Johnny Harris Addresses His Online Criticism & Tricky Mormon Past |

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Johnny Harris is an Emmy-award winning journalist known for his incredible work on his self-named channel as well as with Vox and the New York Times. You can check it out here: @johnnyharris
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
00:48 - Sponsorship
02:25 - The “Johnny” Effect
07:16 - What Johnny Learned From the Mormon Church
12:46 - Johnny’s Regrets from the Church
16:10 - An Inconvenient Paradox
19:06 - Johnny on Leaving the Church
21:40 - Independent Journalism
24:20 - Online Criticism
39:55 - Seasons of Work & Seasons of Rest
56:18 - Johnny’s Daily Routine
1:05:25 - Online Validation
1:12:23 - Johnny’s Advice for Creators
1:23:44 - Concluding Thoughts
My newsletter🍦→ www.nathanieldrew.com/newsletter
Instagram → / nathanieldrew_
Listen to the audio version of the podcast → anchor.fm/nobackupplan
My online courses → www.nathanieldrew.com/onlinec...
Patreon → / nathanieldrew
My gear 📷 → www.nathanieldrew.com/my-gear

[@aliabdaal]

Amazing convo

[@patrick5301]

2x speed gang, come together here 😂

[@vmvm949]

@nobackupplan do a podcast with Ali! aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[@ThePresentPast_]

All for doing god's work Nathaniel ^^ It was really cool to be able to contribute on such an important topic!

[@Olesiaro]

Keep it up!

[@jmerosmer]

😊😊😊😊

[@railpressureflip]

"I think a lot of people grind just to say "fuck you" to the world that made them feel small" Holy shit. Something I've been feeling all my life but never been vocal about has been vocalized by Johnny Harris, its very endearing and assuring to hear that! I guess that's truly the current-gen metaphor for "The best revenge is to live well".

[@KaraandNate]

Really loved this ep guys 🙌🏻 thanks so much for the great convo!

[@seongiljeong6253]

Wow I didn't expect you guys to be here 😂

[@DanielTitchener]

"Curiosity must be protected like a little flame" 💯

[@jotaele.44]

The Johnny Effect is REAL. After finding his channel, I changed my bad habits and started working on being productive; I threw all my furniture out and redid my room. Now I'm looking into studying again

[@philbrooks5979]

It's so good to know Johnny has grown into a much better person after leaving such an abusive and controlling cult. I hope he can continue to help those currently stuck inside this deception to leave.

[@gregwoodin5630]

Why does the thumbnail look like you're having an argument with each other 😂

[@jasso.183]

To me, it's more like a dog seeing itself in the mirror for the first time. Sheer confusion and a dash of fear 😅

[@swiftflight7927]

Cause people are more likely to click it

[@seasand6705]

Clicks

[@markmarkson909]

Sweet sweet Clicks

[@Maarji]

This is literally the youtuber aesthetics

[@GiftLee]

I find myself replaying certain parts just to reassure myself of the insights. It's also strangely comforting to hear that dealing with online criticism is still hard for both of you, and that it's okay - even advised - to not monetize every aspect of your life. Thank you for sharing!

[@elegancia6179]

OK, but on a real note, tell iz that we miss her sm and she’s my fave and that the haters opinions don’t matter because we miss her+ yalls travel/personal/ mental health content 😭😭

[@emilybrightly]

I am slightly weirder because I love moths!! Did you know there are almost 10 times as many moth species than butterflies and so many with fantastic colours and patterns! I even paint them they are so beautiful!! Anyway absolutely phenomenal podcast between you two, I could listen every week on all your thoughts and ideas! Thanks Nathaniel for bringing these kind of conversations to us all. 👏

[@developingtank]

Trying to get more into creating KZbin content and have been a fan of both of your work for years. I don’t have anyone around me who does KZbin seriously, so it was nice to be a fly on the wall for this type of conversation. Cheers

[@katandantonio]

What a great conversation, thank you for sharing it with all of us.

[@raoufaimene2838]

Great conversation! Thank you!

[@GlynTaylor]

Wow I've watched so many of this guys videos and been amazed at his productivity. It's great to hear how he does it

[@maurogarcia2012]

85 minutes that I felt like 30 seconds 😆 Such an amazing conversation! Thank you and Johnny for sharing. I've been following you both for many years, and I love to you working together in this new format. Btw, it would be really interesting if you could bring Iz to the podcast!

[@dottiebowles]

Yes! Do a podcast with Iz too! :D

[@kimiimore]

This is so helpful and inspiring! THANK YOU 🫶🏻

[@JosephCannell]

This was great! Loved the conversation

[@ProducedbyRIFAT]

Having friends like them in life are Literal goals! Loved this episode!!

[@MindfulGrinds]

I am not even sure how to describe how fantastic watching this interview is. I admire you both and resonate so much with your philosophies and feelings about how we approach religion in general as the marketing and conversion style is certainly not religated to just the Morman Church. Great interview! One of the most elaborate and well spoken interviews I have seen in quite a long time. Just WOW!

[@MishaElRusito]

Very helpful insights about the work/rest balance. Great podcast!

[@davidjenson7773]

Perfection is the highest form of self abuse. As a former Mormon this is a reality.

[@matcha.always]

NICE, gonna listen to yall tomorrow on my walk, im excited

[@zayneytem]

Definitely a legendary episode. 🔥👌

[@augelvin]

This is gold, I resonate with the “all in” season and “rest” season. Glad that there is someone else who works the same way as me

[@aceshigh5338]

Wonderful convo!!!

[@murraymusic741]

Such an incredible conversation 👌🔥

[@Iamandrewellis]

Amazing episode. Love hearing more about Johnny Harris and yourself

[@tylerjclifton]

Really good convo! Been a fan of Johnny’s videos for a while

[@janicegreen534]

Loved this convo. 😊

[@rondypondy]

Oh wow. One of the most engaging thought provoking conversations I’ve heard in a while. Especially the ending bits.

[@hadi_177re]

oh my god .....my two favorite people on youtube talking together ... I can listen to this forever

[@maurogarcia2012]

I was thinking the same. Matt D'avella would be welcomed too

[@Laurod24]

Great questions and analysis Drew!

[@mecsp]

Very well done , thank you both.

[@thedanieljojo]

as a soon to be dad and film maker at an age of 24 I relate hard and really needed to hear this.

[@madihill9804]

Absolutely loved hearing Johnny’s perspective. As someone who is a part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, it is hard to hear such a big generalization of a religious group from one person’s experience - especially in regard to a mission and what the purpose of that is. For me, my mission was much more focused on service and charity work, while teaching people was good to have if people were interested. And I know lots of different countries around the world are different as well! There are definitely different reasons why people leave the church, but also why people choose to stay (myself included.) Loved the conversation and bringing to light different ideas, while recognizing both the positives and the negatives. Thank you for sharing!

[@ijn2252]

Agreed. I've struggled in my relationship with the church, and while there are regrets I have in association with the church, it's been a force for so much good in my life. I understand all too well why people leave, but the reasons to stay (not shame related) are deeply embedded in my life.

[@grantbeck9228]

I think most people leave the church because it isn’t true.

[@cosmic_user]

I love this episode. Thank you!!!!

[@bubblydistrict]

25:42 "a person like that is doing God's work" (about the historian who fact checked Johnny's video) - FACTS! And respect to Johnny for handling the situation so well.

[@JamesPuente]

Wow, I appreciate the advice at the end. I am 100% in that space where what I'm creating is not necessarily catered to a particular audience (that I know of lol) but it is my travel experience and for me in a way. I'm accepting that. If it takes off and were somehow to produce an income, great. If not, great, core memories were captured. Hearing y'all discuss this makes me reflect and recognize that my current phase is okay, and if I want to monetize, I'll need to pivot to more of what provides value to wider audiences. Appreciate this conversation!

[@ChristianVaerum]

As a Dane, gotta love the big Denmark school map as the backdrop. Great video!

[@LutherBottrill]

Loving this so far - what an interesting guy

[@AlvinHolguin]

Good stuff. Loved his "freshly packaged, and tied up" advice about making art for an audience vs making art for yourself. Thanks, guys!

[@victornico]

Loved the meaning behind his two tattoos: the juniper branches and the machine branches. A nice imagery and reminder of two different states of human operation like input vs. output. Like Nathaniel would say maybe two different modus operandi.

[@thaihm]

Well, I appreciate your work over the years…the host too. 🙏🏼👍🏽❤️

[@anja7787]

THIS IS SO GOOD. I want MORE

[@thruschizoaffectiveeyes]

Loving this even more than Johnny Harris videos.

[@KhanStopMe]

Incredible conversation

[@TheBrokenFrog]

The way he is describing how the organization is set up for him to thrive, it's like finding an optimal system of constraints that allows you to channel your energy into action most effectively. Eliminating the degrees of freedom can be so beneficial. Really interesting conversation, thank you.

[@ameliaarrows2790]

The need to "prove the world" is so relevant to me. I'm currently trying to undo that to avoid this "toxic" veiw of overcoming narratives. where I don't pin my success based on the fact that someone else thought i couldn't succeed/ but on the amount of support I recieved and the amount of hard work I have done to get to this point

[@yarasaoud]

Amazing. thank you

[@leadevr]

Already listening 😎✨

[@user-sw6fx4tw4d]

Hooray!! My favorite KZbinrs made a great podcast 🎉

[@TheNewTravel]

Fantastic interview! I really like Johnny’s point about keeping some of your interests “just for yourself”. I’ve got to think on that.

[@seabreeze1436]

amazing!!!!

[@accidentallyanderson]

Why is Nathaniel so obsessed with productivity? Sure, it’s good to have goals and to work towards them but being obsessive about anything isn’t healthy… yet he seems to promote this a lot on his channel. Also, he seems like someone who is hyper-focused on productivity to the point where it hinders other aspects of his life… he’s made videos about struggling to make friends & to date women… and I wonder if maybe there’s a part of him that’s so focused on himself & his own accomplishments that he’s constantly putting himself first and people pick up on that energy. He even says jokingly in this video that he always feels like he’s the main character, and even though it was a joke it kinda does feel like one of those jokes where there’s a nugget of truth in there.

[@DAMfoxygrampa]

I wonder if this qualifies as cyber bullying 😂

[@hanumanji23]

Maybe that's how existence made him and it's a part of his uniqueness. People are free not to watch his videos if they don't like it.

[@jakewelch.design]

Johnny, I resonate with your complicated feelings on your mission. I'm also exmormon & worked as a missionary in Colombia -- I've had to grapple not only with the manipulation aspects of my missionary work, but also the fact that I was participating in colonization. I was telling people with indigenous American roots that they descended from white jews who believed in a white god -- it feels scary that I was helping a large corporation with a long history of destroying native american culture to re-write the histories & cultures of the Colombian people who quite frankly were often vulnerable.

[@rose_clips]

I like this convo. I wish the volume is higher (or maybe this is just on my devicd 🤷🏻‍♀️).

[@manthroat]

Remember not to push towards the future so hard that you miss what is going on right around you in the present. I have always looked to the future and what is next but being so focused on whats coming I have to watch myself to make sure I see whats happening NOW around me. Love you and your channels! Keep up the great work!

[@arelvalerie]

His video a couple years ago about leaving church showed me an idea that I really can think about leaving the church. And I am so grateful for that video.

[@grantbeck9228]

I had never heard of him before I left the church but feel very similar to him about growing up Mormon, leaving the church in my 30s, and now living my chosen life with my eyes wide open

[@sataan]

Great episode

[@alissong.]

I'm a member of the church, that was a interesting podcast, even not agreeing with everything that was said, I feel both of you were respectful all times, good job, looking forward the next episodes.

[@soniarosaciocca8699]

These are the types of conversations that invigorate curiosity.

[@iamjasonthompson]

1:08:15 that part right there! I’m a bit older than Johnny and I think about this all the time. Not to have the delusion that timing would be the only thing to guarantee success but timing and the market is seriously a thing.

[@itsdavidmora]

LOVED this convo. Especially the parts about Johnny's approach to work, & his view on being a creative full time. Thank you, Nathaniel!

[@LuckyDogProductions]

Nice discussion, ya never know when things will hit or work out, run with it if ya can.

[@ashah2680]

“It’s the machine dude” 😂😂

[@confusedlofi]

damnnnnnnnnn i'm sure as hell goiing to love this one

[@brandonvoloch]

I love johhny harris literally makes the best vids on youtube

[@brentbowman5574]

I have similar feelings about my mission - I learned so many things from it even though I don't believe in the church any longer. I wish all youth could have a similar multi-year experience before continuing on to higher education.

[@grantbeck9228]

I grew up in a tiny desert town in Arizona. I went on my mission to Seoul Korea and it was the best thing I could have done for me as a person. I left the church in my 30s and feel much the same way Johnie does about the proselytizing I did on my mission, but it was one of the most important events in my life

[@josemorales5117]

Johnny just made me laugh when he said: *well .. mea culpa. I'm sorry" 😆

[@JustWojtek]

First let me say: I deeply appreciate the content both of you put out. Still though: How would you even know what the demand is, when you don't have any access to it? The way I understand YT is, that it's already a gamble to even get in front of the audience these days. For you guys it's different. YT "knows" the audience you've build over the years. I could publish a video on the exact same topic with the exact same title and an almost identical thumbnail at the exact same time you guys do and there is still a significant chance, that basically nobody or only a few ppl from the target audience would actually ever see it. And when "nobody" ever sees a video of mine, where would I even get the data from that suggests a valid demand to me? From my YT feed? That's the exact same fallacy you were speaking about in this video.

[@ProducedbyRIFAT]

interesting point

[@Thekohistani]

jhonny harris should start a podcast and start getting deeper about his topics.... patreon here

[@rooteddwellings]

(Started writing a point and then turned into a journal lol) Dude John and I had kinda the same childhood. I had undiagnosed ADHD until I was 25... I was in a Oklahoma southern baptist church community (cult) (didn't know it was a cult until a party some kid was talking about his childhood trauma stemming from his family's Cult, I asked what cult then he named my church... Then another kid at a different party talked about his church being a cult... my church... Asked my mom "was our church a.... " My mom finished my sentence and said "cult ...yes it was"). I love what morals and work ethics was taught. But also I was taught it was shameful to not work really hard with the people in your life to collaborate with people in your life to intertwining our work to take advantage of "non-church" folk. The Elders through my years all began owning successful businesses my Dads bible study group was wild all started businesses... AII of them! and they taught their kids + me that if you don't work as hard as you can towards a goal you are disappointing elders and peers.. Bad deal for me cause I was abnormally smart due to my ADHD (well national testing), but did not correlate to grades. Teachers loved and hated me once my ADHD started effecting me around 10th grade when i couldn't just coast by cause i hardly had to work to get good grades. Then my grades would start slipping so all As and a one D in a easy class and then all my non favorite classes I started doing bad... I could get a perfect score on test but couldn't do easy busy work or focus on it at all... So my grades would suffer but my testing scores were in the 90% of national testing scores some in the 99 percentile. Damned that adhd didn't have awareness back then because I checked every box but the hyper active box... So i felt shame daily that I was not smart, or good because my worth then was in school. In college I could hyper focused and became obsessive over plant science... started a business with a friend cause i was taught to intertwine friends with in business. (Don't have time to finish my point) But hopefully i will come back to finish

[@Zayonisation]

The first question on the quality of production just baffles me as Johnny is NOT a good journalist, misinforms through oversimplification and does not conduct adequate due diligence thus promoting scams such as Established titles and then he's like "This is me, this is who i am as a person". Let's make it clear, Johnny is a youtuber that provides content as a product first. When he talks about subs as a measure of success it makes a lot of sense. Journalist, not even second.

[@ibrrich6730]

I would love to see your conversation with Barbs from Geography Now.

[@luis6589]

Marvellous

[@bubblydistrict]

love ❤

[@bekind6869]

we love iz

[@JesusDelBarrioS]

So sad to hear about the baptism count. My mission was way different. I believe in the church but I have always fought against numbers and more on faith.

[@vergelsevilla3594]

It really depends on how chill the Mission President is lol. I enjoyed my mission, I met people and taught them the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have no regrets.

[@esgee3829]

this was easier to listen to. i did not finish my laundry. when will it get done

[@helenjensen3729]

Why is there a map af Denmark in the background?

[@skaf3413]

Why is there a map of Denmark in the background?

[@NoahMiller-yg3nt]

Anyone know where I can find the shirt Johnny is wearing?

[@m3chs_makes]

Damn, never before have I heard someone else say so many things that I totally agree with and describe how I approach or view things. Weird to hear that from someone else but also good. Though, my field of "obsessions" for the seasons of work is IT an Tech.

[@auto137226]

I am a 66 y/o gay ex-Mormon. I had many of the same experiences. I learned Spanish, learned to work hard, learned to deal with people. I do regret the time and negative influence I had on myself and others. When you leave a high-demand religion, life does get better. I enjoy watching both of you crafting your lives.

[@discoverzen9459]

Independent Journalism!

[@craighughes536]

Another banger of a video Nathaniel...Jay Swanson and Johnny need a hook up ASAP...what a great convo...

[@Bailytusu]

It's rarely to watch johnny harris conversation

[@MightyWeeks]

36:16 "Learn what is yours." We as a society desperately need this mentality.

[@joshuastclairmusic]

Practicing jazz piano every morning hits different. No wonder he is so productive, that is his secret!

[@magnetotwister]

Johnny inspires me to be a better person. I’m curious even though he left the Mormon church, as to whether or not he still has a relationship with God?

[@grantbeck9228]

Not the father in heaven we Mormons were brought up believing. That God clearly does not exist. Why does one need a “relationship with god”? What does that even mean?

[@bekind6869]

so siked for this, I mean it’s Johnny ?!!!

[@Milarrful]

I would love to hear an episode with Iz

[@devidarsana]

I can’t believe that Johnny lived in Tijuana, freaking crazy. I’m from that rude land and believe me when I say that Tijuana forms you in the most unbelievable ways. It’s almost like go through hell and rebirth.😅

[@melicr92]

Going on three years of living in TJ now and this place has BUILT my character in crazy ways

[@thruschizoaffectiveeyes]

I love moss.

[@AkysChannel]

I have to say that especially in the second part they went over some interesting topics. But I can't help the feeling that the conversation, especially at the beginning, felt a bit synthetic or not really natural

[@rooteddwellings]

Lol i can tell you guys are friends do to the intro

[@paferia732]

Hey guys! Thanks for sharing this conversation. Please understand that these are Johnny’s perception of how he sees the church. Not the experience everyone encounters. It is important to view this as an opinion and get your own personal experience and understanding of it. Mine has been the complete opposite. I served a mission, never pressured anyone to converting, in fact, many turned us away and we would leave. Normal. I had multiple conversations with amazing people that never converted neither did I pressure them to do so. If you look at Johnny he never got called out by anyone in his circle for leaving. His answer was he didn’t get backlash. Of course there are intense people in the church like in every organization but doctrinally that is incorrect. In fact we are taught to love. The fact is everyone is imperfect at it. So yeah just like you judge people as a regular human being, same happens with human beings inside a religion. The question is how invested are you in changing that or becoming better. Whether you are religious or not you can seek that change for the better. Some people choose religion to do so. Also, I was raised in Colombia so his experience about the church is way different from my own - culture is very important in this conversation

[@grantbeck9228]

My experience was more like Johnies experience. I served in Seoul Korea and the proselytizing pressure in a society that wanted nothing to do with the Mormon church was unbearable. I felt like I wasted two years of my life and it paved the way to me leaving the church. I still don’t regret my mission, even tho I can honestly say I didn’t really have a choice, it was wonderful to live in Seoul for two years at that incredible time of my life. I opened my mind and the pretty soon the mental prison I had been raised in became unbearable.

[@naormeningher]

I wish you asked him about the Established Titles sponsorship scam debacle

[@elegancia6179]

Can you elaborate

[@zayneytem]

​@Elegancia Established Titles is a company that sponsored a lot of KZbinr a few months back. They really small plots of land in Scotland. If you buy it, they'll give you a certificate/title where it says you're a Lord or Lady, basically a form of royalty. The scam is, they let their marketing team say it's a legally binding document. They keep on saying you can legally change your name to have Lord in like Attorney or Doctor in all your IDs, Credit Cards, etc. And there's a long rabbithole of Established Titles being owned by a scam monther company that also owns Kamikoto Knives which are the made of the lowest quality steel for but marketed as being handmade by skilled knife makers in Japan despite the fact all their offices, manufacturing, and employees are all located in China. Johnny was unfortunately one of the KZbinrs that took their sponsorship and did an ad read on a video. And probably led to a lot of his subscribers to fall for that scam.

[@naormeningher]

@@elegancia6179 kzbin.info/www/bejne/pmO6Y4eAj757qdk

[@David_10157]

Yeah, or the Better Help scandal seeing how he's frequently sponsored by them.

[@penguinswithwifi]

Just think how great it would be for young Americans if we had a 2-year required service in a different part of the country or world to tutor kids or clean up cities or take care of the elderly. It would give our youth the discipline & maturity and values that can benefit our entire society. Or it could be required military service as they do in Israel or South Korea.