They unfortunately recently (last few years) sold out to private equity (which tends to glaze over fundamentals and tries to pump out massive content using previous brand quality to give it credence), so beware of quality in more recent vids:
What distorting effects of public funding? What about the distortionary effects of the market? I'll offer the suggestion that what you read is brainrotting private market propaganda designed to erode the public institutions that make America happier, healthier, and wealthier.
I'm not entirely sure, to be honest. If you look at the linked video, they state that it's oftentimes not in the best interest of the private equity group's moneymaking capabilities to announce that a channel has been sold out to them.
How that is in practice, I'm not sure, and I'm sure with some sleuthing it would be possible to find out at least some of it. But on the whole, I'm honestly not sure beyond that.
He's had a couple of misleading videos over the last few years that finally made me unsubscribe. Specifically the lightbulb with a 1 light second wire and the more recent video about light taking infinite paths.
There was also the Waymo ad and the Rods from the Gods video where he couldn't bother to use a guide wire to aim.
The first one was portrayed in a clickbait "everything you know about electricity is wrong" way. There have been several response videos to it that lay out why it's misleading that explain it better than I can, but suffice to say that the lightbulb does not turn on immediately like he claims.
There second one takes a mathematical model for the path integral for light and portrays it like that's actually what is happening, with plenty of phrases like light "chooses" the path of least action that imply something more going on. Also, the experiment at the end with the laser pointer is awful. The light we are seeing is scattering from the laser pointer's aperture, not some evidence that light is taking alternate paths.
+1 I would like to know too. Especially the experimental demo of infinite paths -- I'm a complete noob in quantum physics, and the video made sense of so many topics I "learned" in college but never managed to grok. It'd be good to know what the alternative explanation is.
Especially the way he (or the team) responded to the criticism they got for doing those «sponsored content» pieces put me off hard enough to unsubscribe.
Speaking of eyes, Veritasium's occasional collaborator Dianna Cowern (Physics Girl) is doing much better after complications from long covid left her bedridden for two years. It's good to see her up and at 'em.
Nah, he transparently accepted money from waymo to peddle propaganda. Once somebody takes propaganda money, there's no trusting them anymore. From then on out, everything they do is in service to propaganda paymasters. Even just doing regular, good quality work can only be viewed through the lens of acquiring social capital to liquidate into financial capital later.
See: Brian Keating licking Eric Weinstein's jock strap in public and then offering mild criticism on Piers Morgan.
You are essentially saying any creator that has ever done sponsored content becomes a creator non-grata. I somewhat disagree with that. Sponsored content is a perverse incentive but it's also important to understand that creators can pick and choose for what they make sponsored content. So if you have an ethical creator can create sponsored content of a product they agree is actually that good. Well now the question is "How can you tell". And I don't think you generally can. Some people are really good at lying. In the end it's really about do you trust this creator or not. Which is what's it's about regardless if they took a sponsorship or not.
> Well now the question is "How can you tell". And I don't think you generally can.
You can, actually, with a simple rule of thumb: if it's being advertised on YouTube, it's statistically low quality or a scam. The sheer number of brands that sponsor videos just to be exposed later for doing something shady is just too high.
Sponsored content is fine. Sponsored content with improper public disclosure, or with irresponsible claims that do not reflect reality, is not fine. Super simple standard: if they lie or substantively misrepresent for a sponsor, they can no longer be trusted.
> transparently accepted money from waymo to peddle propaganda
If transparent enough (and not from an abhorrent source), I'd be ok with his product. He's even allowed to make the occasional mistake as long as he properly owns up to it.
Theres been a lot of valuable learning from him and it would be a pity to dismiss it all over a single fumble.
Lying or misrepresenting a product for a paycheck is not a fumble. It's a propagandist making a bag. Once they have put effort into creating a polished piece of propaganda, which they then release, it can not be considered a fumble any longer. It is something that they endorse. If they rescind it within some critical window that meaningfully impacts their bottom-line, maybe then I can believe them. Otherwise? No, I see no reason to offer them the benefit of the doubt. There are many people doing actually good work. Veritasium is not unique in their content or quality. We should not reward propagandists.
I agree that Waymo video was probably a poor decision. He does say that the video is sponsored but it just comes off a bit odd. It's not uncommon that youtubers are paid either in money or access - Destin for example gets access to military sites and technology on his channel with it being a semi-explicit tool for recruiting.
They unfortunately recently (last few years) sold out to private equity (which tends to glaze over fundamentals and tries to pump out massive content using previous brand quality to give it credence), so beware of quality in more recent vids:
https://youtu.be/hJ-rRXWhElI?si=Zdsj9i_raNLnajzi
Yesterday I was reading comments about how the market could pay for research and avoid the “distorting effects” of public funding.
Is there any way to get a better outcome for the public here, or is “do good stuff then sell out” the way it’s always going to be?
What distorting effects of public funding? What about the distortionary effects of the market? I'll offer the suggestion that what you read is brainrotting private market propaganda designed to erode the public institutions that make America happier, healthier, and wealthier.
14 replies →
What's the easiest way to reliably check if a Youtube channel was sold to private equity? Is that info always a matter of public record?
I'm not entirely sure, to be honest. If you look at the linked video, they state that it's oftentimes not in the best interest of the private equity group's moneymaking capabilities to announce that a channel has been sold out to them.
How that is in practice, I'm not sure, and I'm sure with some sleuthing it would be possible to find out at least some of it. But on the whole, I'm honestly not sure beyond that.
He's had a couple of misleading videos over the last few years that finally made me unsubscribe. Specifically the lightbulb with a 1 light second wire and the more recent video about light taking infinite paths.
There was also the Waymo ad and the Rods from the Gods video where he couldn't bother to use a guide wire to aim.
What was wrong with the 1 light second wire and the light taking infinite paths videos?
The first one was portrayed in a clickbait "everything you know about electricity is wrong" way. There have been several response videos to it that lay out why it's misleading that explain it better than I can, but suffice to say that the lightbulb does not turn on immediately like he claims.
There second one takes a mathematical model for the path integral for light and portrays it like that's actually what is happening, with plenty of phrases like light "chooses" the path of least action that imply something more going on. Also, the experiment at the end with the laser pointer is awful. The light we are seeing is scattering from the laser pointer's aperture, not some evidence that light is taking alternate paths.
2 replies →
+1 I would like to know too. Especially the experimental demo of infinite paths -- I'm a complete noob in quantum physics, and the video made sense of so many topics I "learned" in college but never managed to grok. It'd be good to know what the alternative explanation is.
Private equity baby! not just for shitting up your dentists and toy stores anymore
The 1 light second wire video is kinda set up to bamboozle you. But it's still correct and taught me about EM.
Especially the way he (or the team) responded to the criticism they got for doing those «sponsored content» pieces put me off hard enough to unsubscribe.
Yeah, the light propagation videos are just high on misleading theories.
Speaking of eyes, Veritasium's occasional collaborator Dianna Cowern (Physics Girl) is doing much better after complications from long covid left her bedridden for two years. It's good to see her up and at 'em.
Her latest video, showing her out of bed and going for short walks, is here: https://youtu.be/vqeIeIcDHD0?si=WoxpqZOuRTWD2XYd
Nah, he transparently accepted money from waymo to peddle propaganda. Once somebody takes propaganda money, there's no trusting them anymore. From then on out, everything they do is in service to propaganda paymasters. Even just doing regular, good quality work can only be viewed through the lens of acquiring social capital to liquidate into financial capital later.
See: Brian Keating licking Eric Weinstein's jock strap in public and then offering mild criticism on Piers Morgan.
You are essentially saying any creator that has ever done sponsored content becomes a creator non-grata. I somewhat disagree with that. Sponsored content is a perverse incentive but it's also important to understand that creators can pick and choose for what they make sponsored content. So if you have an ethical creator can create sponsored content of a product they agree is actually that good. Well now the question is "How can you tell". And I don't think you generally can. Some people are really good at lying. In the end it's really about do you trust this creator or not. Which is what's it's about regardless if they took a sponsorship or not.
> Well now the question is "How can you tell". And I don't think you generally can.
You can, actually, with a simple rule of thumb: if it's being advertised on YouTube, it's statistically low quality or a scam. The sheer number of brands that sponsor videos just to be exposed later for doing something shady is just too high.
2 replies →
Sponsored content is fine. Sponsored content with improper public disclosure, or with irresponsible claims that do not reflect reality, is not fine. Super simple standard: if they lie or substantively misrepresent for a sponsor, they can no longer be trusted.
> transparently accepted money from waymo to peddle propaganda
If transparent enough (and not from an abhorrent source), I'd be ok with his product. He's even allowed to make the occasional mistake as long as he properly owns up to it.
Theres been a lot of valuable learning from him and it would be a pity to dismiss it all over a single fumble.
Lying or misrepresenting a product for a paycheck is not a fumble. It's a propagandist making a bag. Once they have put effort into creating a polished piece of propaganda, which they then release, it can not be considered a fumble any longer. It is something that they endorse. If they rescind it within some critical window that meaningfully impacts their bottom-line, maybe then I can believe them. Otherwise? No, I see no reason to offer them the benefit of the doubt. There are many people doing actually good work. Veritasium is not unique in their content or quality. We should not reward propagandists.
I agree that Waymo video was probably a poor decision. He does say that the video is sponsored but it just comes off a bit odd. It's not uncommon that youtubers are paid either in money or access - Destin for example gets access to military sites and technology on his channel with it being a semi-explicit tool for recruiting.