The Beauty of Montaigne's Essays + Channel Update

[@artophile7777]

I've literally accepted you as my literature and philosophy teacher.

[@alanhill2508]

I'm 68 years old. This young man gives me hope for our future.

[@anna7276]

Always love learning from you Robin! You might only be 22 but you’re teaching this boring 42 year old house wife some interesting thoughts and ideas!

[@RCWaldun]

Thank you! Glad you’re enjoying the insights.

[@mogourmetzulu213]

22 year old or not I’m 26 & I’m learning so much from you. This is a great perspective what we lack is truly thinking critically independently w/out “The spectacle” possessing over everyone’s free thought.

[@SevenUnwokenDreams]

I look forward to your new approach. I am 31 and had a rough life, did not have the benefit of a good education, and now that I have it mostly together, I have embarked on a journey to become a lifelong learner. Your videos are very thought provoking and erudite. I like to watch them, and take some of those ideas and journal about them since I don't have anyone to discuss these ideas with. I think critical thinking is important, and I am also a big believer on not closing the door on one's conclusions.

[@RCWaldun]

Will keep the videos coming. :) Glad you’re enjoying my work.

[@marianhreads]

Very well said - I couldn't agree more. So many people watch booktube (or in your case, philosophy tube) as if we content creators are experts or something, but the truth is we are all evolving and learning from day to day. That's what makes this platform special.

[@heraddledbrain]

Thank goodness for you, Robin. We need more people approaching academics and life like this. Thank you for setting the tone!

[@emerzontorres7142]

Hi Robin! I'm a Filipino and I really learned a lot from your channel. I really appreciate your ideas on reading and writing. I am actually an engineer/scientist by profession but I do love literature and philosophy too. And you are like my Philosophy/Literature mentor. Thank you for your videos!

[@jasminegold6890]

I recently discovered your Mug of Insights! Please keep it up. Philosophy is vastly underrated, and too many philosophers are often forgotten. When I watch your videos, I think of my dad's words. "I like reading books because it is like the dead are speaking to you."

[@anitaderouen]

This 50-something PhD loves the journey you’re embarking on and am eager to follow and engage! The questions you’re raising about our need to demonstrate authority or expertise, particularly under the glare of the social media stage lights are VITAL questions that I seek to engage with my own students regularly. Going back to Montaigne’s essays feels just right for this cultural moment.

[@ramyaaaa]

As someone who is extremely intrigued by social theories on the development of capitalism in Europe (16th-18th centuries), it is crucial for me to remind myself that, despite having read several scholarly articles about said topic, there is still so much I do not know. I come from a place where people do not share my interests so I'm pretty much solitary in my academic exercises and this makes it easy to go down a rabbit hole wherein one starts believing that one knows everything lol. It is also hard to find a mentor who can guide me well. I used to think I was the only person who felt the compulsion to ground myself and the introduction to this video essay validated so many of my personal thoughts and beliefs. Thank you for producing great video essays, Robin ! I hope you you keep doing this work :)

[@dulcetghost]

This new channel direction sounds great and is exactly what we need more than ever! To think, not to pick a side

[@N_Pakhomios]

I don’t follow you because you are necessarily right at every single thing you say, but it’s mainly because of how mature and articulate and charismatic you are, especially at your young age! Dude, 90% of people older than you, even the “experienced” ones don’t have half the insight and intelligence you have! Plus you never claimed to know everything or said that your understanding of things is the only true one, so please keep doing what you do best! Love from Egypt 💕 ⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ (peace) 💕

[@whateverbabe]

Those letters are so beautiful, can you write my name in it please? Rasha. If not I'm sorry to disturb.

[@N_Pakhomios]

@@whateverbabe sure! It’s Ⲣⲁϣⲁ

[@matthewglenguir7204]

This channel is genuinely goated

[@deathofthesibyl6903]

I would love more reading reviews and literature discussions from this channel. It’s rare, as a young person, to hear other people your age discussing literature, philosophy, etc., from a modern perspective. I enjoy your unpretentious and even-handed style, so I’d love to hear your thoughts as you make your way through the mountains of books that I’m sure you have to read. I think this would make a unique platform for engagement and critique - in the dialogical way that you’re leaning toward.

[@sophiaisabelle027]

We appreciate how well you've articulated your own insights on this topic. We will keep supporting you and your channel no matter what.

[@graciemcc]

Many congratulations on the new direction you've decided upon for your channel, dear Robin, and I hope it has its intended effect. I'm 43, and one thing I've learned over the years is that most people's perspectives, in the absence of some kind of personal affinity, simply aren't that interesting. Which is why I typically tend to give ear to those who have qualified themselves in some significant way: not with the trappings of expertise, but with thoughtfulness, insight, a questing spirit, and self-evident love and regard for their subject. You have done this through your videos. My hope for you, and for all of us, is that those who engage with you will always be distinguished by those same excellent qualities.

[@disutansu]

Hi Robin, been watching your videos for a while, and as a 30-something year old teacher to middle school students in the States, I find your content not only important but also incredibly refreshing. Most young people are constantly forced to prove what they know (do they know their multiplication tables, when did this war happen, how do they fix a dangling modifier, etc.). This is especially so on the verge of graduating high school and needing to decide on the college major that will dictate what they will do the rest of their lives, or so they believe. It's refreshing for them to see/hear older people whom they perceive as "know-it-alls" to be not confident or not actually know everything. That it's okay to not know what to do with your life, and it's okay to take the time to figure things out, not only school-related things but figure out themselves as a person. I'd say on the Dunning Kruger effect graph (one that shows the relationship between confidence and experience/knowledge/competence), quite a few people are stuck on the left half. It definitely takes some time and effort to get out of that "Valley of Despair" but like you said, with the right encouragements and people, it can be done. I look forward to see what content you will produce from now on. Have a safe trip to Paris. ~Donna

[@anitaderouen]

Ah, imposter syndrome. Plague of academics worldwide! The key is accepting that the more you learn the more you understand how little you actually know.

[@TerryStewart32]

It’s the maxim of Socrates and the best definition of an educated person when he asserted that ‘All I know is that I know nothing’ or know enough to know what you don’t know or having a conscious awareness of your ignorance

[@bekzodkhamutov2328]

You're such a wise young man. I really just want to thank you for your creation, your efforts, your dedication and passion. I learn so much from you. Thank you man !

[@the-goddess-of-libraries]

I think you have a great point. The point of academics shouldn't be to be the master in every subject and to beat others down with steel points and unbreakable philosophy. It's to felicitate growth, conversation, culture, community, discovery, change. We as humans are constantly evolving and rightfully so. Academics should be the steps for individual and cultural betterment, not the brick wall of it.

[@JaY-tc6um]

I really appreciate your encouragement to bring more conversation into the community, especially for younger people. As a student, it sometimes feels tremendously daunting to try to enter discussions about these subjects when everyone around seems to be an expert. Have you ever considered starting a discord server or something similar for discussions?

[@RCWaldun]

Yes! So far I’m trying stuff out with Substack’s thread function, and I’ll announce it when it’s ready. :)

[@Jasmine-T1515]

@@RCWaldun awesome, that's exciting!

[@chrisl1734]

Whether or not you feel you’re an authority on a subject, you still present wonderful information and inspiration. I hope you keep it up.

[@aryaim8171]

It's wonderful that you're even thinking about the fact that there are still many ways in which you yourself have to develop a perspective about things, and how the content we consume feels authoritative without us being aware of it sometimes :) The best way to go is to have an open-exchange about all sorts of ideas, and your videos can be the contributing factor towards a deep-dive that we can have about the topics that pique our interest. PS. Absolutely in favour of the idea of Thought Diary and being confused together btw❤❤

[@libertiarecordings468]

really appreciate your expression skills

[@jamesblack8173]

Look forward to how this develops. Your authoritative videos on how to take notes and read better have really helped though.

[@ericrobledo]

Bro, you're so mature. Good on ya!

[@antoinemozart243]

Montaigne is the supreme antagonist of all German philosophers.

[@kateribarry]

I watched a handful of your videos a few years ago and was really inspired by your direction in life, but havent watched in a while for these reasons your looking to change or redirect. Im excited for this perhaps "open ended" approach. Im not a fast or adventurous reader, so I love the literature i am exposed to through you!

[@Ayesha_11122]

This is great idea and I'm glad you're reflecting upon this. Honesty is important. Genuinely looking forward!

[@DonnaEmerald8]

I think we're expected to have definite answers because we live in a computer age. However, those who have rejected this paradigm have unfortunately thrown logic out the window, too, in favour of emotions, and decide everything's veracity based on whether it's a story that appeals to the emotions. Much of KZbin content is feeding into this, and I'm really glad your channel encourages dialog and critical thinking skills. If people would read more, and read better books, we wouldn't have these issues as much with modern communications being often based on fallacies. I love your channel, and I love the sound of that plan. We really need more of this type of thoughtful content on KZbin, because it gets drowned out too often by the drama algorithims and carousels of trending poop.

[@RCWaldun]

Thank you. :) we’re really in uncharted territories here and we definitely need more thinkers to address critical thinking in this digital age.

[@adamhaney1048]

Dang, for a while I’ve been considering the meaning of life to be learning, but I like your phrasing of “spirit of discovery”! That’s really cool

[@fauzalfadhil]

Thanks for uploading wonderful contents, never lose ur flames

[@JTgosha]

Great view on the current content out there! I absolutely agree!

[@BrittanyBWrites]

Looking forward to your new approach on your videos.

[@anboffbrand]

Totally understand where you are. It’s one of the reasons that I actually haven’t put my ideas out there ever - I was always waiting to be done with the learning process lol. But I’m trying!

[@enlightenedanalysis]

A great idea Robin. I agree with your approach. Thanks for your videos.

[@moonwater2994]

Loved everything in this video. Thank you for your amazing channel!

[@zorothe9th]

As a broke literature student/self proclaimed artist, I'm kind of losing it lol. I come back to your channel to help myself believe that what I'm doing has a point and a future.

[@booshkoosh7994]

I've been reading one of Montaigne's Essays each night, and I plan to finish his complete works in a years time.

[@RCWaldun]

Good luck. :)

[@danielschouteeten9421]

Creating your videos in a way that they mimic dialogue makes a lot of sense to me .I want to start a channel of my own in the next couple of months, and I'd like to take a similar style in my videos. I know, and you must as well, that Plato wrote a lot in dialogue. And from what I've heard lots of people appreciate that he did that. So I think it's a good way to make valuable content. Take care, have fun in Paris!

[@rorbephobic]

love this!

[@Cevin.]

my fav video by you I've experienced thus far

[@squrpion]

You should do a video on your epistemology.

[@rainbowgirl4343]

hes my favorite

[@BreezeTalk]

Please teach us how to write good essays. Sir.

[@jayrajsingh5283]

I thought of writing you an email on this but then my self doubts ordered me not to; There used to be some essays on your main website long ago. (something like a guide to library and more) I can't find those on your website anymore. Yes, I'm aware of your Medium and Mug of insight -I'm a subscriber. But I specifically want to read those few stories. Could you tell me their titles, do you still have them somewhere i can access? Thank you.

[@RCWaldun]

They’re old essays that I’ve archived because I’m still improving my craft. Some of the older pieces will show up again on A Mug of Insights down the road. :)

[@jayrajsingh5283]

@@RCWaldun Again I'm in a phase where I wanna feel nostalgic and that has brought me here haha. Do you thibk you can guide me to those stories please? Sad part is I don't remember a lot about it, I scrolled all the way down but couldn't find/recognize those ;(

[@haq3206]

Hey Robbin, do you have any books you, would recommend to your Teenage self?

[@LudovicCarceles]

I am not in your typical viewers age category as I am 47 years old and although there are some questions I found my answers, I am still looking to other perspectives on questions I am still struggling to answer, hence why I am subscribed to your channel and already learned few things from you and your 22 years :) . I am French and my readings of Montaigne is far back in my youth, I need to reread it but first need to find a good adaptation because despite that it is in French, it is in old French and difficult to read.

[@RCWaldun]

Vous avez raison. La langue de Montaigne est super difficile à comprendre aujourd'hui, encore plus en traduction. Je pense que c'est la même avec Proust et Balzac. Le style des auteurs est presque entièrement perdu en anglais. Merci pour le commentaire et bonne chance avec Montaigne . :)

[@LudovicCarceles]

@@RCWaldun I think the same is valid for all translations, we lose so much from Greek philosophy to our modern languages or even for the popular genres, when the author is an English speaker, I read the original version, well same for movies. Bon séjour à Paris :)

[@wordcharm2649]

Two years ago, you did that 1 story a day...and I'm wondering what happened with that? Can you do a video about your experience?

[@Rico-Suave_]

Great video, thank you very much , note to self(nts) watched 11:03

[@somjrgebn]

A year too late, but I'll give my two cents on this as someone 10 years your senior. Robin, authority comes from survival. For 10 years now, I've seen "authority" come and go every year, with only very few who stayed with it for awhile. Many simply faded away because they eventually couldn't hold out. Somewhere, somehow, they met ruin. This is why the more you survive, the more authority you'll have. I'll give you a real-world example. If a lifelong street fighter got in a fight with someone decorated with n credentials around human war and conflict, who do you think has authority in fighting in the end? How many fights can that street fighter survive compared to the "expert"? If you had a fight tomorrow, who would you talk to? When you're young, you're in a hurry and don't know just how many (or what) fights and struggles you'll go through. VERY often, people will rush things all the way into ruin. But the longer you survive, the more you can explore the next day, and the more authority you'll have. In short: Be patient, focus on surviving, and explore. The rest will follow.

[@collard20]

Should I have a copy of Montaigne’s selected essays or completed essays?

[@Genevie-c5z]

Hey I've been watching your youtubes videos for 5 years now it's been 7 I beileve now and I understand where your coming from I'm starting college this year and I'm doing english literature and I've been thinking to myself how much can everyone learn so much and I'm 24 yrs old and I've been reading books when I was like ten and I wanted to ask how do you know so much about philosophy or English literature or economics or dark English you know I wonder how much all of our brains could really handle but thanks for the new videos this year happy 2023 thank you

[@kevinallardyce]

Hi Robin. Do you have a preferred translation of Montaigne? Thanks

[@Durruti3434]

This is also good content

[@quercingtime]

I am conflicted about getting a remarkable. I'd buy it if I could write essays on it and have Word documents (so I don't have to buy a laptop) but it's limited use and expensive.... WHAT DO I DOO AHHH

[@kelianschnee3018]

So i haven‘t seen a lot of your videos yet and maybe there is something hidden but i wanted to ask if you had any recommendation on philosophy books that are „easy“ to get started. I really wanted to start reading more in this segment but don‘t know with what to start so yeah. Thanks for any answers :) Great Video btw, It’s Extremely easy and soothing to listen to you ^^

[@RCWaldun]

I’m actually working on a series now on philosophy books for enthusiasts. And the aim is to give people a general understanding of philosophers that are otherwise hard to understand. :) stay tuned.

[@coffeeandbarbells2271]

Can you provide a link to the essay collection?

[@Invincible_Force]

This is literal proof that fake it till you make it is real.

[@georgpapageorgiou]

Make a video about views on dostoyevsky the best novelist of all time [maybe except Homer the ancient writter from my homeland]

[@rache-07]

Yeah, that'd be a good idea. I agree.

[@LaLunaAngel]

Hello there! Those are some great plans! I'm looking forward to your new narrative and approach to making videos! As a philosophy student myself, I feel like the academia in general is actually missing the whole point of philosophical and critical thinking. I must admit that I am often overwhelmed by the amount and complexity of philosophical texts that I have to prepare for my courses. That was one of the reasons I followed you in first place. I guess I admire your competence and the way you bloom in philosophy. But now hearing your futures plans, I'm even more excited to keep up with you! Anyways, getting back on the track: in my opinion, the scholar system is not optimal when it comes to supporting creativity and the as you said "spirit of discovery". I've made the experience that seminars (at least at my uni in Germany) are often either too focused and straightforward, aiming for a specific position to be understood and accepted, or too chaotic, too strongly based on intuition and simply all over the place. Eventually both poles are part of the spirit of philosophy, I think. Still I hope to find a place that matches my expectations for lived philosophy and can balance both sides. In therms of that, I really do have hight hopes for your channel! Especially because I'm very interested in the topics of dialogue, more specifically all the great stuff in the philosophy of language and mind, referring to consciousness, dialogical thinking, logic etc. I'm looking forward to more content of yours. Keep up the good work Robin! xoxo Maggie PS.: Since you're coming to Paris... If you ever feel like going on a quick trip to Germany, feel free to visit me at LMU Munich; sadly we don't have cookies but instead beer and spezi :))

[@RCWaldun]

Thanks Maggie! :) Excellent observations.

[@MJ-ce4ln]

Hey ^^ Je sors de ma caverne pour te remercier d'avoir eu cette idée de partager de cette manière certaines de tes connaissances. La manière dont on m'a enseigné la philosophie ne m'a pas tellement convenu et j'ai gardé une petite frustration sur cette "matière" qui est pourtant tellement importante pour apprendre à structurer sa pensée. Si on m'avait dit que je m'intéresserai de nouveau à la philosophie par KZbin (et en anglais) je ne l'aurais pas cru ^^ Bon courage pour ta thèse ! Si je puis me permettre, quel sera l'orientation de ton sujet ? Et bon préparatif de voyage :)

[@gabrielmoka7226]

Au revoir et bonne chance

[@dilbyjones]

7:16 before you get to the POINT?!

[@enlightenedanalysis]

Hi Robin, is it possible for you to enable the Superthanks button on your youtube channel and videos? That would be great as I would like to make a modest monetary contribution to thank you for your work. Thanks.

[@RCWaldun]

The best way to support me is through a Substack monthly subscription (and it’ll give you access to my essays and exclusive newsletters) There’s a link to it on my homepage. :)

[@enlightenedanalysis]

@@RCWaldun ok Thanks.

[@brianvarela5563]

I thought this guy had a PhD in philosophy

[@lamegalectora]

I got here looking for Montaigne. I think you would do well to switch the camera off

[@sidnisheldon7038]

hi