In the belly of the MrBeast • Hacker News Board

Re: In the belly of the MrBeast

#21

Post by dymk » Tue, Jan 14, 2025, 3:11 PM UTC

throwway120385 wrote: post #15

iambateman wrote: post #4

First of all – the essay is phenomenal and his book is available online for free – https://www.cambridge.org/core/elements/youtube-apparatus/36... > “Communication within the YouTube Apparatus has no meaning.” The rapid feedback loop between creators and audiences (as constructed by platform metrics) means that the system more and more responds to itself. Rather than trying to go somewhere (as is the case with politi…

It also explains why there's been an alarming trend over the last 10 years of people just getting more vehement about everything.

10? We’ve been getting steadily more polarized since at least the 80s.

Re: In the belly of the MrBeast

#22

Post by satisfice » Tue, Jan 14, 2025, 3:12 PM UTC

Interesting experience to read an essay of such insight regarding a subject that is the opposite of insight.

Best thing I’ve read this week. I am happy to say I have never seen a Mr. Beast video, and now I will be sure never to see one in the future.

Re: In the belly of the MrBeast

#23

Post by mrkramer » Tue, Jan 14, 2025, 3:12 PM UTC

So formula for success on YouTube is to be constantly making crazy and then even more crazier videos and hope they become viral so more people discover you?

I knew that even 15 years ago when I was watching crazy pranks pulled by French YouTuber Rémi Gaillard[0]....he was so popular back in the day on YouTube.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%A9mi_Gaillard

Re: In the belly of the MrBeast

#24

Post by HanClinto » Tue, Jan 14, 2025, 3:13 PM UTC

suyash wrote: post #7

mhartz wrote: post #5

> The ideal creator has no distance between themselves and their persona. They have been interpellated by audience metrics; their subjective experience already takes audience reactions into account. Isn't this sort of one of the themes from The Prestige(2006)? That certain magicians were so dedicated to their craft that they became inseparable from it. The performance never actually stopped

Great analogy! As a performing magician and a big fan of the movie, I get how obsession with a craft can blur the line between reality and performance. But that line still exists. The best actors, creators, and magicians make us feel they’re being real, even when they’re not.

This is why I struggle with enjoying Andy Kaufman's content -- I'm never entirely sure where that line is. I respect his dedication to the craft, but I have a difficult time enjoying it -- on a meta level, it's unsettling.

Re: In the belly of the MrBeast

#25

Post by nimajneb » Tue, Jan 14, 2025, 3:13 PM UTC

infecto wrote: post #9

Not entirely related to MrBeast but related to YouTube. I genuinely miss the older algorithm where after watching a video you would go progressively further down a hole of videos somehow related to the one you just watched. It was quite entertaining and really uncovered fascinating videos.

I miss YouTube where you could just browse topics, like right around when Google bought it is when I liked it the most I think. I much preferred categories/topics based UI over this spoon fed algorithm. I think there's also a sweet spot in production value that I prefer. I like Technology Connection, Adrians Basement, Cathode Ray Tube Guy (name?), etc level of production much more than LTTs high production value.

Re: In the belly of the MrBeast

#26

Post by michaelcampbell » Tue, Jan 14, 2025, 3:14 PM UTC

mhartz wrote: post #5

> The ideal creator has no distance between themselves and their persona. They have been interpellated by audience metrics; their subjective experience already takes audience reactions into account. Isn't this sort of one of the themes from The Prestige(2006)? That certain magicians were so dedicated to their craft that they became inseparable from it. The performance never actually stopped

This isn't purely new, either. I'm perhaps dating myself a bit but I recall that over the years I have seen a few actors have this weird vibe where they're never "human", they always "on" and seem like their actor-thing has totally subsumed their humanity.

David Cassidy and Shirley McClain come to mind for me on this.

Re: In the belly of the MrBeast

#27

Post by x187463 » Tue, Jan 14, 2025, 3:14 PM UTC

infecto wrote: post #9

Not entirely related to MrBeast but related to YouTube. I genuinely miss the older algorithm where after watching a video you would go progressively further down a hole of videos somehow related to the one you just watched. It was quite entertaining and really uncovered fascinating videos.

I obviously don't know your personal experience, but your description is still how YouTube works for me. For example, over the holidays I would occasionally put on a video from a channel that plays holiday music with various videos of this guy's model train setup in the background. I immediately started receiving model train videos, which, of course, I had to click on and now I know a little bit about trains and building realistic environment models.

That being said, occasionally I do have to go into my Google data and clear/clean the watch history to reorient my recommendations.

Re: In the belly of the MrBeast

#28

Post by ffsm8 » Tue, Jan 14, 2025, 3:15 PM UTC

dymk wrote: post #21

throwway120385 wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It also explains why there's been an alarming trend over the last 10 years of people just getting more vehement about everything.

10? We’ve been getting steadily more polarized since at least the 80s.

Possibly true, but I'm sure you'd agree that it can't really be called steadily since around 2010-2014

Re: In the belly of the MrBeast

#29

Post by Applejinx » Tue, Jan 14, 2025, 3:15 PM UTC

throwway120385 wrote: post #15

iambateman wrote: post #4

First of all – the essay is phenomenal and his book is available online for free – https://www.cambridge.org/core/elements/youtube-apparatus/36... > “Communication within the YouTube Apparatus has no meaning.” The rapid feedback loop between creators and audiences (as constructed by platform metrics) means that the system more and more responds to itself. Rather than trying to go somewhere (as is the case with politi…

It also explains why there's been an alarming trend over the last 10 years of people just getting more vehement about everything.

I think human nature dictates that this opens up a literal market for the opposite. People aren't served by exhausting hysteria, it's just a cheap date, a way to grab low hanging fruit. The more that's focussed on, the more an opportunity arises to cover abandoned needs and wants.

The question becomes, is YouTube's algorithm good enough to itself pick up on this new market and serve it? I see no reason it couldn't. It's possible human algorithm-minders might sabotage this instinct by going 'no, this is the big win' and coaxing it towards MrBeast stuff, but surely the algorithm will eventually win out?

Re: In the belly of the MrBeast

#30

Post by hn8726 » Tue, Jan 14, 2025, 3:16 PM UTC

infecto wrote: post #9

Not entirely related to MrBeast but related to YouTube. I genuinely miss the older algorithm where after watching a video you would go progressively further down a hole of videos somehow related to the one you just watched. It was quite entertaining and really uncovered fascinating videos.

I have no clue how to use YouTube. It seems like as soon as it latches on 3-4 interests of mine, the entire home page is exclusively filled with videos relating to that. I can mark videos as "not interesting" but it doesn't do much. I will see exactly the same videos on the home screen, ones that I'm not interested in and don't plan on watching, for weeks or months sometimes.

I'm sure there's plenty of interesting content about topics I haven't searched for, but YouTube seems intent on not letting me out of whatever bubble it thought out for me.