I think that's also why reaction content has been so popular lately. People want to to see others experience the things they themselves love, because they can't find that easily in-person.
omg thats exactly how i feel there are so many videos that i wouldnt just watch but as soon as my favourite ppl post a reaction video on it i would so happily click on it and enjoy it it feels more like a shared experience and even conversation even though its clearly a one way interaction it feels like someone is enjoying that piece of content with me and it adds a lot to my viewing experience
Reaction videos work because it's nice to have a little place where you're talking about something you love instead of something you hate. 70% of the internet is already negative, I find myself watching a rant about a movie, show, an athlete, a sports team, an actor, a director, a writer, a politician, an author, an influencer, a RUclips channel. Reaction channels act as a palette cleanser because you're talking about positive vibes with people who share your love with a particular film or music.
Just when I was sure I understood my own dissonance and sadness. You have absolutely no idea how viscerally I felt this message. Thank you for this matpat. I need to reconnect with my family.
I’ve been thinking about this a ton recently! It used to be so much easier to get conversations going when everybody watched the same shows. (And the shows used to be better quality too!) Now conversations normally end in an awkward recommendations for something neither party probably cares about at all. It’s crazy thinking about how often I still habitually try to make references to things I assume everybody would know about and have them fall completely flat and how isolating that always feels.
I have that all the time too!! Maintaining conversation is a lot harder these days and now heaps of people use their phone as a way to avoid it altogether, discouraging others from even trying to connect with people.
I didn't think of it until this video, but you're right, there hasn't been anything like Game of Thrones for a good discussion starter. At the time it was popular you could always lead with Game of Thrones and everyone's seen at least some episodes.
@@honghonghonghong4272 Anything works as a conversation starter, if you can spin it somewhere confidently or if they start laughing make it off as a joke But of course, if we're talking about a lonely introverted person with no social experience, then they would probably come of as weird.
This is SUCH an important topic for a video. I've personally been a victim of this problem and the loneliness and stress that comes with it and one of the worst things is how little people seem to know about it. It gives me so much relief to finally see someone with a bigger platform acknowledge and spread awareness of this problem.
This is by far the number one thing I notice when I hang out with friends or family in the generation right under me (I'm 33) The sense of community is definitely less, and what brings people together sometimes seems MUCH more negative. Appreciate the breakdown.
I don’t really get it though because some people that Ive met have told me about something they like that i never heard of and i checked it out and we still like it to this day
Honestly, I’ve felt so burnt out by just watching videos and listening to music ever since covid. I have truly felt so alone and honestly this video truly gives me hope that maybe there will be change in the world
Omg I know. I've noticed if I spend time scrolling shorter videos I'm actually MORE tense by the time I pull myself away from it and I feel like I wasted my free time
I am right there with you on this subject. It feels like we've been divided as a community. I've personally been feeling more alone then I ever have in my life, but that might just be being a teenager and all that but I really think it's what our generation and world is going through a serious rough patch. I hope we get out of this and blossom into the connected society we were b4 covid. But long story short, I feel you man, and I'm right there w u
As a Senior in high school who suffers from depression, I always found that watching these kinds of videos really help me and allows to to know that it's just not me. Hope MatPat makes more videos like this.
I'm a senior in highschool as well and have bipolar depression, so I kinda know what your going through, although only half the time, and although I have my highs, their almost overzealous and overbearing, and I usually go on a spree of whatever I feel like, and then I have my downs where I'm super low and don't even wanna get out of bed, but these types of videos help me a little, and allow me to make connections with people, I hope you have a good day
As a teen that am dealing with depression, I have found more and more comfort, in just normal people talking and sharing their personal stories in the internet. I have started watching more real life media, listening to podcasts and more things that I didn’t really feel like I wanted to watch back then. What matpat is talking about is incredibly true because I feel as though the world has kinda lost its colors and people have lost their connections which is why people like me are trying to make new ones on a daily basis.
Man, it stinks. I'm a teen too, and I can never seem to keep up friendships. I find it hard enough to make friends, but even harder to keep them. Just feels like the things I find that connect me to these people just... Falls away, you know. Honestly, I'm not depressed, but, you know, even if it isn't depression, it still makes me sad whenever I think about it. And, yeah, it's been leading me to enjoy seeing content where human relationships are on display a lot more. And real life has felt increasingly like something I just sit through until I don't have to anymore, until I can escape online. Where I don't have to know people. God, it stinks. Something gotta change, man. Both for me, personally, and in general.
I clicked this video because I wanted something to watch/listen to while eating my leftover spaghetti, but after a bit of realizing how deep everything in this actually struck I just. sat there in awe of all the realization and how true it all is- it all went deeper than I wanted to go, but dude I kinda needed that. This broke more than my brain, man.
I think it really explains a lot. As a teacher, it hurts me to see my students getting more isolated the older they get and there seems nothing I can do to help. This video gives me some ideas to let them try to talk their stories out. Let the connection begin
As someone that didn't connected with people when young(neurodivergent here), cuz i was too annoying, too weird, all that negative stuff… I found myself fitting in people that loved anime, and i mean REALLY loved it, we discussed for hours about the humanity of the characters, their morality, how good written a story was, if the art was good or not, if the development of any of them caught our attention, and specially, make us feel *represented*, made us feel, well, less alone! And the same experience was made for me with my highschool friends, we talked about everything unapollogetically but with absolute respect for each other's opinions, and saying out loud how we had it at home or how we related to a character in a certain movie or series, really made us bond. I know that, if i talk to them right now, despite years of not talking to each other, they will be happy to see me, and i will feel welcomed, cuz we, instead of looking numblessly through our phone fr hours, talked. We left them on our pockets, or purses, and talked. So i suggest this: Everyone makes essays about something they watched, about why they loved it(not how much, but the WHY) or why they loved their favorite character on that show, as homework, and the next class, everyone puts away their phone, and reads their (i guess must be short) essay. And everyone is allowed to ask any respectfull question, and everyone has their turn to talk, and they can be open about anything. I would totally suggest grabbing a chair(if not they aren't connected directly to the desk) and making everyone draw a circle with them. They will have the best afternoon ever, and all those memories will be very worth it.❤
Honestly speechless because this video summed up things I have been feeling for years. Another point I would add is that the addiction we have with these short-form videos is because of trying to find something you relate to and then it gets back to your reward system that you had mentioned in another video. Online spaces are a two-edged sword because the people there get your references but they are not people in your real life who care about your feelings or have the same ideals as you. It is nearly impossible nowadays for us to find someone with the same content taste as us or same hobbies as us AND have the same ideals as us. This is one of the main reasons I think the dating culture has gone this bad and so many people are depressed because after a certain point we feel like no one likes the same things as us so whats the point in sharing what we like and/or are passionate about.
This speaks out so strong to me. I've felt something was 'off' for a while, but I didn't really know what. I feel this really hit the mark on what's going on, especially the nebulous feeling overall. Thanks for this video everyone, this one is something I believe we all needed to hear.
The search engine they updated on RUclips over a year ago was terrible. Example I searched for dogs but then after a few video results, it gave me a bunch of viral non dog related videos that have absolutely nothing to do with what I’m looking for. In fact, there was a lot duplicate videos after the 1st page. Why google?
I've always enjoyed these "meta" theories on the Theorist channels since you started making them, since they always give an interesting perspective on online culture and the effects of the social media we use. I enjoyed this one a lot, I'd love to see more of these. In a nice twist, the message of this video gives me a feeling of unity already, with all the people who struggle with the consequences of living in the current era
It's quite incredible, isn't it? That just like MatPat said, just opening up the topic of loneliness and fracture creates a space to connect with others on its basis. All those statistics mentioned hit very real, but I laughed bitterly when he mentioned about how 70% of millenials are considering quitting their job as he speaks - lo and behold, I am one of those 70% and specifically watching theories to cope with the stress it's causing. Bumping into your comment made me feel like responding - not because I'd anticipate any prolonged conversation, but just for this one moment of basic connection; something akin to how you'd throw a movie quote reference back in the past. It doesn't bring much to the conversation itself, but it's a sign "hey we have something in common! That's cool!" I hope wherever you are, you are having a wonderful day, fellow Film Theorist!
To be honest, I never thought I’d actually see this kind of theory done by y’all honestly. good on you guys, this needs to be brought more to the surface.
Another theory is Social Media platforms love rage-bait even though they claim to oppose it. Rage-bait gives ten-fold more likes and engagement than a positive video. A video titled "TV Show is Garbage and Here's Why" is gonna get more views than "Here's Why I Love This Show".
I have noticed that the video game community is very strong and has a huge following. Gamers have a lot to talk about and share in common with FNAF, Zelda, baldurs gate and so many other great titles. It really is awesome to be able to touch base with so many gamers and share something in common. They might not be where you are in the game, but at least it’s nice to be able to talk about it.
As someone who attended an art college that had a 60% game major student body, I can promise you that gamers are one of the singlehandedly loneliest demographics out there right now. I saw a lot of peers in my graduating class struggle for all 4 years with isolation and depression. The gamer communities and bubbles that you only see online or at tournament events are not an accurate representation of their experience.
As a current high school senior this is 100% correct. I have never felt this lonely before growing up and now as a young adult turning 18 in a matter of days everything is just as you’ve described it. I hate my job, I’m not connecting with people as well anymore, everything is about politics now, and all I want are friends. This is main reason why I want to join the military after college, I have been in JROTC all four year and that is the only place where I’ve felt a semblance of belonging, going to camps and not having the media has been a huge relief, because there is nothing to do after a day of training all we have left is to talk to each other in the bunks. This camaraderie makes me realize how much I miss it every time I go back home. So honestly that seems to be the only thing I look forward to when growing up.
I'm just turning 17 and your right about the political point. Heck my younger family which are younger than 4th grade are way to political then most kids should
Oh politics,. it's awful. In my country people are very dissatisfied with the government so politics is the big talk, whenever politics or current conflicts are mentioned in a conversation everyone shuts up because discussing political opinions and stances on current problems always leads to disliking each other. I felt like back in the day you could really discuss your opinion about these things with coworkers and class mates, but right now it's controversial to even mention a current day problem.
@@sleepymonsteraddict half the reason could be because the news coverage wasn't so big back then. But yeah, I get your point, but my father's side of the family or family friends just keep going, unless a kid jumps in and says something lol. I lost that super power recently. But honestly, I wish more of the kids would just not get involved. Especially when they don't have a full understanding cause either their gonna get trust issues or possibly go bad direction later if something does not go good or end well. A few use that power due to them getting uncomfortable. Luckily, on my moms side, they just barely discuss it but yeah in my country it's gotten real bad to. Sorry that one word autocorrect got it and I did not notice
This is exactly my main issue I've been dealing with. The only real way I've found battling this is being in forced social situations (school, required events, etc.) but you don't always have that. I've been homeschooled since 2020 and my identity due to my isolation has been picked apart so much I don't even remember what foods I like anymore. This is a super important topic and I'm so glad you brought this up now.
I get the difficulty socializing, I was homeschooled since 2nd grade, but it shouldn't be completely isolating. Do your parents have you in any homeschool co-ops? I got lonely sometimes when I had to move (fam was military, hence the homeschooling) but I was still able to socialize and make friends through co-ops. I met my best friend and my fiancé through homeschool meetups
I'm in the same boat. Being homeschooled wasn't too hard because a group of homeschooled families in my area started a group where we would get together and do some activities that kids would normally do at schools. You know, stuff like Gym, science experiments, etc. But ever since the lockdowns we never got back together and I ended up wasting my life in an MMO gradually forgetting my own identity. I've since quit playing the game but now I have nothing to replace it with so I just binge youtube and feel sorry for myself. Being religious and forced to go to church each week helps a lot for interacting and meeting people, and I'm going to college next fall so I'm hoping I can start meeting people then. While I'm guessing I won't have much interesting happen until then, it's really nice to know there are people out there like me.
I relate too well with this, because I don't use Tiktok, and while I have a Twitter, I barely use it anymore other than looking at posts on my following page, and it's astonishing how much of the minority I am in when I made this decision. I feel like I'm not even a native to my own planet because so much culture nowadays relates to what is on social media that when something happens, I'm usually the last person to hear about it. It sucks that a decision I wanted to make for my own mental health has such a big downside in communicating with my generation.
I dont think its a downgrade at all. Just find people that actually want to talk about things that genuinely interest you. You truly are giving effort to not melt your brain with constant consumerism and I personally think that's great :) keep up the good work
I have TikTok downloaded. I don't appreciate the randomness off things being thrown at me off one scroll. Also, I'm 30 years old... When I was in kindergarten, it was almost illegal to do any other than salute the flag and sing the national anthem.
being wrapping my head around this newer deeper sense of loneliness i’ve been feeling lately and this makes so much sense. really appreciate the thoughtful video on this discussion
I had a huge smile on my face at the end, Matpat and the team really went all out with this one, and the script didn't feel "filtered" For the past few months I've been thinking about this exact "why everyone feels divided and lonely" and I think this video gives genuine reason and really great advice on how to stop this. We as humans are social creatures we NEED each other.
Exactly. Human survival has always been a result of living in communities and working together. When we are divided we can't function. We can't grow. We get depressed and aggressive. People have even begun to stop caring when people die because of the lack of connection with other people. Just look at Panera bread and the charged lemonade. I've seen more people say they would rather them keep the high caffeine content than not despite 2 people dying already. FDA did nothing, Panera did nothing. If people cared about one another they would have immediately taken it down and come up with a plan for the product that won't keep leading to deaths. It's even affecting traffic on the street. As someone who has to walk to work I often have to wait for the lights to cycle 3+ times to cross the street because of people simply not caring.
The irony is Social Media has made us more disconnected when in theory it should make us more connected. I don't talk to 90% of my friends on Facebook. It has evolved to be a place where people brag about the highlights of their life. It's not healthy for my brain to browse that kind of stuff.
I'm glad that someone finally has spoken about this. (Or at least someone who has a big enough voice in youtube for people to hear) I myself have been struggling with loneliness and depression ever sense I got out of school and been trying to get my foot out in the world. For the longest time i thought it was just me like there was something wrong with my brain but all of you that work on this video showed that's not the case. It's far more then that. So thank you for bring this to everyone's attention. I hope the message goes far.
I'm in the same boat. I'm a bit of a self conscious person, and when I saw everyone around my age posting pictures of their engagements/weddings, first home, raise/career upgrades, and even their (own) families. I've felt like I was way behind. Although, with everything that's happened in my life, and with how things are now. I've become more thankful for where I'm at. I just need to work on this with my health a bit more.
I remember when I got out of school. Eventually, got a job of course. At work (retail) I happened to have a great squad when I first started but it’s been changing. It’s been a mix: I like that my old management (incompatible with my personality due to being from a different generation) are gone. But bad because with my new management (compatible with my personality), companies have been changing (cutting benefits) and that sucks. Now we all relate on the same thing: struggling to make ends meet. And we’re all thinking about quitting 😅 On my channel I talk about all that shiet 😭
Damm, Matpat and the theroy team really knocked it out of the park with how relatable and deep this is but also giving us all hope and in a wried way motivation. Keep it up
Good lord this one hit home harder than anything I've ever seen on a Theory channel, or pretty much anything in awhile. Sharing this with everyone I possibly can, it NEEDS to be seen.
Even though I'm heavily introverted this couldn't apply to me more. Socialization is a basic human need, whether you like it or not, and I am happy with this slow gear change to authentic instead of over-sensationalized, non-linear content that doesn't really know where it's going on this platform
I'm an introvert too I found it weird when I saw videos during 2020 showing how much extroverts were struggling the reality is that Introverts equally struggle when we shut out the world we do it by choice to recharge being stuck in your house when you didn't chose too sucks for everyone
This theory is mind-blowing. It literally explain why the heck I and others have felt so disconnected on games, videos, movies, etc., and why I've felt very isolated with my personal interests. That reveal of "Stories" as the way to solve this issue is amazing too because those are the time I truly do feel connected with other people. I can't really have a long conversation anymore about what happens in a video game, but I can go on for hours about my experiences with that video game and how it made me feel and think. I'm not even someone who's depressed or has anxiety, but I relate to this heavily. Might as well be a "Film Fact" ;)
Isolation has crossed all parts of my life family, school, online all of it. In high school you don’t talk to people you just do your work listen to the teacher then get up and go to your next class the only time I talk to anyone is during lunch but even then not many people talk to eachother it’s pretty sad
yes, finally someone is talking about it. I try to tell my friends about these cool games, but they just don’t care. I feel like no one likes the things I like.
Oddly enough there have been studies suggesting playing ttrpgs like DnD are really therapeutic because they provide a shared experience in overcoming adversity. It's also why games like Elden Ring are popular bc you can summon people in to tackle insane bosses. Never thought about it being tied to the desire for connection. This is a really good video.
I can confirm the studies are accurate from personal experience. Suffered *horrible* depression my entire life. Might have offed myself mid to late 2020 if I hadn't found DnD earlier that year. To this day, I'm still in the hobby because it helps me get through the week.
I take pride in my job as a hairdresser. I feel that getting your hair cut nowadays is one of the things that help lonely people feel normal. That small amount of interaction outside of work and family is what makes a lot of my clients excited to see me.
I'm a cosmetician, and I also take pride in my work. I think those who work with the public, and perhaps more likely, make others happy by doing our jobs, are more inclined to feel attachment and a sense of identity in our profession
Ever since 2015 or so It felt like the years weren't passing anymore. The world suddenly became boring. 2020 and the covid pandemic only made that worse. It definitely feels good to see videos like this. I absolutely hate how much TikTok and RUclips and others have ruined my attention span and have made my need to socialize disappear. I'm only 15 but I notice this loneliness everywhere. No one talks to each other anymore. I really hope this loneliness pandemic goes away soon.
@lixiehearts kinda the opposite for me. I was really sheltered as a kid and homeschooled up till high-school. Started high-school and it's depressing because it's just a social life that is forced. I had so much fun outdoors with my siblings when I was younger
This video is something I never thought Matpat would make, but it is the exact video I needed because right now it is impossible for me to have conversations with new people outside of my friend group. I’m so glad that this video was made. Thank you so much team theorist.
I continue to believe that this is why reaction channels are both so popular and ultimately a good. You are, in a sense, sharing an experience. It’s one-way and outside of time, but you are seeing other people enjoy a thing you also enjoy. Extra points for if that person is very different from you. It’s like an empathy brain hack.
I always felt weird liking reactions videos because “I like others first reactions to a video” but this theory made sense, I don’t know anyone who is genuinely is interested in certain shows, so reaction videos brings me into the community
oh my god. I'm obsessed with watching youtubers reacting to things. You just explained it perfectly. Im a very lonely person, and I guess I'm looking for what shared experience out here, I never thought about it before, thank you😭
Definitely. "Watching other people enjoying a thing you enjoy" is the equivalent of connecting with people IRL over shared pop-culture interests, as Matpat explained.
Reaction content MAY be good for a sense of belonging and community and shared experience, but ultimately it is FAR from good. Reaction content is theft, and there is no other way to go about it.
The amount of awareness in this video is just incredible. Watching this video makes me feel happy since it seems like there are still a lot of people out there who are aware of the modern problems that are happening way too often these days. This may not relate to the video, but I feel very reluctant to find a job, even though I need to since I am afraid that the job I may get will just cause me to feel extremely miserable, feel drained, working too much while getting paid very little, leaving me no time to do anything else. Especially considering that I have trust issues and anxiety problems, and that I don't really have much skills is why I'm feeling reluctant to go out there.
Agreed, im scared of taking that step to apply for a job and dont know if its the right thing for me, especially if you're not sure what you want to do for the rest of your life
I think reading this comment just kicked me into realizing why I've been stalling on finding a job, and instead started writing for the fun of it. That and employers just don't seem to respond.
I am 18 and personally have mixed feelings about my job (I work retail) most days I love it but some days I will feel agitated due to my coworkers or drained due to the amount of labor (as I usually stock or put misplaced items back where they go)
I'm about to turn 20, and I still don't have a job, I feel the exact same way. It often feels like I'm the only one around me thinking about the real problems going on in the world, this video from matpat is probably one of his most important ones for me.
you're right about the lack of shared cultural moments. Growing up with Arabic parents in Tasmania was like living in two worlds. Couldn't fully connect with family's language, and Aussie friends were lost in their social media feeds. It's tough when you have stories to tell but no one's listening because they're in their own cultural isolated echo chambers going through the same lonely problem. I have felt ignored, disassociated from work life and lost even when my family was together.
I've been feeling this "culture void" at least since 2020. My response to it then was to try reaching for my genetic roots and learning more about the cultures that I'm genetically linked to even if I wasn't raised in those cultures. I learned Swedish and I love the language, but it didn't fill the void. This video has gotten me thinking about the things that used to fill that void. The small online game communities that no longer exist. The high school friends that I hardly see anymore. The scouting troop that is now just a part of my past. There was so much that was there, and now there's so little that remains. When those things left, nothing replaced them. I think if we want to solve this problem for future generations, we have to focus a lot on the transition from teenager to adult. So much ends and is lost between ages 17-24, and we don't really have anything that comes in to replace what is lost in that transition. If we want to fix this, we need to find healthy things to fill these voids when they open up.
For a lot of people, the thing that used to fill that period in your life was starting a family. Between costs for housing, food, and healthcare we've pretty much successfully priced younger generations out of that option though.
Have you tried going outside? No I'm serious things like hiking,camping, biking, with friends is shown to deepen bonds and give a sense of satisfaction especially if you have somewhere that is particularly naturally rich.
@@faddedreality6885 for me personally I don't go outside unless I'm going with/ to meet up with a friend/someone I know... Camping I'd love to in the summer when I actually can without freezing... So that only leaves at top four months I feel secure enough to do so but none of my friends wanna go with me, sure I'd love to make more friends but that's hard for me because I don't feel safe out in public by myself 🥺
As someone who is in my darkest and lowest point. And as someone who is literally only 16, I cried after watching this video. I had to call my cousin just to talk about it. Because of this video I now can finally piece together the core of my loneliness and anxiety... Although it hurts to feel like there is no solution.. it also feels relieving to finally recognize why there may not be a solution. And now that I know why, I can work around it and find my solution. Because broken minds.. like bones.. can heal. And we are still young guys. Whether you're 10-20-30. You're still young and have time! Take it from me... One moment you'll be sad and then you're best friend calls you for an hour and you feel like you're awesome! Trust me.. even if you have few friends.. appreciate them! All of em. And enjoy life. Enjoy what time you have. Because we never truly know how much time we have left. This is the only comment I've ever made on this channel and I'm proud of it.
Thank you for making this video! You've brought up the loneliness epidemic that everyone is going through in today's society. There's so much to life than just our device...
I think this is why Reddit still has a strong traffic. Various groups (subreddits) has specific subjects that only has those, allowing them to communicate with each other seamlessly. They have the same topic and are in line with each other's interest, allowing them to connect positively (or in some cases, negatively).
It's unbelievable how streaming and on-demand viewing platforms have so subtly changed our cultural paradigm. It's kinda crazy to think about how much Netflix and RUclips have changed how we connect with each other. I'm all in for sharing real stories to get us back on track.
see this is how people get unable to solve problems, they pinpoint one thing and call it the cause, no, it's not youtube and those alone, it's multiple things, for example people don't succumb to social expectations and want to be themselves, this is another reason why people can't connect, because you get mixed signals, "this person is disrespectfull" "those are bad manners" "i am not any better" "theese are red flags" "i must not talk with strangers" "i am boring" "maybe they are boring"
I started going to college about almost 3 years ago and it was a really big change for me. I've lived almost my entire life in a relatively small village, where almost everyone knows each other, but where I go to school is in one of biggest cities in my country and I really felt the difference: I didn't know my neighbors, I didn't have any friends to hang out with and if I had, I couldn't because of covid. Those first 2,5 years where the most miserable of my life. To the point I went to a psychologist 2 years in a row. Then, last year, I took a risk. I'd heard one of my classmates talk about playing dnd and I asked if I could tag along to a session because I was interested in playing it. That lead to me hanging out more and more with them. I went to see the dnd movie with them and some of their friends that I didn't know and I had a blast. I've gone to play video games with them, just generally hang out with them a lot and it's been great. I've even went to a karaoke evening with some of my classmates, something I never thought I'd do. Now I'm even playing in a campaign myself that's hosted by another friend of mine and it allowed me to meet a lot of new people, some of which I talk to on quite a regular basis at school. I feel so much better than I did a few years ago. Better than I felt around this time last year. And I know there's still so much bad stuff in the world (war, poverty, climate change, etc.), things that I feel powerless to change by myself, but I feel genuinely happy with my life right now and I really hope that more people get to experience that.
This might be one of my favourite videos ever not just from film theory but on any social media it was informative it shows a new perspective and intricately explains details and reasoning for mentioning topics while still being entertaining and engaging well done matt and team well done
I've been trying to figure out why I've been unable to connect with people like I use to and this video helped me figure out why. I thought it was just me who was just bad at socializing but after watching this It made me realize what the problem was. So thank you Mat for talking about this! this really helped me!🌸
I used to have a lot of trouble socializing, and all it really took was finding people who like the things I like and it turned out I am actually very sociable. I still have trouble with my family who I have very little common ground with, but I have a very good network of close friends now.
It’s crazy how much I felt this on a personal level. Seeing others in the comments expressing how they’ve felt the same way is so comforting. Hats offs to the theory team for this video
My entire college thesis was literally about how the power of stories is the fundamental tool of expressing humanity and creating community, and I've been struggling in the theatre industry ever since, but this video shows that my beliefs are still true, and I'm not going to quit in what I believe in, despite the loneliness
This reminds me how Mat himself started off not being able to find anything! But now he became such an influential figure. Awesome thesis statement. I think the most important thing I’ve learned without any schooling is to NOT get frustrated with myself when stuff doesn’t start going well and a struggle lasts a while. It’s easy to fall into that trap.
Love this kind of theory. I think it’s a more informational kind, and actually “useful” rather than theoretical questions that wouldn’t really happen. I enjoy majority of your ideas but this one stood out to me a lot.
I've seen this trend happening and growing for a while now. I'm glad that Mat has not only caught onto it now but is also addressing it too. Good job Mr Pat.
About 1-2 weeks ago, I had casual small talk with someone else who liked Taylor Swift. That’s the first time I ever made small talk with a stranger. I LOVED it, I felt so.. not-alone.
I love this video. I've realized that even though i don't use a lot of social media, I engage with youtube in the same obsessive way. I feel a lot of people think they're too good to be terminally online, but still spend a lot of time online. Maybe taking time away from youtube could benefit me
One of the best choices in my life was to completely quit short form videos. Nothing made me realize how much time i wasted than that. I'd definitely recommend some time away, especially from shorts.
@@poosh6529 I've since fallen back into my short addition lol but previously, if you see shorts recommended in your feed, just click the 3 dots in the corner and click "not interested". They eventually quit showing up.
Love this. Been feeling this cultural disconnect for a few years and couldn't understand what I was doing wrong. I know this doesn't cover everything. But it is nice to have a portion of the issue worded so nicely.
I've noticed a huge change in people only caring about themselves and not the collective at all. Also I've noticed a massive decrease in people feeling responsible for their own actions. As if they have the mindset of "my actions hurt you? Well I don't care because you aren't me". It really feels like a lack of belonging to a community has really caused a lot of aggression and damage lately.
I realized that after the pandemic I felt more separated, even from my friends. I personally linked it to the fact that I'm finally finishing my studies and I've been hustling to find a job from my field. But maybe this theory hits home more close than I thought.
Not often do I comment on videos, but I just had to say how much this video hit me. Being at a point in my life where the only thing stopping me from moving forward is endless stimulus of random RUclips, TikTok, or Anime videos this video shows me I can be more than that. Thank you Mat Pat, you will always have had a huge impact on my life.
I’ve always been a bit isolated from others, but reading about people’s stories, little moments of joy or mundane parts of life, it really helps. There was a post I saw recently about a man asking for help finding his son some mental health support, and everyone had recommendations or a kind word. It was just so nice to see a community, even across a country or the world supporting each other.
Everything feels so different after the pandemic. But wholesome moments like these are things we should cherish. Now I just see commentary channels covering negative news or drama. Despite them trying to cover positive news, most of their content and their most viewed ones are about negative topics, like youtuber allegations, dream drama, war and what not.
This video puts into words a lot of thoughts I've had about the world for a while. Only other youtuber I've seen talking about it is Jreg (who frequently discusses/satirizes gen z culture and experience) so I'm happy a bigger platform is spreading the word. And also that you're providing some positivity and solutions rather than just explaining the problem. The idea that tragedies are the only cultural phenomena that ties us all together really hit me hard, I hadn't thought about it but it's so true. Something else I think needs to be brought up is that actual, real life physical communities are super important, need to be kept alive/resurrected, and can NOT be replaced by digital "communities". By that I mean things like local pubs/third places where the same people meet each other regularly, churches, sports teams, clubs for different interests, and whatnot. People need to be tied together with other actual people they can touch and have eye contact with for human connection and to get to be a part of something. They don't even need to have much in common, just have somewhere to go and some purpose even if it's just to hang out and talk. It also gives you a support system, another safety net if your family or government cannot help you fall through the cracks. Eventually, everyone who is part of the community will get their own shared culture, their own inside jokes and shared experi. It doesn't have to be a global, national phenomenon, it just needs to be shared within your community to get that feeling of belonging. But getting proper, healthy communities running again is difficult, it takes a lot of time and effort that most people aren't motivated to put in. It's too convenient to go to your day job and spend your free time consuming content or playing games in your apartment/room, only taking care of yourself even if it's harmful for your wellbeing in the long run. However, I have found that once you convince someone to become involved in a community in some manner - they learn to value them forever. Humans are pack animals, we're not supposed to be individualists. We are naturally inclined to care for one another, we just in a phase of society where we need to remind ourselves of that.
The issue that comes with your idea however, is the reason for joining these communities. Ever wonder why people aren’t going to places like churches or doing sports as much? Maybe it’s because they’ve become more independent. Maybe they feel it’s a toxic area and are unhappy there. Maybe work or school interferes far too much. You can’t solve these issues with just “go to church, okay”. They aren’t an end-all to loneliness. Humans need to find their own areas. Their own communities. Not whatever you or society deems is best for them, what THEY deem is best for themselves
@@knightmare5097he did say that tho. Church was merely an example. But as you Said yourself “people need to find Their own areas. Their own communities.” We need it. Which the both of you clearly Said.
One event I went to was silent DJ, where everyone was put in a room and there were 5 radio stations that played songs in a set of headsets that everyone has. Each radio station had your headset glow a different color for everyone to see. It allowed people to choose the music they like while still allowing for shared experiences. I wonder if social media could implement a similar concept to aid in the ongoing problems.
I couldn’t agree more with everything you’ve said Matpat. It really has felt like time stopped around 2018-2019 and it was difficult to put my finger on why.
I am VERY familiar with the concept of media isolation. Even before on demand streaming was widespread and the norm I was media isolated. My parents were strict, extremely Christian, and very controlling. I never got the same pop culture experience as others my age and it was, and is, very isolating. To the point that sneaking around the parental controls on my phone to watch MCYT and TMNT videos was pretty much my entire teenage rebellion. Now, I’m doing better. Not really in the personal connection area (extenuating circumstances) but in my (still technically “illegal”) freedom and choice of what to watch. And it’s not like we can’t connect to people about what we watch. Some of my favorite people on the internet I met by reading TMNT fan comics on tumblr. Basically what I’ve taken away from this video is people need to find a good fandom to be in and explore the communication methods we have available to us. Social media is a time of unparalleled connection! The problem is the commodification of online presence and the desperation to put forward a “perfect” version of yourself with glamour filters and photoshop. And the general incompatibility of many current platforms to support smaller fan communities in the fashion of old message boards. But it’s not impossible! Discord’s server model is extremely popular and their ability to have several channels and voice chats to connect people has helped thousands of people find community online. Libraries are also (hopefully) making a comeback and reaching a new purpose in may places. Many libraries host game nights and even if your local library doesn’t many will go out of their way to provide a space, resources and organizational help for programs or events that YOU suggest. Authors like Brandon Sanderson have huge online and in person communities and dnd in particular is amazing at drawing people together! Hope is not lost, we just need time to learn how to use our new tools… and preferably slow down the exponential change in personal technology, which will immediately make it easier to connect to older and younger people if we use more similar mediums.
Honestly….thank you matpat, I’m so glad you talked about this because it’s a real problem and us, the younger generation NEEDS to do SOMETHING. I’m glad a big platform like film theory talked about this.
This has got to be my favorite theory video I’ve seen. I love having diversity and all our own little circles and what not but… I do miss when things were idk more well known. Things that are popular that everyone can connect to. Matpat and the Theory team are right. Since nothing is super popular the world has felt smaller. It’s sad and almost terrifying.
As sad as it may be, Mat definitely seems to have hit the nail on the head here. My generation (20yo) feels so distant because we're all invested in such vastly different things. Hek, I've been working at the same place for over a year now and I still feel distant from the people I work with.
Man, this is the kind of content I love from you guys. It's weird. I came for the media theories, but stayed for the social commentary and calls to action.
3:20 This is so true! I watch RUclips on multiple accounts to better tell the algorithm what I am in the mood for. This one is more for science and some light Minecraft humor but if I want to watch something else I do it on a different account (or even incognito) so that it doesn't mess up my preferences and when I accidentally click on a random video it corrupts it.
Honestly, I wasn’t expecting this video from this channel, but I’m pleasantly surprised. As a journalist who has covered this topic, you’re right on the money with it. It’s not just a theory, it’s science.
I love it when mat pat does theories like this because it helps me realize that even the RUclipsrs I love and I have associated with fame are not “the perfect human being” but that we all are going through our own struggles
Slightly related but this is why whenever I start a new show, I always check to see if it has a subreddit. Content isn’t meant I be consumed, it’s meant to be processed, shared, discussed. So it enriches whatever I’m watching because even if it’s not right in the moment, i get to share it with others
@@fujinshu very true! It might help viewer retention as well 🤔 off the top of my head, I bet it’s an issue of moderation and IP (folks posting fanfics and OC art)
Exactly, i watch anime when it comes out every week and the best part for me is going to the comments and seeing everyone’s reactions, it feels good that way. Or going on twitter and seeing everyone else’s reactions to what we all watched, that sense of community is way better than watching alone.
It’s so weird that a video verbally explains what I’ve been feeling about the world lately. I’m 27. Never had an issue to talk to people and make friends when I was younger. But now it’s exactly as you said, it’s hard to find something solid to connect to people with, and it makes finding new friends or even a relationship really challenging. I wouldn’t describe myself as feeling entirely lonely as I have a close group of friends, but I definitely feel weird in a “I literally don’t fit in with anybody else” feeling.
This also explains why people have bigger connections to online friends, because those are found with shared interests. IRL, everyone's in their bubble, sadly.
13:40 This possible solution and the rest of this video is immediately what made me realize that we NEED more engaging stories in our lives! As soon as he mentioned those two movies I HAD to like this video! Thank you so much for your insight and helpful suggestions MatPat! We cannot thank you enough! 😊
Thank you, Team Theorist for always fostering a safe community where we can share this connected love of theorizing, joking, and of course memes on the Reddit pages and in the comments.
Jeez, normally when MatPat makes a compelling video, it's like, "Wow, what a well-crafted theory. I love this," but while this is a well-crafted theory, I'm really just worried for society now. 😢
It's almost scary how things like this creep in and affect our lives. While I am glad that this is brought up, it also gives a reason for a more recent trend of trauma dumping on the internet. I feel as though there is a balance between sharing one's humanity (especially with AI on the rise) and stories while not overly relying on the internet to satisfy one's needs. Am I making sense? These feelings are so complex and it's quite sad that there isn't one straight solution. I'm quite scared of what the future holds honestly.
It's really interesting to hear about stats about how so many people have been experiencing the same internal struggles that I have. I graduated college back in 2020 and my biggest concern was that I was going to be losing my main way to socialize and hangout and meet new people, and that's been entirely true. I don't live in an area with really any social spots and a much older demographic and aside from talking on discord with a handful of friends I've got nothing else going on so it's slowly but surely been building up how difficult it is to not feel lonely
Similiar thing here, technically I could try and move out to somewhere that's more busy and lush with job opportunities, but then I would cut myself away from my family that I care about and move into a place I would hate every day of living in. I like more rural out of the way areas, I don't like hearing a siren of an ambulance or a police car every couple of minutes, but at the same time I do have ambitions for having a more stable job then being a cashier that has to also work as a janitor and a warehouse worker and stay quiet to not get fired on the spot. No matter what I do I'm not gonna be satisfied with it one way or another.
I actually told this to a friend a few months ago and he thought that I was joking. I noticed more and more people finding groups with fewer people among my classmates/people I know compared to what my parents talked about in their stories... Thanks for this video, helps me understand much better, keep up the nice work!
I'm not commenting often on youtube, but as a person who's trying to bring more life in my little city, helping in an association, I really feel what you're meaning here, and I think this analysis motivated to open even more on people and working my way in that direction : making people understand why we all feel lonelier than ever, and how we can just get back more together, connecting more, by discussing and sharing. Thanks for the indirect help here !
I agree with this video after 2018 it feels like we are starting to become more divided I mean if you login into RUclips as a guest or in incognito mode you don’t get videos recommended to you, you have to search a video to get it recommended to you
I’m happy big creators are also spreading awareness about how divided all these things have made us as people, where the things that are shown to the most people are always so politically charged. I can not go a day on the internet without seeing incredibly politically charged conversations and arguments and I think many share the same problem with how much negativity is being pushed out, and how these things have been dividing us so much from the very apps we use, causing all of us to feel so split and feeling a need to choose a side or identity due to all these arguments and negativity.
I know it’s been one for a while but this video feels so much better put together that it really makes matpat feel like a *mascot* and the theory channels feel like a brand
i really like this, cause i’ve been so genuinely frustrated with how i’ve been so unable to connect with people on pop-culture stuff anymore. i’m so glad you’ve put it into words!!
I plan on working in the film industry someday. And one day these movies I’m going to make aren’t going to be like the ones we’ve recently seen. They’re going to be amazing, original, relatable ideas! So hopefully I can help put back some of the diversity we’ve all been feeling
I think there is an upside to this as well. Having been into more niche and nerdy things, I’ve felt this disconnect all my life. With the rise of tailored content, I feel it has become more acceptable to be into the things you like, the things that make us unique. It may make it harder to make small talk about pop culture, but it gives you more opportunity to share cool new things with others.
i like that too. As with almost everything, a balance is important, I think. Being able to be into niche or weird things that other folks might be into or even dislike and not following what everyone else is doing just to not feel alone, but also having enough in common, or a few common enough settings that we can come together and commonly enjoy to have that connect and then with that connection, be able to explore our differences and quirks and nuances and niches that do make us unique, and hopefully strengthen it and be able to appreciate all that makes us the big headed, funky little hairless bipeds we are.
matpat sitting in a room full of google executives and bringing up skibidi toilet is such a matpat thing to do
Same energy of when he gave the Pope a copy of Undertale.
He's always been like that. Matt actually cares about this platform and the content it has. Those Google robots don't.
Matpat is wild
@@EzGainz9877In a fun teaching way
@@gabrielityyy.................. what?!
I think that's also why reaction content has been so popular lately. People want to to see others experience the things they themselves love, because they can't find that easily in-person.
omg thats exactly how i feel there are so many videos that i wouldnt just watch but as soon as my favourite ppl post a reaction video on it i would so happily click on it and enjoy it it feels more like a shared experience and even conversation even though its clearly a one way interaction it feels like someone is enjoying that piece of content with me and it adds a lot to my viewing experience
Yeah that's been like my favorite type of content for years now since I don't have others to talk about those things with me :')
This comment HITS 💯
Reaction videos work because it's nice to have a little place where you're talking about something you love instead of something you hate. 70% of the internet is already negative, I find myself watching a rant about a movie, show, an athlete, a sports team, an actor, a director, a writer, a politician, an author, an influencer, a RUclips channel. Reaction channels act as a palette cleanser because you're talking about positive vibes with people who share your love with a particular film or music.
Omg wow that's deep and so true
Just when I was sure I understood my own dissonance and sadness. You have absolutely no idea how viscerally I felt this message. Thank you for this matpat. I need to reconnect with my family.
im smarter than matpat my theories are better
i feel that man
Have fun with your family!
I am glad for you. You understood your sadness and came over it with this video.
@@AccountUnavailable2Where are they?
I’ve been thinking about this a ton recently! It used to be so much easier to get conversations going when everybody watched the same shows. (And the shows used to be better quality too!) Now conversations normally end in an awkward recommendations for something neither party probably cares about at all. It’s crazy thinking about how often I still habitually try to make references to things I assume everybody would know about and have them fall completely flat and how isolating that always feels.
I have that all the time too!! Maintaining conversation is a lot harder these days and now heaps of people use their phone as a way to avoid it altogether, discouraging others from even trying to connect with people.
I didn't think of it until this video, but you're right, there hasn't been anything like Game of Thrones for a good discussion starter. At the time it was popular you could always lead with Game of Thrones and everyone's seen at least some episodes.
that's why you should start a conversation about loneliness, like the video said
Somehow i don't think loneliness as a conversation starter would work😅
@@honghonghonghong4272 Anything works as a conversation starter, if you can spin it somewhere confidently or if they start laughing make it off as a joke
But of course, if we're talking about a lonely introverted person with no social experience, then they would probably come of as weird.
This is SUCH an important topic for a video. I've personally been a victim of this problem and the loneliness and stress that comes with it and one of the worst things is how little people seem to know about it. It gives me so much relief to finally see someone with a bigger platform acknowledge and spread awareness of this problem.
Even when you're alone you can keep the knowledge that at least you're alone together with everyone else feeling it.
Same here, the world always seems so isolated yet this video makes it feel just a bit closer together
im smarter than matpat my theories are better
@@AccountUnavailable2that's crazy
@@erikmanzano Crazy
This is by far the number one thing I notice when I hang out with friends or family in the generation right under me (I'm 33)
The sense of community is definitely less, and what brings people together sometimes seems MUCH more negative. Appreciate the breakdown.
Didnt expect to see your comment here lol, but yeah im in that generation and I totally agree and it all got so much worse after 2019
i felt that too... i got a niece that i u
shhhh, silence boomer
Yeh true
I don’t really get it though because some people that Ive met have told me about something they like that i never heard of and i checked it out and we still like it to this day
This might be the darkest theory MatPat has done and I’m digging it.
your right
I think his Earthbound theory is darker
@@b1ztake agreed
I am infertile from eating scented candles
bro hasnt even watched the video yet and says hes digging it
Honestly, I’ve felt so burnt out by just watching videos and listening to music ever since covid. I have truly felt so alone and honestly this video truly gives me hope that maybe there will be change in the world
Omg I know. I've noticed if I spend time scrolling shorter videos I'm actually MORE tense by the time I pull myself away from it and I feel like I wasted my free time
@@System_Fighter47 hows that related to anything ?
@@tanishnair1526 Because Jesus is in everything. Even in you.
I am right there with you on this subject. It feels like we've been divided as a community. I've personally been feeling more alone then I ever have in my life, but that might just be being a teenager and all that but I really think it's what our generation and world is going through a serious rough patch. I hope we get out of this and blossom into the connected society we were b4 covid. But long story short, I feel you man, and I'm right there w u
@@MiguelDebruyne good for u if religion is ur salvation but i dont need that in my life
You know its getting real when FilmTheory becomes LifeTheory.
A life theory!!!
As a Senior in high school who suffers from depression, I always found that watching these kinds of videos really help me and allows to to know that it's just not me. Hope MatPat makes more videos like this.
Depression isn't real, i too am high school senior.
If u think you are sad , you will just get sadder and sadder.
I'm a senior in highschool as well and have bipolar depression, so I kinda know what your going through, although only half the time, and although I have my highs, their almost overzealous and overbearing, and I usually go on a spree of whatever I feel like, and then I have my downs where I'm super low and don't even wanna get out of bed, but these types of videos help me a little, and allow me to make connections with people, I hope you have a good day
@@pikaholo4773 Derpression isn't real
you think you have it but don't
-me
@@rubenlohata5263i’ll wait for your psychology degree, einstein
As a teen that am dealing with depression, I have found more and more comfort, in just normal people talking and sharing their personal stories in the internet. I have started watching more real life media, listening to podcasts and more things that I didn’t really feel like I wanted to watch back then. What matpat is talking about is incredibly true because I feel as though the world has kinda lost its colors and people have lost their connections which is why people like me are trying to make new ones on a daily basis.
Man, it stinks. I'm a teen too, and I can never seem to keep up friendships. I find it hard enough to make friends, but even harder to keep them. Just feels like the things I find that connect me to these people just... Falls away, you know. Honestly, I'm not depressed, but, you know, even if it isn't depression, it still makes me sad whenever I think about it. And, yeah, it's been leading me to enjoy seeing content where human relationships are on display a lot more. And real life has felt increasingly like something I just sit through until I don't have to anymore, until I can escape online. Where I don't have to know people. God, it stinks. Something gotta change, man. Both for me, personally, and in general.
The hands of tik tok is coming
Act like the freshman teenagers that go to center line high school Michigan then
I clicked this video because I wanted something to watch/listen to while eating my leftover spaghetti, but after a bit of realizing how deep everything in this actually struck I just. sat there in awe of all the realization and how true it all is- it all went deeper than I wanted to go, but dude I kinda needed that. This broke more than my brain, man.
i was eating spaghetti too whattttt
i was eating my cinnamon toasties, now i got an short existential crisis.
I had spaghetti for dinner… glad to see we can all still relate on something 😆
Totally! It breaks my heart a lil bit. Now a get why, at least in latinoamericana we are so obsessed with society of snow right now...
Same. Was eating my Popeyes chicken and now I'm crying
I think it really explains a lot. As a teacher, it hurts me to see my students getting more isolated the older they get and there seems nothing I can do to help. This video gives me some ideas to let them try to talk their stories out. Let the connection begin
As someone that didn't connected with people when young(neurodivergent here), cuz i was too annoying, too weird, all that negative stuff…
I found myself fitting in people that loved anime, and i mean REALLY loved it, we discussed for hours about the humanity of the characters, their morality, how good written a story was, if the art was good or not, if the development of any of them caught our attention, and specially, make us feel *represented*, made us feel, well, less alone!
And the same experience was made for me with my highschool friends, we talked about everything unapollogetically but with absolute respect for each other's opinions, and saying out loud how we had it at home or how we related to a character in a certain movie or series, really made us bond.
I know that, if i talk to them right now, despite years of not talking to each other, they will be happy to see me, and i will feel welcomed, cuz we, instead of looking numblessly through our phone fr hours, talked.
We left them on our pockets, or purses, and talked.
So i suggest this:
Everyone makes essays about something they watched, about why they loved it(not how much, but the WHY) or why they loved their favorite character on that show, as homework, and the next class, everyone puts away their phone, and reads their (i guess must be short) essay.
And everyone is allowed to ask any respectfull question, and everyone has their turn to talk, and they can be open about anything.
I would totally suggest grabbing a chair(if not they aren't connected directly to the desk) and making everyone draw a circle with them.
They will have the best afternoon ever, and all those memories will be very worth it.❤
Also, is it just me or is there a new video compression on youtube?
And add played right as he talked about how add to play based on how we watch videos
Honestly speechless because this video summed up things I have been feeling for years. Another point I would add is that the addiction we have with these short-form videos is because of trying to find something you relate to and then it gets back to your reward system that you had mentioned in another video. Online spaces are a two-edged sword because the people there get your references but they are not people in your real life who care about your feelings or have the same ideals as you. It is nearly impossible nowadays for us to find someone with the same content taste as us or same hobbies as us AND have the same ideals as us. This is one of the main reasons I think the dating culture has gone this bad and so many people are depressed because after a certain point we feel like no one likes the same things as us so whats the point in sharing what we like and/or are passionate about.
This speaks out so strong to me. I've felt something was 'off' for a while, but I didn't really know what. I feel this really hit the mark on what's going on, especially the nebulous feeling overall. Thanks for this video everyone, this one is something I believe we all needed to hear.
For sure!!!
The search engine they updated on RUclips over a year ago was terrible. Example I searched for dogs but then after a few video results, it gave me a bunch of viral non dog related videos that have absolutely nothing to do with what I’m looking for. In fact, there was a lot duplicate videos after the 1st page. Why google?
I've always enjoyed these "meta" theories on the Theorist channels since you started making them, since they always give an interesting perspective on online culture and the effects of the social media we use. I enjoyed this one a lot, I'd love to see more of these.
In a nice twist, the message of this video gives me a feeling of unity already, with all the people who struggle with the consequences of living in the current era
It's quite incredible, isn't it? That just like MatPat said, just opening up the topic of loneliness and fracture creates a space to connect with others on its basis.
All those statistics mentioned hit very real, but I laughed bitterly when he mentioned about how 70% of millenials are considering quitting their job as he speaks - lo and behold, I am one of those 70% and specifically watching theories to cope with the stress it's causing.
Bumping into your comment made me feel like responding - not because I'd anticipate any prolonged conversation, but just for this one moment of basic connection; something akin to how you'd throw a movie quote reference back in the past. It doesn't bring much to the conversation itself, but it's a sign "hey we have something in common! That's cool!"
I hope wherever you are, you are having a wonderful day, fellow Film Theorist!
I’m currently imagining matpat sitting with a bunch of google executives in a board room just yelling “DO YOU KNOW THE SKIBIDI TOILET”
To be honest I didn't know anything about it until he mentioned it.
Yeah its funny to think about that..
69 likes
@@phillip_turner very nice
They probably saw the meme but simply didn't know the name.
This actually brought tears to my eyes because of how relatable this is and bringing understanding to the situation.
He finally understood us Matpat he’s a great man
To be honest, I never thought I’d actually see this kind of theory done by y’all honestly. good on you guys, this needs to be brought more to the surface.
Agreed
Another theory is Social Media platforms love rage-bait even though they claim to oppose it. Rage-bait gives ten-fold more likes and engagement than a positive video. A video titled "TV Show is Garbage and Here's Why" is gonna get more views than "Here's Why I Love This Show".
I have noticed that the video game community is very strong and has a huge following. Gamers have a lot to talk about and share in common with FNAF, Zelda, baldurs gate and so many other great titles. It really is awesome to be able to touch base with so many gamers and share something in common. They might not be where you are in the game, but at least it’s nice to be able to talk about it.
As someone who attended an art college that had a 60% game major student body, I can promise you that gamers are one of the singlehandedly loneliest demographics out there right now. I saw a lot of peers in my graduating class struggle for all 4 years with isolation and depression. The gamer communities and bubbles that you only see online or at tournament events are not an accurate representation of their experience.
@@mollusckscramp4124 hit the nail on the head
The MS Flight Simulator and Elite Dangerous communities are some of the nicest places on the Internet.
As a current high school senior this is 100% correct. I have never felt this lonely before growing up and now as a young adult turning 18 in a matter of days everything is just as you’ve described it. I hate my job, I’m not connecting with people as well anymore, everything is about politics now, and all I want are friends. This is main reason why I want to join the military after college, I have been in JROTC all four year and that is the only place where I’ve felt a semblance of belonging, going to camps and not having the media has been a huge relief, because there is nothing to do after a day of training all we have left is to talk to each other in the bunks. This camaraderie makes me realize how much I miss it every time I go back home. So honestly that seems to be the only thing I look forward to when growing up.
Thanks for sharing.
I'm just turning 17 and your right about the political point. Heck my younger family which are younger than 4th grade are way to political then most kids should
Oh politics,. it's awful. In my country people are very dissatisfied with the government so politics is the big talk, whenever politics or current conflicts are mentioned in a conversation everyone shuts up because discussing political opinions and stances on current problems always leads to disliking each other. I felt like back in the day you could really discuss your opinion about these things with coworkers and class mates, but right now it's controversial to even mention a current day problem.
@@sleepymonsteraddict half the reason could be because the news coverage wasn't so big back then. But yeah, I get your point, but my father's side of the family or family friends just keep going, unless a kid jumps in and says something lol. I lost that super power recently. But honestly, I wish more of the kids would just not get involved. Especially when they don't have a full understanding cause either their gonna get trust issues or possibly go bad direction later if something does not go good or end well. A few use that power due to them getting uncomfortable. Luckily, on my moms side, they just barely discuss it but yeah in my country it's gotten real bad to.
Sorry that one word autocorrect got it and I did not notice
When I turned 18(last year) I went to jail for pumpkin carving a person . Lesson of the story don't let them know ur next or last move
This is exactly my main issue I've been dealing with. The only real way I've found battling this is being in forced social situations (school, required events, etc.) but you don't always have that. I've been homeschooled since 2020 and my identity due to my isolation has been picked apart so much I don't even remember what foods I like anymore. This is a super important topic and I'm so glad you brought this up now.
I get the difficulty socializing, I was homeschooled since 2nd grade, but it shouldn't be completely isolating. Do your parents have you in any homeschool co-ops? I got lonely sometimes when I had to move (fam was military, hence the homeschooling) but I was still able to socialize and make friends through co-ops. I met my best friend and my fiancé through homeschool meetups
I'm in the same boat. Being homeschooled wasn't too hard because a group of homeschooled families in my area started a group where we would get together and do some activities that kids would normally do at schools. You know, stuff like Gym, science experiments, etc. But ever since the lockdowns we never got back together and I ended up wasting my life in an MMO gradually forgetting my own identity. I've since quit playing the game but now I have nothing to replace it with so I just binge youtube and feel sorry for myself. Being religious and forced to go to church each week helps a lot for interacting and meeting people, and I'm going to college next fall so I'm hoping I can start meeting people then. While I'm guessing I won't have much interesting happen until then, it's really nice to know there are people out there like me.
I relate too well with this, because I don't use Tiktok, and while I have a Twitter, I barely use it anymore other than looking at posts on my following page, and it's astonishing how much of the minority I am in when I made this decision. I feel like I'm not even a native to my own planet because so much culture nowadays relates to what is on social media that when something happens, I'm usually the last person to hear about it. It sucks that a decision I wanted to make for my own mental health has such a big downside in communicating with my generation.
I dont think its a downgrade at all. Just find people that actually want to talk about things that genuinely interest you.
You truly are giving effort to not melt your brain with constant consumerism and I personally think that's great :) keep up the good work
I have TikTok downloaded. I don't appreciate the randomness off things being thrown at me off one scroll.
Also, I'm 30 years old... When I was in kindergarten, it was almost illegal to do any other than salute the flag and sing the national anthem.
As a 30 year old new dad. I feel this in my soul. All these comments
I just have a couple channels on RUclips that I watch to be informed about stuff, like Coldfusion. That way, I don't need social media.
@@riakriak7270 Right, RUclips is my only social media. I never saw the appeal in others and will never make one.
being wrapping my head around this newer deeper sense of loneliness i’ve been feeling lately and this makes so much sense. really appreciate the thoughtful video on this discussion
I had a huge smile on my face at the end, Matpat and the team really went all out with this one, and the script didn't feel "filtered" For the past few months I've been thinking about this exact "why everyone feels divided and lonely" and I think this video gives genuine reason and really great advice on how to stop this. We as humans are social creatures we NEED each other.
Exactly. Human survival has always been a result of living in communities and working together.
When we are divided we can't function. We can't grow. We get depressed and aggressive. People have even begun to stop caring when people die because of the lack of connection with other people.
Just look at Panera bread and the charged lemonade. I've seen more people say they would rather them keep the high caffeine content than not despite 2 people dying already. FDA did nothing, Panera did nothing. If people cared about one another they would have immediately taken it down and come up with a plan for the product that won't keep leading to deaths.
It's even affecting traffic on the street. As someone who has to walk to work I often have to wait for the lights to cycle 3+ times to cross the street because of people simply not caring.
The irony is Social Media has made us more disconnected when in theory it should make us more connected. I don't talk to 90% of my friends on Facebook. It has evolved to be a place where people brag about the highlights of their life. It's not healthy for my brain to browse that kind of stuff.
I'm glad that someone finally has spoken about this. (Or at least someone who has a big enough voice in youtube for people to hear) I myself have been struggling with loneliness and depression ever sense I got out of school and been trying to get my foot out in the world. For the longest time i thought it was just me like there was something wrong with my brain but all of you that work on this video showed that's not the case. It's far more then that. So thank you for bring this to everyone's attention. I hope the message goes far.
I'm in the same boat. I'm a bit of a self conscious person, and when I saw everyone around my age posting pictures of their engagements/weddings, first home, raise/career upgrades, and even their (own) families. I've felt like I was way behind.
Although, with everything that's happened in my life, and with how things are now. I've become more thankful for where I'm at. I just need to work on this with my health a bit more.
I remember when I got out of school. Eventually, got a job of course.
At work (retail) I happened to have a great squad when I first started but it’s been changing.
It’s been a mix: I like that my old management (incompatible with my personality due to being from a different generation) are gone. But bad because with my new management (compatible with my personality), companies have been changing (cutting benefits) and that sucks. Now we all relate on the same thing: struggling to make ends meet.
And we’re all thinking about quitting 😅
On my channel I talk about all that shiet 😭
Damm, Matpat and the theroy team really knocked it out of the park with how relatable and deep this is but also giving us all hope and in a wried way motivation. Keep it up
im smarter than matpat my theories are better
@@AccountUnavailable2okay bot
@@AccountUnavailable2 get a life
MatPat warned us about this before he retired...
Good lord this one hit home harder than anything I've ever seen on a Theory channel, or pretty much anything in awhile. Sharing this with everyone I possibly can, it NEEDS to be seen.
im smarter than matpat my theories are better
@@AccountUnavailable2why r u saying this on very comment
@@HomerUchiha123 I think it's a bot. This reply is on EVERY comment.
Even though I'm heavily introverted this couldn't apply to me more. Socialization is a basic human need, whether you like it or not, and I am happy with this slow gear change to authentic instead of over-sensationalized, non-linear content that doesn't really know where it's going on this platform
I'm an introvert too I found it weird when I saw videos during 2020 showing how much extroverts were struggling the reality is that Introverts equally struggle when we shut out the world we do it by choice to recharge being stuck in your house when you didn't chose too sucks for everyone
im smarter than matpat my theories are better
Also an introvert here. Can we all agree here that the world is f***ed up?
@UTTP_CHEMISTZ And why do you think it's a contest? Why do you think you are smarter? What led you to these conclusions?
@@AccountUnavailable2Why did you make a claim without any content to make your case?
This theory is mind-blowing. It literally explain why the heck I and others have felt so disconnected on games, videos, movies, etc., and why I've felt very isolated with my personal interests. That reveal of "Stories" as the way to solve this issue is amazing too because those are the time I truly do feel connected with other people. I can't really have a long conversation anymore about what happens in a video game, but I can go on for hours about my experiences with that video game and how it made me feel and think. I'm not even someone who's depressed or has anxiety, but I relate to this heavily. Might as well be a "Film Fact" ;)
Personal stories is what got me into trying the souls games. Stories of failure and triumph, growth and a little silliness
Isolation has crossed all parts of my life family, school, online all of it. In high school you don’t talk to people you just do your work listen to the teacher then get up and go to your next class the only time I talk to anyone is during lunch but even then not many people talk to eachother it’s pretty sad
yes, finally someone is talking about it. I try to tell my friends about these cool games, but they just don’t care. I feel like no one likes the things I like.
Oddly enough there have been studies suggesting playing ttrpgs like DnD are really therapeutic because they provide a shared experience in overcoming adversity. It's also why games like Elden Ring are popular bc you can summon people in to tackle insane bosses. Never thought about it being tied to the desire for connection. This is a really good video.
🤓☝️
The problem is finding people who play DnD in the first place
I can confirm the studies are accurate from personal experience.
Suffered *horrible* depression my entire life. Might have offed myself mid to late 2020 if I hadn't found DnD earlier that year. To this day, I'm still in the hobby because it helps me get through the week.
I take pride in my job as a hairdresser. I feel that getting your hair cut nowadays is one of the things that help lonely people feel normal. That small amount of interaction outside of work and family is what makes a lot of my clients excited to see me.
Cool, my sister is a hairdresser. I'm glad people like you exist
Yeah, I completely agree. The conversations are nice.
I would be one of those and tbh going to the hairdresser is like going to the dentist for me.
I don't have hair
I'm a cosmetician, and I also take pride in my work. I think those who work with the public, and perhaps more likely, make others happy by doing our jobs, are more inclined to feel attachment and a sense of identity in our profession
Ever since 2015 or so It felt like the years weren't passing anymore. The world suddenly became boring. 2020 and the covid pandemic only made that worse. It definitely feels good to see videos like this. I absolutely hate how much TikTok and RUclips and others have ruined my attention span and have made my need to socialize disappear. I'm only 15 but I notice this loneliness everywhere. No one talks to each other anymore. I really hope this loneliness pandemic goes away soon.
"Ever since 2016*..."
@@markanderson7236?
2019 was when everything went downhill for me. 2020 and all the following years are just one year.
i'm 15 too and i feel the same way, especially since i've been home schooled for 4 years.
@lixiehearts kinda the opposite for me. I was really sheltered as a kid and homeschooled up till high-school. Started high-school and it's depressing because it's just a social life that is forced. I had so much fun outdoors with my siblings when I was younger
This video is something I never thought Matpat would make, but it is the exact video I needed because right now it is impossible for me to have conversations with new people outside of my friend group. I’m so glad that this video was made. Thank you so much team theorist.
Yall have done it again. Great reporting and research backed. Love that yall are covering “real world” issues we don’t normally see!
PLEASE, make an channel that focus on youtube theory, i would LOVE THAT
It's already this channel, bud 😂
Yeah
*Psychological Theory
You don’t need one with jacksucksatlife
But you probably haven’t seen him
I continue to believe that this is why reaction channels are both so popular and ultimately a good. You are, in a sense, sharing an experience. It’s one-way and outside of time, but you are seeing other people enjoy a thing you also enjoy. Extra points for if that person is very different from you. It’s like an empathy brain hack.
I always felt weird liking reactions videos because “I like others first reactions to a video” but this theory made sense, I don’t know anyone who is genuinely is interested in certain shows, so reaction videos brings me into the community
That is why I love watching Cody Ko's reaction videos to the button
oh my god. I'm obsessed with watching youtubers reacting to things. You just explained it perfectly. Im a very lonely person, and I guess I'm looking for what shared experience out here, I never thought about it before, thank you😭
Definitely. "Watching other people enjoying a thing you enjoy" is the equivalent of connecting with people IRL over shared pop-culture interests, as Matpat explained.
Reaction content MAY be good for a sense of belonging and community and shared experience, but ultimately it is FAR from good. Reaction content is theft, and there is no other way to go about it.
The amount of awareness in this video is just incredible. Watching this video makes me feel happy since it seems like there are still a lot of people out there who are aware of the modern problems that are happening way too often these days. This may not relate to the video, but I feel very reluctant to find a job, even though I need to since I am afraid that the job I may get will just cause me to feel extremely miserable, feel drained, working too much while getting paid very little, leaving me no time to do anything else. Especially considering that I have trust issues and anxiety problems, and that I don't really have much skills is why I'm feeling reluctant to go out there.
Agreed, im scared of taking that step to apply for a job and dont know if its the right thing for me, especially if you're not sure what you want to do for the rest of your life
I think reading this comment just kicked me into realizing why I've been stalling on finding a job, and instead started writing for the fun of it. That and employers just don't seem to respond.
I am 18 and personally have mixed feelings about my job (I work retail) most days I love it but some days I will feel agitated due to my coworkers or drained due to the amount of labor (as I usually stock or put misplaced items back where they go)
I'm about to turn 20, and I still don't have a job, I feel the exact same way. It often feels like I'm the only one around me thinking about the real problems going on in the world, this video from matpat is probably one of his most important ones for me.
It's saddening you think ignorance I a good thing
you're right about the lack of shared cultural moments. Growing up with Arabic parents in Tasmania was like living in two worlds. Couldn't fully connect with family's language, and Aussie friends were lost in their social media feeds. It's tough when you have stories to tell but no one's listening because they're in their own cultural isolated echo chambers going through the same lonely problem. I have felt ignored, disassociated from work life and lost even when my family was together.
Just casually drops Tasmania. Anyone who doesn't live there thinks it's the twilight zone and with that dude Taz
I absolutely feel this. No one is invested in connecting anymore unless it's immediately relevant to their specific niche interests.
I've been feeling this "culture void" at least since 2020. My response to it then was to try reaching for my genetic roots and learning more about the cultures that I'm genetically linked to even if I wasn't raised in those cultures. I learned Swedish and I love the language, but it didn't fill the void.
This video has gotten me thinking about the things that used to fill that void. The small online game communities that no longer exist. The high school friends that I hardly see anymore. The scouting troop that is now just a part of my past. There was so much that was there, and now there's so little that remains. When those things left, nothing replaced them.
I think if we want to solve this problem for future generations, we have to focus a lot on the transition from teenager to adult. So much ends and is lost between ages 17-24, and we don't really have anything that comes in to replace what is lost in that transition. If we want to fix this, we need to find healthy things to fill these voids when they open up.
For a lot of people, the thing that used to fill that period in your life was starting a family. Between costs for housing, food, and healthcare we've pretty much successfully priced younger generations out of that option though.
Have you tried going outside?
No I'm serious things like hiking,camping, biking, with friends is shown to deepen bonds and give a sense of satisfaction especially if you have somewhere that is particularly naturally rich.
@@faddedreality6885 for me personally I don't go outside unless I'm going with/ to meet up with a friend/someone I know... Camping I'd love to in the summer when I actually can without freezing... So that only leaves at top four months I feel secure enough to do so but none of my friends wanna go with me, sure I'd love to make more friends but that's hard for me because I don't feel safe out in public by myself 🥺
Huge fan
Oh wait i read ur name wrong
As someone who is in my darkest and lowest point. And as someone who is literally only 16, I cried after watching this video. I had to call my cousin just to talk about it. Because of this video I now can finally piece together the core of my loneliness and anxiety... Although it hurts to feel like there is no solution.. it also feels relieving to finally recognize why there may not be a solution. And now that I know why, I can work around it and find my solution. Because broken minds.. like bones.. can heal. And we are still young guys. Whether you're 10-20-30. You're still young and have time! Take it from me... One moment you'll be sad and then you're best friend calls you for an hour and you feel like you're awesome! Trust me.. even if you have few friends.. appreciate them! All of em. And enjoy life. Enjoy what time you have. Because we never truly know how much time we have left. This is the only comment I've ever made on this channel and I'm proud of it.
Thank u sm for this, as someone whos the same age trying to go through this tough time, this video means alot. Thanks matpat :>
same age, but everything is normal for me
I've been dealing with a lot of stress and anxiety lately that I also cried after this video
Same bro im 18 tho
Very well put. Thank you for sharing your story with the world, and for letting us glimpse into your struggle and your journey to enjoying your life.
Thank you for making this video! You've brought up the loneliness epidemic that everyone is going through in today's society. There's so much to life than just our device...
This is so true. I’ve been saying this for years. Thank you for opening my eyes, MatPat.
This is probably one of the most important videos ever made by Matpat! I'll definitely be sharing this with people!
Should start a channel called conspiracy theory
Ditto
@@osmosisjones4912100%
Same
im smarter than matpat my theories are better😊
I think this is why Reddit still has a strong traffic. Various groups (subreddits) has specific subjects that only has those, allowing them to communicate with each other seamlessly. They have the same topic and are in line with each other's interest, allowing them to connect positively (or in some cases, negatively).
It's unbelievable how streaming and on-demand viewing platforms have so subtly changed our cultural paradigm. It's kinda crazy to think about how much Netflix and RUclips have changed how we connect with each other. I'm all in for sharing real stories to get us back on track.
see this is how people get unable to solve problems, they pinpoint one thing and call it the cause, no, it's not youtube and those alone, it's multiple things, for example people don't succumb to social expectations and want to be themselves, this is another reason why people can't connect, because you get mixed signals, "this person is disrespectfull" "those are bad manners" "i am not any better" "theese are red flags" "i must not talk with strangers" "i am boring" "maybe they are boring"
I started going to college about almost 3 years ago and it was a really big change for me. I've lived almost my entire life in a relatively small village, where almost everyone knows each other, but where I go to school is in one of biggest cities in my country and I really felt the difference: I didn't know my neighbors, I didn't have any friends to hang out with and if I had, I couldn't because of covid. Those first 2,5 years where the most miserable of my life. To the point I went to a psychologist 2 years in a row.
Then, last year, I took a risk. I'd heard one of my classmates talk about playing dnd and I asked if I could tag along to a session because I was interested in playing it. That lead to me hanging out more and more with them. I went to see the dnd movie with them and some of their friends that I didn't know and I had a blast. I've gone to play video games with them, just generally hang out with them a lot and it's been great. I've even went to a karaoke evening with some of my classmates, something I never thought I'd do. Now I'm even playing in a campaign myself that's hosted by another friend of mine and it allowed me to meet a lot of new people, some of which I talk to on quite a regular basis at school.
I feel so much better than I did a few years ago. Better than I felt around this time last year. And I know there's still so much bad stuff in the world (war, poverty, climate change, etc.), things that I feel powerless to change by myself, but I feel genuinely happy with my life right now and I really hope that more people get to experience that.
This might be one of my favourite videos ever not just from film theory but on any social media it was informative it shows a new perspective and intricately explains details and reasoning for mentioning topics while still being entertaining and engaging well done matt and team well done
I've been trying to figure out why I've been unable to connect with people like I use to and this video helped me figure out why. I thought it was just me who was just bad at socializing but after watching this It made me realize what the problem was. So thank you Mat for talking about this! this really helped me!🌸
I used to have a lot of trouble socializing, and all it really took was finding people who like the things I like and it turned out I am actually very sociable. I still have trouble with my family who I have very little common ground with, but I have a very good network of close friends now.
It’s crazy how much I felt this on a personal level. Seeing others in the comments expressing how they’ve felt the same way is so comforting. Hats offs to the theory team for this video
As I was watching the bad news area, breaking news happens where a second stabbing happened in my city over the past 3 days. It sucks
My entire college thesis was literally about how the power of stories is the fundamental tool of expressing humanity and creating community, and I've been struggling in the theatre industry ever since, but this video shows that my beliefs are still true, and I'm not going to quit in what I believe in, despite the loneliness
This reminds me how Mat himself started off not being able to find anything!
But now he became such an influential figure.
Awesome thesis statement.
I think the most important thing I’ve learned without any schooling is to NOT get frustrated with myself when stuff doesn’t start going well and a struggle lasts a while. It’s easy to fall into that trap.
Love this kind of theory. I think it’s a more informational kind, and actually “useful” rather than theoretical questions that wouldn’t really happen. I enjoy majority of your ideas but this one stood out to me a lot.
I've seen this trend happening and growing for a while now. I'm glad that Mat has not only caught onto it now but is also addressing it too. Good job Mr Pat.
Exactly
About 1-2 weeks ago, I had casual small talk with someone else who liked Taylor Swift. That’s the first time I ever made small talk with a stranger. I LOVED it, I felt so.. not-alone.
I love this video. I've realized that even though i don't use a lot of social media, I engage with youtube in the same obsessive way.
I feel a lot of people think they're too good to be terminally online, but still spend a lot of time online.
Maybe taking time away from youtube could benefit me
One of the best choices in my life was to completely quit short form videos. Nothing made me realize how much time i wasted than that. I'd definitely recommend some time away, especially from shorts.
@@onwjcoI can't find a way to turn them off :( any clues?
@@poosh6529 i dont think you can turn them off. But i personally just ignore their existence and just focus on my subscription tab
@@poosh6529 I've since fallen back into my short addition lol but previously, if you see shorts recommended in your feed, just click the 3 dots in the corner and click "not interested". They eventually quit showing up.
@@poosh6529just catch yourself if you start watching them.
Love this. Been feeling this cultural disconnect for a few years and couldn't understand what I was doing wrong. I know this doesn't cover everything. But it is nice to have a portion of the issue worded so nicely.
He's lying. Victim blaming. He's attributing the effects of narcissistic abuse on people watching tv.
I did not know what to expect, seeing such a serious topic on your channel. But I have to say I am pleasantly surprised! You did a great job!
5:00 anyone else get an ad immediately after he said this? XD
Yep
I got an ad as he said that
Yes
ME
Yes
I've noticed a huge change in people only caring about themselves and not the collective at all.
Also I've noticed a massive decrease in people feeling responsible for their own actions. As if they have the mindset of "my actions hurt you? Well I don't care because you aren't me".
It really feels like a lack of belonging to a community has really caused a lot of aggression and damage lately.
I realized that after the pandemic I felt more separated, even from my friends. I personally linked it to the fact that I'm finally finishing my studies and I've been hustling to find a job from my field. But maybe this theory hits home more close than I thought.
this aged well💀💀
I Don,t understand
@@A-The-Great I think the are talking about the Mr beast allegations
Do you guys think how global was cultural event of the kendrick vs drake beef debunks this theory?
How did MatPat know 😂😂
My depression hasz depression ;( ;/ 😢
Not often do I comment on videos, but I just had to say how much this video hit me. Being at a point in my life where the only thing stopping me from moving forward is endless stimulus of random RUclips, TikTok, or Anime videos this video shows me I can be more than that. Thank you Mat Pat, you will always have had a huge impact on my life.
I’ve always been a bit isolated from others, but reading about people’s stories, little moments of joy or mundane parts of life, it really helps. There was a post I saw recently about a man asking for help finding his son some mental health support, and everyone had recommendations or a kind word. It was just so nice to see a community, even across a country or the world supporting each other.
Everything feels so different after the pandemic. But wholesome moments like these are things we should cherish. Now I just see commentary channels covering negative news or drama. Despite them trying to cover positive news, most of their content and their most viewed ones are about negative topics, like youtuber allegations, dream drama, war and what not.
This video puts into words a lot of thoughts I've had about the world for a while. Only other youtuber I've seen talking about it is Jreg (who frequently discusses/satirizes gen z culture and experience) so I'm happy a bigger platform is spreading the word. And also that you're providing some positivity and solutions rather than just explaining the problem.
The idea that tragedies are the only cultural phenomena that ties us all together really hit me hard, I hadn't thought about it but it's so true.
Something else I think needs to be brought up is that actual, real life physical communities are super important, need to be kept alive/resurrected, and can NOT be replaced by digital "communities". By that I mean things like local pubs/third places where the same people meet each other regularly, churches, sports teams, clubs for different interests, and whatnot. People need to be tied together with other actual people they can touch and have eye contact with for human connection and to get to be a part of something. They don't even need to have much in common, just have somewhere to go and some purpose even if it's just to hang out and talk. It also gives you a support system, another safety net if your family or government cannot help you fall through the cracks. Eventually, everyone who is part of the community will get their own shared culture, their own inside jokes and shared experi. It doesn't have to be a global, national phenomenon, it just needs to be shared within your community to get that feeling of belonging.
But getting proper, healthy communities running again is difficult, it takes a lot of time and effort that most people aren't motivated to put in. It's too convenient to go to your day job and spend your free time consuming content or playing games in your apartment/room, only taking care of yourself even if it's harmful for your wellbeing in the long run. However, I have found that once you convince someone to become involved in a community in some manner - they learn to value them forever.
Humans are pack animals, we're not supposed to be individualists. We are naturally inclined to care for one another, we just in a phase of society where we need to remind ourselves of that.
im smarter than matpat my theories are better
The issue that comes with your idea however, is the reason for joining these communities. Ever wonder why people aren’t going to places like churches or doing sports as much? Maybe it’s because they’ve become more independent. Maybe they feel it’s a toxic area and are unhappy there. Maybe work or school interferes far too much. You can’t solve these issues with just “go to church, okay”. They aren’t an end-all to loneliness. Humans need to find their own areas. Their own communities. Not whatever you or society deems is best for them, what THEY deem is best for themselves
@@knightmare5097he did say that tho. Church was merely an example.
But as you Said yourself “people need to find Their own areas. Their own communities.”
We need it. Which the both of you clearly Said.
@@lo-lifecntral2789 Ah ok. I thought you considered things like church or sports as the ONLY form of finding community
@@knightmare5097 haha no not at all My friend. as Big as an umbrella sports is that would be very limiting for many people.
Good day My friend:-)
One event I went to was silent DJ, where everyone was put in a room and there were 5 radio stations that played songs in a set of headsets that everyone has. Each radio station had your headset glow a different color for everyone to see. It allowed people to choose the music they like while still allowing for shared experiences. I wonder if social media could implement a similar concept to aid in the ongoing problems.
I couldn’t agree more with everything you’ve said Matpat. It really has felt like time stopped around 2018-2019 and it was difficult to put my finger on why.
I am VERY familiar with the concept of media isolation. Even before on demand streaming was widespread and the norm I was media isolated. My parents were strict, extremely Christian, and very controlling. I never got the same pop culture experience as others my age and it was, and is, very isolating. To the point that sneaking around the parental controls on my phone to watch MCYT and TMNT videos was pretty much my entire teenage rebellion. Now, I’m doing better. Not really in the personal connection area (extenuating circumstances) but in my (still technically “illegal”) freedom and choice of what to watch. And it’s not like we can’t connect to people about what we watch. Some of my favorite people on the internet I met by reading TMNT fan comics on tumblr.
Basically what I’ve taken away from this video is people need to find a good fandom to be in and explore the communication methods we have available to us. Social media is a time of unparalleled connection! The problem is the commodification of online presence and the desperation to put forward a “perfect” version of yourself with glamour filters and photoshop. And the general incompatibility of many current platforms to support smaller fan communities in the fashion of old message boards.
But it’s not impossible! Discord’s server model is extremely popular and their ability to have several channels and voice chats to connect people has helped thousands of people find community online. Libraries are also (hopefully) making a comeback and reaching a new purpose in may places. Many libraries host game nights and even if your local library doesn’t many will go out of their way to provide a space, resources and organizational help for programs or events that YOU suggest. Authors like Brandon Sanderson have huge online and in person communities and dnd in particular is amazing at drawing people together!
Hope is not lost, we just need time to learn how to use our new tools… and preferably slow down the exponential change in personal technology, which will immediately make it easier to connect to older and younger people if we use more similar mediums.
I feel like you wrapped up everything I’ve been thinking about in the last 3 years in 16 minutes. Fantastic video.
Honestly….thank you matpat, I’m so glad you talked about this because it’s a real problem and us, the younger generation NEEDS to do SOMETHING. I’m glad a big platform like film theory talked about this.
This has got to be my favorite theory video I’ve seen. I love having diversity and all our own little circles and what not but… I do miss when things were idk more well known. Things that are popular that everyone can connect to. Matpat and the Theory team are right. Since nothing is super popular the world has felt smaller. It’s sad and almost terrifying.
As sad as it may be, Mat definitely seems to have hit the nail on the head here. My generation (20yo) feels so distant because we're all invested in such vastly different things. Hek, I've been working at the same place for over a year now and I still feel distant from the people I work with.
Man, this is the kind of content I love from you guys. It's weird. I came for the media theories, but stayed for the social commentary and calls to action.
The barbie speech is more devices on gender
im smarter than matpat my theories are better
im smarter than matpat my theories are better
im smarter than matpat my theories are better
im smarter than matpat my theories are better
3:20 This is so true! I watch RUclips on multiple accounts to better tell the algorithm what I am in the mood for. This one is more for science and some light Minecraft humor but if I want to watch something else I do it on a different account (or even incognito) so that it doesn't mess up my preferences and when I accidentally click on a random video it corrupts it.
Honestly, I wasn’t expecting this video from this channel, but I’m pleasantly surprised. As a journalist who has covered this topic, you’re right on the money with it. It’s not just a theory, it’s science.
I love it when mat pat does theories like this because it helps me realize that even the RUclipsrs I love and I have associated with fame are not “the perfect human being” but that we all are going through our own struggles
Slightly related but this is why whenever I start a new show, I always check to see if it has a subreddit. Content isn’t meant I be consumed, it’s meant to be processed, shared, discussed. So it enriches whatever I’m watching because even if it’s not right in the moment, i get to share it with others
This is LITERALLY why there needs to be more streaming services with comment sections and/or discussion forums for every movie and series
@@fujinshu very true! It might help viewer retention as well 🤔 off the top of my head, I bet it’s an issue of moderation and IP (folks posting fanfics and OC art)
That's a very good tip!
Exactly, i watch anime when it comes out every week and the best part for me is going to the comments and seeing everyone’s reactions, it feels good that way. Or going on twitter and seeing everyone else’s reactions to what we all watched, that sense of community is way better than watching alone.
It’s so weird that a video verbally explains what I’ve been feeling about the world lately.
I’m 27. Never had an issue to talk to people and make friends when I was younger. But now it’s exactly as you said, it’s hard to find something solid to connect to people with, and it makes finding new friends or even a relationship really challenging.
I wouldn’t describe myself as feeling entirely lonely as I have a close group of friends, but I definitely feel weird in a “I literally don’t fit in with anybody else” feeling.
Matpat is starting to change from theories from games and films, from theories for real world problems
And im here for it
i'm really glad that loneliness is being discussed as much as it is. this was an excellent breakdown and video, one of the best ones yet
I've been saying this for so many years now and somehow you wrapped it all up into a perfect video. Well done, Matt
This also explains why people have bigger connections to online friends, because those are found with shared interests. IRL, everyone's in their bubble, sadly.
13:40 This possible solution and the rest of this video is immediately what made me realize that we NEED more engaging stories in our lives! As soon as he mentioned those two movies I HAD to like this video! Thank you so much for your insight and helpful suggestions MatPat! We cannot thank you enough! 😊
Thank you, Team Theorist for always fostering a safe community where we can share this connected love of theorizing, joking, and of course memes on the Reddit pages and in the comments.
Hope you keep doing theories like this and everyone try to have a wonderful day in times like these
I agree
im smarter than matpat my theories are better
@@AccountUnavailable2 Bot
Absolutely guilty
Jeez, normally when MatPat makes a compelling video, it's like, "Wow, what a well-crafted theory. I love this," but while this is a well-crafted theory, I'm really just worried for society now. 😢
Thank you Matpat for making this. This totally explains how I feel the world is like right now, I just didn’t know how to explain. Love your videos!
It's almost scary how things like this creep in and affect our lives. While I am glad that this is brought up, it also gives a reason for a more recent trend of trauma dumping on the internet. I feel as though there is a balance between sharing one's humanity (especially with AI on the rise) and stories while not overly relying on the internet to satisfy one's needs. Am I making sense? These feelings are so complex and it's quite sad that there isn't one straight solution. I'm quite scared of what the future holds honestly.
Humanity is gonna all be in VR pods soon, nvr leaving the house. Nothing will be real anymore. It'll be "Ready Player One"
Oh yeah. Maybe I should be more grateful that I have eight siblings. My family is big enough to be a little culture in and of itself.
“Trauma dumping” as content. Brilliant way to put it!
Thank you, MatPat for giving voice to this. It's really hard right now, this means a lot
It's really interesting to hear about stats about how so many people have been experiencing the same internal struggles that I have. I graduated college back in 2020 and my biggest concern was that I was going to be losing my main way to socialize and hangout and meet new people, and that's been entirely true. I don't live in an area with really any social spots and a much older demographic and aside from talking on discord with a handful of friends I've got nothing else going on so it's slowly but surely been building up how difficult it is to not feel lonely
Yeah, I thought not knowing how to socialise was a me thing... Turns out it's just become incredibly hard to connect with people.
Similiar thing here, technically I could try and move out to somewhere that's more busy and lush with job opportunities, but then I would cut myself away from my family that I care about and move into a place I would hate every day of living in.
I like more rural out of the way areas, I don't like hearing a siren of an ambulance or a police car every couple of minutes, but at the same time I do have ambitions for having a more stable job then being a cashier that has to also work as a janitor and a warehouse worker and stay quiet to not get fired on the spot.
No matter what I do I'm not gonna be satisfied with it one way or another.
Everyone needs to watch this video. I mean it.
I actually told this to a friend a few months ago and he thought that I was joking. I noticed more and more people finding groups with fewer people among my classmates/people I know compared to what my parents talked about in their stories... Thanks for this video, helps me understand much better, keep up the nice work!
I'm not commenting often on youtube, but as a person who's trying to bring more life in my little city, helping in an association, I really feel what you're meaning here, and I think this analysis motivated to open even more on people and working my way in that direction : making people understand why we all feel lonelier than ever, and how we can just get back more together, connecting more, by discussing and sharing. Thanks for the indirect help here !
I agree with this video after 2018 it feels like we are starting to become more divided I mean if you login into RUclips as a guest or in incognito mode you don’t get videos recommended to you, you have to search a video to get it recommended to you
I’m happy big creators are also spreading awareness about how divided all these things have made us as people, where the things that are shown to the most people are always so politically charged.
I can not go a day on the internet without seeing incredibly politically charged conversations and arguments and I think many share the same problem with how much negativity is being pushed out, and how these things have been dividing us so much from the very apps we use,
causing all of us to feel so split and feeling a need to choose a side or identity due to all these arguments and negativity.
I know it’s been one for a while but this video feels so much better put together that it really makes matpat feel like a *mascot* and
the theory channels feel like a brand
Feelings been there since GT become an actual RUclips Business Corporation.
@@nutsi3 Did you reply this on the wrong comment?
yes, it's gone now
@@green_rice ok sorry
i really like this, cause i’ve been so genuinely frustrated with how i’ve been so unable to connect with people on pop-culture stuff anymore. i’m so glad you’ve put it into words!!
I plan on working in the film industry someday. And one day these movies I’m going to make aren’t going to be like the ones we’ve recently seen. They’re going to be amazing, original, relatable ideas! So hopefully I can help put back some of the diversity we’ve all been feeling
I think there is an upside to this as well. Having been into more niche and nerdy things, I’ve felt this disconnect all my life. With the rise of tailored content, I feel it has become more acceptable to be into the things you like, the things that make us unique. It may make it harder to make small talk about pop culture, but it gives you more opportunity to share cool new things with others.
i like that too. As with almost everything, a balance is important, I think. Being able to be into niche or weird things that other folks might be into or even dislike and not following what everyone else is doing just to not feel alone, but also having enough in common, or a few common enough settings that we can come together and commonly enjoy to have that connect and then with that connection, be able to explore our differences and quirks and nuances and niches that do make us unique, and hopefully strengthen it and be able to appreciate all that makes us the big headed, funky little hairless bipeds we are.