How Corporate Money Ruined the Internet

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How the Internet became a hotbed of loneliness
The internet started as an imagined egalitarian community where people could forge meaningful connections. So how did it become… all this? Let’s find out in this Wisecrack Edition: Is the Internet Making Us Lonely
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Written by Rachel Van Nes
Hosted by Michael Burns
Directed by Evan Yee
Edited by Henry Arrambide
Produced by Olivia Redden and Griffin Davis
Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound
#Internet #Wisecrack
© 2022 Wisecrack / Omnia Media, Inc. / Enthusiast Gaming

[@WisecrackEDU]

Thanks to Keeps for sponsoring this video! Head to keeps.com/wisecrack to get 50% off your first order of Keeps hair loss treatment.

[@dominickjasso5500]

Comparison is the thief of joy

[@giladpellaeon1691]

Still preferred MySpace to Facebook though, you always had a friend in Tom.

[@CrowdedIsolation11]

Egalitarian not equalitarian

[@CrowdedIsolation11]

Love the chamnel

[@WisecrackEDU]

@@CrowdedIsolation11 That one was a quote and we looked into it. But I thought the same thing at first.

[@Matas05]

Def lonely watching this video about how the internet makes me lonely, on the internet.

[@CamSiv996]

Feels like an irony, isn't it? We have time to learn from isolation with technology like watching videos.

[@mattdavid716]

I’m here with you, except I’m not, because we’re alone

[@theradiantdehd3997]

Me too. We can all be lonely while watching this internet video about how the internet makes us lonely while on the internet together.

[@TheVeillin]

Same 😂 that’s okay tho bud

[@YarrBr0]

hi I am here to say I am alone right here on the Internet with the rest of you watching this internet video about the Internet and how it makes us more alone

[@cannibalfan01]

There's also the vanishing of "third places" spaces that aren't work or home like town/city squares, community centers etc compunded by the expansion of the suburbs and people living farther and farther from where their job is located.

[@WisecrackEDU]

Great call. It seems like the pandemic destroyed those "third places" even more, at least in America. Now for many people their workplace, their home, and their local bar are all in the same place, namely, their small apartment.

[@Sk8rToon]

I’m an only child. Never did communal sports or play dates growing up. Live alone as an adult. My social life actually went up during the beginning of the pandemic since all my co-workers were freaking out about being alone or only with their families so we had virtual happy hours or played among us, etc. Now? Back to me myself & I. Watching all these studies in how bad the pandemic was to everyone’s psyche for being alone… makes me wonder about my entire life

[@honeycrispTV]

I'll be your friend tho

[@seeyafornow2642]

how do you perceive this? if you dont mind me asking, do you have a small but quality network of friends or companions you converse with often and in times of need? overall spending a lot of time alone, imho, is not a negative thing. however, as humans i feel we do need companionship, be it platonic or romantic or any other. i keep wondering about this myself as a person who is ambiverted and often struggles with defining all of it. kinda thought aloud but have a nice day!

[@QuestioningYourSanity]

I can definitely relate to this. Had a small group friends from HS, lost touch with all of them. Now I have no idea how to make new ones.

[@LuisSierra42]

I remember the pandemic time with nostalgia now but not because i got to hang out with people virtually but simply because now i had the perfect excuse to stay at home all the time without feeling guilty

[@TheVeillin]

I’m in a similar situation. I hear so much about the negative effects on peoples mental health and psyche but my life didn’t change much at all from covid.

[@km1dash6]

When you look at the past when people would write letters to one another, it wasn't a substitute for face-to-face communication. I have letters my grandparents sent to one another saying how much they miss each other. Texting, phone calls, etc., aren't a substitute for in person interactions. When I saw Wall-E, what really stuck out to me was how most people are constantly talking to someone over the phone or on a video screen. These people were desperate for connection and communication, but that's because they were deprived of it. I think we have a similar problem now. We need friendship, approval, etc., and social media gives us just enough to keep us addicted but not enough to cure our loneliness

[@BluetheRaccoon]

I saw that movie in theatres, right at the beginning of smartphones. I knew they were right in many ways then, and I do my best not to think about it now.

[@WisecrackEDU]

Wall-E really is a classic in terms of how well it exemplifies the things you're pointing out. And it definitely shows how lots of the things we use to try and simulate in-person social interactions end up feeling a bit hollow in comparison.

[@mandisaw]

It's more that interactions only have as much depth as you [work to] invest them with. Even back in the old days of anime/sci-fi clubs, Usenet, BBS, and mailing lists, you could either just stay on the periphery, lurking, or actually engage and talk to folks. Just showing basic interest & empathy for people goes way further to establish trust and friendships than clicking "like/❤" and scrolling past. In-person can make this easier, but it's always gonna come down to genuine engagement.

[@Darkloid21]

@@mandisaw Not really. You can genuinely engage and invest in a conversation but end up talking past each other. Talking to others doesn't mean connecting. And just because you share an interest doesn't mean you have anything in common. Basic interest and empathy gets you nothing, you need something else.

[@Mr.Coffee576]

There was definitely a lot of heart put into these letters by the people who wrote them, just because they didnt have the luxury of advanced technology that we have today.

[@lancetan7699]

Loneliness being contagious is the most ironic thing I have heard in a while. Loved the video.

[@YarrBr0]

Paradoxical? Oxymoronic?

[@LinkEX]

@@YarrBr0 Paradoxical yes. However, I'm not sure it qualifies as oxymoronic when expressed as a statement ("Loneliness _is_ moronic"). The contradiction needs to be a trait _within_ the defined term, I think. So for it to be an Oxymoron, the attribute needs to be part of the term itself (e.g. "contagious loneliness")

[@ight001]

@@YarrBr0 It's an oxymoron, because to be contagious you require interaction, and to be lonely is to lack interaction/connection. It's not ironic, since if one person stops interacting with the other, they both become more lonely instead of more connected. It's not a paradox, there is a straight forward connection that does not cancel out the original process. As more individuals stop interacting with each other, you don't have a rise in interaction/connection cancelling out the original loneliness.

[@twincast2005]

Come to think of it, one of the reasons why I miss '00s internet is that I was actually part of communities, namely LiveJournal and a handful of internet forums. Damn those corporate vultures.

[@vitoria.no.c]

I’m just gonna sit here and ruminate on “consciousness isn’t created alone.”

[@edsta8925]

Somehow the internet made me less lonely. I work from home so I am naturally lonely at times since my partner works long hours and my friends all moved further away so I don't see them as often. I started to watch streamers on twitch and found myself enjoying the content of streamers who happen to live in the same city as I do. Over the years I ended up becoming recognised amongst them and the viewers where we have interesting and meaningful convo's since the community was pretty mature and not emote spamming children. Eventually the relatively small community of streamers and viewers I joined found an excuse to meet up so I went myself had a lot of fun and ended up being invited to one of their houses for a small get together where I met even more familiar names from the community so now those internet friends have become real friends I can see in the flesh despite my isolated lifestyle

[@zelotepg]

I'm happy that you could use the internet as it was intented for. As said in the video, I too had great sense of community with my pals in the mmorpg and others games community, but I'm not a big fan of other types of social media, maybe KZbin a little? 😂

[@cmilla111]

World of Warcraft definitely had more of an impact on me than I would have guessed. I didn't develop any real life relationships, but there is just something about familiarity. Playing with the same people regularly and working towards something is a unique and special feeling, whether that is soccer, video games or even your job that you hate. When I logged back into WoW a few years after leaving, I was shocked to see how many people missed me. I must have had an impact on them as well, and it always feels good to be missed.

[@senoir.]

"Meta, Metamates, Me" has got to be the goofiest thing I've heard for a company

[@WisecrackEDU]

If you have any idea what it means please let us know.

[@TH3B1TT3RP1LL]

It's a ripoff of the old Navy saying Ship, shipmates, self

[@senoir.]

@@TH3B1TT3RP1LL oh wow i never knew this!😭 thanks for sharing!

[@truhhhhhhhokIII3]

This is why i love skateboarding, its the most community based yet individualistic physical recreational activity / artform (with a side order of being able to be rated as a sport as well)

[@MichaelOBurns]

hell yes, agreed on all counts.

[@truhhhhhhhokIII3]

@@MichaelOBurns your videos are the best🔥 would love a mini tangent on anything skateboard related but i know it wont pull mega views so im extremely happy to know you even understand and agree with my sentiment xD keep it up we love you!

[@raymondtrabulsy7294]

I had a MySpace page. The friends ranking was a great way to learn how little you mattered to the people who claimed you as a friend.

[@Xarfax321]

“I am tired of this world, these people. I am tired of being caught in the tangle of their lives.” - Dr Manhattan. One of the Watchmen-quotes I really feel connected with.

[@honeycrispTV]

You might say Dr. Manhattan was feeling...blue

[@LuisSierra42]

I think about that quote every day

[@albertbehm1818]

I always hear stories from my mom and older strangers about their childhood and the things they got into. Very cool stories and I grew up thinking I was gonna have cool stories like that too. Now nothing happens, everyone is addicted to their phones and fears/doesn't know how to have conversations with random people, this makes it harder to make friends. I try to put my phone down as much as I can and do what I want, however I often do it alone because nobody else is around.

[@xbmcme9768]

That's probably the worst part of this. Just when I've mustered up the courage and motivation to try to make friends, everyone else is glued on their cell phones. I find the best way to make friends is to go an event with a specific activity, like gaming, hiking, surfing, etc. It means 2 things; those people aren't going to be on their phones (although you will be surprised) and you're all doing the same thing and have at LEAST that 1 thing in common to talk about.

[@ZentaBon]

@@xbmcme9768 ugh yep. When spending time with people it's so hard to find people who don't use their phones. I struggle with this.

[@gwgux]

This is some definite food for thought. Back in the 90s, social media was more communal with pockets of discussion forums popping up around various topics (gaming being a big example of this, but there were others out there too). Back then you could talk to people with similar interests as you do without being bombarded by ads every two seconds and even back then, some people even ended up getting married after having met on a discussion board. Before MMO games were a reality (this was during the slow dial up days), gaming communities were close nit where everyone would get to know each other and recognize what they brought to the community by being there. If a high school kid wasn't fitting in at school, this was their way to connect to others and feel like they could at least be a part of something even if they couldn't get along with anyone IRL. The big corporate social networks destroyed this. When everyone jumped on their platforms, it ripped the communities apart. When the place people congregate around isn't built by the community, for the community, there isn't a community. This is where MMO games can shine. Even though the game itself is made by a company for profit, the guilds and pocket communities of gamers that come together on their own, are made by those gamers for those gamers. It's like of like a return to the old discussion boards for gamers by gamers, but just in a different format. There's a lot than be argued for and against this (ex: still using a corporation's platform with may be riddled with micro transactions, vs the benefits of a fan made website for the game), but it's a step in the right direction at least. People just need to have a space to be...people. Themselves. Away from work, sometimes as a momentary break away from other people (even people they like), etc. The Internet can allow all those things to happen. If stopping by a bar to unwind on the way home after a late shift of hell at work isn't your thing, then MMOs and other things online may help you. The thing is though, you still need to take that step yourself. You are still capable of fighting back against the corporate socials and forming your own communities online on whatever platform you want and whatever format you want. The tech is there and surprisingly affordable and widely available. You don't need to be the next Facebook, or the next Twitter, etc., you just need to be yourself. Communal buy in, or maybe just a handful of people put up the servers and maintain them, what ever works for you. It's your community and therefore, your rules.

[@sometwat]

Here's a tip for y'all, once you learn to appreciate the silence, you will subconsciously learn to hate the company of others.

[@ZentaBon]

For me I learned that our brain adapts to conditions over time. Even shit conditions become normal and comforting. It costs a lot of energy to be upset long term, so it's an evolutionary adaptation to save brain energy. If someone is surviving then in the eyes of natural selection doesn't matter if the conditions are not ideal for the person. That said, it's ok to not want to interact. I'm like this. I've been introverted and disinterested in interacting with my peers my whole life. I couldn't stand people my age, and still barely can. Took years to find a small group of friends.

[@ericf9479]

Great video. Loneliness hasn't really been a problem for me , i struggle with urges to self isolate, simultaneously having urges to reach out

[@JamesDecker7]

This message is for everyone out there! You have value merely because you exist. You deserve to be treated with love and respect. You are perfectly normal being imperfect. Please never give up! Never surrender. Make the world a better place and share love.

[@brindlekintales]

I love your message, it made my day, thanks!

[@taranytt]

I was having a bad day, but your comment really struck me. Thankyou!

[@valenciasaintilus9573]

“ you have value merely because you exist” lol Jordan Peterson would beg to differ.

[@JamesDecker7]

@@valenciasaintilus9573 That’s fine, I disagree with him on quite a bit, and sometimes agree with him. But I actually bet he would agree with me on that point. He speaks to it a lot when he goes off against communism.

[@JamesDecker7]

@BanquetOfTheLeviathan I disagree, everyone, sans sociopaths, deserves the love (agape) and compassion from their fellow humans. Incells seem to be functioning from a place of grievance that they are not receiving romantic love (Eros) from their desired partners. That’s very different, is never “deserved”, and something you may or may not get from others depending on who you are and how you behave. 🤷‍♂️

[@demorbe-official]

I was a victim of this. Loneliness really sucks I was in a situation that I was sucked int and stuck with internet addictions all I could interact with was my phone consuming content pushed to me by the algorithm. So I decide to use that loneliness to open up a KZbin channel and also engaged in a sports club and for now at least I see some huge progress and life is getting better

[@joshuamuhuthia7437]

That's dope man. Hope you keep up the momentum.

[@ericjome7284]

My Mother used to tell me, "If you want friends, you've got to be friendly." You have to go out, find people, spend time with them. If you are lonely and you don't want to be, the first step is out your door. Try talking to strangers by asking them about themselves and doing what they like to do.

[@venicec3310]

Funny how such a simple logic still works the best no matter how hard we complicate things

[@LuisSierra42]

strangers are scary and rude

[@ericjome7284]

@@LuisSierra42 yes they are, but if you work on it and spend time with them, they aren't strangers anymore. Lots of people are out of practice.

[@PlywoodFraternity]

I mean that is really genuinely good advice but this video is not individual lonely people. It’s about the societal implications and consequences of chronic loneliness. So that advice in this context is kinda like walking into a cancer ward full of patients who lived next to a refinery their whole lives and telling the patients they should drink more water because being hydrated aids in healing.

[@sboinkthelegday3892]

It's very appropriate, reminding you how you toss more fuel into the fire. US style indifferent "care", like promotion of therapy as a fix-all, brands people who DON'T feel alienated as DELUSIONAL, for seeing a community that CARES about them when none exist. But that would MEAN that the therapy itself is not a valid form of care that capitlism PROVIDED us. This is a kafkaesque nightmare, this way how the reliable system of crediting EVERY SERVICE with a number in "profit" is suddenly turned around to vilify EVERY SERVICE, as "only seeking profit". Which is always self-fulfilling accusation because if it DOES work, it WILL be profitable. It is not jsut simple logic, it is tautology, a closed logical loop. And how do you talk to strangers? You DEMAND attention, like move around telling cashiers to not only serve, but also waste time at the water cooler acting "friendly", only to forget you like a passing internet comment. Nobody has time to report what's going on for every passerby to gossip about, and there's yellow journalism for that if you DO anything worth remembering. Having to extend yourself to all that so that your Walmart customers can feel self-important about "humanizing the workplace" also takes away form your ability to get out of work and focus on your loved ones, or even THINK about them instead of the drooling faces right in front of you who "are always right": the customers. Or "proletariat" in their own words.

[@gregtiwald]

It's capitalism. The problem is capitalism. Specifically advanced by neoliberalism, the alienation we already feel is made worse when we can't afford to participate in society because our wages go entirely to rent and food

[@gregtiwald]

Made worse by the atomization and hyper individualism of neoliberalism where everything is a transaction

[@WisecrackEDU]

You said it, not us . . .

[@mrjades4764]

Spot on

[@mrjades4764]

@@WisecrackEDUyeah but you mentioned Hegel, which leads me to believe you know what you’re talking about 😛

[@EarlofSedgewick]

I don't think you understand what neoliberalism actually is, nor the writings of Adam Smith. Rent-seeking behaviour, which you rightly identify as being a massive problem (and encompasses things like monopolies), is the antithesis of what actual neoliberals want.

[@1wayroad935]

Twitter has brought nothing but pain and suffering

[@WisecrackEDU]

Tell me about it.

[@gaywizard2000]

Just you wait!

[@gaywizard2000]

@@WisecrackEDU dude, you look 40, congratulations!

[@WisecrackEDU]

@@gaywizard2000 Thanks!

[@JBBost]

I recently went through this video first-hand! On the final year of my master's and even with doing my undergrad at 30, I still felt so much more isolated during grad school and Facebook was just like making everything so much worse. Finally, I hit up therapy, learned some anxiety tricks, and made a few friends in the program. Still, this has been such an isolating experience and I am so ready to move to city and find my people!

[@xbmcme9768]

Man, I will never forget jumping into the early chatrooms of the 90s as a young teenager with MSN Messenger and AOL. People were still jerks, but often, I would have good conversations. Most chatrooms only had tens of people, so it was easy to carry a conversation and there was no "agenda". Now, these chatrooms have been replaced with massive rooms of communities, *ahem* echo chambers, all trying to sell you something. The longer chats replaced with fleeting messages, some of which I can't actually tell if a person wrote or just a bad bot trying to keep you on the platform. For everything, there is a season. And the golden era of the internet is long gone.

[@Spiral.Dynamics]

Whenever I see someone doing things alone, like bowling, I always feel bad for them and wonder where their family and friends are.

[@CarSVernon]

im old and i actually miss the 'old' internet, i miss anon message boards/forums without having to have social media to chat about things you like

[@pokepress]

Collaborative online work is also a good way to combat loneliness, especially when the collaboration is in real time. I think this is why small-group podcasting continues to rise in popularity.

[@BluetheRaccoon]

As someone who wasn't diagnosed as autistic until adulthood, you've really explained and helped me better understand why I've only seldom ever not felt lonely.

[@methos4866]

Got diagnosed a couple of months ago at 29 and it's been a hell of a trip thus far. I always blamed myself for not being very social thinking i was at fault.

[@DrumWild]

I was diagnosed in late 2017, when I turned 53. Getting news that late made it all feel like a life wasted. But it sure does explain everything.

[@PROPAROXITONO]

haha, I would say the same. I was diagnosed 2 months ago (I'm 35 yo). It was really difficult for me to feel lonely. In fact, I miss the "isolation" from the pandemic. I don't want a new pandemic to have isolation, of course, but I was very much ok with it (the isolation, not the pandemic) and had a great excuse to be alone (just with my wife and dog) in my house.

[@cda6590]

@@PROPAROXITONO bro if you got a wife and a dog I don't even know what you're doing on the internet watching videos about loneliness to begin with.

[@BJ-zd2or]

I'm autistic too bro. Your not alone. I'm sorry you had to go through this, society needs to change or hoping you find social interaction that accepts you and makes you happy unconditionally. We need that. I hope that you are alright though.

[@Sardonicus]

I mean, I don't engage in social media as much. I'm 35 and I go out of the house alone all the time, and I rarely see anyone out my own age (but that's another matter). One thing I noticed sitting in coffee places, bars or wherever, is that it's only the boomers and some Gen X that are socializing, anyone Millennial or younger, if they're out at all, are usually out alone with their face buried in their phone. Many will complain about being lonely, but you offer to hang out and they're always "too busy". Some of it, sure, is related to side-hustling, or that they're new parents with new houses a decade behind schedule and are swamped, but some of it is the impossibility to get them unplugged for 10 damn minutes to grab some coffee or something. They can't break away from the social media crack. It's like pulling teeth from a chicken to get anyone to just hang out, like ever. So many of them absolutely refuse to do the one thing that could potentially help with their loneliness. Once or twice a year, I take a motorcycle trip to meet up with a bunch of other people to hang out and ride. Every single one of them is over 55 other than myself. Only half of them are retired, the other half still have jobs, and they still turn out. I've tried to get other people closer to my age from these same forums we're on to come out, but they never will, even when they have the free time and opportunity. And I think a very big part of it, is the shallow "connectedness" with internet people gives them a false sense of their need for friends or interaction. It's also been shown that internet interaction does not compare to or replace face-to-face interaction.

[@brindlekintales]

> It's also been shown that internet interaction does not compare to or replace face-to-face interaction. That explains why, as an activist for the homeless for more than 4 decades, I have wound up having friends who all live on the streets. They're the only group of people for whom the Internet does not play a large role in their lives, and still base their world on face-to-face interaction.

[@9000ck]

'Some of it, sure, is related to side-hustling, or that they're new parents with new houses a decade behind schedule and are swamped, but some of it is the impossibility to get them unplugged for 10 damn minutes to grab some coffee or something.' you get to the nub of it here; its economic. Your parents and grandparents had a better quality of life; they worked fewer hours, they were not constantly on call for work, they did regular hours not gig economy shit, they had holidays you know, actual trips to beach towns and lakes and mountains, they could afford to buy houses on one income. The reason young people don't go out is because they are exhausted. They are exhausted because they have been thoroughly exploited. But they are too distracted and atomised to cause political change.

[@brindlekintales]

> The reason young people don't go out is because they are exhausted. They are exhausted because they have been thoroughly exploited. But they are too distracted and atomised to cause political change. Nailed it, thank you! Though I'm not a youngster by any means: I'm 72! However, I fell into the low income status years ago and have remained there ever since, so the benefits of being a baby boomer are limited for me. The gregariousness of most people has died off slowly over the past few decades, and no matter how hard you try to make new friends, it rarely pays off anymore. This is NOT a problem of any individual, but a symptom of a severely fragmented society.

[@brindlekintales]

@BanquetOfTheLeviathan What IS your financial situation?

[@brindlekintales]

Ha ha I understand. I just don"t know how you"re gonna get to that better space in these crazy times. I ALWAYS need a ride somewhere. Best to you, thanks for such an honest reply.

[@allyson87]

Start of video me: Unfettered capitalism and destabilized communities made us lonely. Like many of our social issues, the downfall started in the 70s/80s. The internet just accelerated the process and shined a light in the problem Halfway through: glad we’re on the same page

[@naftalibendavid]

Community requires commitment. In 1989, I saw Sting in a giant stadium with at least 10K other people who all sang “So lonely!” together. Then I went home by myself without fully grasping the irony. I was too much of a workaholic to think that I needed to go make friends. Even before the internet, plenty of folks were lonely little workers unsure about what was wrong or what to do.

[@sinnsage]

brilliant as usual. i keep trying to explain to people how capitalism literally destroys *everything*. you should make a compilation or playlist of your videos that is just based on that

[@WisecrackEDU]

Not a bad idea!

[@justaname2422]

I think a big part of it is for a lot people they see all the pieces that make up the puzzle that is "capitalism is virus destroying humanity" but putting it together is hard, and when it does get put together for them it's incredibly scary because this is how it's been for so long.

[@alexiswelsh5821]

I remember MySpace. I was too young for it, but my babysitter and my mom both had it.

[@austinhernandez2716]

Jokes on you, I grew up before social media and I've always been lonely.

[@BluetheRaccoon]

All of my childhood was before social media, but almost none of my adulthood. Are you neurodivergent?

[@ZentaBon]

Wait till you learn about the disinformation issue. So much bullying, hatred, vitriol and division on social media. I get it, a lot of it is justified but...does being correct actually justify being an asshole to strangers? When you're right or have a point and try and resolve arguments irl by being a nasty jerk...it is seen as abusive. Why isn't it seen as abusive when it's done online? I talk to people irl I don't agree with, still getting that fight or flight response but...I learned it's more important to build bridges than missile silos. I'm tired of hatred and division. This is my way of protesting all that hatred.

[@NoActuallyGo-KCUF-Yourself]

I've always hated people, so I seek solitude whenever possible, and I have no friends either online or off. I was already an adult before the Internet was commonly available, and so- called social media wasn't really a thing until I was too old to give a shit about whatever "you kids today" are doing. Now I am looking out from my secluded hole at the rest of the world collapsing, and I sincerely feel sorry for all of you.

[@MrDirtydaves]

Not gonna lie, this video hits hard for me. I remember before I had a smart phone and while I was lonely then from time to time, I feel much lonelier with my phone and social media.

[@forthrightgambitia1032]

The early internet in the late 90s still had a massive community aspect, as the companies involved mainly stuck to the actual infrastructure of the internet, private companies were mainly interested in discrete websites for their business and advertising was relatively crude. The early 2000s were the tipping point, and the late 2000s were when it came all-encompassing.

[@LancesArmorStriking]

The spam comment really just proves your comment even more, lol

[@LancesArmorStriking]

Also, yeah. I was only barely around for the late 2000s internet but it felt... cozier? Smaller? Still huge and bustling, but it felt like everyone was "in on the joke" that this is the internet, a crazy place unlike real life at all God, I miss 2008.

[@billmozart7288]

This might be your and the team's best work yet

[@WisecrackEDU]

Thanks so much Bill, really appreciate it.

[@steven2183]

Given current events, you could make a followup video called "How corporate money continues to ruin the internet"

[@rathalomaniac6212]

Watching Dunkey makes me feel like I have an internet friend even though I've never even spoken to the man.

[@blazearmoru]

The internet makes us lonely because it gives us more options making everyone more picky, rude, and overall less accommodating. Then the socially wealthy get more socially wealthy, the poor the poorer because an economy of attention is much more scarce than an economy of wealth. The problem is too much freedom. We're collectively throwing each other under the bus. This is a problem of commons, a prisoner's dilemma without the iteration part. This isn't the case if you're stuck in a physical OR digital location with other people and you have to accept each other as they are without the option of throwing them away for a new batch. If you can't just swipe left or right on people and have to confront them, and yourself, as who they and you really are then suddenly, less lonely. Freedom is the problem. Commitment is the solution. The problem is that people given the freedom to fuck themselves over will take every opportunity to.

[@looneyshadow1]

a bald man selling you hair products has to be like a personal trainer with beer belly

[@seeyafornow2642]

I also dislike how we are constantly connected. connectedness is never a bad thing for humans but with the phone in our hands 24/7 (i wish i was exaggerating here ahhh) its this constant pressure of replying, being up to date, checking in, updating whatever you have to. i see people all around me constantly connected over any app to 10 of their friends, acquaintances and honestly sometimes we just need to disconnect to actually be present. we shouldnt feel pressured to be in touch all the time. some moments are just to be with yourself and your surroundings and those the moments we look back to. atleast i do. and as someone without social media except youtube, it is extremely freeing.

[@trippysk8er723]

Living in the present can be refreshing

[@miaferrari958]

I also feel like it ends up "cheapening" interactions. I was reading Dreamcatcher and there was this part where one character gave another one a call after a very long time and I realized, I can't relate to that; to the significance of receiving a call from an old friend and having an actual conversation, because I'm actually in contact with everyone, all the time... but talking about nothing really.

[@seeyafornow2642]

@@miaferrari958 are you referring to those small talk type everyday conversations. i do agree, in depth and long conversations are beautiful and feel like treasure. do tell me how our phones cheapen the interaction though, i am not quite sure i understand that.

[@miaferrari958]

@@seeyafornow2642 I don't know, maybe it's just my experience, but I feel like I end up communicating with friends through memes, or short messages instead of having actual, long, personal conversations.

[@Chetthew21]

This was a fantastic watch. I went in with the concept of loneliness and being alone as separate, and am out the other side once again cursing late stage capitalism. Will the constant absorption of human lives to transform it all into revenue ever end?

[@sentientsponge8570]

Thanks for the video! When I finally write that book in the subject I’ll send you guys a copy

[@Austinkungfuacademy]

This is one of my favorite episodes you guys put out. I'm watching this multiple times, it's dense! You packed a lot of excellent information in this, particularly, useful language to justify communal gatherings from the standpoint of political power and mental health improvement. Thank you.

[@blackbaseballfield1]

Amazing content yet again. Love all y'all at Wisecrack. Hope all is well

[@WisecrackEDU]

Thanks Anthony!

[@jamesbuchanan1913]

I sometimes have a dream where you run a school in groups of 12 kids or so. And all those kids get a communal grade. This would teach kids to deal with each other and rely on one another. I'm also wondering do we as individuals still have any value to provide groups. Like I feel preindustrial you could go to any village and say volunteer to help someone pull a plow and earn favor, but with cheap fossil fuel human labor is just so devalued. We are valued more as consumers than producers, even when we have little money to consume with.

[@Rithmy]

communal grades are a bad idea. Abolish grades in general. Take your time and write individual reports about each kid. And you can add some communal reports if you want to.

[@planetarysolidarity]

Japanese schools are pretty much already like this. Elementary classes are actually a bit large so teachers can rearrange kids so that each one gets the opportunity to teach and to learn. Of course, they have assistants so the adult to kid ratio is good. Basically, Japanese Elementary school is about teaching people how to consider others. Then, in junior high, the brutal competition for elite universities begins. But, the earlier lessons remain.

[@squid1712]

'I love to talk to my internet friends'

[@Evilnor7]

I can definitely say that online gaming was my social life for 10+ years. It definitely staved off lonliness while I was in grad school, and I even met my current husband in the game. Even with single-player games, I was able to find dedicated forum communities to interact with, which was fun while it lasted.

[@EdyGlockenspiel]

I wish I had friends to share this with.

[@b.o.e.t.h.i.u.s]

Excellent videos. Glad to see this channel has so many followers.

[@omri9982]

Great video, this really needs to be talked about more in society.

[@andydimezza2229]

Loneliness brought on by the intersections of capitalism and individualism makes total sense and puts a lot of my recent life into a good perspective. I left my job to be a stay at home dad and moved to a new area at the same time. Most other families where I am have both parents working and during the day there aren’t many options for social interaction with other adults other than in places where I’m spending money, like stores, day cares, etc… we’re friendly, but conversation is usually limited in these settings. The other families that DO have stay at home parents are all from our Catholic Church because they are home schooling them. Though I get some time with them, those parents are pretty extreme in their individualism, hate for democrats, and their 2nd amendment rights. They tend not to be too inviting or fun to be around. In order to get some adult social interactions in this new area I took a job as a school bus driver that also does charter buses for adults. The job allows me to take my kid on most routes. I never thought about this before, but most of my past social interactions happened because of school or work. It’s interesting to see how the most effective way to make new friends is directly related to my financial / work status or how much I demonstrate my love for God, America, and Guns. That being said, I acknowledge that I am incredibly fortunate that I am able to be home with our kids while they are still too young for school. My desire is to be in an economic climate where more families have that option. Then maybe there can be some socializing and maybe even positive social change sans money spending.

[@JemLeavitt]

Great video. Important and well done, would recommend. 👍👍

[@charafeddinemouqtadi8760]

I learned to like the solitude. Gives me rest and more time for my own interests and no drama. I have some friends with good taste to go to events with me

[@tieember9596]

I'm sure you do, and you're a pathetic fucking loser, lmfao Enjoy your hobbies

[@TheLandscaper0115]

Great video. Always very informative and funny. Keep up the great work.

[@mayormccheese6171]

Congrats to the Wisecrack team for avoiding giving any mention to the breakdown of organized religion, a pillar that has been successfully creating community for at least the last thousand years.

[@nykki21]

What I got from this is that we haves to prioritize humanity. Everything else is a symptom

[@FallopianDismay]

Really enjoyed this one! Thanks!

[@mrjades4764]

It’s not the tools we use, but the motives that drive us, which determine the emotional impact achieving our goal will create. The profit motive is soul sucking.

[@muttgooch]

I'm able to be alone, not lonely, and to have social circles but in 2016 I started to lean into being more alone due to anxiety and I've leaned heavily on the internet for entertainment and news in response. But I've grown accustomed and like having a small circle of friends a being a homebody.

[@JohanGasMask]

Qq

[@lindso_b]

Love that you used that Dunkey clip lol.

[@malako777A]

i am becoming a PRO at the art of jumping the merchandising part of the video straight to the content. 👍

[@lauren1779]

I use the term marketing media rather than social media

[@lightningcomet7307]

Excellent video, guys. Thanks!

[@Apr0x1m0]

A few years ago I came up with the term "Technohermit" where the more time you spend on 'socializing' over the internet, the more disconnected you become from society.

[@nopelindoputraperkasa5869]

Thank you for sharing the best information.. great. ! Very inspiring and inspiring.. great.. greetings from traditional Indonesian gold seekers ❤️🇮🇩⚒️❤️👍👍

[@vitoria.no.c]

11:00 one can definitely see this change in how society was organized starting from the election of Reagan just by looking at the language of ads.

[@cup.o.joe...]

I once got a lot of hate because I mentioned how dumb and frustrating is people's need for online validation, and how following online trends not only didn't foster community but stimies individual growth and social life.

[@sarayusarayu832]

Excellent video!

[@lintaobohan]

“Even if a small group of people had the courage to meet death, we today would not say that each individual had the courage to do that, for what the individual fears more than death is reflection's judgment upon him, reflection's objection to his wanting to venture something as an individual. The individual does not belong to God, to himself, to the beloved, to his art, to his scholarship; no, just as a serf belongs to an estate, so the individual realizes that in every respect he belongs to an abstraction in which reflection subordinates him." - Søren Kierkegaard

[@siphumeleledlodlo5930]

Me to a stranger, in the hopes of starting a conversation: "So, do you know that loneliness can potentially lead to Alzheimer's disease?"

[@planetarysolidarity]

😄

[@thaddeuscox6624]

Quick request: please leave the quoted text on the screen for a bit longer for screenshots. Thank you for another super relevant and well presented analysis!

[@hallamshire]

I would add that we have demolished or built over community gathering spaces that are non-alcohl related. The past year I've been lonely and wanting to go out and make more friends but as an adult, I didn't know where to go to meet out people (other than the bar and my social anxiety is too high there). I remember in college that so many of my friends were just folks I met in communal gathering spaces. There were free things to do and I met others that were interested in similar things. Fast forward, I joined a dance class and I have met some people that might be friends... but building those relationships is long and hard work.

[@dariogomes3598]

Ty for the wisdom

[@nopelindoputraperkasa5869]

Thank you for sharing this best information, friend.. very good and useful.. great..! Greetings from Indonesian traditional gold seeker ❤️🇲🇨⚒️⛏️🌺🌼✋👍👍👍

[@CainsChannel]

Remember when you could make friends on KZbin back in the day and add someone as a friend? There was also an option to send people personal messages and get to know them. All of that is gone now. That option now is "business inquiries:" with a link to the person's email address.

[@Secret_Takodachi]

Watching this while waking up from a nap after my morning workout really makes me appreciate how important it is to have a daily activity that involves chatting with strangers and getting your blood pumping. ❤ I connect to humans IRL. I can't imagine how sad & lonely a person trying to connect to others only online must feel. Then again they're choosing to continue to engage with a system that doesn't work so hard to feel bad for someone who refuses to change their behavior when they recognize it isn't productive/helpful/fulfilling.

[@TH3B1TT3RP1LL]

Do Palo Alto! It's awesome and Malcolm Harris deserves a shout-out

[@undercoverduck]

Amazing video

[@WeabooMilk]

Didn't expect to see Videogamedunkey footage in a Wisecrack video

[@NoActuallyGo-KCUF-Yourself]

I only feel lonely when other people are around. I know I have nothing they want. And they know I am not interested in anything that they are. It's like feeling more hungry while in a grocery store with no money. When I'm alone, I know I'm alone and that's it. There is no stress of worrying about what one of these other apes is going to do to ruin my day.

[@fernandoi8958]

I wish I had the will to bowl alone. I mostly don't feel like doing anything alone, unless it's survival related things...

[@lbjcb5]

Maybe you could talk to someone. Dial 988 to chat right away with a person waiting to talk about whatever is on your mind. ❤

[@jeronimotamayolopera4834]

PEOPLE MAKE ME FEELL ALONE.

[@Kazuma11290]

Being solitary is so much better than being lonely.

[@covle9180]

I love the little dark nuggets in between.

[@willzang3000]

the irony of me watching this is wildin' outta control

[@Alaskan-Armadillo]

I appreciate the point that lonliness is an individual and a social problem

[@JohnDoe-ds1uy]

There's another angle I don't think was mentioned here: time vs stuff. Never in my life have I had more recreational things to do than free time to do it. I haven't dated in 12yrs. Mostly because all it would do is suck what little time I have left over after work. I have several hobbies and, if all but one were stolen or I was no longer allowed to do, I STILL would struggle to keep up with that one thing. No woman is going to complete with that and it will just end up costing more money that I don't have (even if its just gas money to meet up) than I have.

[@rickevans956]

Philosophy of VideogameDunkey next! Lol.

[@God-ld6ll]

"When you have wiped out your competition. You and other industries likely will have no reason to not only make, but buy lousy products. Because they also are monopolized."

[@MrBerniemcgovern]

Such truth! Love is like a spinja.

[@kriz2432]

Down with the Money System!! Up with LOVE!!

[@historiadelaciencia6860]

Just got a Bumble ad before this video.

[@benjamin5724]

I really enjoyed this video.

[@splitfries69]

I've had the opposite experience it helped me connect people with the friends I already had and made me get new friends. Also all the information in the world is that your fingertips and everything in the world to watch is that your fingertips it's really no excuse for being lonely. Find a community find a friend there's billions of people.

[@NukeMarine]

Personal opinion based on twenty plus years interacting socially on the internet that it's not the internet makes us lonely, but in how it's used for social interaction. If you're using VR chat, small discords, twitter conversations where the interaction is an actual communication of some sort then whatever interactive need the mind has is being fulfilled. If instead it's about searching for recognition, likes, upvotes, subscribers, or views then less social and more consumption and maybe competitive. Voice chat and especially VR voice chat are very powerful tools at interaction and developing friendships outside of physical interaction. Likely the mind won't even distinguish it in large part.

[@Rithmy]

@@stratosphere2323 Get your priorities straight. Are you a slave of your "interest"? Or are you willing to experience occasional boredom? The things is: Do you really need your Input to be as interesting as possible? Only if you are passiv. As soon as you get active, it does not matter as much. Then what matters is that youa re able to be an active part of the relationship, which is not possible with podcasts. Don't succumb to your passivness.

[@Rithmy]

@@stratosphere2323 Now thats a totally different problem from the one before. I don't know you age or location but i am willing to bet a considerable amount of money that there are people near you who are willing to put time and effort into a friendship.

[@Rithmy]

@@stratosphere2323 I see you. I see the same around me. Still there are some people who see it like you and would connect with you. Call me naive but i refuse to belief that that no one has any time for anything other than work. But again: I know nothing about you.

[@Jmc401]

“Because the market is good at morals and ethics” 😂

[@TheCommonS3Nse]

I love the message of this video. I have long held that our loss of connection with our community has been driving many of the social problems we see today. My policy solution to this problem is to have a UBI linked to community service. For example, you volunteer a minimum of 8 hours per month, you get a $500 UBI. I think it would get people positively involved in their communities, and it would help people financially so they don’t have to spend all of their waking hours working, opening up more time for friends and family.