False Flags (not that kind)

[@thisexists]

YO EPISODE THREE SEE I WAS SERIOUS WE'RE DOING THIS EVERY MONTH. next episode will have its live premiere on the 4th of july at 2pm ET (no one's busy that day right). if you're bored or not american, the chat is genuinely very sick and fun. come hang. in a month.

[@AMPProf]

EVERY THEORY ALL AT once.. How FLAG DREAM.. Wtf. aliens, gobments minty mints, psychotic Psychics, 1800ghost Finders. Umm you drank to much..

[@ShardtheWolf]

I remember watching This Exists my freshman year of college. Would have been ~2013ish. It's wild to see you come back

[@Delazar.LOCKJAW]

I was in junior year of high school, now I'm 3 years out of grad school...

[@thisexists]

there has to be a german word for how nice it is to read these comments but old they make ME feel

[@josxiko]

I was in middleschool. I'm nearing my mid 20s now :')

[@czechmeoutbabe1997]

I watched the hell out of This Exists when I was in Middle school. I'm finishing Med School now

[@Todesnuss]

@@thisexists Not in common usage the way Schadenfreude would be. Hard to rule out some author coined one at some point. Poetic compound words like "Waldeinsamkeit" are little more than literary flourishes so what is and isn't a word is up to you really.

[@ichhassdievoll]

This still exists ❤❤❤

[@Todesnuss]

I do love it when things exist. "This" especially.

[@sinisterthoughts2896]

​@@Todesnuss indeed.

[@ugandanbrucelee4190]

Im so happy that you brought back this series. I binged it during the pandemic and have continued to rewatch over and over again. I loved the writing and dry humor of it. It’s like a warm hug from a revived cybernetic-ly enhanced dead grandma

[@weepingwell]

sweet my 7 years of bad luck must have ended today

[@st4nkbug]

I’m really glad vexillology is getting talked about more. Minnesota recently got a new flag design that matches all the rules of Good Flag Bad Flag, AND looks great in any windy conditions. Also I’ve known about Kaye’s work for years but always felt like a nerd bringing up flag design as a conversation starter. Great work as always Sam! Been a fan since the SoundClown video.

[@sinisterthoughts2896]

It's actually pretty fascinating, in a dry sort of way.

[@MichaelEMJAYARE]

Im a Minnesotan and love the new flag. Its generic but damn more memorable. Btw ThisExists nix that damn AI imagery.

[@gearsfan6669]

holy shit, never expected this channel to update again, it was honestly how I learned my random real world facts

[@Palmtop_User]

I literally had a dream of a sticker on a post that said "space jam lied to you" with michael jordan's face in the middle. The text and jordan were light blue/purple vaporwavey colors with a white background. Still no clue what it means

[@sinisterthoughts2896]

It obviously means you subconsciously distrust space jam.

[@randomtinypotatocried]

Space Jam did lie. You can't go to the universe with Bugs Bunny 😞

[@semplicemorte]

STILL my favorite YT channel, all these years later. Great to see this in my sub box :D

[@Reshiram1330]

Happy that this exists is back! Less happy that it seems like y’all are using generative AI in the visuals now. I really hope y’all move away from that in further episodes.

[@TrainOfDarkness]

The absolute king of weird shit on the Internet that started it all for me ❤ WELCOME BACK AND STAY BACK

[@moondogdoes4244]

So glad your back. This exists and Chronically online are two of my favorite things to exist

[@fimdomeio9447]

You just made me see Roman Mars for the first time, which I've been hearing for many many years.

[@spark-e]

I love the video but I'm not much of a fan of the AI generated garbage at the beginning and end.

[@Sickcrazyneet]

Same here. Hopefully it is just a one time thing

[@wedge55]

One time is enough. I love this channel, but I am unsubscribing over this.

[@tedioustotoro4885]

@@SickcrazyneetI suppose it makes sense for visualising the weird visuals of dreams. But, yeah, I hope it’s just a one time thing.

[@Ly_Lord]

@@wedge55 Sad to hear it.:-(

[@wavecast64]

Crazy to think that in the years between this exists episodes I've graduated high school, moved countries and pretty much completely changed as a person but seeing new videos got me just as excited as ever. Can't wait to see what else is on the way

[@uwulydia]

great vid! i hope the AI generated stuff isn't a recurring thing tho

[@DrTacoPHD665]

Dream interpretation is a great occupation to receive money for telling people nonsense.

[@k1gamer]

I've always really loved this channel and have been really excited to see it return. But the use of ai imagery and video in this video really drew me out of the video to the point I had to stop it halfway. I always admired your ability to find weird art, interesting projects, and the niches of the internet that go unnoticed. Which is one of the reasons I think seeing you use something that so many weird niche artists are raising red flags about feels a little gross. This tech is based around large scale art theft and is boosted by corporate interests that view it as a way to avoid paying artists. In my mind its a growing trend that is gonna result in more and more homogeneous and sanitized art, which is the exact opposite of what I think of when I think of this exists. I still love your journalistic work and will keep an eye out for your vids and articles but Im just probably gonna tune out when I see ai used.

[@thisexists]

yoooooo going to respond to this here because there's already a few comments about it and i think you've very clearly laid out the concerns and i don't want to duck the critique. editing this video was extremely hard because there's NO GOOD VIZ. like, nothing at all. it's about dreams, and the notion of statehood, and reality, so once you get past the flags themselves it's... pretty boring. to be clear that is ONE HUNDRED PERCENT my fault for wanting to make this episode, it's not like anyone forces me to pick topics. we have a very great very small team putting this season together, and we are spending every cent we got from the government (shout out ontario creates) on that team, and SO, in my MIND, the usage of ai here was both fine and funny - there's no attempt at passing it off as anything other than the dystopian conjuring of an evil computer and i think it looks hilarious as a result, and we didn't save any money to do it. it's not replacing something we would have commissioned, and it makes me giggle uncomfortably. THAT SAID, here's what wasn't part of my thought process that you very reasonably pointed out - the tech itself is based on stealing from artists. you're right, i was wrong, and we won't use it in the future.

[@k1gamer]

@@thisexists Thank you for the thoughtful response. I can understand your reasoning and while i still personally do not enjoy the effect they had on the video, i am very happy to hear this will be a one of experience. I continue to love the work you and your team do and cant wait for whats next ❤️

[@Flargenyargen]

Your videos are great and always have been. They don't need the AI junk. Please stop.

[@patchymoon]

agreed

[@thisexists]

posted a very lengthy version of this elsewhere (look for the comment from @k1gamer) but the tl;dr is: thought it was funny, agree i biffed it, won't moving forward.

[@joeyvicidomini9546]

6:27 yay one of my flags made it in

[@nanardeurlambda]

4:45 is it me or did that man dream up the country of middle Sudan?

[@geogineer]

So fucking happy, man! These latest ones have been great! Huge fan, will buy merchandise, and mostly just want to say thank you.

[@SillyPyscho]

I’m so happy that This Exists is back! missed you guys.

[@TheAxio300]

I just want to say how happy I am that this channel is back, I started watching way back im not even sure how i came about the channel (probably from Rob Dyke) but it definitely shaped the man I am today. The Episode on Rock and Rule is probably one of the most influential videos on my media tastes and sent me down numerous rabbit holes. As a teen growing up in bumfuck northern ontario this channel felt like a home away from the normalcy and mundane of my small town. Thank you and everyone else involved with this channel.

[@michaelavanessian8558]

Funnily enough, the one dream-related subreddit I knew about before this was one _without_ "somno" in its name: ThomasThePlankEngine, which catalogues surreal, original memes conjured up in dreams.

[@ChillingWithMorty]

Awesome to see you back, man! Been thinking of several of your videos and checked semi-regularly of there was anything new. Very happy to see there's new stuff that exists.

[@subjectshadow]

I'm genuinely so glad you're coming back.

[@Polygonlin]

I'm SO Happy you're still doing this Show. i think it BELONGS online. its like, something that...just deserves to you know... Exist...

[@AlexHider]

It’s so comforting to know you’re still uploading. A channel from a better era of 2013. However, I also would not like to see you proceed with AI fill-ins. They always look bad, date the video pretty severely and AI is essentially inherently unethical. Stock footage or you drawing on a napkin be more preferable.

[@Notelu]

Glad to see you back, but sad to see AI slop as the first thing when I click on the video

[@jugernaut246]

I don't like AI either, but I also think its artistically defensible in this case. AI video in particular has this weird hallucinatory dreamlike vibe that is appropriate for the subject.

[@torspedia]

Well, this is a nice surprise, as I'm glad to see you've revived this channel... especially as it was my favourite 'weird' one. 🙂

[@institutespencer]

I used to have dreams about flags years ago in strong detail so I was really interested to learn that there were other people who did also

[@darkcrescentrose]

FINALLY idk how many times I’ve rewatched vids hoping for a new one

[@sinisterthoughts2896]

He posted two previous episodes recently.

[@aeonicbutterfly9662]

I had to pinch myself when I saw this chilling in my subscriptions page. No idea how I missed the other two, but man, it has been for-eh-ver. Welcome back, glad to see you, good luck with the new videos!

[@lern2swim]

Gonna also chime in against the ai crap

[@blackphantoml4l2]

seconded. I was so excited to see ecists again then just instant distaste at the AI. It cant be hard to licence a video of a military march

[@Vikezor]

well this video is about "false flags", so ai-hallucinated flags kinda fit (and sonic in the car is funny)

[@TrashHeapCustodian]

+1, please do not put AI stuff in the vids, that'd actually make me unsubscribe despite being subbed before the Christopher Lee special

[@MaxRioux321]

Loooooved this. So great to see you back.

[@m.p.fitzgerald]

I am so glad you are doing more of This Exists, it is what got me into KZbin.

[@jesses4212]

man the editing and visuals in this are wild! Glad your popping back up in the sub box :)

[@captainjakesparrow85]

Another amazing episode! Keep up the wonderful content, please!! I have been watching since the beginning of this channel and it is fantastic!

[@GreasyDaddy]

So so so excited you’re back. And this video is excellent.

[@RJ4002]

I'm so happy you're back! I've been here since the beginning and have loved all your content ❤

[@UrsaJeager]

I was so uncomfortable at the dish exists until the "wake up before you eat this" lmao

[@dafook7182]

Glad to see you back!

[@double_07]

Still a banger of an episode. Damn I missed this videos.

[@matt_c80]

Yeahhhhh love to see your new uploads.

[@UndeadKIRA]

Hes baaaaaack

[@renbelmont]

YOOOOOOOO LETS GO MY FAVORITE YT SERIES

[@ceulgai2817]

Not sure how I feel about the use of GenAI here. And of course I saw that micronations episode.

[@hatecouture]

Sometimes I don't relate to the topics, but the delievery is always great, the avatars thing (sparkling up the usual zoom-call view) is awesome, and when the topic is interesting to me like this one - I enjoy it a lot!

[@GanjaCoyote]

Bumping up the engagement so that more people will watch this stuff. Also well done dude you make me care about subjects that I have no business being interested in. Though to be fair I am interested in almost everything too. Having an open mind is so much better than the alternative.

[@F19ish]

I love, as always, your dedication to finding unusual experts and perspectives to interview. It makes these rabbit holes you go down feel so much broader and vibrant. I'll mirror what other have said about the AI pictures - it really detracts from the grounded, human feeling you bring to all of your shows.

[@dotintegral]

Dish Exists made my day!

[@goregrindisthebestgenre]

I found this channel back when it probably only had like 2,000 subs. I have lots of nostalgia for watching it like every week back when I was a junior in high school and now I’m about to be 26. I still listen to Combat Noise due to discovering them from this channel.

[@teethgrinder83]

Can't wait for another vid!!!!!

[@mannythebaka7522]

Sam really needs his own TV show.

[@thisexists]

lord knows we have tried

[@Snowinmyears]

i love that This Exists just reemerges every now and then, and everytime i'm like "YES! that's the shit!"

[@Woziciel]

Love to see you back :D

[@wefyb2]

Many years ago I remembered this channel that I was subscribed to but I couldn't remember the name of. It had deep dives of all sorts of weird stuff and I loved it dearly. I couldn't find it. I had no idea what to search or how to find this channel. Then I got a notification 3 days ago.

[@alexzoin]

YO GOOD TO SEE YOU BACK!

[@sinisterthoughts2896]

You definitely lived up to the legacy of finding something so far off the beaten path even a weirdo like me is surprised.

[@idlerwheel]

I left Holland to travel abroad on holiday to Hollandaise.

[@IronicCliche]

This sounds like the plot to an eldrotch horror novel

[@claytonandres1194]

"The cursed imagery of that heraldry unfolded me. I do not dare describe it in too much detail here, lest the reader themselves be driven mad..."

[@altohippiegabber]

Anybody made a "Sheldon Cooper's Fun With Flags" reference joke yet?

[@IvanRSaldias]

So This Exists actually exists now!!! We are very happy to have you back. Can't wait to see what you been cookin' for us to enjoy!

[@bythebeardofmatt]

I love that this video dropped the week before Flag Day

[@SeanStrife]

Holy crap, this channel's back! Great to have it back in my internet diet.

[@DavidLaMorte]

Thanks for this Sam. This is very relatable to me as an American who had is previous president memed into office. I personally love flags and usually make my students design their own each year. Btw you video on micro nations still makes me think about the nature of our reality and identity.

[@sirspookybones1118]

It's been 10 years since I first watched this channel. Crazy to think it's back just now.

[@sailtothemoon777]

SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU BACK MR THIS EXISTS!! YOU GAVE ME MY NICHE MUSIC TASTE IN HIGH SCHOOL

[@yamatoe57]

I can't believe it, YOU ARE BACK!

[@edmundolastra3279]

Sam (mentions video about micronations that "nobody watched") Le me: huh... I wonder if I missed that one... Sam: shows clip Le me: I remember this!

[@mmcooper80]

"yall didn't watch that show" I feel called out.

[@ThePortalGeek1337]

Cannot believe this show is coming back, it’s been so so long

[@braydenwelffer8553]

sam, this is my favorite content

[@ashleydoran5896]

OMG YOU ARE BACK!!!!

[@Queen2A5]

holy fuck its been a minute. good to see you baack

[@digitaltrowa]

Cool video. Really don't love AI images all over the place.

[@KhurtKhave669]

Get over it biiich

[@Vernaux]

r/thomastheplankengine has got to be my favorite somni-subreddit

[@allenrose2213]

The surprising poignance on imagination from the flag guy really got me

[@Almond-Za]

Yooo I made the flag at 17:08

[@Idkpleasejustletmechangeit]

19:48 I actually once founded a micronation. It's name was E and it was entirely located in a single room of a highschool. I held an independence vote. Didn't see the result, but I assumed that it was successful.

[@jesses4212]

dam the dream analysis portion is my fav part so far xD

[@SpookyTooth]

I’ve made a lot of muppet related AI art and that little yellow muppet is always close by

[@CodyDrew-rok]

I cannot believe it, the return of This Exists, this is the greatest news of 2024. My friends are losing their minds over this. Thanks for everything Sam

[@Viscount]

I just want to comment that I watched your micro nation video and I loved it.

[@timewave02012]

I'm fairly certain I watched the micronations episode back in the day. I definitely watched the black MIDI episode, and probably a bunch of others I can't recall anymore.

[@thecalis]

KZbin failed to notify me about this, but here I am again.

[@arly803]

This notification made me gasp audibly. Welcome back bud. Love from Canada

[@jamesmotiv8989]

He is also in Canada! Ontario based.

[@arly803]

@@jamesmotiv8989 i forgot lol it has been a minute

[@jamesmotiv8989]

@@arly803 totally been too long haha I just got excited and commented. Didn't mean to be the "uhm actually" guy 😅

[@thisexists]

domestic love! no shipping fees!

[@antonslayeranton6665]

ABSOLUTE BANGER so glad to see you back on your shit, keep it the fr*ck going son

[@Xanabel13]

there's never a need for AI. it ruined what could have been an excellent and informative video, but I can't get past the AI garbage at the beginning.

[@orlokoclock5353]

I second this. I was disappointed he used AI. Hes always done good work and the AI was needless and just clashes.

[@jeremygreen2883]

I DID indeed watch the episode on Micro nations. It was very insightful and enjoyable.

[@pancakeforge]

I still remember the black midi episode. Welcome back king

[@TheManufacturerrrrrrrrrrrrrr]

Damn, I forgot this exists

[@blackphantoml4l2]

the ai is really hurting this. sure it seems like it dosent matter much, but i always found the odd clips or visuals you guys found to fit into the old vid amusing or creative. Now it pulls me out, and its really jarring when next to actual real images.

[@DrSpooglemon]

Pocket sand! 💀

[@augustopdrocha]

This Exists is back and I can be happy again! ❤

[@MrCheezzy]

Kinda sad seeing you use AI for youre videos dude, no need for that when the content is already so amazing

[@KhurtKhave669]

Suck a sock puppet 🧦

[@KhurtKhave669]

Suck a sock puppet 🧦

[@bonsaipuppies]

OHHHHHHHHHH WE ARE SO BACKKKK

[@coolthings_1]

WE ARE SO FUCKING BACK

[@gaylienz]

fascinating stuff! thanks so much for sharing with us once again! my sociologist brain is happy. as my soc mentor likes to say, "we make this shit up".

[@JadeHager]

There is now a 45% chance there will be math rock album called "Somnivexillology" some time soon