Screwing Up: Two Stories From When I Worked at a TV Station

I worked at a TV station when I was in college. It was a really fun and interesting job and I learned a lot of things that remain very useful to my life. I'm really grateful to the people I worked with at OTV, and I hope they're all doing well!
This story, people will likely notice, has some things to do with a conversation society is having around cultural appropriation. I think this is a frame through which some people who might be resistant to the idea that cultural appropriation is disrespectful or harmful could better understand it. But I don't think it's the same thing...for a bunch of different reasons.
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[@WorldWideWong]

"You are DIRT if you don't know how to coil a cable!" TRUER WORDS HAVE NEVER BEEN SPOKEN!!!

[@noahrenken3773]

Stagehand 101

[@FordRasmussen]

When I learned how to do this in my broadcast journalism class my mind was blown. Then I figured out if you coil earbuds this way, they tangle way less too!

[@Delta07Sev]

I want this on a shirt! I don't even know how many freshmen I had to teach the over/under dance :D

[@Jemima1377]

The obvious question now is: please Hank, would you show us, how to properly coil a cable?

[@summer6100]

I would by that tshirt

[@JamesTM]

This kind of respect, the "I don't understand what's wrong but I understand that something isn't right so im going to stop doing it anyway" is what we need more of the world. People are complicated and the things that hurt or upset them is also complicated. Nobody can understand everything and you can't always relate to everyone. But taking just that small step of "there are other jackets in the world" is enough to make all the difference. This applies to so many things: from using someone's requested pronouns to not saying "God damn it" in front of a group of nuns. (The latter was me. I did that.) Do you *have* to? No. Just like you didn't have to take off the jacket. It's more complicated than that. But it's also more simple: show small courtesies when you can, because why not?

[@theFailQuail]

And this is what people mean when they say they wish the world was more KIND.

[@rachelfountain1052]

I totally agree. People complain about the world becoming more and more "PC," and while I do believe people should choose not to take offense, I also believe that people should try their best to be kind and courteous to others. Isn't that the treatment we all want?

[@user-fv5ol4or1b]

i agree

[@kirbyfreak73]

+

[@sylvy16]

this! it’s so annoying when i like people to maybe not do certain things or just inform me before doing certain things that bother me to the point of anger and uncontrollable sadness but they just tell me to “be stronger” or something and don’t listen even if it causes me psychic pain.

[@hatorigirl1202]

It is SO hard to articulate that "I don't know why, but this feels weird and wrong, so I'm just going to avoid it" thing. People might be like, yeah, but it's just a jacket, or yeah, but what's it matter? And I don't know if or how much it does, but if I can just make a different choice and avoid the thing that feels off, then I'm gonna. And don't knock thrift stores. They are the cheapest sustainable clothing option out there.

[@vlogbrothers]

Agree!! On all points!

[@BloggedLifeNina]

I don't think Hank meant to imply a negative about thrift stores, I think he was using a shorthand to say that he didn't put a lot of money into looking good and ultimately it lead to some questionable choices.

[@hatorigirl1202]

@@BloggedLifeNina Yeah, I figured, still not an ideal shorthand was all I was saying. It's not like I was mad or offended. Just clarifying.

[@fairycat23]

+

[@AxiomPenguin]

I agree it came off as "I didn't care how I looked," but I think it was meant as an explanation of how he ended up with the jacket

[@heyjustj]

I LOVE this story. Mostly I love how that man handled the situation. He created introspection and change without the need to beat you down or even tell you what to do. You CHOSE to change because he taught you in a simple way. Sure not everyone will change, but the power of compulsion will never create a lasting change like the power of education and choice. Using our agency is what creates real and lasting change.

[@vlogbrothers]

He did do it really very well.

[@miche8868]

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[@randomsandra4039]

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[@zachiggins7022]

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[@YellaSpiceFamily]

I'm equally impressed that Hank internalized this lesson so well eventually! I'm not the kind of person to make this mistake, and I watched a lot of other kids make similar mistakes to this in my youth (with very great and profound internal horror). It is SUCH a relief to hear an account proving that some of those awkward moments could've still turned into great lessons later on - I always kinda forced myself to believe that was possible, but until now I secretly suspected it of being delusionally optimistic. 😂

[@WulfTrax]

Military Brat checking in! Hank, you could have taken the patches off and still could have worn the jacket. Military surplus stores are called "military surplus" for a reason. Nobody cares who wears military clothing. It's important to point out that the jacket isn't the issue because that's what it sounds like you're saying here. Your boss pointed out, literally by poking you, that the patch mattered. Patches in the military not only designate rank, but they're also shorthand for your job (unit patches, for example). Patches, along with other things on military uniforms that have other meanings like ribbons and medals, are a quick shorthand for military personnel to know things about other members of the military. That's an important distinction, so I thought I'd bring it up so that anyone who doesn't know about this stuff can know about it. DFTBA!

[@kevinwells9751]

This is what I was wondering about, I figured it was more about the patch than the jacket, which makes me wonder (if you don't mind answering), why don't people remove the patches before donating them? They are the ones that know which patches/ribbons/etc. are significant and shouldn't be worn by civilians

[@ddogbud]

+

[@rexrittenberg9624]

Kevin Wells In the case of my brother who died while in service. A lot of his issued things ended up at the military surplus store with his patches and name tags still on. Not sure why. A friend of mine found a name tag of his and the shore owner gave it to him to give to me. I was super shocked and pleasantly surprised!

[@soulcstudios]

+1 this. I love my dad's old Military Jackets. He always removed all the patches before passing them along to his children and told us why he was doing that. I'm still too small to fit in them properly. Maybe I'll get one that does fit from a surplus store.

[@simsamsammie]

My dad found an old army jacket of his in our basement that didn't have any ranks, patches, etc. on it and gave it to me because I thought it looked cool and it had my last name on it. Most people who know my last name assume it was a relative's, strangers assume it was thrifted. Patch-less military clothing is just clothing, from what my military family has told me.

[@nyramurphy1845]

I love this. I think the worst feeling in the world is someone thinking you're disrespecting them, but in reality you're just ignorant. And you cant figure out what nerve exactly you hit on them bc you just don't understand the context of the whatever you've gotten yourself into

[@vlogbrothers]

+

[@mariewikiwaka3851]

I do my very best to not be offended by people who are genuinely unintentionally ignorant.

[@nyramurphy1845]

@@mariewikiwaka3851 I do too because I know what it's like to be on that side of things but I also try not be ignorant. It's obvious unavoidable sometimes though

[@coolafman]

Do not immediately attribute to malice what can as easily be blamed on ignorance. Give people the benefit of the doubt and they might surprise you.

[@mirnder]

The worst thing is when people get upset for but then don't explain why the thing is upsetting... I want to know so I don't do the thing in the future!

[@ryan.olson.m]

Can, uh...can we have a video on how to properly coil a cable? I suddenly feel like it's a necessary skill.

[@ruthiecarroll312]

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[@PandDaBaby]

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[@alicecat8942]

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[@olivermisbach2454]

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[@javi7636]

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[@gemmalucas3506]

Who's here for the wholesome introspective reflections?? 🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️

[@jadersanctem]

Me, literally everytime they post a video

[@kjmlucero]

+

[@NateandNoahTryLife]

Can’t wait for Hank Green’s “TALES FROM A POOPY WALMART”

[@zipzap8937]

Confirmed next Hank's channel video?

[@fairydustcryptid]

20 minute video on the hell that is Wal-Mart

[@MatthewStinar]

I've worked as a janitor several places, including Walmart. I enjoy being the guy who doesn't care how filthy or disgusting the bathroom is. I like to joke that apathy is my superpower. I once mopped up vomit at Walmart and then took an early lunch because I was feeling hungry.

[@ieuanhunt552]

Still waiting

[@JatPhenshllem]

@@MatthewStinar I've lost part of my smell, and I'm pretty sure I'm getting to your level. I sometimes joke that I lost part of my soul and apart from smell and taste, nothing can disgust me

[@RithSV]

"If something seems wrong you should tell someone" is legit good advice, really. Better to be safe than sorry! Applies in so many situations and we'd be getting a lot of things done better if people just spoke up.

[@RithSV]

Also, what you said at the end there reminded me of "I know now that I know nothing" which is a line from Groundhog Day the Musical and a reference to the Socratic paradox.

[@esterprokesova6849]

Yes! I agree so much. And always feel so terrible for my cowardice, which stops me from saying something. It's not even true that someone would scream at me in the past for pointing something out, it's just this completly irrational fear of being scolded or looking like an idiot that holds me back. Definitely something I'm still working on...

[@cenedra20]

+

[@dustinhiatt3835]

This is an issue I struggle with. I guess I have an irrational fear of seeming ignorant/clueless. Generally I would just stay quiet and hope that someone else notices or the issue resolves itself

[@sylvy16]

i feel like my school instilled a habit in me of just being quiet, cause when i told teachers that something was wrong anywhere, they’d blame me of being too full of myself and not respecting my elders and that just deflated any healthy self esteem i had.

[@savanah2704]

This is something I’ve been aware of throughout my life. My mom told me when I was young that my body is a billboard and I should be aware of what I am advertising. This has made me really careful about the symbols on the clothing I wear.

[@Kowzorz]

@Brèagha and Me I know you're joking, but remember that the billboard is made of more than simply what's printed upon it. The item itself is loaded with symbols that may or may not have meaning. The shape of the sleeves, the cut of the shoulders, how the collar looks, the brand and their choices in those other decisions, etc etc.

[@fugithegreat]

Yeah, a billboard that pays big money for advertising products... all these companies are secretly crossing their fingers that nobody wises up about the merch.

[@savanah2704]

I mean, if it’s something I like then I don’t really mind being a vessel for advertising. That’s probably why I wear a lot of stuff from DFTBA... lol

[@GetToKnowNature]

I really enjoyed this: the editing and the story about the military jacket were really compelling. It would be cool if the ex-Air Force tv guy could see this and know what an effect that poke in the arm had.

[@randomsandra4039]

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[@toobusytocreateaname]

Get To Know Nature +

[@part-timepartytime9621]

Yeah, I often wonder what little gestures I've done that people remember. I've asked a few and it's always the most bizarre, mundane things. I bet that ex-Air Force guy doesn't even remember poking him in the shoulder.

[@GetToKnowNature]

@@part-timepartytime9621 You're right, I bet he doesn't remember it at all.

[@silverlinedheart]

+

[@TheLetterbomber]

Probably my favourite Vlogbrothers video for a while. Thank you, Hank. THank.

[@fletcherfernau7393]

Agreed! This was extra thoughtful and well done.

[@moomooinc5798]

Their is no u in favorite

[@saber1epee0]

THank Hank for Hank!

[@averiladwig5943]

omg love "THank"

[@sharonfleshman6961]

Moomoo...there is no "i" in that use of "there ". Also Canada and Britain and Australia and New Zealand and South Africa will put a "u" in favorite/favourite.

[@SeanA099]

2:40. Actually that’s Senior Master Sergeant

[@iisgray]

Yeah, I noticed that too and found it a little more cute every time he said MSgt. It was one of those things that accidentally REALLY proves his point in a way that he couldn't have done on purpose without it being really obvious. 10/10

[@yatint9665]

1:58 is probably better...

[@iisgray]

I mean, he probably remembers what it looked like more accurately than the rank. Probably, he even saw the rank when he searched for the picture and just doesn't realize a senior master sergeant and a master sergeant are meaningfully different

[@No0utlet]

@@iisgray I would argue that it's possible he found out what rank it was from that producer and remembers the rank name. Then in searching for the badge, he found a senior master sergeant badge because it matched the query "master sergeant".

[@anthonybowman3423]

@@iisgray Ehhhhh.... E-7's and E-8's share a lot of billets. I'm totally not just saying that because I never got past E-5.

[@jordansmith9176]

I remember my mom teaching me about stolen valor when I was shopping and found a cute jacket that was military style. She checked it to make sure all the patches were fake ones. It means a lot to some people and you’re right- there are other jackets.

[@LifeLostSoul]

Seriously thrift stores are going to make no money then because as the person who comes from a military family we donate all of our military clothing to thrift stores. And most of the time it's because is "no longer serviceable" or are no longer in regulations which means other service members could not purchase it either. So these items of clothing would have to be purchased by civilians and we are donating it with the intention that they would possibly be purchased by civilians.

[@kevinwells9751]

@@LifeLostSoul Do you think it's a reasonable solution to buy used military clothes and just take the patches off to indicate that you aren't claiming them as yours?

[@mortisCZ]

@@kevinwells9751 That's what I do. I usually sew some other patch on that place...like Star Trek logo or Avengers logo on that spot. It's partly to cover the spot that might be a different shade under the original patch and partly to admit that I'm no veteran but rather sci-fi fan buing cheap yet solid clothes.

[@DrumWild]

Remember that the person who earned that valor, or maybe their family member, made the decision to dump it into a thrift store. This is the subject that nobody is discussing.

[@jordansmith9176]

@@DrumWild It wasn't a thrift store! It was a regular store selling military-STYLE jackets so she made sure they weren't manufacturing patches to put on this jacket, if that makes sense. Just slapping those patches on this fake jacket would have been a different kind of disrespect than wearing someone else's earned patches.

[@jackietea8772]

I will never forget in high school (late 90s), when I was a cheerleader. We lived near a reservation, and we had a lot of Native Americans that went to our school. We also played a school with the mascot "Indians". One day at cheer camp we were practicing cheers in the park. The camp leader asked us what one of the mascots were that we played against to use in the cheers... Being the dumb and young white people we were we non-chalantly we said "indians" because that team was the first one to come to mind. We started cheering things like "Beat the indians" "smash the indians" etc.... A few minutes later we realized we were cheering right next to a native family in the park. It was one of those moments of introspection and shame.... and from that day forward we NEVER used the schools mascot in cheers, and I have been VERY very against race as mascots ever since.

[@ziodice6166]

On feelings of disrespect towards the military (a general thought, not towards Hank in particular), from the P.O.V of an active duty Marine: there are a lot of problems with the military, in all shapes and sizes, issues which get more and more important as you get farther up the chain of command, and thus a lot of reasons to take issue with the military, as a whole. However, as a member of an organization that is absolutely obsessed with symbols, I've realized that one has to remember: the insignias, patches, and symbols on an article of military uniform may represent the organization as a whole, but they also represent the individual people like myself within it, and the trials, tribulations, and camaraderie that we've shared with our brothers and sisters in arms. For example, the Eagle Globe and Anchor is the emblem of the Marine Corps, but it's also a reminder of the time a man who broke me down and built me up, effectively re-taught me the differences between right and wrong; looked me in the eye and said "Congratulations, Marine." as he placed it in my hand. I've got my own problems with the Marines, the military, and the country at large; but that moment and moments like that still mean that that symbol is everything to me. Thank you to Hank, and to many people like Hank, for making some effort to respect symbols that they may or may not understand the significance of.

[@patblack781]

Could tell half my life under the caption 'screwing up'

[@brantwedel]

screwing up is the best way to learn ;-)

[@Schlaym]

For a moment I didn't realize he was referring to Hank's last name when saying "Green", I just thought he was talking about what a newbie he was.

[@Vezitos]

CABLE WRANGLING MATTERS, DANG IT!

[@stedwards311]

It absolutely does. I work at a public access TV station (as the equipment manager, even) and that's the first thing I teach newbie volunteers who come to my shoots.

[@PerriwinklePadfoot]

This video is weirdly relevant to my life because I work at a tv station and I’m in film school and I’ve made that same mistake with sound before and also my brother was in the air force lol. Thx for the good advice!

[@cheyennehawes]

Oh my gosh do I agree! In my teenage years I was so ignorant in this way. I was a pacifist, and to me people who joined the military were worth less than me. But man did I love their aesthetic, and if I had found a similar jacket in a thrift store I absolutely would have worn it around like a proud jerkish kid who knows absolutely nothing about it. When I grew out of this phase and realized that the world is a lot more complicated and deserves much more careful thought than "war is wrong is every single situation possible," I planned to join the navy when I graduated high school. Then I developed a couple different mental illnesses that require constant treatment, so that didn't happen, but I gained a lot more respect for veterans and I think that was an important *growing up* time in my life. Thanks for sharing, Hank. DFTBA.

[@RangerRuby]

Work stories. They never get old. Sometimes they give another person a lesson, sometimes nothing happens and on person ends up mad, the other confused, and then finally, they can teach us a lesson. And not just the original person! Now, through the wonderful world of the internet, I can hear two stories from someone in Montana about lessons he learned at work and it is kind of awesome. Thanks for sharing, you never know how influential one video can be until you get influenced by one!

[@ssrkinz996]

“All I know is that I don’t know All I know is that I don’t know nothin” ~Operation Ivy

[@vlogbrothers]

Speaking of me in college...

[@ssrkinz996]

vlogbrothers haha I kinda figured. Loved your Catch 22 cover from years ago, btw.

[@stephenwurz]

Immediately thought of this song too!

[@jessesteele7495]

Great story! I love that Hank has 11 years of videos on KZbin and we still don't know things about him

[@IstasPumaNevada]

Request! Hank, teach us how to coil a cable! Put it on your second channel if you want, but I'd really like to see it/learn.

[@Attilles]

Crash Course Cable Coiling

[@user-wf3nl3vg3g]

It's not something that'd be too helpful in a video- you gotta feel the cables! The main principles are keeping a circumference about the size of your forearm (for hardcore audio/light cables at least- depends on the width/length of the cable really) and to wrap the cable over/under on top of itself! Afterwards you gently tuck the ends through. This keep It's important that cables are wrapped the same way every time because the metal on the inside retains its form- think like when you bend a paper clip too many times and it snaps. Keeping gentle circles allows it to easily unravel and not bend back and forth too much! These principles apply to all of the wires in your house, so it's good to remember when wrapping your phone cords or extension cords to keep them loose, round, and not to bend them too harsh.

[@SquirrelRave20]

I agree with Madeline. Maybe 3D or VR you could learn but I don’t think it’s something that would translate to video because the easiest way to learn is to stand next to someone and try to do what they do

[@NateandNoahTryLife]

What’s wrong with thrift store crop tops? You rocked it!

[@kateh7484]

I learned to coil in sailing lessons and it’s quite a valuable skill.

[@skylerwitherspoon]

There are other jackets in the world! Thank you! That's my biggest problem with stuff like this, is that it's preeetttty easy just to pick literally anything else

[@kevinwells9751]

I'm curious about this situation because someone in the military (or their family) had to have donated that jacket at some point, and they knew that the person buying it wouldn't be qualified for the rank it represented, so what did they want to have happen? Should the person who bought it remove the rank patches?

[@CandiceLovesJune]

This reminds me so much of my time as an elementary school teacher in Japan. I'd have students come to class with English on their clothes but no idea what it said. Usually it was just hilariously misspelled or out of context, but sometimes it was horribly vulgar, sexual or otherwise offensive language. It was obvious to me that no one knew what it said, not students, teachers, or whoever had purchased that shirt for the kid in the first place. So I was put in this uncomfortable position of having to decide if I want to tell someone what that shirt actually said or just keep it to myself. Telling other teachers often resulted in a shrug and a don't-rock-the-boat attitude, but telling an elementary schooler seemed...wrong? They're 10, I can't expect them to know what something written in English says. It was incredibly frustrating, being offended when no one else knew or cared that something was offensive to me.

[@mbrach98]

It's always good to hear about the experiences and mistakes that other people have made and what they've learned from it. Thanks for the perspective and opportunity to learn, Hank!

[@Adventurous-Emma]

"What I know is that I don't know." I recently had to explain what blackface was to my mom, and why it was offensive. She was horrified. She really didn't know, even said if someone invited her to do it in college she probably would have. It's been a couple weeks but she kept bringing it up, I could tell she really felt bad about it. I told her, "Mom, racism is something that we constantly have to unlearn. We will never be Not Racist, which is why it is so important to listen to people when they tell us we are. It's ok that you didn't know before, but it is NEVER ok to continue doing the thing after someone tells you it us wrong." I think that really helped her. What I know is that I don't know, but I damn well better listen when I'm told that I don't know.

[@athenamcgonagall6262]

The Vlogbrothers content I love. (I have always voted in favor of material like this on the Nerdfighter census; I’m so happy to see it each week.)

[@NateandNoahTryLife]

I’m 20 and work in TV currently, and there’s a lot to be learned in this industry. I hope I come away from this industry with some good knowledge. Also there is no pain like dropping a company microphone or lens.

[@imdaisybtw]

i'm amazed at how that producer conveyed so much in such a short phrase and how you have always been so observant that you took that message and practiced some self reflection on the power of the imagery your jacket had. I wish I was more observant and I wish so many more people reflected more about everyone's words about everything tbh.

[@acg4879]

Lots of people conflate making a mistake (bad judgement, wrong decision etc.) with being a ‘bad person’. Good to hear you pulling those two things apart here. 👍

[@shadebug]

“Do you know how to coil a cable?” It’s a single question that instantly tells you if somebody actually has any experience in some sort of production.

[@vulixirus]

lol, it was the first thing i was taught when i helped out in the tech booth for school plays. strangely i've always known it as "wrapping wires" but that's probably not the proper term

[@ElenaLin]

I would really love to hear more stories like these. Thank you for the video!

[@emmaharden8700]

I really appreciate this! This reminds me that all people screw up at some points in their lives, just like I do. It reminds me that no one knows everything and that’s ok as long as we keep learning from our mistakes. Thanks Hank for this pick me up!

[@jeremiahbaker985]

Sgt. Major Dickerson: What does three up and three down mean to you, airman? Adrian Cronauer: End of an inning?

[@crypticgiii323]

“I did not have great fashion sense- I still don’t.” Don’t worry about it, I still can’t find matching socks to save my life.

[@scottwatrous]

All I learned is only ever maintain one style/model of socks. But who can actually do that?

[@AlexAzureOtaku]

I've started wearing my unmatched socks as a personal style symbol. lol. I actually like the individual look.

[@DanThePropMan]

I accidentally leave the house without a belt on a semi-regular basis.

[@cedoniapeterson9239]

I have officially quit even pretending to care about mismatched socks. I just have a bucket of socks in my closet and I pull two of the necessary size out in the morning. Works fine for me.

[@MatthewStinar]

@@scottwatrous I do that, but I've had difficulty finding the exact same cut and style of sock twice in a row. My socks are at least close enough that no one would notice, not even me, once I'm wearing them.

[@pig8817]

My parents worked in the military and because of that, I grew up knowing and respecting the military. When I grew up I saw occasionally people like 19-year-old hank and it rubbed me the wrong way. Like you said they do not know anything about what that uniform means. They kept it clean and ironed and it represented the hardship they went through to serve the nation. What do civilians ware it for? Because it looks cool and I am anti-establishment enough to show my unwillingness to respect the meaning behind a uniform. That is why seeing people ware it feels weird, but also I can understand why people ware it. If you find it at a thrift store it is most likely cheap and it definitely looks cool. especially so if you grew up playing war video games. Because of my conflicting viewpoints, I am mostly ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ about the entire thing.

[@vlogbrothers]

Such a good point that, like, part of why I wore that was probably /active disrespect/ for the military. That seems very weird, like, why wear it if you don't respect it. But me wearing a military uniform is a way of taking away from the power of its symbols, and I probably felt that somewhere inside.

[@user-nj5ih8su8i]

Wear

[@DrumWild]

Did it rub you the wrong way when the person who earned the valor decided to dump it in a thrift store?

[@lindsayrioux]

@@DrumWild It wasn't necessarily that person's first choice to have taken it to a thrift store - they may have been down on their luck and needed to get rid of belongings, or they may have passed away and the clothing been donated by a family member. Remember to think complexly about issues that seem binary.

[@B3TT3RDAYS]

@@lindsayrioux It also might have just not fit them anymore, so they gave it up so that someone could get use out of it.

[@MT-ni8cd]

"There are other jackets in the world and I wore on of those." Most assuring sentence ever to a young person in existential crisis! Thank you Hank!

[@sarihoffman-dachelet4491]

I'm pretty sure the head of a local school districts media production team offered me a job because I could coil cables. I met him at an event I was working for my other job and I had coiled a cable and he was just like "hey, you, come work for me anytime" on the sole qualification that I got the cables the way he liked them.

[@emmachisholm8718]

I was once out a restaurant wearing a military jacket that I used to wear almost daily when the owner of the restaurant approached me. He told me he owned a jacket just like it when he fought in Afghanistan, and then he proceeded to share with me many fascinating stories and moments he’d had with the jacket. Most notably, the time he’d been able to fit 12 beer cans in the jackets many pockets. And while that experience did teach me something similar to yours, I also felt that I was able to connect to this man in some interesting way. I quite enjoyed the experience.

[@Jujujaywalking]

It never ceases to amaze me how John and Hank can create such a unique and meaningful story in 4 minutes so often. Thank you for yet another insightful lesson I will add to my collection as I continue to learn 😊

[@heidi64freedom]

Somehow, I just think hearing these two stories without anything else added to it seem important and crucial to the whole video concept? And I don't wanna tell why but it just does and I just wanna thank Hank for making the video just this somehow

[@SapphireSparrowFilms]

"It does not matter what you know... You are dirt if you don't know how to coil a cable" BLESS THIS. I'm showing this to my students the next time I teach cable wrapping! Also, I see that over/under action. Very well done Hank.

[@colleenmay9989]

"If something seems wrong, you should tell someone" has been my personal mantra at my new job because I am VERY BAD at asking for help

[@A.K_Music]

I saw your story about worrying about having to compete with John's video this week. I've got to say, I enjoyed this video just as much as John's, even though it was quite different. Just do you, Hank - it's the unique combination of your ideas and John's that always keeps me coming back :)

[@stuffbyfrank]

I watch so many vlogbrothers videos that they're always my top recommended videos, and somehow KZbin knows how to recommend the messages I need to hear. Even though I've seen most of these when they published its great to have relevant reminders for my life to pop up

[@JBDazen]

I'm so glad you guys are still doing this thing after 11 years :-)

[@jon-cx7jq]

Videos like this are why I keep coming back to this channel. Great video

[@CJGatsby]

“There are other jackets in the world, so I wore one of those” oh my god this. People act like respect is so difficult, but it can be just as easy as not wearing a thing

[@DrumWild]

The person who earned the valor apparently had so little respect that they dumped it off at a thrift store. Indeed, people act like respect is so difficult, when it can be just as easy as not dumping your valor off at Goodwill so that it can be sold to some unsuspecting kid for profits.

[@gracemangum]

This was posted during my break right after I screwed up and hurt my student's feelings. Defo needed it, thanks Hank!

[@lbridge2010]

Oh my god. The cable coiling. I did a year of film school and the number of classes we got on coiling cables, and the different ways to do it, and the number of times we had to redo it if it wasn't done perfectly was astounding. Like I feel like a quarter of the ridiculous tuition prices went into how to coil cables.

[@emynemy5821]

I appreciate this video. I have a hard time explaining and thinking through this issue, both to myself and others, and this frame helps put it more concretely into perspective.

[@anw903]

Thank you for this video! I feel like a lot of life is figuring our how to deal with the mistakes you make, and facing them like you do here isn't always easy. Very necessary, though.

[@stargazer209]

I once walked into middle school with a massive pot leaf on my shirt thinking it was a palm leaf.

[@camcat26]

stargazer209 a girl I knew messed up a tye-dye and it looked like a pot leaf. A teacher (with a robust and bizarre sense of humor) offered extra credit if she gave him instructions with her next test

[@Raya-xw5ud]

This is the quality content I subscribed for. Lessons and thoughtfullness through great storytelling are the best. ❤️❤️

[@ThatKehdRiley]

Hank, The content you and John produce is wonderful, and as a public access station employee I greatly appreciate the small shout-out to community media. As an aside, you are not dirt if you don't know how to coil a cable, but you will get looks from me... As someone who worked in one yourself, I'm sure you understand the importance of small stations like this to help spread information and serve as amplifiers for the voices of the undeserved. That being said, I noticed in the description you said "I'm really grateful to the people I worked with at OTV, and I hope they're all doing well! " While I can't speak for them, I will say that community media as a whole is in trouble. The FCC has been working over the years to help make it so that the big cable companies that fund us (a small percentage of their gross revenue) don't have to contribute as much--and are currently in the process to make this happen on a grand scale. We need support from the people and their legislators to help it so that this important service that many younger people don't realize is around doesn't disappear. I don't know if you'll read this, but myself and the countless others in the field of community media would appreciate if there was any way you could shine a light on what's happening, get people interested, & maybe they'll get involved. My organization is part of a collective of stations in MA called MassAccess that is trying to fight this potential new rule. You can learn a little more about this through their website: www.massaccess.org/get-involved/fccrules/

[@riesberg319]

This is a GREAT story that succinctly reveals the NUANCE. Thank you!!!

[@robertt9342]

I had a similar experience with a baggy oversized shirt with Chinese characters on it. A classmate informed me of what it said, he was good about it and I was still good with it, but it made me realize the same thing about all I knew was that it looked cool.

[@ellessehargreaves7024]

Wow. What a great week of vlogbrothers! Good insights guys!

[@GameTesterBootCamp]

TOTALLY relate to the second story, but I was on the other side of it. I worked hard to become a third degree Master Freemason and it really irritates me to see people walking around with the Masonic Square and Compass as a piece of jewelry. I see it hanging off of gold chains, rings, ETC as a fashion statement. I even stopped one guy and asked him if he was a Freemason (using our code) and he had no idea what I was even talking about. The really irritating part was when he acted like I was the one being offensive by asking HIM. There is now a culture around taking this thing that means a lot to us, and using it as a bit of bling without even knowing what it stands for or where it comes from.

[@GameTesterBootCamp]

​@@HankaAAR I didn't harass him. I asked him if he was a member. On the other note, so a symbol isn't supposed to mean anything to those who didn't invent it? So something like a nation's flag shouldn't mean anything to anyone other that originally created it? The cross shouldn't mean anything to Christians? That line of thinking seems...flawed.

[@seanmiller6747]

I screwed up a bit today at the end of my first week at a new job. Doesn't feel great. It's easy to tell yourself, "this happens sometimes to everyone." But it's a lot easier to tell yourself that when Hank Green tells stories about screwing up too.

[@treenanewton]

Wow! to be honest, I am so impressed by this video!!! Simple. And really gets and important point across that people argue about all the time. Thanks for this!

[@TJtheBee]

Good video - very thoughtful. I’m only 23, had some similar screwups. Learned it’s better to be open and honest instead of quiet when I think something’s up.

[@amanatee27]

This was a really really good vid, Hank. Especially good. Thank you for writing it and sharing it [:

[@iloivar]

I had a similar experience, wearing a jacket, which, back home where many people are hunters and wear cameo as fashion, I called my camp jacket. On a city bus, not in my home state, someone said, "Nice jacket. Was someone in your family in Korea?" And it took a moment, but it dawned on me that he recognized the jacket as military, clocked it's era, could see I was too young for it, and made an educated guess to make sense of it. I felt awkward right away! It had never even occurred to me to look up what branch of the military this coat was from. I have definitely phased out wearing it, especially in the city, although it is quite a practical forest rambling coat with capacious pockets, so I still wear it in the country sometimes, where, so far, I have only ever been asked if I was hunting.

[@bcschafer]

Thanks Hank. This episode reinforces why I like the Vlog Brothers so much. I was in the military for a little while, and while I didn’t do anything significant. I am still proud of that time. I’m pretty lefty and I have been upset in the past by the attitudes some people that share many, if not most of my other beliefs, have toward the military. It is not a perfect institution, but it is a very important one and service should be respected.

[@drwindsurf]

Learning at 19 that there are things you don't know is an awesome lesson - what a privilege. Thank you for sharing your mistakes and another fantastic video :)

[@mglouise97]

I've learned recently that bringing awareness that something is problematic is totally ok even if you don't have a solution about how to not make it problematic. Even just saying "hey let's watch out because we need to take into account how these different people might view what we are trying to do" is valuable. I'm not able to solve the world's problems but acknowledging that there ARE problems helps the whole group.

[@colesandick446]

Heya. I just had a massive screw up in my own life that I feel profoundly sad about, and I gotta day, seeing a video about this posted at this specific moment-it made me weep

[@SiObHaN4u]

This was a really lovely video! Thanks Hank!

[@Izzy-Maurer]

I've sung with a few different bands over the years, and a lot of them expect you to take care of your own part of the sound equipment to save time, but by god would you be dirt if you didn't coil your mic lead properly and someone else had to redo it. Learnt that one pretty quickly!

[@brittanyalways7276]

I really appreciate this. Both on a base level as a the wife of an Army vet, but also just as a person. "I was wearing a symbol and didn't know what it meant." That's such an important thing to consider. Because patches and symbols and markings do mean things. Sometimes more than words, even. So when wearing something or tattooing something...know what it means. If it's important enough to put on your body, it's worth 10 minutes of research.

[@fiction9757]

this is exactly what i needed to hear today. Thank you.

[@starsdestiny]

Thanks for sharing these stories Hank. I am so scared of screwing up and worse, still trying to always ask questions when I'm not sure something is right. But i am scared to ask because sometimes the people we have to ask don't appreciate it. I'll keep remember it's worth it but how do we make bosses/superiors suck less? Also your military jacket story is another relatable story. The look might be cool but if I don't know the symbols, I leave it.

[@ShawnGilgore]

The best way to find out if you've coiled cable correctly is when you have to throw it behind your camera operator as they sprint down the sideline of a high school football game and they DON'T trip. One of my first 'screw up' lessons working in local tv. (He did fall, he was kinda mad...but I never did it wrong again.)

[@SoleilCeline]

A similar situation happened to me. I got a cargo jacket with a patch on it from Old Navy. And one day an older gentleman mistook me for being in the Air Force and I was so confused and stressed until I realized the patch on the jacket looked just like a military patch. I was so embarrassed for not knowing any better and I never wore the jacket again.

[@erichaynes7502]

Green! at 1:59 that's a Senior Master Sergeant stripe, which is one stripe above a regular Master Sergeant! Now, hit the floor and give me 20!

[@MagicTurtle643]

Oh dang this is a really good video. See this is why I'll never be good at KZbin, I can't write a script based on something that happened to me once and make it all come full circle with a strong message attached at the end. Lmao. how you do that hank

[@abriannaruiz]

i really enjoyed this. Thanks for sharing Hank!

[@philiptouw3623]

Is it weird that I still think "wow, hank has new glasses!" every time I see hanks glasses? Because hank has had these glasses for a while and I still think that. I also like how passionate hank was about the mustache.

[@SpirusOfH]

This seems like one of those videos that I will think about quite often.

[@rattatatter]

The line “what I know is that I don’t know” struck me way deeper than I would have thought...

[@isabelleraudszus7102]

Morning Hank and nerdfighters!

[@sofftgiraffe]

the second story is a really great one to share with anyone who "can't" understand cultural appropriation

[@SweeneySays]

This is a really useful story for cultural appropriation conversations - it had never even occurred to me that this might be a way of framing it for (white) people who don't get it, but wow yes there it is.

[@FutureNow]

Dang for real.

[@deliriumzer0]

EXACTLY what I came here to say. That story makes it very clear what the issue is and why, and I look forward to sharing it with people.

[@KatrinaEames]

+

[@elisecode2212]

i also like the comparison of people wearing band shirts when they're not a fan. twice i've run into this when i've complimented someone on their shirt, saying i'm also a fan--one had never heard their music and the other didn't even know it was a band. they just liked the look. i know it's not the same thing but it kind of feels like subcultural appropriation. i don't consider myself a big enough fan to buy merch until i own at least three albums.

[@maxrosenblum7752]

@@elisecode2212 Honestly I see that as pretty gatekeeper-y. Like it really doesn't harm anyone for someone to wear the shirt of a band they dont own three albums of. They're still paying to support the band, and there's nothing wrong with wearing things for the look imo

[@samholder196]

Wonderful reflection on that jacket, Hank. Stunning how moment capsules carry such weight.

[@maggiemiller3174]

And the amazing video streak continues!

[@Naiadryade]

12+ years and counting!

[@daringlunchmeat]

Fantastic stories today. Thanks for sharing.

[@MichaelNatrin]

Coiling cables correctly is probably the most important thing in life.

[@emyg494]

I think I like this video so much cause it reminds me that even people who seem to have it all together were messing up when they were my age. 20 year old me is ALL mistakes like this...and I can still turn out like Hank someday? I’m cool with that.

[@ashleyniehaus9930]

You think that we don’t care but we do. Loved the new old stories!

[@aleksfakename7105]

Really good story, today, Hank. Eye opening

[@Gugnnjhho]

Hank, how did you know I needed to hear this?

[@nekokid123]

I actually owned one of those jackets! A similar thing happened when I went to college were their is a large veteran population. They mostly joked about it towards me, but later felt like I was taking something I didn't deserve, so I took off the military patches, and replaced them. Now it's more of a punk camo jacket, I kept the nametag, as Pepper is too good of a name to give up.

[@Mike80528]

The "over/under" technique for coiling cables is a very real and serious thing. Also funny to hear for some reason...