The Philosophy of BOJACK HORSEMAN - Wisecrack Edition

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Welcome to this special Wisecrack Edition on The Philosophy of BoJack Horseman, exploring the dark existential undertones of this seemingly light-hearted cartoon. Behind the colorful animations and snarky one-liners is a show that's astonishingly deep - a series that ponders important philosophical questions about living life in a meaningless universe. From Pascal to Sartre, we'll dive into the thinkers and philosophies that are foundational to the show's underlying message.
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Written by: Charlie Caplan
Narrated and Directed by: Jared Bauer
Edited by: Ryan Hailey (www.ryanhaileyd...)
Assistant Editor: Andrew Nishimura
Motion Graphics by: Drew Levin
Produced by: Jacob Salamon
© 2016 Wisecrack, Inc.

[@pir8prod]

"Don't fetishize your own sadness." Great advice from a cartoon!

[@perrierrefresher554]

pir8prod you know it’s funny becuz I tried doing that one time

[@user-lucariogirl]

Since I've been doing it for so long, happiness isn't an option or anything I want.

[@kennethravanilla1422]

can someone explain this to a stupid like me

[@casthedemon]

@@kennethravanilla1422 which part?

[@user-lucariogirl]

@yuivch I know, but I do it without even realizing it sometimes and I have gotten better lmaooo

[@jackbyrley6441]

I remember last summer I finished binging Bojack Horseman and watched an episode of Breaking Bad immediatly after. The show about a meth cook druglord dying of cancer was significantly more optimistic.

[@bojackhorseman7760]

Elizabeth Byeerley it's not the same kind of show:)

[@sebastianrosen8340]

BRUH IM DOING THE SAME EXACT THING

[@clydelagapa6924]

L Byrley and the voice actor of todd chavez is aaron paul aka Jessie pinkman.

[@ethanbrock5453]

L Byrley I mean it makes sense since Walter gained meaning to his life by becoming a drug lord.

[@H4nn4hLuv]

walter was also kinda in an existential crisis, even before he knew he had cancer. He took matters into his own hands and made choices that took him to the life he secretly wanted to have. So it actually kinda fits into the narrative.

[@esparzacartoons2050]

People before watching the show: It's about a guy with a horses face. Its gonna suck. People after watching the show: This is how you write for TV. Or anything really.

[@RedShipsofSpainAgain]

100%. I remember 5 years ago hearing about this show and was like, "It's an animated horse cartoon? Pssh: skip!" Just finished binge watching the whole series this weekend, and I've done a 180. This is easily one of the best shows highlighting the existential nature of living. I really regret having pre-judged it on incomplete information years ago. Really wish more TV shows were made in this same vein. Shows that get at the heart of existence and make you reflect on life and aren't afraid to depict reality as it is rather than as we want it to be. Reality being often uglier and grittier and harsher than the idealized reality portrayed by 90% of TV shows.

[@GhostStealth590]

Just got done watching it. Many people have recommended it, but I thought it was going to be another Bob's Burgers, King of the Hill, or Archer type of show that is focused on comedy with no grounded continuity. But in the end, made me cry myself to sleep a lot of nights, and probably one of the best shows I've watched in a long time.

[@thetitanian5544]

@@GhostStealth590 King of the Hill has continuity

[@JerryLantz]

I'm rewatching it for the second time. I binged it, and am binging it again right after. I thought it was going to be stupid when I first heard about it, but now it's one of my favorites. It's so well written and the characters are amazing. It's silly at first, but it definitely gets deeper in the later seasons. There have been multiple episodes that made me cry, and that's rare for me.

[@emilylednicky6718]

Seriously. I didn't watch it because it was about animals until a friend recommended it to me. Plus Amy Sedaris is my favorite actress of all time.

[@igdesaeger]

"You know, it's funny; when you look at someone through rose-colored glasses, all the red flags just look like flags." - Wanda the Owl, BoJack Horseman

[@jonedwards2636]

I'm still sad about how shit went down with Wanda

[@lukewatson8848]

"I love you" "No I don't"

[@KhaledNabilK]

My favorite quote to this date.

[@Jarod-sm5rf]

I actually do hope bojack gets back with Wanda

[@artezjackson3650]

@@jonedwards2636 yea especially she had to relocate to Detroit

[@alyssamichaela]

the underwater episode was so beautiful and unique.

[@faridaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

!!!! That was my favorite episode

[@evasmiljanic3529]

I think it's everyone's fave episode, even though I personally didn't care for it at all rip

[@ohad.5890]

@@evasmiljanic3529 lol i know it happened i just dont really remember it because my memorys shit. i dont have a favorite episode either, i just watch and woop it disappears from my mind

[@leni_ty3117]

I cried a little

[@damiengreene-ayala6338]

The two therapists at dinner was the “God” style episode hands down

[@pranavmanie1479]

The video talks about people using distractions a lot to escape life. Basically, they're..... horsin' around.

[@IAmNumber4000]

And BoJack repeatedly says the show itself exists as a distraction from one’s miserable life.

[@TPRJones]

At first I did not understand the philosophy of Bojack Horseman. However after playing Best Fiends Forever for an extended period of time I began to experience existential dread and all became clear.

[@archimago112]

omg comment of the day

[@kurtisgibson2929]

TPRJones welcome to hell

[@tulcia3]

TPRJones i

[@otorbaev]

What's best fiends forever?

[@estefeezy]

TPRJones That is what I call a very clever comment

[@VARIOUShorses]

Damn, I keep forgetting how brutal the ending to Sarah Lynn's arc is.

[@kellynewman4332]

VARIOUS videos sarah lynn?

[@Deadpool-kb5yo]

The little girl from horsin around who overdosed on bojack.

[@cyberninjazero5659]

VARIOUS videos it was too much man

[@AstralPandaBoi]

I wanna be an architect...

[@fish3977]

Fuck you xanduxer

[@raggamuffin394]

the irony of advertising a mindless iphone app before talking about the underlying theme of constant distraction

[@TheZchristina97]

So does this mean that capitalism is the ultimate coping mechanism by giving us the opportunity to obtain endless distractions ...

[@mattcan9552]

@@TheZchristina97 yep

[@hayk3000]

@@TheZchristina97 Capitalism is the cancer and the products are the coping mechanism.

[@deyaraghavan1408]

WAS THINKIN THE SAME THING!!!

[@bazileus123]

He is talking about nixilisam but dont mean that he suport it

[@MrGamelover23]

I think the horses running is ironic showing that while bojack runs from responsibility and discipline, the horses at the end were running WITH discipline and responsibility.

[@TyRaff]

Tech Freak thats assuming they werent running for the sake of running, or running in opposition to conventional western life. We really dont know yet, they only had 5 ddeconds of screen time.

[@MrGamelover23]

They were clearly athletes. And they were running in the opposite direction, you KNOW, that was symbolic.

[@TyRaff]

Tech Freak you're assuming a lot of about them being athletes. If they were athletes then what were they competing in?

[@TyRaff]

"They were clearly athletes. " - Tech Freak, 2016 Tech Freak said, assumingly.

[@MrGamelover23]

Sorry, read it wrong. You've never heard of track and field? Cross country? Or whatever Seccrateriat did?

[@Thravous]

Wait... Isn't this that horse from horsing around?

[@raggedbandit1]

nah he's the horse from horsing around...

[@royal9743]

No! He's that horse from this shitty show in 2007! How was it called again?

[@ConditionOfMan]

+Anônimo Baiano ♫ don't try and act like you don't know ♫

[@Deadpool-kb5yo]

the bojack horseman show

[@TankTaur]

Didn't he star in that Secretariat movie?

[@stenkamx5406]

Watching Bojack horseman is like listening to a sad song you love despite how sad it might make you.

[@HülyeLó]

You mean like "A Horse With No Name" by America?

[@hugitkissitloveit8640]

This

[@bent2461]

Well so this is like all the great adult swim shows : looks light-hearted but it's actually pretty dark

[@Equilibriumshift]

BEN Tsay Hell yeah.

[@PurlaneMauve]

Difference is that normally in those shows things there are near-impossible to recreate in real life However, in this series, this feels.... Too real.

[@GoodAvatar]

I totally agree with that. Take Aqua Teen Hunger Force. For all of it's silliness and non-continuity, the sheer random horribleness that constantly occurs is basically the plotline of the show. Poor, *poor* Carl. He may be an awful human being, but he doesn't deserve to live next door to those three.

[@MrGamelover23]

Another difference is that actions have consequences in this show.

[@Invictus901]

I'll add to the other commenters saying that there's another major difference: THIS IS NOT AN ADULT SWIM SHOW.

[@baolocle6849]

wait a second. i am distracting myself from an existantial crisis by watching a video about distracting yourself from an existential crisis... and you are reading my comment distracting yourself ... woah

[@alanraven6803]

Existential-Crisis-ception

[@helikopter6071]

fuck

[@wyatt3254]

Accurate

[@Jaber.oumalik]

accurate af

[@c_o_l_m]

M E T A

[@acs197]

BoJack blew me away. Much better than i thought it would be.

[@sequoia2897]

same

[@edoardomaster64]

Loved the "Hollywoo Stars and Celebrities: What Do They Know? Do They Know Things?? Let's Find Out!" reference

[@animeshtiwari3260]

Or HSAC!WDTK?DTKT?? LFO

[@katiew.5878]

Yesss I appreciated this as well:)

[@katitax508]

That has to be one of my favorite jokes from the show

[@Infamous1892]

I had to warn people about this show. It really fucks you up.

[@sireneklient]

oh yeah xD

[@UndeadKIRA]

Nah man i was already fucked up

[@Infamous1892]

EternalResonance No. Bojack would take the roofies.

[@inimfon869]

Shawn Shaw nah mate. I watch this show because I'm fucked up

[@Infamous1892]

inimfon umoh tomato tomahto. Everyone's fucked up in their own special way.🌈😁

[@KaaamG]

"Embrace the absurd, carry out your meaningless task and be happy in spite of it." If 15 minutes is too long this quote sums it all up very nicely.

[@manvidikshit74]

sisyphus was happy.

[@discogoth]

@@manvidikshit74 I'm so glad you said this, I was literally going to say that Camus is cackling in his grave right now.

[@adenise__122]

@@discogoth someone else is too, because you bought into this idea

[@csharpminor5350]

Camus did not commit suicide

[@jericho7173]

That under water episode tho...

[@brianthekillabro5534]

FullMetal Bat Ikr

[@Ferkidactilo]

It was boring af, but I guess it was made to watch on LSD.

[@lucca01023]

+Ferkidactilo not necessarily bad, but it felt like spongebob or something like if

[@KingDecahedron]

FullMetal Bat - That is not even a complete sentence you idiot.

[@Ferkidactilo]

Just aChannel I didn't say bad

[@theboxghost14]

Rick and Morty picks apart the world around you. BoJack Horseman picks apart the life you've built both socially and personally.

[@AngusStewart01]

The Box Ghost you explained it perfectly

[@guacamojo]

@Instrumentality1000 what is this, a crossover episode?

[@triratna1397]

the problem with secretariat advice is when we don't have anything to go forward then all we have is the past. it's the reason why secretariat committed suicide after his drug scandal.

[@hunterwillis3775]

Well also one can't just deny the past, not dwell on it sure but to completely disregard it? That's not healthy advice, we need to learn from experiences.

[@luukrawks]

If only Secretariat would have known, about the View from Halfway Down

[@eveeexx]

But the future will become past at some point.

[@MOZER405]

That reminds me of Gatsby.

[@LOVEAapjes]

Good comment

[@iphoneusdsd]

That was abit too much for my morning coffee

[@miraak6587]

*mourning

[@miraak6587]

its a joke btw

[@aniqa4398]

I got it lol

[@Raphie009]

That's too much, man.

[@nexs1370]

Trilmonté StOp

[@SadPawn]

One thing that i noticed watching videos analyzing Bojack is that they never seem to take in account clinical mental illnesses. Because clinical depression isn't something that is caused by wrong life philosophy, it's reversed - depression causes pessimistic outlook at life and the world. And for anyone who ever had depression, it is painfully obvious that it's exactly what Bojack is suffering from. And getting over clinical depression isn't as easy as changing one's philosophy, as it is only the outcome of depression, not the reason for it.

[@BensCoffeeRants]

Smart people are depressed because ignorance is bliss.

[@lisandraduarte9669]

Honestly, thank you so much for saying that, i believe thinking about mental illness is way more important when trying to understand Bojack. Even though the whole philosophy thing is super interesting and completely valid, it's clear his 'problem' is way deeper than knowing that life is meaningless and your comment was the only one i found discussing that lol

[@ihateonyourcomments]

depression is much less common in 3rd world countries. Some theorize this is because have free time is not great for brain chemistry. Depression is chemical but does that mean you are born with it... idk

[@DaihatsuCharade1993]

I don't think the show is trying to show Bojack as being clinically depressed. I think he's depressed for other reasons and that's kind of the point of the show.

[@kjmusic99]

not to mention addiction

[@Suchwerewolf]

The running horses who run anonymously and for the sheer hell of it, and who are happy with their friends, versus Secretariat who ran for admiration, fame, achievement and prestige and who ends up killing him self alone, is such a good visual representation of the two paths Bojack can take and how they will end

[@mille5913]

Wow that’s a good point

[@Kayin15]

After binge watching Bojack Horseman a few months back, I definitely felt like I learned something about myself through the show. After watching this video, I can now put words to it. Thanks, Wisecrack.

[@Sinyao]

Emilie DeWinter Nothing matters, everybody dies, come watch tv?

[@kieakewii]

N7 tungstenKestrel ok Morty

[@Wefigureit]

Emilie DeWinter I learned that you might as well do things that make you happy.

[@ChaoticTail09]

This show seems so depressing... I love it already.

[@lucapeyrefitte6899]

Ken M it's really good I watch it twice when I had Netflix

[@AmbrosiaDreamWeaver]

Are you a Zoe?

[@daveyboy647]

A "mild" anxiety attack that sends him to the hospital? What would an extreme anxiety attack do? Send him to Jesus?

[@bluehulk2638]

Davey Fraser yes

[@katiestevens3571]

That's the joke.

[@jupiterloveskirby]

😂

[@yohanaannemarie3825]

yeaa

[@heydoeradio7298]

Be quite a view from half way down.

[@EthanTAllison]

I think the philosophy of "Louie" would be a great one to dive into.

[@TheInfinitify]

Second this. That would be amazing. Specifically the "misery is wasted on the miserable" scene and the "so did the fat lady" scene. Those two hit hard. The former especially with Louis' doctor's full view on love.

[@raggedbandit1]

yes

[@estateantadze4990]

God I wish they will do it

[@JJJameson.]

Oh yeah

[@EthanTAllison]

Infinitify also the episodes with Liz in it

[@deemilkman]

This series is deep.

[@101jir]

I will just leave this here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fmjdi4yke6Z3rs0 Trust me, you will appreciate it. Makes this video look like... what it actually is.

[@geraq0]

101jir amazing video, thanks for sharing!

[@TacoRepublic]

Fido's Wall amen

[@scottierye]

101jir they’re both great videos. Will schoder is underrated. He does a great video on rick and morty as well.

[@ded2me491]

Back in the 90’s, I was in a very famous tv show-

[@Kaospyro]

I'm Bojack the horse (Bojack!), Bojack the horse-Dont act like you don't know~

[@crybaby7449]

and I'm trying to hold on to my past it's been so long i don't think I'm gonna last

[@viking1430]

I guess I'll just try And make you understand That I'm more horse than a man Or I'm more man than a horse (BoJack!)

[@abhi7232]

@@viking1430 Boxer versus Raptor. Na-na-na-na-na-na

[@HAZMOLZ]

There's a sad irony in funding a video that deconstructs a cartoon exploring existential nihilism with a pointless and distracting highly addictive computer game. Or maybe that was the point.

[@goldenstateofmind4153]

Haha oh wow. I thought the same lol

[@shaheensamavati2010]

I came here to say the same thing. Thank you!

[@Yet.Another.Rapper.KiG.V2]

I would love to be wrong, but, I sincerely doubt the advertisers knew what they were doing.

[@Valerio_the_wandering_sprite]

Well, Todd fell for it at least once.

[@ReturnTheSlab932]

Stop with the pseudointellectualism, it's an ad they would run on any video, they're a KZbin channel trying to make money

[@marshmellow9281]

I love BoJack Horsman. It's both extremely dramatic and wonderfully satirical st the same time, which is something not a lot of shows can boast about.

[@abhi7232]

"You are all the things you do, there is no deep down." That line hits hard

[@katsuragikeima8809]

Philosophy of Courage the Cowardly Dog??

[@ed7420]

Katsuragi Keima YES

[@theChilest]

hell yeah!!

[@potestoniko]

yeahhhhhhhh!!!!!! that would be awesome!

[@m_winewood]

holy shit thatd be sick

[@mbkallday9521]

No.

[@Morfe02]

distractions ???? like this video oooh

[@mack98]

I love rewatching this show whenever I feel like I need another depressive episode

[@DevinFrt]

toxic asf

[@anma6928]

I JUST FINISHED IT N IM GOING THROUGHHH IT.

[@MegaSim3]

Or, as Jerry put it: "Life is effort and I stop when I die!"

[@needlesslyredundant]

Closer to "Nobody exists on purpose, nobody belongs anywhere, everybody's going to die. Come watch TV".

[@DuskPShermanWallaby123]

Yep..

[@kurtisgibson2929]

KaiserDragon but jerry is the modern society's everyman

[@kurtisgibson2929]

KaiserDragon but jerry is the modern society's everyman

[@berkbas2078]

so?

[@nahheio]

I feel like an entire philosophy episode could have been done in the drug trip scene alone

[@luisaguilar7997]

jeeesus tgat shit was so deep, so full of symbolism, Id love to hear your take on it honestly

[@RedShipsofSpainAgain]

There exist strong parallels between Bojack and Hank Moody from the series Californication. Bojack is more vocal about his misery, but both characters feature a creative-type heavy-drinking, Cassandra-esque middle-aged man living in LA whose self-destructive tendencies reflect a deeper self-loathing and whose carefree lifestyle is financially afforded to each from their prior commercial success years ago ("Horsin Around" for Bojack; "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" for Hank Moody). Also both characters are ultimately well-intentioned, charismatic, good souls, but whose life choices ultimately cause pain for themselves and the ones who care about them. Californication has these occasional existential tidbits of life lessons, but they are less frequent than in Bojack. Think Eddie Nero's line referring to Hank: "I finally figured what it's about...it's about a man falling apart...while trying to keep it together." But whereas Californication focused more on comic relief as a central plotline (Charlie Runkle, Hank's numerous antics he finds himself in), Bojack is unafraid to focus more on the serious themes while bringing the comedy along only as a passenger. Actually as I write that sentence, I realize they both juggle comedy with existential angst. Another key difference is the central theme of family in Californication: Hank Moody has a much stronger family support structure. He has his daughter (and in the final (terrible, imo) season, a newly discovered son) plus his complicated relationship with Karen (a woman whom Hank has placed on a pedestal but whose love for her prevents him from being able to seriously commit to any other woman). But both his daughter and Karen/former-lover/one-true-love both serve to ground Hank's motivations (provide for his family/pseudo-family by writing). But Bojack, in contrast, really doesn't have a family to provide direction for his actions/purpose in life. Hollyhock presented an opportunity but turned out to be just his younger sister. Todd is perhaps Bojack's best friend and although Bojack gets close to Dianne and Princess Carolyn, they both remain mere supporting characters to Bojack, who holds each at arms-length. No, Bojack is quite alone, without children, without family. This is not to say that family/children are the sole reason for existence (although genetics and natural selection may beg to differ), But Hank's family gives him a clear(er) direction with his life purpose, whereas poor Bojack is more aimless. But I'm just a 35-year old elder Millennial writing this out into the invisible audience of the Internet in early 2019, so what do I know? A related sidenote: I went on a date last night with an attractive woman and I brought up this existential dilemma of finding purpose in an uncaring universe and how all these people around us (we were at a crowded bar) were just trying to distract themselves with stuff and pop music and watching pro SportsBall games on TV to keep from feeling lonely or from facing their own existence and limited time remaining head-on. (Note to you younger straight men: this might be a bit heavy for first-date conversation material). But I told her that it's funny how much we all seek to distract ourselves from the great Void, when all we really crave for is *connection* with another person. To share our experiences and our lives with and "love" (whatever that might mean to you). Even Chris McCandless ("Into the Wild") tersely observed this after living solo in the Alaskan wilderness for months: "Happiness only real when shared." I think each of us realizes (deep down) how scary the empty universe is and each of us is basically just looking for something and/or someone next to us to make us feel less alone. The point is: you think you have time to spare, when actually nothing is further from the truth: I've thought back on the last conversation with an ex-girlfriend or family member before they died or friend before they moved away...when someone you care about is gone and out of your life, you are reminded how truly precious time is. You never get that time back and it makes you really regret all the times you argued about something stupid or avoided hanging out with them or even the traffic jam that kept you apart. When viewed through the realization that All Things End Eventually, it makes you realize how precious the time you spend with loved ones is. As Bojack's mom observes: time's arrow marches only forward. So, wherever you are tonight, Internet, if you have someone in your life whom you love, hold them a bit tighter. Tell them you love them. Put your phone down when you're out for dinner and actually look at each other and talk and hold hands. Because one day you die. And one day they will die. So don't squander the time you have. This is a realization you cannot grasp in your 20s, but trust me: you will (if you're lucky) in your 30s. This is also why you shouldn't write long KZbin comments at 11pm on a Sunday night: it's all too easy to get sentimental and slide down the existential vortex late at night. Good night, KZbin!

[@natemarx8285]

I'm glad you wrote this out. I've always felt Bojack horseman is a discount Hank Moody. Especially in the first season. With that said Bojack horseman is an awesome show as well as californication.

[@TheMiguelpino]

Thanks for such beautifully written comment. Keep having good connections and grasping those beautiful mundane routine moments with your loved ones

[@harishchandramouleeswaran8802]

This is beautiful. Thank you for writing this.

[@dasia7920]

Haha! Loved this comment oh so much.... It's very true that death/unfortunate events can occur at any moment to ourselves or the people with love. I'm a 23y/o female and I think the first time I realise how real death is was when my first best friend committed suicide at 21 (I was 17). Since then, I vowed to tell people I love, how much they mean to me..... My memory is like a bank of detailed experiences with the people that matter to me. And of course, I've decided my own meaning in life which is to create connections and meaningful experiences with the people we meet and places we get to. Sounds simple enough but we're so human and forgetful.

[@alessandrosemeraro3770]

I think that I really grasped all of this at 28.

[@manuam98]

Anybody noticed in this world there's a band called the Beetles formed by four beetles, yet Paul McCartney is a human?

[@lucapeyrefitte6899]

Manu fm haha I wondered about that

[@ziemowitpaszke4596]

Maybe The Beetles are The Beatles' tribute band or their copycats?

[@louishayes5898]

I don’t think they look to far into that, same as when someone called jurj clooners George clooney and the other person questioned them on it. They kinda take the piss with that stuff

[@Johnlindsey289]

Almost like something out of Animaniacs

[@BabysBreath634]

I know this is a super old comment, but isn’t this a reference to the fact that lots of people believe that Paul McCartney was killed and replaced with someone else? Also people thought that the song I Am A Walrus was one of the main songs that hinted towards this theory if I remember correctly, seems to align with this shows use of animal themed jokes

[@mfwhom5214]

It's pretty depressing, but not as depressing as the imminent extinction of the Bees if we don't do something.

[@MKRex]

MF Whom ? You win KZbin this month for servin' #TruthJuice

[@joshuatheawesome9440]

MF Whom ? Your username made me laugh out loud!

[@thebronywiking]

Or the US election.

[@Amy-zp2ks]

Watch the last episode of Black Mirror.

[@EndlessEnigmaPart3]

I did the same until I realized a minor typo: You gotta have ALL CAPS

[@imEliLucas]

i got an ad on this video for Reese’s cups with Will Arnett’s voice ahaha

[@irresponsible1390]

Back in the 90's, I was on a very famous TV show...

[@keukenkastje05]

* hahahahah * ...I'm BoJack the Horse (BoJack!), BoJack the Horse but don't act like you don't know...

[@ivanolivas9897]

And i'm trying to hang on to my past

[@joshuaeva2848]

It's been so long I don't think I'm gonna last

[@RandomU5erName]

Back in '07 I was in a not-successful TV show

[@mattpate7074]

I'm Bojack, the horse (Bojack), what the hell was I thinking bro?

[@EqualsThreeable]

This is the most depressing animated cartoon show on Netflix, and in recent history. Rick and Morty is gritty and dark, but Rick immediately accepts the absurdity, has the family part down, but his past haunts him and steals it away. I don't think Rick's goal is sustained happiness, but it's definitely something. I believe Bojack can't find sustained happiness, if he did the show would cease to exist. The series finally in season 4 or 5 is either recovery like you said, retiring not necessarily fulfilled but accepting his life is not perfect. Either that or the series will end with Bojack ending his life. I think it would almost be better that way, I do kinda want him to succeed, but I kinda want to see him die. I don't know if that makes me a bad person. Existentialism is tackled in almost every popular TV show you can name, literally anyone. At first I thought the show would be like two and a half men, but it turned out to be one of my favorite TV shows.

[@krisj5561]

EqualsThreeable moral orel is HIGH up on that list too

[@thomson765]

He has to find redemption, too many depressed BoJack fans will throw themselves off a cliff if their soulmate can't find redemption.

[@24klassics]

11:37 Many of us believe we took door #3 when really we've already walked through door #1

[@LuxuryDragonessX]

What the fuck I'm almost crying

[@insanecomedion1223]

Adam T Now you are getting it.

[@ksenia5885]

Welcome to the party....

[@beatspunkie]

Adam T same thing happened to me

[@raulrojas9253]

glad that i didnt need a video to realise that Life is meaningless, i cry or got depressed a lot back when i realise this more than 17 years ago and i was in highschool.....it was the shittiest years of my life.

[@TheTopMostDog]

I went through a fairly big event seven years ago that left me with PTSD and a whole host of other shit. It's amazing how much you dwell on the what is and what could have been once you're awake to it all.

[@averylogsdon6123]

Damn that advertisement felt really out of place like it almost made me uncomfortable

[@evelinalang1961]

if you like this series, I highly recommend the novel "the stranger" by Camus and the play "no exit" by Sartre. I read them in my French class when I was in school and they deal with the existentialism philosophy like this series. I could really find myself in those pieces before I even knew what this philosophy was called like

[@irem9170]

I might read it then

[@daniellanders9825]

The Philosophy of Gravity Falls The Philosophy of Pixar The Philosophy of The MCU The Philosophy of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

[@Cinemasensation]

Daniel Landers it's always sunny first!!!!

[@iquestioneverything3426]

i don't think gravity falls have any main themes or philosophy, its more of an objective driven show (that objective being searching for the truth) rather than character motivations

[@woodman2855]

Daniel Landers There's no philosophy to any of that. Especially Pixar and MCU.

[@gilbertmacaranas4608]

+nicko bagaskara true

[@Sol17862]

yes yes yes

[@Jonathanest90s]

BoJack Horseman has to be considered one of the most heartbreaking shows I have ever seen! The show still have pretty funny moments but in the season 3 finale, HOLY SHIT! It got me, it really got me! 😭 I'm looking forward for season four.

[@jael9020]

Why am I watching this? It only makes me realize how much I relate to a fucking cartoon about an animated horse in a seemingly endless loop of self hatred and existential questioning that’s come to the realization that nothing means anything and that you’re destined to deal with your problems for as long as you have them

[@Johnlindsey289]

What makes Japanese animation no different?

[@twbmagic]

This is the quality content I come to KZbin for!

[@dylancaleb4169]

This was good, philosophy of 'F is for Family', 'Archer' or 'Bob's Burgers'?

[@franz3333]

Archer pleeease!

[@grahamkristensen9301]

Moviebob did a really good video about Bob's Burgers and the joys of embracing averageness.

[@andrewcorson7813]

ROBOTRIPPIN ROBOT F is for Family would be deep

[@JJJameson.]

Andrew Corson Never seen F is for family,actually thought it was bad at first look. Is it good?

[@bushbasher85]

Give it a chance. Bojack is way better, but F is for Family is worth checking out.. Not only that I think there are only six episodes, so you can binge it in a couple hours.

[@wolfydawolf1296]

BoJack should really go to the library fictional books are an amazing distraction you can forget your own troubles and immerse yourself in the story of someone else trying and failing and trying again to overcome what the world throws at them my favorite is Wolves of the Beyond

[@alieninthevideo441]

I only read books that end poorly for the main protagonist to remind myself it could always be worse.

[@AnEnemySpy456]

Nobody reads in Hollywoo.

[@lexirensing7180]

He talked about his lack of enjoyment he receives from reading He “forced” his distraction which lead to unhealthy choices ,self loathing , and pain

[@wolfferoni]

This is basically what I've been doing since I was a child.

[@AngelSaintCloud]

I like the outsiders written by pony boy Curtis 😙

[@victorherrera5181]

I cried when Sarah Lynn died and when they brought it up I shed a tear

[@gil5885]

Victor Herrera me too bro. i need people to step around the topic, it’s still painful for me. although i don’t quite get it though, like i didn’t even really enjoy her as a character.

[@aa-co3kt]

It didn't upset me. I'm desensitized to fictional deaths or something.

[@GhostStealth590]

After that episode, I didn't cry like other scenes did to me. It just sat there for a while, with a lump in my throat. Eventually once I pieced together how tragic her character is (even from the time of horsing around), here comes the waterworks.

[@Zerker161]

Black Mirror would make a good choice for a next philosophy episode

[@idontknowu6422]

I occasionally come back to this when I feel barren

[@RedReality13]

Rick and Morty and Bojack Horseman are both awesome shows that kinda go against each other. While the former is about things bigger than us and anti-nihilism, the latter is personal and ultimately nihilistic.

[@wareq]

K Having interdimensional portals, infinite universes and assorted aliens makes it easier to get stories about something bigger than this world and our lives

[@hunterwillis3775]

How is Rick and Morty anti-nihilistic?

[@Johnlindsey289]

What about duckman or classic Simpsons?

[@dedpup4948]

Philosophy of Bo Burnham

[@TheDrawdex]

COME ON PEOPLE! YOU KNOW YOU WANT IT!

[@locomotion539]

Great idea

[@CarrieFisherman]

dedpup I know his philosophy is #deep

[@Rhekon]

He combines two concepts/ideas that would otherwise be opposites in an attempt to emphasize the absurdity of first-world problems, mostly to the generic pop chord bgm with some sophisticated or controversial lyrics.

[@dedpup4948]

William White well yeah but I like the idea of delving into that and getting an excuse to listen to bo burnham thank you for the insight

[@bethanyoneal5789]

“I’m a good person, and I need you to tell me that I’m good”

[@ChristopherGoetting]

I had no I interest in watching this show until seeing this, now I feel like I need to. Sure, I knew the premise of him being a washed up former star, etc. but didn't expect it to be this deep. This is why I love your channel. You didn't try to "sell" the show; you just piqued my interest.

[@jenanjuice2003]

Christopher Goetting ... great show

[@zaxx29]

I mean a lot of the great moments just got ruined except maybe one major one. But if you still want then prepare for the long term sadness and realization that life is meaningless. Also this series deals with long form depression better than any show I've seen (haven't seen Rick and Morty; don't watch a lot of TV, just happened to catch this while procrastinating).

[@matiasolivares1275]

you should see it. it have a point of view like no other show on tv. I've seen it and i felt deppresed sometimes and in other times i've felt full of hope. Watch it. Greetings from argentina.

[@temperspace]

Christopher Goetting Wisecrack is why I watched and now love Rick and Morty.

[@CarolSimion]

At first, when Netflix suggested me BoJack Horseman, I thought: great, a stupid animated show about a horse. Then one day, and I don't remember what drove me to it, I started watching the first episode. It was interesting but not too interesting, but I kept going. Thank goodness I did. Now this show is my favourite. It deals with many of the problems that I also have to deal with, and in a very intelligent, complex and yes, funny way. I completely suggest you watch it.

[@machi-full-of-coffee]

*warning spoiler* Had to stop watching when Sarah Lynn died. The scene when she said "I want to be an architect" and then she didn't wake up was really painful to watch. Of course you can argue she always had a choice. But she became famous since she was very young and had no good role model. I rewatched season 1 and I just realized she always knew what she wanted but her mother was such a b*tch. I think it's more painful because we see real people going through similar path like Macaulay Culkin, Lindsay Lohan, etc. Anyway, I think I need sometime to heal lol. I'll continue watching then. Good series.

[@GeorgeHarrisgh_thesource]

This will go down in history as top 10 best adult cartoons ever

[@user_2793]

Top 1 for me lmao

[@samcrumpit3081]

Btw, Bojack didn't hear Secretariet's advise. His parent's were fighting while he was watching it on TV.

[@caldw615]

He was sitting very close to the TV and turned it up part way through the argument. I think his parents fighting was just a way o sort of push him more towards taking Secretariet's advise because deep down he wished he could have ran away from his crappy life with his parents.

[@sv32099]

Cal DW yes I think thats one of the main reasons he took secretariats advice due to the fact that his parents controlled his life and made it seem like he couldn't really do much and with the sudden rush of responsibility after becoming famous it just overwhelmed him and turned him to what he is

[@jamessandy5873]

*advice (noun), not advise (verb)

[@George-ed5dz]

"The key to happiness is that you just pretend to be Happy and eventually you'll forget you're pretending" - BoJack Horseman

[@ryanlightfoot5637]

Damn, I thought I just needed closure after finishing bojack. Wasn’t expecting to have my depression cured. Good vid man 👏👏👏

[@jeune_turc9404]

Cured?

[@ciarakenny1317]

I'm not suicidal. I'm an existential, morbid, self conscious pessimist.

[@AngusStewart01]

Ciara Kenny same

[@bojackhorseman7760]

Ciara Kenny i love beer

[@ivetteh8251]

so a nihilist?

[@ShnobbsReal]

The most depressing show ever, but that's why I like it.

[@orion10x10]

Incredibly well done analysis! Thanks for this, this is one of my favorite shows of all time

[@21joebloe]

Thanks for making me realise why I'm so miserable when I'm unemployed.

[@Yet.Another.Rapper.KiG.V2]

It probably also doesn't help that our society programs us to look at the unemployed with disgust.

[@willherondale6367]

I wanna be an architect

[@mikehansonbryan5365]

Is that a Reference to Ayn Rand's Masterpiece The Fountainhead?

[@MC-gh6lb]

fuck off you’ll make me cry

[@ampersand2251]

That's too much, man.

[@Yet.Another.Rapper.KiG.V2]

@@mikehansonbryan5365 "Ayn Rand" and "masterpiece" can't possibly coexist in the same sentence...

[@Definitelynotabot4]

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@mimszanadunstedt441]

Buddhism also says the origin to suffering is desire.

[@ZT5513]

Mims Zanadunstedt Christianity says the same thing for the most part

[@potmki6601]

This is why Buddhist countries are so poor. Also, that's why countries where protestant Christianity (that part of Christianity that denies that) prevails are the richest - have the biggest % of people being middle class and best living conditions for that class.

[@shreyaprakash9440]

iop erty why do you people have to relate everything back to capitalism and politics

[@abdqs853]

I think all religion's say that

[@d..von.2653]

@@potmki6601 you’re basing that off the idea that money=happiness. I was born in India and I keep in contact with my family there. They are poor but they are happier than anyone I’ve met in America. Once you have, you want more. And when you can’t get it you become unhappy. Desire makes you stop appreciating what you do have.

[@eirikarnesen9691]

having lived several years sick and with no job, i can state with 100% certanty that the point of life all boilds down to finding something to do. the moment there is no task, the mind start to ask what the meaning of everything is, and with no task at hand, there is no meaning

[@lordetern]

I disagree. If that something to do is simply to keep you busy and doesn't make you happy, then you're just distracting yourself. The point of life is being happy. Think about it like this. When we were children (most of us anyway) we didn't have a care in the world. Then we grew up and found out we had to be "responsible" Which might require doing a lot of things that were no fun. Society has taught us that we should chase after "responsible" things that let us survive to give us rewards in the end. That we should work that shit job so we make lots of money or become famous, or whatever. Which really shouldn't be the case. Sure we must work, we must make money, we must survive and be responsible. but we should not do it for the end reward. We should do it for the journey itself. Don't do something to distract you or because it will make you wealthy or famous or whatever. do it because you like it. From time to time due to circumstance we are forced to do things we don't enjoy. like work a shit job for a time. But you can find something better in time- if you take the effort to do so. As the philosophy behind Bojack tells us. We can either take charge of our freedom and change ourselves, what we do, ect. Or complain about our circumstances because fate is being a dick to us for sitting on our asses and complaining about how meaningless we are.

[@Rees3901Gmail]

i disagree to your disagreement, i interpreted eirik arnesen' statement as more of a purpose; something to do= something to be,or aim to be , a carrot ahead to chase i've personally found that i (again Personally) need a plan to progress, else i start to do stupid things symptomatic of depression, like spend silly amounts on lottery tickets etc not be cause im addicted to gambling, but just the stupid irrational pursuit of achieving through a quick fix, in this example throwing money at lottery chances (god forbid i would actually pickup a book and study lol!)

[@lordetern]

But isn't it in the end 'an aim' or 'something to be' just a path of happiness? And what is the point of the path if the only the goal" ergo the carrot you can't catch" is the only thing that will make you happy? If you really look at something through nihilist eyes, then what is the purpose to be anything? As everything and anything is meaningless. We plan because we understand risk, chance, and consequence. But we are also irrational beings as well, and give into to easy but dumb solutions. Only because they are easy and give us and short-lived satisfaction We'll worry about the consequences later we say, when in truth we are secretly wishing that somehow, by magic, we will not have to deal with them. It's like reverse lottery. "Maybe I am biologically special and won't get fat if I eat all this junk." Kind of idea. My example: I love soda and drink way to much. My family has strong history of diabetes. I keep telling myself that I might be the family member that won't get it, as I reach for my third Dr. Pepper. I think everybody has tried their luck at the lottery once or twice, because what's a few dollars to win it big?

[@manuel8887]

I think the problem lies in the fact that humans have a tendency to look for meaning, happiness, fulfilment, etc, supposedly adherent to life, when in reality these are all concepts fabricated by humans in order to look for... something? Purpose or meaning? It might not really be a thing that exists, but rather our own expectations in life and the human experience. For example, what is happiness exactly? The human brain works by solving problems, ie: hunger, pain, sleep, and when it has no further problems to solve, it looks for something else, that's just how the mind works, so this is when questions arise pertaining to the meaning of existence, happiness, fulfilment and so on. There is no actual inherent meaning or objective to life, it's just existence for existence's sake.

[@katemarsh6955]

eirik arnesen Whats ur illness bud?

[@NicDude583]

See, I think there's a fourth alternative, a sort of combination of the first and the third. Acknowledging the absurd, but not accepting it per se. The solution for me was to realize that life is only as meaningful as the meaning you assign to it, and it can mean nothing if that's how you wish to feel, or it can mean everything. That's my take, anyway.

[@artfuldodger5933]

That's popular existentialism in a nutshell. However, your "assigned meaning" is really just another way of distracting yourself from the nihilist reality of the world. Do what works for you, of course - truth is just as meaningless as falsehood and most people are happier living in a reality of their own fabrication than in what they find when they seek the truth.

[@CESSKAR]

That's just idiotic optimism, and not new, actually.

[@NicDude583]

I don't think you guys get it, though. It's not a distraction, it's an understanding that the truth of the universe isn't something we were meant to understand, and that living a life devoid of meaning accomplishes basically the same as a life with assigned meaning, so being happy means deciding which one is more important to you.

[@artfuldodger5933]

Adrian Griffin "the truth of the universe isn't something we were meant to understand," - meant by who? This teleological insinuation seems out of place. "living a life devoid of meaning accomplishes basically the same as a life with assigned meaning" - they are, to any objective observer, the same thing. That's why I call assigned meaning a distraction. "being happy means deciding which one is more important to you." - Your subjective experience is in your own hands. Be happy however you want/can be.

[@NicDude583]

I just got done watching Crash Course's video on existentialism and I was just like, "That's what I think! Stupid distraction my ass"

[@alialink2890]

I find myself having to watch these videos time and time again because each of them has so much information and stuff packed into them. It's both wonderful yet frustrating at the same time and I love it.

[@thesupreme950]

I think Tod is asexual. They kinda hinted at it.

[@catherinedurette645]

They said it.

[@codyssmith73]

Kai Jolly His response to Emily was that he didn't know if he was straight ir gay. He felt as if he was nothing.

[@mario167100]

Kai Jolly Naw. He's gay for Mr white

[@mercury2157]

Plainsville Productions Mr white's *GAY* for me

[@brandonalejandroblanco]

I took it to mean that as well.

[@muffinn1337]

I just watched it the 2nd time and want to start it again already

[@muffinn1337]

i need help !

[@TheBoundFenrir]

y so serious?

[@ArnoldLayne92]

watch the show, or read the philosophers he mentions! You'll get it then

[@Andrew-rs3qd]

Alexander Hoffman 7

[@vaishnavigosain7197]

One of the most striking things about the show is the timeline of the abusive parents of each character. Gives you a perspective on why most of us were on the receiving end because the cycle of generational trauma never ended.

[@jennyuy6057]

this!

[@serialvapist5807]

I almost killed myself at the end of binging season 1 (literally), but I'm glad I didn't almost missed the other 2 seasons.

[@jdepaul87]

"While there is no purpose in life, there is a value...and man can live as free as it wants with nothing to lose and nothing to gain." - Tom Robbins

[@PREMISEontheBEAT]

I don't get why people go fucking crazy for Rick and Morty when Bojack Horseman is by far the BEST animated show on television!! So smart and well written and SO underrated

[@Johnlindsey289]

What about classic Simpsons (pre-season 12 when Season 12 was the beginning of Zombie Simpsons), Futurama, King of the Hill, Regular Show, Batman The Animated Series etc.?

[@joemcbobinite]

man, bojack and rick and morty really do compliment each other well. I think we need more shows like this that address psychology,philosphy, and and the other inner conflicts our existence bring us.

[@phoebezhang2399]

Thanks for the explanation, that makes real sense for me. And I think it's not just a reflection of celebrities, it's for everyone who ever gets confused on the meaning of their existence. Though it's a real dark show, it shows some directions for people who wants to be real happy. The fact is even though you have great house, great career, great life, you still cannot be happy for sure.

[@SamanthaEcho]

This video makes me so happy. I re-watch it all the time. It also got me into Rick and Morty (I was already a Bojack fan) and made me feel better about stuff in general.

[@Edbrad]

"It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything"

[@Venomcreed425]

Am I the only one that got an Existential crisis from watching this?

[@Heating56]

"There are no good people, or bad people. There are just people, and sometimes they do good things, and sometimes they do bad things."

[@benabramowitz18]

I'm surprised you didn't spend any time on the Zoe-Zelda paradigm. Seriously, though, this show deserves a lot more attention, and I'm glad more reviewers are talking about it, like Mr Enter, Nostalgia Critic, and now Wisecrack. Also, can we get The Philosophy of John Oliver or Twenty One Pilots soon?

[@brianbread7698]

the philosophy of Morel orel.

[@kilgoreplumbus1360]

Best show ever

[@brianbread7698]

+iblu meself yah the end of seson two and all of season three are the best part of the show.

[@brianbread7698]

+Bodmerocity I mean they don't have a good track record.

[@brianbread7698]

+Bodmerocity Not all of adult swim animation are good.

[@brianbread7698]

+Bodmerocity Agreed.

[@hishamhilal8332]

It is amazing how deep this show can get. I remember feeling empty and just staring at the screen after the episode "the shot," just one of many moments in the show that make you question life.

[@ForeverMatuk]

I think I get the tie in between Secretariat's advice to Bojack, and the running horses: In a twist of irony, the running horses never look back, constantly looking to the horizon always charging forward. However, in never looking back, they doom themselves to repeat their action on a loop. Rather than stop and contemplate this existence, they've come to blissful terms and simply continue forward. Simply put, In order to be free from responsibility, you must be responsible for your own freedom. Therein lies the totality of this show we know and love called Bojack Horseman.

[@abdullahzubair8338]

Fuck I'm depressed now...

[@PeWaRaWNintendoFan]

11:38

[@quarthsil3637]

and that's just the philosophy. Bojack will fuck you up and leave a scar that might never go away. The show itself doesn't do that, but it leads the mind to do that to itself.

[@tokyworld]

nothing matters in relation to the universe. everything matters in relation to you. it all depends how you want to experience life.

[@JoelErhart]

I do really like the idea of making your own worthwhile purpose and enjoying it as much as possible. Seems like a good way to go.

[@dcp0923]

"Maybe Bojack will finally start being happier" *Season 5 comes out*

[@onee]

Best fiends. "It is the same, but different."

[@LeatherWizard]

Do the philosophy of the Metal Gear Solid franchise; those games are deep.

[@kingbyrd.1512]

My ass crack is deeper rather do the original Deus ex it's hell of a fuck more deeper

[@kingbyrd.1512]

Gregor the false knight....have you played Deus ex?

[@LeatherWizard]

I hope we get to see both games, but i just prefer MGS. I mean the first game alone revolves around determinism through genes, along with autosuggestion and the deconstruction of the heroic soldier among other themes. Snake never sees himself as a hero but everyone inside and outside the game thinks the opposite to the point that war is romanticized, just like Meryl did. The second game criticizes the player for that. Deus ex has transhumanism, capitalism and AI, but for me it just doesn't get that deep.

[@Badmunky64]

If by deep you mean convoluted, than yes, it is deep.

[@kingbyrd.1512]

Yeah munky

[@dianalondono5599]

Oh man, I really love this moment on where we are. I love this show and his power to try to make you think about your existence, kind of philosophy about it. But thanks to you and all the access to other people's voices on the internet we can share our knowledge to help other understand all the others layer it can have. Thanks for this channel, it's awesome to have this point of view and appreciate better all the work that the writers did

[@haroldhughesyo]

Ive genuinely watched this like 10 times in 2 days, its helped me a lot. Thank you.

[@JustSimplyMatt]

damn, guess I gotta rewatch Bojack

[@L555HEP]

I overlooked it for years then decided to watch. Life changing

[@katherineminor3402]

This needs a part 2 since bojack is complete now