use a questioning tone when you are genuinely uncertain. The trend has been to use a questioning tone even when making declarative statements which communicated that you don't actually believe what you are saying. It would be the equivalent of putting question marks at the end of every sentence. It will communicate to people that you have no true ideas beliefs or convictions and nothing to offer. Speaking in a questioning tone constantly doesn't indicate open mindedness, but empty mindedness.

[@hinsonlegobrick9045]

Thanks for helping me in my homework

[@AshfordK2006]

"I'm just asking you to join me on the bandwagon of my own uncertainty". SO true. I love it.

[@Squeege85]

I love this poem, another awesome poem by Taylor Mali. I love the way he breaks down the use of language in this one. It's so intelligent and thought out.

[@abdallabaar2664]

Are u a life now man

[@LemurJackson]

@@abdallabaar2664 fr

[@chrisgauvin5100]

I am a corporate executive chef and I often cater meetings and listen in. People in the corporate world now, sound like frat boys and sorority girls instead of professionals. "So..." is how these people begin almost every sentence and the word "like" shows up everywhere. This dude is right.

[@moyosafi12]

I was introduced to this video in an English literature class in 2009. Taylor Mali's words have resounded in my thinking from that time forward.

[@MrChess187]

Sociology sent me here. I'm from the year 2019. meep beep beep meep

[@legendling5990]

I can say for sure to stay the heck out of 2020

[@theropecaller7954]

@@legendling5990 2021 isn’t any better.

[@SageHoyt]

year 2025 😀

[@littlemykey3000]

I remember how I felt bad in middle school for showing more intelligence. I spoke properly, and someone would point it out as if it's unusual or looked down upon. It makes sense how one would dislike a smart person, because they can see the smart person as pompous. Many people who lack intelligence end up taking pride in the bad things they do. Truth is, no one should look down upon anybody. We're all humans, and we should all work hard at improving ourselves and help others.

[@daniADKapi80826]

This comment was made 8 years ago, and yet it still didn't get the likes it deserves after all its time.

[@InfectedDaemon]

I love that term: Aggressively inarticulate. Resounding.

[@ashleypannkuk4074]

I'm a teacher at Vandegrift High School, and today the principal told me "from now on you need to say yes ma'am and just do what you're told" - it made me think of this video that I showed to my debate students. We loved your speech.

[@Donovan510]

This has to be one of the most inspiring things I've heard in a long time. Opinionated people beware, this man speaks with authority.

[@killit95]

Glad that this is in my English III class! Because I would have, like, never found it otherwise.

[@ebengordon6074]

You know!

[@beantown28]

Just when you thought it was safe to be a mid-ranged poet. Real words and thoughts have been reintroduced! Thank you Taylor Mali!!! It was more than necessary

[@FredrikKvamme]

This video has severely changed how I listen to speech. It now, even more than before, saddens me when sentences are littered with "like" and "literally". I wish everyone I had the pleasure of speaking to had seen this video, it is such a hard-hitting flick.

[@gossipgirlx0869]

my language arts teacher sent me here.... & i love her for it! this is funny af

[@PugLoop]

Gossipgirlx0 my language arts teacher sent me here

[@the_awkward_logician]

Gossipgirlx0 same here, you know?

[@sepehr2518]

Same

[@taeblends]

Whenever I catch myself saying "like" every other word, I come back to this video.

[@ASHLEYOFFICIAL]

this is so true in today's society. I am sad to say I have fallen victim to the 'like' s and ya know's etc, etc, that most of my age's population has turned to. This poem opened my eyes a touch

[@TheFremenChick]

Yessss. I am from Arizona and living in New Zealand. Most Kiwis end all their sentences like questions and it drives me nuts.

[@SendiSiradj]

It's 2020. And it's still relevant

[@saketg5954]

This is, like, you know poetry, .but like, funnier, you know, like cool, you know what i'm saying?

[@beckysmith8768]

+SaketG lol love it almost as funny as the vid you know?

[@DianeDiResta]

Excellent. Loved it. He says in a short video what I've been trying to tell my clients in my seminars and books.

[@mennyus]

this is something i have both identified and am guilty of so it is great to hear someone talk about it on stage. the uk is somewhat less struck by this than the states, but unfortunately we're getting there

[@ronniedow7537]

Me and the English class boys are chilling on this video

[@intercitty]

I think this needs a another spotlight right now in 2020

[@SteveO3387]

This guy has a gift, and something to say. Always a winning combination!

[@ryantrueman3451]

Taylor is one of a kind…

[@Wicket1432]

My drama teacher showed this to us today I had to go back and look at it because it is awesome.

[@Mariothepoet]

Mr. Mali is a Master and a Artist of the highest regard...We are lucky to be alive in the same season as this Exceptional Man of Poetry...Buddy Wakefield and him should do a show together and show the world Poetry...

[@JasonJonesArtCitySound]

Umm, *HUGE* yes! Had a friend of mine get on this bandwagon a few years ago, and I wondered what had happened. Being aggressive to the point of attacking isn't good, but man, say what you believe, brother!

[@Bohonk212]

Yeah! Say what you believe strongly, rather than actually taking the time and intellectual effort to PROVE it.

[@rylisms]

This is , like, you know -- really good.

[@SoulOfAKingMHK]

If the janitor from Scrubs did spoken word…

[@stephenheckman5528]

"It's not enough to question authority, you gotta speak with it."

[@Lightherder]

I've lived in 6 different states, met people from all over the country from school/military, never have I met anyone like that. It reminds me of an 80s comedy movie character.

[@iheartxnyx]

lol this guy was at my school today i bought his CD and Book, He is so amazing Live!

[@elliedp1]

This video has definetly sent a message by its own generation for us to consider the way in which we are communicating in society today. Are we getting our messages across? Are we articulating well enough to create and sustain successful relationships in business, family or with our peers? These are questions this video poses and they are great questions which challenge us to look further at ourselves and our methods of learning.

[@SERIOUSLOVEJONES]

love this shit. i love the way he expresses himself. the point was well put on how to speak with conviction. i will accept the challenge to speak with conviction and to say what i believe in a manner that bespeaks the determination with which i believe it!!!

[@pancakeninja17]

The rise in intonation at the end of a sentence is called the High Rising Terminal, or "uptalk". Language is constantly changing and uptalk is basically just a new adaptation it has taken on, for more reasons than hesitance. There some a fairly interesting articles about it if you google it.

[@LillyianPuppy]

I am so in love with this man's poetry, and I am also in love with Def Poetry Jam!

[@Jonmad17]

The gap between what we know and what we can know is so large now, and becomes so much larger every day, that the only proper method of communication is uncertainty. People can be proved wrong at any second, so they couch all of their statements in qualifiers as to not seem certain, because they aren't. We're finally beginning to understand how little we actually know, and it's reflecting on our daily speech. It's progress.

[@ryancuenca7195]

Rings even truer today. I love this.

[@sevenayan]

Makes me rethink about how I've been speaking my whole life o.O

[@awdgurl1]

he is right. we have no conviction. we don't believe anything anymore, everyday we find out we were wrong about this or that or that older ppl have lied to us more than we thought.

[@SpellsOfTruth]

This dude is way ahead of his time, the sing song cadence of authority people speak in nowadays is absurd despite the majority who do this being young and majority never having read an actual book in their lives. I find it hard to talk to anyone thats gone through the college education system today. They are intelligent people, and they treat modern science as a religion, but what they do not realize is, intelligence doesnt matter at all, and modern science is more of a bullshit cult than religion is. Intelligence is knowing all the facts. Wisdom is gradually understanding which facts matter more than other facts(Wisdom > Intel). High Consciousness is immediate understanding of which facts matter more than other facts(HC > Wisdom). Will is the ability to act in reality on those facts that matter (Will > HC). I got in an argument wit a freshly graduated comp sci student about how I thought Minecraft creator Notch is a genius. He said, 'I hate when people say that, hes not a genius, you can go on youtube and watch people make a minecraft clone from scratch in only 10 hours of coding', I said 'So what? You can ask any decent guitarist alive today to play a Jimi Hendrix song and they'll do it with ease, but it dont make them a genius like jimi hendrix, why is that?' Its the education systems intelligence/iq based definition of 'genius', in reality a genius is someone who tweaks a field of interest to create a knew field of interest, a genius is someone who is insanely productive, a genius is someone who understands how something works immediately (high consciousness) and immediately can act on it in reality (will). Shitposter in chief(djt), Elon Musk, Notch, Scott Adams, Mike Cerno..., Kanye, Alex Gay Frog Jones, Eric Dollard, Ken Wheeler, Owen Benjamin, David Goggins, noagenda podcast guys, Leonard Spooner, Vox day, Farakhan, Kissinger etc all are wrong about things. All of them are wrong...But they also all have little nuggets of truth sprinkled throughout their videos/actions, they have SPELLS OF TRUTH sprinkled into their videos/actions. The key and fun part is finding the spell...

[@offtheheazy6]

I've always wished for a commanding voice and tone like his...he is the ultimate public speaker, it would be fucking awesome if I could learn to master elocution like he has, it is a vital talent that is often taken for granted. You could truly rule the world with such a skill.

[@LukeSimpson]

I can't stop watching this. Always come back to it.

[@enock83]

That was dope and real

[@NaTaS-]

We use to have to do a sketch in 5th grade and I still remeber a teacher saying that the year before a girl had used "like" over 60 times in 3 minutes. :)

[@MJ4829]

this was shared in my 9th grade english class and countless people didn't understand why the audience was laughing. This is basically common sense. Society today is filled with people that explain or talk about something as if it were a question rather than a statement. Saying "like" after almost every word and putting "you knows" to confirm the other person knows what your saying. At my age I do this(and that's ok) but I'm certain it won't last when in I'm in my 30's

[@barrusDemonPlucker]

1. yes 2. His sole was fried and served with lemon , his soul shows proudly threw his words 3. Points should be sharp and cutting and ,thus, most often brief not not dulled and belabored. 4. A pedagog perhaps but parish pedantic. This truth about wavering convictions rings loud and speaks to the majority and those whom have forgotten how to temper their words with conviction.

[@LukeSimpson]

I heard someone say, "Believe what you believe with absolute conviction, but believe it teachably."

[@JLaw954]

I get very very vexed when otherwise intelligent people make the massive massive mistake of doubling many many adjectives/adverbs. It really really ticks me off so so much. Inanywayshapeorform, does it kindalike annoy anyone else, or am I basically the Lone Ranger on this one?

[@MarkStouffer]

The trend he is talking about is the product of the currently dominant philosophies of scepticism and subjectivism.

[@UnionKid15]

I show this to a lot of my friends who speak like that, sadly nearly everyone talks like this now-a-days though. Seriously everyone, speak with some damn conviction.

[@UnleshedBeast98]

He once came to our public library and that day, I witnessed something that truly spectacle It was amazing how presented his poetry

[@roninalchemist]

And part of the problem with society today is that we don't believe in the concept of truth anymore. We're so wishy washy and "everyone has their own truth" that we don't even believe "our" truth anymore because there are so many other "truths". People who speak with any sort of conviction or belief are shot down because their ideals might offend some or another group and are therefore invalid to a discussion. We have become afraid to declare truth, even in the smallest of things.

[@DeniseOBerry]

If you haven't watched this video yet, take three minutes to do so. And listen carefully. It may just change the way you speak. :-)

[@abiosehgriffin7196]

'educating' thanks

[@fnsmike]

The double meaning is intentional - you must both "speak with authority", i.e. express the conviction of your beliefs in your own statements, and also "speak with authority" - to go beyond just asking questions to engaging authority figures and views directly.

[@ddrumsman549]

He came to my school and everyone was in awe. He is the man.

[@justtogetby23]

well i dont know if anyone has noticed this but "the assault on human language" is also used whenever you don't capitalize, add caps, "rofl", etc. therefore we shouldn't be harsh on those who use "y'know, like"....just pointing out inconsistencies...oh and by the way, i use this slang because it's become natural for me from the environment in which i live in, not the education i receive which is adequate.

[@Vektor0]

It's true. I think the reason why we've started to speak interrogatively, as he says, is BECAUSE we don't know what we're talking about.

[@Dyiax]

i am in shock. I just read a youtube conversation that was articulate, peaceful and gave me insight. Thanks guys.

[@roninalchemist]

@JokeeGA5 Good to know that at least SOMEONE out there is protecting the integrity and intelligence of America's media. Thank you for this.

[@Adeikov]

(part 1) Sometimes, it is beneficial to speak with ignorance, because if one is willing take the criticism and learn from it, and later modify that opinion to make it like less vulnerable and keyed in with the information provided by others, the harder will it be for it to be doubted. And there are many ways an opinion can be strengthened and sharpened. And presented fairly too, no tricks or making analysis of it difficult.

[@KirneH004]

People talk like this, I believe, because education and conviction have been beaten out of them by Authority for a long time. We are so terrified to speak out and look like idiots that we prove it by relying on four letter words and questioning tones.

[@briecheezit]

@c16sh1 I agree. I think another aspect of it is that teenagers were raised in a culture obsessed with political correctness. They are so afraid of being labeled --as racy, ignorant, pushy-- before they can finish their thought, simply because their opinions might open themselves up to someone else's derision. So they inject it with a healthy amount of uncertainty, and no one is offended and everyone stays happy.

[@DaveYostCom]

Nowadays the ultimate weapon to sound authoritative is to go all croaky-voice.

[@falconcr9291]

lol

[@stevenfowkes]

If you don't laugh, you'll have to cry--yuh know?

[@hwmusicaldbcom]

Often times it's dumb people who call others idiots in the first place. You don't often hear intelligent people calling others stupid.

[@bigpanda67]

I like, totally love his message. You know?

[@OumTHMDY]

LOL! @'Have they been ,like, chopped down with the rest of the rain forest? You know?'. That was funny and on point. -A

[@turbo3400]

He forgot to mention, you should only speak with conviction and authority when you actually know WTF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT

[@rrolandfanega]

We watched this video in my Communication Arts Class today. After the vid, the class talked about it, and my classmates couldn't stop saying "like" in their sentences :)

[@beckysmith8768]

because contrary to the wisdom of the bumper sticker is not enough thees days to simply question authority you have to speak with it to.

[@dgodiex]

Too

[@dissolution9843]

*These* ...Good quote though!

[@Adeikov]

(part 1) It depends what arrogance and humility mean. I've a feeling those words can mean different things to different people and the dictionary only goes so far, not with the exactness that it can present objective proof of such concepts, the justification for why one is deemed eternally wrong and the other eternally right with real life examples of the operation and consequence of them.

[@iLUVHKK]

"...I have nothing personally invested in my own opinions. I'm just, like, inviting you to join me on the bandwagon of my own uncertainty...?" Hahaha. Love it.

[@Vektor0]

Open-mindedness is NOT uncertainty. Open-mindedness does not mean that you're uncertain about whether the chicken or the egg first. Open-mindedness means that while you have your belief about which came first, you respect that others may have reasons for their beliefs as well. If you are on a bandwagon of uncertainty, that doesn't necessarily mean you are open-minded. People who do this all the time are usually those who are too ignorant to form opinions, hence their constant uncertainty.

[@sueswoodhues]

@IHaveAPodXTLive I had to go back and listen to the video twice because I didn't think I had heard any aspersions cast upon any particular generation, let alone the younger one. As someone in the way older generation, I hear this kind of saying nothing from everyone around me, except for those in my mother's generation. Usually, when some one asks me, "You know?" I'm startled because, I'm still waiting for them to say something important. It DOES give us something to say when we forget.

[@NevadaWPFan]

This is awesome! Finally, another person who agrees with me. It seems that every time I sit next to a group of young women, they say the words "like", and "you knows?" every other words. Those are the women I don't date. lol

[@GrinningJest3r]

His emphasis was different each time. The first "speak with authority" was about presence and conviction while the second was about authority figures themselves. He used the same phrase with both specifically for the purpose of elaborating on the double meaning as he implied was his intention in the first five words of his post.

[@bummercucumber]

This is great, and completely true. I hate when I oversay "like," and make interrogatives of declaratives.

[@milwrift]

i was going to upload this clip so thanks for doing it for me...Season 2 is great.

[@Adeikov]

I like how you handled this respondent, very well in my opinion; it's difficult to deal with those that are like "you are this and you are that". I dislike aggression such as that shown by GrimmPumpkin..

[@ObjectiveBob]

Now there's someone who understands American culture

[@keffypoo]

I am absolutely not guilty of that. I have always spoken with conviction, and believe you me, it's not made me popular.

[@junkevin]

That's true. Unfortunately, in normal casual conversations it is very difficult to talk 100% with conviction all the time without sounding like a know-it-all asshole or a nerd. I absolutely disagree with using the word "like" to fill a void between sentences or sometimes, for no reason at all but I think it helps to use inquisitive words/phrases at the end of sentences like: you feel me? right? understand? to make sure the listener(s) are following along. As long as that's the reason and not to just put it after every sentence.. Like so annoying, amirite guyz? LULZ

[@RawkStarr1980]

Beyond epic! I freaking love it!

[@ajnode]

All day, every day... I encounter people who end up getting really angry with me and saying "WHY DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO BE RIGHT?!" I've usually corrected really, really basic errors they've made - just like, if I made an error, I'd like someone to correct me. The problem is, everyone around me seems to make errors ALL THE TIME, and get really angry when I point them out.

[@ShiningRayde]

I believe he doesn't mean 'government' authority, or legal authority,, but the authority someone tries to exert by telling you something is so. Thus, you have to question the authority of someone telling you the sky is green, while exerting your own authority of what color you think it is.

[@Adeikov]

People should be friends even if their philosophies conflict. This "I must be right" attitude sounds territorial, it doesn't matter for him what he believes exactly, just that he has the might to say "this is what I will believe"; and any one that comes to take his belief away is a rival. "Strength at which you believe it"; I could be wrong though, perhaps he is preaching that we should all speak the contents of our minds and be honest with a fearlessness that says "this is me". I'm uncertain.

[@SAOProductions1955]

This is not only descriptive, but in many ways, prescriptive.

[@DavesWatchLove]

Yet it's interesting how no one's afraid to communicate directly and with conviction in the online comments section of any website out there. As sad as it is that people speak with such timidity about ideas, the comments section of most major websites are what cause me to lose all hope in humanity.

[@kittycathappy]

LOL... Is it like bad to say i like this story? LOL i love this man! his poems are so real and wished he was my teacher when i was in high school and or college.

[@PassionataSalsa]

They clapped even tho they don't know wtf he's talking about. They just laugh at his tone of voice.

[@NJAR31298]

saw this guy on youtube in english class. Thanks Mr. Rapien!

[@tyrell71454]

I used to watch this all the time. Do this show still come on?

[@rosey4exclaim]

This was amazing and terribly true. I've become more and more aware of the use of "like" in my Californian vocabulary, and I'm trying to remedy it.

[@Adeikov]

Definition sourced from the Oxford English Dictionary: Open-mindedness adj. Having an open mind; receptive to new ideas; unprejudiced. It comes under the category: unprejudiced (adj.). Interesting alternatives in the Historical Thesaurus: Liberal-minded, moderate, spacious, liberal, progressive, synoptic. You can access that OED dictionary at oed.com with your library card number.

[@martinguila]

I think this was funny but to quote Charles Bukowski: “The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence.” Having authority and confidence doesn't make you right but it does create a lot of dogma, fundamentalism and conflict.

[@martinguila]

+jake gerken Im not at all saying its good to be inarticulate, Im just saying claiming absolute certainty is dogmatic and anti scientific. It is the epistemology of ISIS and Hitler. Its very hard to have a political discussion in a room with people that have stong "convictions" they tend to always deny being wrong. We should never belive fully in anybody elses bullshit but we also should not believe fully in our own bullshit. We are all fallible and accepting that means we can begin to make progress.

[@gt40mk21]

It is perplexing. I totally hear what you're saying. Yet, there is definitely something ungrounded in the "uptalk" tone. Should we be seeking approval for everything we say, or should we just - say it? If we are surrounded by constantly self-doubting voices, I think that also makes it hard to move on. Because confidence leads to inspiration. We have to feel we can inspire others, because we all need that. If you think someone is wrong in their conviction, then your part is to tell them so - and that is when it is correct to tread somewhat softly. If a person isn't open to that, that's a problem. But it doesn't mean everyone should soften or nullify their conviction.

[@martinguila]

+John Ford No Im against approval seeking. Like when a polititian cant give a straight answer to "do you believe in evolution, or climate change?", because they want to play nice with everybody and not lose any votes. But before just saying it we should check that it is actually true and we should'nt claim more certainty than what is justified. Donald Trump is perhaps "just saying it" but that can also be just spreading ignorance. For example I study environmental science and if i should speak about climate change it would be very important to be clear about to what level of certainty we know stuff. A speach with conviction and confidence would seem political and dishonest. But perhaps there are times when it is good to speak with "conviction" like when you're talking about values and so on. But speaking with authority seams to be about using power and fear to shut others voices down.

[@gt40mk21]

+Martin Hallén Agreed - there are definitely situations where convictions must be 100% backed up by reality, facts and absolute certainty, before they can be professed with a tone of authority. But as you allude to, people need to speak with confidence about their *personal* convictions on values, life, morality and such.

[@Kinaasan]

This was very, very very good. No lie. I SPEAK WITH CONVICTION MR!

[@ryantrueman3451]

One of the single greatest pieces of spoken word of the 21st century…and I don’t care if you agree or not. Speak with conviction 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@KissTheBall]

his shirt is an epic win, just like him and his poems.

[@RoCk4LiFe90]

He is conflating two different types of "authority. The first use of "authority" is a noun, it's a thing/entity. The second use of "authority" is an adverb, it modifies the verb "to speak." I don't know if he made a mistake an didn't realize it, or if he intended to conflate the two. Why he would conflate them, I have no clue.

[@JustinTimeFly]

The Scrabble t-shirt completes it.

[@lotictrance]

Goddamn I love Taylor Mali. Anyone who just now found him, PLEASE look up some of his other work. Really, a genius.