Why You Don't Want To Go Viral

On a rainy Scottish island called Jura, it's time to talk about the Manual, about long-term sustainable success, and about not having just that one catchphrase. The term "viral" has fallen out of fashion in the last few years, which is why this series wasn't called "going viral". And in truth, that's not what you want to do.
Post Audio by Emi Paternostro, proximitysound.com
Jimmy Cauty and Bill Drummond were better known as the KLF (or the Timelords, or the JAMs, or...). Their Manual is out of print, but I'm sure that won't stop enterprising people from tracking down versions of it, or footage of their burn.
The music for this series has been an instrumental version of "Game of Taking Chances" by Johannes Hager feat. Josefin Backrud, from Epidemic Sound
🟥 MORE FROM TOM: www.tomscott.com/
(you can find contact details and social links there too)
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👥 THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES: / techdif

[@TomScottGo]

And that's the last in the series! There's no video on Monday as there's been three this week, but normal service will resume on 10th September. Thanks for watching, everyone!

[@edwinlundmark]

aww... I was really enjoying this series!

[@royler8848]

great video!

[@forbiddenknowledge5722]

I have never felt the need to be a content creator... But strangely I do now? 😆

[@factsverse9957]

Yay! 6 hours

[@maxwarren2852]

You're on Jura! I love the island! Have you been to the Corryvreckan??

[@bigclivedotcom]

Yeah. Over 1,300 technical videos and the only one people remember is the one where I stuck a firework up a dolls arse and then pretended to be surprised.

[@king4aday4aday]

And the pink vibrator one.

[@CananaMan]

If I had to guess, it's probably your titles, they look more like you're documenting stuff rather than trying to gather an audience with people who'd be interested it. Ofc, the dolls arse one will gather attention from the sheer shock/butt humor

[@FunkySpunkyJunky]

And the arse warmer, which I think was titled 'shall I stick this up my butt'.

[@adlerweb]

You made other videos? 😱

[@SalahEddineH]

AHAHAHAHAHA OMG Clive I love you so much! Goddamn it your comment killed me! I have to go watch that one again now!

[@NateandNoahTryLife]

“Your dream job can still be a nightmare if you don’t have a back up plan.” I appreciate how real you’re being in this series.

[@marlonb1852]

Me to!

[@VivienneGucwa]

Also, one of the best quotes from this.

[@band-o-lear]

I've been watching KZbin for more years than I care to admit. I started really watching it when the Beta for Starcraft II was being cast by people. Since that time, there have been channels come and go. Some of those that went were reasonable sized creators and I suspect that they started getting sick of it. They started hating the pressure that came from their fan base to create good content. All too often, you start doing something because you love it, then you continue doing it because it's what you do, and then you start to hate it.

[@beskamir5977]

That's a really good quote, that I wish more people were aware of it. I've interacted with several people that seemed to be so focused on a single objective that they basically blinded themselves to alternatives and I really worry for them. Lacking a backup plan would be akin to lacking access to a doctor or data backup. Ideally you never want to need one but if things fall apart you'll be thankful it's there.

[@lyrimetacurl0]

Some such as Thunderf00t and the Amazing Atheist are still there though.

[@PracticalEngineeringChannel]

Some very good lessons here. Thanks for this neat little series Tom.

[@bdr420i]

Practical Engineering Hello Grady 👋🏼😀

[@tempname8263]

Aren't you already popular?

[@Chris-jo1zr]

No engineer is "popular" though I do love his stuff, makes me think I would have liked to have been an engineer while also forgetting how smart you have to be.

[@bdr420i]

Chris Gough you are absolutely right 👌🏽

[@davidioanhedges]

Grady got over 500 likes for a comment on Tom's video... more popular than some might think ...

[@skyclaw]

To quote xkcd number 896, ‘Marie Curie’: “You don’t become great by trying to be great. You become great by wanting to do something, and then doing it so hard you become great in the process.”

[@samwellick1706]

There's always a relevant xkcd

[@SemorreButte]

Thx cutie

[@damiaanspatrick2050]

I do that already for 30 years, works great.

[@PeninsulaPaintings]

The Simpsons also explained this well when Bart became famous for saying "I didn't do it." That episode was brutally honest about the downside of viral fame and how short lived and cut throat it is.

[@imitt12]

Say the line, Bart!

[@nivolord]

That zipper should get an Oscar for best supporting actor.

[@alfie7199]

hahahaha

[@captainyolowaffle3160]

No the book

[@epic9256]

Dude dude... you’re a one hit wonder

[@hj9076]

In pure Arsène Wenger style

[@funkyfinn1]

Oh no

[@SeeASquaRE]

I'd love a "Life Advice by Tom Scott" Series. This series so interesting.

[@ellegarret]

SeeASquared YES!!!!

[@PMCJohn]

Agreed

[@TommoCarroll]

I second this! Park Bench sometimes has little tid bits of that but a series like this dedicated to it...I’m in.

[@d1rcwill]

I really like his video/presentation about his old grey hoody

[@derkateramabend]

I do agree, it’d be lovely. But I think - and no offence to you Tom - it’d be over quickly. Four, maybe five episodes with 10-13 minutes each, and that’s it. It would definitely be good, but also short, and probably outdated within a few year’s time.

[@cyriak]

Interesting video. One thing I would add is that trying to make stuff you think will be popular is a bit like letting the audience make your work, and audiences are not good at creativity - that's why they are watching someone else do it. By making stuff you think is good, the audience may be smaller but they will be drawn towards the ideas behind your work rather than just the work itself, and will seek out more of your stuff.

[@nobody1510]

Hi Cyriak

[@cosmicatt]

King

[@kiimawittu_]

Well said

[@laprueba6521]

@@nobody1510 hey thats me in a different account

[@deliocache2528]

Wow i didnt know you watched tom scott

[@Mu3azOsman]

Beautifully put, i'm happy that youtube suggested this in 2020 when I needed to hear it the most

[@onezerosevensix]

😐

[@mcrfreak6030]

aged like milk

[@Mig29-MF]

Ok

[@KarlRock]

Incredible advice for all the creative people out there Tom 👍 You gotta always be trying new things and finding ways to grow.

[@kshitijvids]

wasn't expecting to find you here, not disappointed either

[@jayeshpandey6395]

Ooo look its karl

[@abhinav.mp4]

woah hey there karl

[@Jelkiin]

Rain, in Scotland? That’s odd...

[@sinenomine8101]

Yeah, usually it's snow!

[@radagastwiz]

As John Green would say, a stunning turn of events.

[@Hobbyrepubliken]

After this summer, yeah

[@TheStrictlyAwesome]

Jelle Brandt is that racism i hear?

[@magic_cfw]

Its green screened, the background is CG

[@benfuller9009]

In this video: Tom takes a book in a bag out of his pocket, puts it in again, takes it out again, and puts it in again.

[@detectivemakotodate2032]

And a zipper gets stuck

[@bartholomewdan]

@nopeity "Tonight, on Tom Gear..."

[@harsh3624]

@@detectivemakotodate2032 time stamp?

[@emulsion_]

Thanks for spoiling this 2 year old video Ben. 😔

[@shenanitims4006]

True. But when that book was written by the legendary KLF, that’s all you need.

[@dasleo]

How to be popular on the internet: Be interesting and smart enough to make 6 minutes of monologue into the camera enjoyable and worthwhile watching.

[@Minirow]

@@damini_damini 700k?

[@curtislevey7639]

@@damini_damini 800k views and 50k likes

[@TournavisTheBlind]

My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined

[@dailydoseofshorts535]

I was the 1k Pearson who liked this comment

[@Marssnowable]

with over a decade of practice, I'm sure anyone could monologue into a camera for 6 minutes, and tom put in the time and effort

[@simopelle]

Why is no one talking about the fact that the whole video is a one take? No scripts, and no cuts... I think this is astounding!

[@THICCTHICCTHICC]

Nearly all of his videos are

[@a..4255]

" one take, one take! YESS! "

[@blubblubblup]

meanwhile other youtubers can't say a single sentence in one take and have to jump cut every word

[@catarinabarbosa2247]

wild that you think this isnt scripted

[@faufaufau]

@@blubblubblup it isn't easy doing unscripted one take video, especially for non natives

[@CyanideCarrot]

"It makes you the person who stands up and repeats that catchphrase" THE OLDEST ANARCHY SERVER IN MINECRAFT

[@jerrycoolmanio1]

I really wonder what Fitmc's viewer retention rate is. Cause I got tired of the repetition in only like, 5 videos.

[@adminanimates4714]

@@jerrycoolmanio1 i mean i personally after watching a few of his videos went and watched...20...in one day...and im constantly excited for new uploads, but then again ive done that with every youtuber i enjoyed

[@lunamcgrath3266]

@@jerrycoolmanio1 ALTERNATE UNIVERSE TASTE TEST

[@matthewkarle4954]

damn

[@RealGhoda]

Nah FitMC is very good tho dont slander Or maybe its just because 2B2T is that wild

[@EEVblog]

As someone else who's "made it" on KZbin and been doing it full time for 7 years now, I can say that this series is spot on, well done.

[@alimmi9]

Wohoo. My favourite channels communicate with each other!

[@bigclivedotcom]

Tom does seem to have a high technical following.

[@oliverguy3121]

Glad to see you here dave!

[@998576999]

You've made it?I've never heard of you before?

[@jesshymc9054]

do you think its worth it for me to do it?

[@stewdean]

Thanks. This reminds me of the story of a pottery teacher who split her class into two. One team was asked to make as many pots as possible and the other was asked to make the best possible pots. At the end, each team was asked to enter their best pots to be judged. The team who just kept on making pots with no concern for them being the best ended up making the best pots. This story is in the book 'Art or Fear'.

[@kakyoindonut3213]

they making so much pots that they able to learn how to make the perfect

[@TPK_MAKG]

true words kakyoin donut321

[@duffin3503]

true words kakyoin donut321

[@The-Pop]

true words kakyoin donut321

[@jacksonsmith2955]

true words kakyoin donut321

[@onionbot2]

5:27 ‘sure, my baseline is different to when I was starting out’ *bassline of outro fades in* nice

[@threemad]

yea

[@GS-oj1zk]

Hi dad

[@Zealch_]

Why are you here?

[@jamesmccomb9525]

There isn't a very big overlap between people who know both you and Tom Scott is there.

[@reyscesenevara1791]

Founded indeed

[@jazepol]

alright

[@MartinPoulter]

A lot of The Manual is about an industry that doesn't really exist any more, but a lot of it has been accurate beyond what anyone could have anticipated. They said music would be dominated by sampled melodic hooks over electronic beats, with rapped verses and sung choruses- a bold prediction then, but it still applies to a lot of hit music 30 years on. Their point that popular culture is about giving people /apparent change/ is timeless. I think the book's still a great read.

[@MrAatch]

Did they give a reason for their prediction? I'd be interested to know why they thought that would happen, given that they were ultimately right.

[@TheJohnboyhunter]

@@MrAatch I know you asked for the answer a long time ago and that you may never read this. How did they know they would be right about their prediction? Because that's what they did, it was the era of rave music, house, techno, ambient, trance etc. They were known as The KLF but also less well known as The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu, The JAMs and The Time Lords. Musicians had been sampling other musicians hits from at least as far back as disco and they're still doing it now.

[@anythingbutmyrealname]

In 50 years people are going to be breathing

[@csabajtony]

@@anythingbutmyrealname not everyone

[@RaawHax]

@@anythingbutmyrealname But what if we oxygenate blood without breathing, because the atmospheric air became too polluted? Check mate atheists /s

[@shookings]

"How is there rain going down the back of my neck?!" It's Scotland, Tom. The rain gets everywhere.

[@KingJellyfishII]

Yep

[@violeteclipse3912]

Aye

[@WeldinMike27]

It's not raining in Scotland. It's a little Scotland in the rain.

[@GlimpseMaster]

Tom's Northometer score... falling fast.

[@smartereveryday]

Good word

[@FergusGriggs]

Indeed

[@countingwithjerold]

Very much

[@mowermen1762]

Wow no one has noticed you here

[@countingwithjerold]

@@mowermen1762 and maybe it should stay peaceful here

[@pettank]

which word was good

[@rayraivern]

*Heavy Raining* Tom: Yes, perfect weather for recording.

[@starstencahl8985]

Tom Scott: How to go viral Coronavirus: “write that down!”

[@macmuggo5459]

Starsten Kahl excited for the next instalment of Coronavirus (Covid-20) I hope it isn’t just another one hit wonder

[@Katerspacedopwater]

It definitely got the connecting with people part

[@entitledOne]

It did something novel all right, but it's a one hit wonder, so the next one won't really go viral around the world. People will get used to it.

[@albertsang5428]

*Oh how this comment aged*

[@macmuggo5459]

Kenvick ED ?

[@beescakefactory]

say the line, Bart! *sigh* "I didn't do it"

[@imakexyz4968]

This line came to my mind as well.

[@stillnotscaredofspiders]

The reason I didn't immediately post this is because I knew someone else would have.

[@biscuitsandbananas3433]

And that is something you might not have known.

[@RichieLarpa]

Exactly what came to my mind. Bart became a meme back in that day, but that's all, because memes tend to rot quickly. There is a reason, why memes will get boring after a week, but traditional jokes will live forever...

[@honestabe5153]

Eat my shorts?

[@maxximumb]

But Tom, you didn't answer the big question. Do we have to have a red T-shirt to be popular on the Internet?

[@twistedtachyon5877]

Yes.

[@oanaalexia]

Your avatar is wearing one. So do you feel popular?

[@xogdo5260]

it reminds people of the subscribe button!

[@StraveTube]

Maybe it's related to that "familiarity" that Tom was talking about.

[@shaunclarke04]

Maxx B it is good to have a peice of clothing that people reconise. Eg Jacksepticeye - flatcap Tom - red shirt Jacksucksatlife - skycade hoodie Ect ect.

[@prysmakitty]

Thanks. I don't make videos, I write novels, and despite getting good responses even from strangers, I don't exactly sell a lot. It's tempting to feel like "I just need one to catch on," but even with the one that's sold the best, I have people asking me to write a sequel. I don't want to. I have nothing else to say with that premise and those characters, and I have other projects on the go. I try to point them at other work, but the success of that is poor. I am, however, building up a body of work, and staying hopeful, and trying to reach people. Thank you for the motivation and the perspective from someone I respect.

[@honestabe5153]

Best of luck friendo

[@Soulsf_Quarten]

I hope you succeed

[@synflwr]

Same! Honestly most of the time I hate unplanned sequels as they either tell us things we don’t need to know/expand on the epilogue we know already and/or are just poorly written cash grabs.

[@ohmwai]

I wish you all the best internet stranger, from the bottom of my heart.

[@opedromagico]

12 videos on youtube = 7.000 subs 13 videos on youtube = 170.000 subs 16 videos on youtube = 350.000 subs - my going up was abrupt but it worked well, people would ask for more of the "same thing that went viral" but I would just do as I please. I make videos that I wanna do it.. I believe that when you start thinking "what people wanna see" is when the problem begins.

[@Reelix]

+- 100 videos: 585k subs. Welcome to what Tom was actually talking about :p

[@sorrowandsufferin924]

That's because thinking about "what people wanna see" means you stopped doing what you do for passion; you're not doing it for yourself anymore, but for others, and this means the thing will lose its soul.

[@opedromagico]

Reelix this channel have old videos, out official series “nada de interessante” has 45 videos more or less. Because we stopped giving people what they wanted we stoped growing so fast as people started doing a similar (very bad) to us and posting everyday. I knew that was going to happen and was ok with it! Im happy with the videos I created and that is what matters to me

[@allahm-ast3mnlywlatstbdlny164]

Mashallah tbark Allah alhamudillah inshallah better astgfrallah

[@allahm-ast3mnlywlatstbdlny164]

Mashallah tbark Allah alhamudillah inshallah better astgfrallah

[@nilarey6617]

0:19 "It's raining a lot" when a briton says that, it is really raining a lot

[@GarArtStudios]

I am a living breathing example of a content creator going viral. It wasn't intended at all, but if you can avoid going viral, avoid it. (granted, it seems the times we least expect something to go viral are the times they do) It's admittedly managed to give me some nice paychecks, and it did give me a decent-sized audience for my other work regardless, but all of that pales in comparison to the particular series I became known for, which I have wanted to let go of for years now. As Tom explains it very well here, slow and steady wins the race. Keep pushing, be patient, and keep building your audience.

[@HickoryJ]

Ah, the elusive humbleflexer

[@Markle2k]

Don't fret. You're a blank slate to me.

[@Seviexe]

Who are you again?

[@andrewmalcolm3209]

Well don't panic, I've never heard of you

[@benjwils]

Cmon guys don't be dicks. I hadn't heard of him but looked at his channel and situation and he's gone through the exact thing Tom describes, with tens of millions of views on videos he didn't really enjoy making, and very few on the ones he did.

[@bazza2974]

I used to be impressed by Tom. After this series, I really do admire him. A very astute individual who clearly knows the reality of what he does. Great series!

[@NateandNoahTryLife]

This series has been great. From warning against one hit wonders, to ensuring human connections, these have been the best videos about online growth I’ve ever seen. Thanks Tom!

[@billneo]

Obviously what you produce is interesting, smart and very well done. But I have to say i think your success is in part due to the fact that you seem to be such a really nice guy, someone we all really like spending time with. Thank you, Tom.

[@FriiInfo]

Powerful message. I had a post go viral a few years back and I was never able to come back. Now I am trying again, slowly, with another approach: making something I'm passionate about and learning along the way.

[@CatPianoClassics]

This one struck my core. Two of my videos had reached over a million views and i got 28k subs from over hundreds of videos i've made. I've had my share of being put in the "spotlight" because of this channel (Internet articles, being features on other KZbin channels like Funhaus and Pewdiepie) Last winter, i was able to purchase Christmas presents and i was able to pay off a plane ticket to France with my revenue earned. I reached some level of success but you're absolutely right when you said if you dont captivate your audience, someone will come in and take it from you, which is exactly what happened. There isn't much to my format, theres no big production, no fancy editing, and i have had my share of ups and downs from making my dumb channel, but i wouldnt have it any other way.

[@Sailing_Bungaree]

CatPianoClassics yep, I do it for me, and hopefully someone finds it mildly interesting and has a look. If they don’t, no problem; I’ve invested nothing but a bit of fun and time.

[@DPadGamer]

Thank you for these videos Tom, great stuff.

[@redz2d]

Wasn't expecting a 2 year old comment from DPadGamer on this video!

[@onezerosevensix]

😐

[@GameRevo]

This came around at the perfect time for me. Had a small hit a few months back with a video (~4k views, I did say small), but that was enough to throw me for a loop. I've tried to work out exactly what appealed to people about it, but I get so wound up over it that I lose sight of my own ambition. Make as many things as possible, and try to connect with people. Wise words, and ones I'll try to commit to memory. Cheers!

[@Sailing_Bungaree]

Game Revo i’m happy to have had my two minute video watched 10 times 😁. Go on, be number 11!

[@TheRealUnconnected]

4k views is background radiation not a hit....

[@lilyfox313]

I keep coming back here simply for the ending. The way the music builds up as Tom delivers his final point is just perfection

[@freatythedreary5491]

Bloody hell I didn't expect this to turn into a motivational video

[@barnabydixon]

Loving this series Tom!

[@actualgarbage8549]

Hi Barnaby

[@awppenheimer]

Barnaby!!!! Been subbed since 50k :)

[@midgetfriendodog]

should be mandatory viewing for everyone growing up in the internet age.

[@RST_Omega]

“They will get bored at some point” seeing as I’ve been watching this channel since two drums and a cymbal, and I still rewatch the hell out of your old videos, I think I can disagree pal

[@diamondminer81]

How about now?

[@lynxaway]

Clayton Does Hiding From The World I can only speak for myself, but I still eagerly look forward to all his new videos! As long as he’s got that same personality, I’m not going anywhere.

[@MisterL2_yt]

not all individuals, but the majority of the audience moves on as they get older and their interests change

[@neinnien6503]

I think you misunderstood something there pal

[@KingofSchubi]

Well education, food and maybe some other thing are an excaption to that rule cause you can never get too much of it cause theres always something new to learn and you will have to eat for the rest of your life even if youre bored or tired of it. But mostly the rule is true eventhough it may take longer to get bored of some things which depends on your interest/dedication.

[@DoctorNemmo]

The Manual is one of my favourite books. I love the KLFs chaotic energy, their utter disrespect for copyright and of course their music. They are justified and they are ancient. And they were decades ahead of their time. Still are. So, burn everything.

[@anonynym7431]

“Every idea you put out there is another roll of dice, and you can learn from however those dice fall. “ - Tom Scott

[@12301231234]

I really want this series to go viral. A) It's got great advice and useful knowledge. B) It would be kind of funny, given this last video.

[@UselessDuckCompany]

This is a lot to think about

[@zapcrossworld4036]

Not really

[@MarcelVos]

This reminds me of the situation I am currently in. Two months ago I had a massive hit with a video about the videogame Rollercoaster Tycoon 2. It has over 600k views as of now and it got me a load of subscribers. However, none my videos since then have gone even close to as big as that one went. I've had a couple of smaller viral videos, but not huge. Despite that, I am still building a solid subscriber base and am putting out videos regularly which are generally loved. The way I see it is that the huge video kickstarted my youtube channel, but it was still on me to make something of it, which I am currently trying to do.

[@ProfessorSyndicateFranklai]

Interesting about that, I see a lot of gaming channels, some vids with thousands or hundreds of thousands of views, and then the rest of them, maybe a hundred if they're lucky. It's really a fickle success here, but I guess that's what makes it so charming to be in. Good luck on your videos!

[@MatthewJBD]

The calculator is neat. At least you're over than 1k mark :) I'm so close.

[@BenExell]

The best way to grow an audience is to collaborate with other youtubers I found in the past.

[@KuraIthys]

That's indeed one of those weird things. Success in a one-off context really doesn't necessarily translate to ongoing success... Rather depends on how and why that one video got so big, and if any part of it meaningfully translates to other things you've done. But if it's something specific to that one video, the people that showed up randomly just to 'check it out' may not stick around...

[@MarcelVos]

That one video, a calculator made of rollercoasters, is by far the greatest thing I have ever done in the game. however, a couple of other projects have gone big (45k views) and I have a load of other projects from the past I can make videos about. The way it's currently going is great and I think I have enough similar content to build an audience off, especially now that I have decently sized base following of over 1000 subscribers. It's a bit tricky as currently I don't particularly love making videos. However, I am getting better at it and I do love sharing my stuff, as I have been doing that on the RCT subreddit for over two years. A lot of people haven't stuck around, but enough are sticking around that it might just get somewhere.

[@rayhib]

3:40 ay thats me in the back in the grey car, didn't think tom Scott will be there

[@martyzielinski2469]

Really?

[@rayhib]

@@martyzielinski2469 yes, now looking back its actually crazy how much of a coincidence this was

[@GavinMichaels]

I would like to be taken seriously as a musician, though unfortunately, everyone just remembers the one video where I cried over and over playing an Avatar song. Thanks to that one viral video, it's been an uphill battle fighting the KZbin algorithm. Since most of my subscribers only subscribed to see me cry, it looks as thought I have 13000 dead subs to the KZbin algorithm, and are less likely to recommend my videos. Nowadays, I try to just focus on the people who stuck around. I've got a regular following of about 50 people now and they mean the world to me. And had that video not happened, I wouldn't have met them, nor would they have seen me. And honestly? It's ideal. The feel good feeling of having "a hit" lasted 2 days. The feeling after of just having a few genuine fans lasts much longer :) Awesome video m8, I could relate a lot to what you said

[@Daniel_Batal]

If the Gods of irony that I pray to are listening, they'd make this video go viral.

[@jackalberry3633]

Daniel Batal well here we are

[@samon9344]

@@jackalberry3633 yea they didn't listen

[@moondust2365]

I mean, it is the point. Gradually rise up until each consecutive video is, by technicality, viral. That is, having more than a million views... Although you'd actually want to continue rising, although that depends...

[@elfabrip]

1 year later, and this has 911K views

[@AxolinaAxolotl]

ElFabri:P yep it got recommended to me

[@killercaos123]

There's a precise reason it's called "15 minutes of fame".

[@qwertyTRiG]

And fifteen minutes of shame with Tim Minchin.

[@lukeemery7066]

This series has coincided with the last three days of my dissertation and whilst my dream isn't to be popular on the internet this was some real positive motivation with a good message. It's got me through the last few days. Thanks Tom!

[@of_the_valley]

it’s like in that spongebob episode: “oops! i guess i ripped my pants again!”

[@rumpelpumpel7687]

:)

[@dansiegel2811]

Tom Scott = Absolute epitome of humility / self-awareness

[@lowercaserho]

The KLF reference may seem a bit ancient, but it's also entirely justified.

[@spiritusinfinitus]

Even if they've still no masterplan.

[@Virolaxion]

What time is love? 3am... eternalllllllllllllllllll

[@geordieal]

It's grim up north

[@C345OFR]

Bit disappointed he didn't go to the boathouse (or if it no longer exists, where it used to be) to film this. All that way to say "a couple of miles down the coast". Perhaps there were logistical/permission difficulties.

[@independantUKbeats]

lowercaserho It's also ancient.

[@8bitnitwit]

Never would've expected a Tom Scott video about the KLF! Brilliant :)

[@CinecomCrew]

I love your videos and presentation so much! Thank you for the great inspiration again 🙂

[@YURIexr]

i love you cinecom

[@boffyboydj]

I'm a few years late to this video, glad to see your star hasn't burnt it's brightest just yet Tom, also I only realized that the authors of "The Manual" were actually The KLF, when you mentioned the burning of the million pounds. That's a new book for me to get through, thanks for the info Tom, good luck in the future mate.

[@octaviews]

This was 4 years ago and you still speak with the same passion on this week's video. You doing something that you trully passionate about.

[@captaincringe2595]

The most useful and real series I've seen yet. Too bad it wasn't longer; listening to your wisdom for minutes on end in one take is amazingly informative, even if it hits too close to home sometimes.

[@herrreinsch]

Tom Scott's videos are getting even better,.. I did not thought that's possible. :)

[@coming_up_roses]

omg how did i recognize you in hundreds of comments wow

[@DanieleGiorgino]

I really liked this new series. I love that you traveled to the island for the sole purpose of accentuating your literary reference.

[@vine00]

Tom takes what I think but cannot explain and explains it so fluidly it's insane. I genuinely wish more people knew about his channel.

[@ohaiderepeeps828]

'Most artists are never able to recover from having one, and it becomes the millstone around their necks to which all subsequent releases are compared" - The Manual Reminds me of Owl City.

[@irishjet2687]

Reminds me of a LOT of bands.

[@Lurcii]

‘Never gunna give you up’

[@Shmozone]

Which sucks because Own City has some bangers that aren't fireflies :(

[@xddddddddddddd]

@@Shmozone fr i remembered the saltwater room more than fireflies 😂

[@Shmozone]

@@xddddddddddddd same here I think it's much better tbh

[@endigopink]

Thank for this, I really needed to hear all these lessons!

[@jaschh]

3:36 Like a wise band once said: "Nothing lasts forever, even cold Scottish rain". Wait thats not it

[@q0w1e2r3t4y5]

KZbin kept recommending you cause I occasionally watched your videos. I was shocked when I realized I was still not subscribed. Mistake corrected. This is an awesome channel, there is no channel quite like yours. You are unique. At least as far as I know.

[@brunhildevalkyrie]

i can prove this theory in two words: Rick Astley

[@eyisu6175]

Gotye

[@PCGeines]

Does this count as a Rickroll?

[@ClassicDannyboy]

we only know him from one thing, :)

[@twerdeffan1080]

So true, his other music is quite good

[@lizzie-4011]

literally what i thought of lmao

[@Verlisify]

Me clicking on the video: Thats stupid, going viral can make a career. This is the time to get fame Me after the video as a career KZbin: Nevermind. Tom NEVER misses

[@chrise5238]

MY WRIST IS SO STUPID I CALL IT VERLISIFY

[@thestudentofficial5483]

Tom Scott is my new favourite british narrator after Sir Attenborough

[@ridanann]

Every time you use the word sir you justify are ridiculous criminal antiquated nepotistic system of government. What's more people never say lady or Dame only ever sir so a knighthood only counts when it's male apparently it is the most cringy thing foreigners do to call someone sir. The English use these titles because they're stupid and about is self-aware of their country as foreigners are if you think sir carries any weight authority or meaning then you should move into the queen's bumhole.

[@williamwaffle1629]

When you mentioned the familiarity and novelty balance it came to me that at some point I started watching Gus Johnson, and I found his videos a little too unusual and weird, or novel in this case, and I would have never subscribed to him if his videos weren't constantly popping up in my recommended which allowed me to develop a little familiarity with him - I just thought that was interesting, how much computers and algorithms affect our judgement

[@TheDundeeBiscuitLuvU]

"How is there rain going down the back of my neck!" Welcome to Scotland :') on a serious note I really liked this series, hope you do more of these videos

[@KingJellyfishII]

Haha I can relate

[@darren8453]

I genuinely think one of the reasons for your enduring fan/subscriber base is that your modesty, honesty, and passion for what you've done has always been apparent. That and the genius that is "Mystery Biscuits" :-D

[@YGODueltainer]

this video is very educational, left me with a lot to think about. thank you for providing us with this video.

[@chiquiflautro]

Rick Astley comes to mind when watching this video

[@ShenDoodles]

Rick Astley quit after his hits. He was set to live comfortably, so he wanted to spend it on hanging out with his friends.

[@SuvrathHegde]

Then there's a-ha's take on me and toto's africa and the eagle's hotel california. You'd have to scroll down a bit on youtube to search for songs other than ones mentioned above. Radiohead did good job in moving away fron the Creep song as far as possible. Right now, it's despacito that seems to be hitting quite well even after a year of release.

[@shuzzd]

he came back though. his 2016 album was really good an he just came out with another one.

[@macronencer]

Yes, and Gary Numan is apparently a bit tired of playing Cars and "Are 'Friends' Electric?", and who can blame him? He's even disappeared from view and then made a comeback, and people STILL want those songs...

[@maxximumb]

Thanks. I've got THAT song stuck in my head now.

[@RhysOlwyn]

You could do a whole sub series of things you might not know about the KLF Those guys are legends

[@Qoride]

This video could not explain my youtube channel any better. The only "popular" video I got got corrupted, and the content I actually put effort into gets no attention. And now I can't even work on my content right now because I currently cannot use my computer.

[@cryperenrico9162]

I got one lesson from this series that helped me build my own business that for now is long-term. If your product is good you don't need advertising, you need humans. If people like whatever it is you make, they paas it on they advertise it for free. Only something that isn't good enough needs advertising Thank you for this

[@timflatus]

The last minute or so is gently epic, well done! Slainte!

[@katiemoss7578]

This was beautifully edited Tom and I'm assuming that song at the end was the novelty number one you were talking about

[@MartinPoulter]

The novelty number one he referred to was Doctorin' The Tardis by The Timelords.

[@fatsquirrel75]

KLF is going to rock you! Love those guys. Good on them for burning the money, they'll be remembered for that for a long time. Money well spent.

[@raph2954]

fatsquirrel75 they should of donated it to charity instead of burning it to make a statement.

[@macronencer]

"How is there rain going down the back of my neck??" Welcome to Scotland, Tom :)

[@quirkygreece]

Three videos that I think are extremely good guidance for us budding KZbinrs - thanks Tom.

[@ileiad]

Now I no longer feel terrible or envious whenever I see a random video being blessed by the KZbin algorithm instead of mine. Thank you for the insight and the advice, Tom!

[@StevenMcDonaldza]

Thanks Tom, it’s been fascinating watching this series. I remember seeing you discussing date times on Computerphile and I’ve followed you since. Thanks for everything!

[@triangulum8869]

“Say the line, bart!”

[@joshfromjuniorstudios]

Just recently I had a hit video with over 300k views and grew from 200 hundred subs to 9000 and I just rewatched this video with a new perspective

[@jamesmerutka889]

I get bored easily at times... yet I haven't grown bored of your content, good sir.

[@Camaika1997]

This short series was surprisingly informative and helpful!

[@Peter-xm7fz]

Like the Walmart yodelling kid who has released an album and does tours now...

[@mattpytlak]

Peter he was at Coachella this year too. I hope his parents save the money and use it to send him to college.

[@poetryandlilies]

Didn't Ellen give him a scholarship or some equivalent ?

[@fendoroid3788]

@@mattpytlak Why go to the college if you get paid for yodeling?

[@meowtherainbowx4163]

+Fendoroid His success won’t last forever. I haven’t even heard a peep about him for months, so he’s probably already faded from the mainstream. Therefore, his parents should be saving money now.

[@cappyjones]

Or that "Cash me outside" brat 🤬

[@ThatOverkillGuy]

this hits me really hard, i had a huge host on twitch and thought WOW so many people are coming to see what im doing, but then the views started going down, i asked why they said, we wanted to see more of that meme you were doing, and i didnt want to do that, now i get 1-3 viewers on twitch a stream (have been for 5 years) i have a stable job, i have money i dont even care about money i care about growing a community of gamers who enjoy watching someone be happy and have fun, but when no one is there for 4-10 hours a day of streaming it weighs you down, it makes you think your not good enough, but watching this series makes me think, thats ok, i will grow as a person, and as a channel, thank you if you are wondering about my twitch channel its TheGamersEliteTV on twitch, and we go live every day, thank you, have a nice day and i hope to see more of these in the future

[@SilentKnight43]

We rode a viral wave from '99 to approx 2005 - and it was a novelty idea that started as just a spare-time hobby...until we learned it could be lucrative. And it took off so quickly we were unprepared for the success. We were also naive to think it would sustain itself for a lot longer than it actually did. I look back on that period with fond memories and a bit of pride that we actually accomplished something at the time. The mistakes we inadvertently made still bother me...but that's just the way it goes. Tom's advice in this video is sage.

[@SamBram]

This advice is incredibly helpful! As somebody who's recently started making videos my outlook has been wait for one thing to propel me into the stratosphere. I realise now that my focus should be honing my skills whilst building up a backlog of content which people will hopefully watch back through as my channel grows. Thank you for this Tom! Making a 6 minute monologue interesting is a true talent and has inspired me to one day be interesting enough even to hold attention for half that time

[@Minitomate]

This is the most accurate thing that I have seen in a long while as someone where a dummy thing that you make blows up out of nowhere and keeps you remembering that dummy thing for a very long time.

[@gayslays]

Glad that he isnt being a “travelling freak show” anymore. I have always enjoyed his videos, but everyone needs a break. 10 years is so much to bear, making videos every week!

[@RockaPlays]

this is one of those videos I wished it would have appeared in my recommended 3 years ago

[@MrRobotman]

I loved this series, and I was excited to watch each one because Tom Scott videos aren't bulls**t.

[@SnehaSrik]

I'm two years late to this video but just wanted to put out there that this made me smile

[@Vinemaple]

This is incredibly good creative advice. Tom Scott has gotten so good at saying very true things both clearly and concisely, or finding others who already have. I have been fumbling toward these concepts since I started trying to create and paying close attention to the creativity of others, but Tom has actually made sense out of them.