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Life as argument

Where a personal experience is told in the same part of a video as a point the same brother makes. The pairing shows which private experiences became public arguments. 1876 pairings, grouped by the topic of that part of the video; topics beyond the brothers' own life come first. In the personal-life topics only explicit thesis points are paired (not passing opinions).

Pairing is by position (same segment, same speaker, within two minutes): the analyses have no explicit "this story supports that point" link, so read each pair as "told alongside", and follow the timestamps.

Dates are upload dates, which set the order. Where the speaker gives a different recording date in the video, it is added as "said on YYYY-MM-DD, implied" (derived from the date said in the video).

Internet & YouTube 268 · Global development 193 · Philosophy & meaning 182 · Health 157 · Everyday life 147 · US politics & society 114 · Science & nature 99 · History & curiosities 44 · Economics 35 · World affairs 9 · Books & writing 218 · Personal life 192 · Projects 91 · Nerdfighteria 54 · Pop culture 39 · Sports 34

Internet & YouTube

  • 2007-05-15 · Hank: Hank once found Russell Crowe's Wikipedia page vandalized with a line calling him gay, and removed it himself by clicking edit. — May 15th: A Bit More EBO and Wikipedia 00:01:57
    • → opinion: Noting comment discussion of Wikipedia as a source, Hank says it is huge with a lot of amazing information, but is sometimes vandalized and things go wrong. (00:01:57)
  • 2007-07-26 · Hank: Hank concedes the commenters who say he mispronounced 'Accio' are right. — July 26: The Price of Fame 00:02:22
    • → point: Hank says that with a sample this big every person sees the comments differently: 'your mom', 'your wife' and 'you yourself' each notice different parts (shown on screen). (00:01:53)
  • 2007-08-16 · Hank: Hank says this is his first direct webcam upload ever, so he doesn't really know what he's doing. — Re: Vlog 6: Secret Siblinghood! 00:00:03
    • → opinion: Hank says he now feels part of the larger YouTube community, a 'big, amazing, crazy thing called YouTube'. (00:00:03)
  • 2007-08-16 · Hank: Hank is excited that Melissa is also becoming a YouTube partner, so he will know someone from YouTube on the upcoming partner conference call. — Re: Vlog 6: Secret Siblinghood! 00:00:03
    • → opinion: Hank says he now feels part of the larger YouTube community, a 'big, amazing, crazy thing called YouTube'. (00:00:03)
  • 2008-12-29 · Hank: Hank says that after being featured on YouTube's front page he started getting hateful comments, such as one asking if he is 'some kind of gay nerd homo sapiens activist'. — Comment Haters and Christmas 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank says front-page exposure brings many non-Nerdfighters and reminds him how hateful YouTube can be; the difference now is that Nerdfighters pounce on the haters. (00:00:53)
  • 2008-12-29 · Hank: Hank says that when he and John started on YouTube probably 50% of their comments were negative; now the Nerdfighters generally say kind, supportive things. (hedged) — Comment Haters and Christmas 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank says front-page exposure brings many non-Nerdfighters and reminds him how hateful YouTube can be; the difference now is that Nerdfighters pounce on the haters. (00:00:53)
  • 2009-01-21 · Hank: Hank dedicates the video to John, who put the meme up on his website. — Google Verb! A Meme. 00:00:11
    • → opinion: Hank says he is a big fan of old Myspace memes, wishes they had not gone away and brings one into Brotherhood 2.0. (00:00:11)
  • 2009-04-16 · Hank: Hank says he got a haircut and asks what viewers think. — The Day the YouTubes Died 00:03:58
    • → point: Hank thanks viewers most of all, because YouTube is not what Google does but what the community does, including in the comments. (00:03:45)
  • 2010-01-29 (said on 2010-01-30, implied) · Hank: Hank tried YouTube's newly launched rentals program and watched a movie; with Google Checkout already linked to his Google account, renting was very easy. — The iPad and Dolphin Murder 00:01:16
    • → opinion: Hank says the rental was a good experience overall but the price seems steep; the model makes no sense to him unless he gets more for his money or pays less. (00:01:52)
  • 2010-06-09 · Hank: Spike.com has posted and monetized John's video about Viacom, so Viacom is monetizing a video about how it monetizes videos it does not own. — Should We Sue Viacom? 00:01:27
    • → opinion: Hank says this is illegal and should stop, not just for their video but for all the copyrighted videos Viacom puts on Spike.com; he'd happily sue for 60 cents. (00:01:56)
  • 2010-06-09 · Hank: John called: Viacom took his video down after 300 views, but had still made 60 cents from a video it didn't own. — Should We Sue Viacom? 00:01:56
    • → opinion: Hank says this is illegal and should stop, not just for their video but for all the copyrighted videos Viacom puts on Spike.com; he'd happily sue for 60 cents. (00:01:56)
  • 2010-07-14 · John: John's number two is 'Double Rainbow': the Gregory Brothers of Auto-Tune the News singing a song they had written mere hours before. — Top 10 VIDCON MOMENTS 00:02:08
    • → point: John, endorsing Ze Frank's keynote, says we don't make or watch videos for money, subscribers or views, but to feel what it's like to be other people and let others feel what it's like to be us. (00:01:39)
  • 2010-08-13 · Hank: Hank suggested Dan fly to Missoula to record a song with him; it rose to the top of Dan's decision engine, and a week later Hank picked him up at the Missoula airport. — The Marvelous Mystery of The Dan 00:02:00
    • → point: Hank says people treat Dan 3.0 as a cute stunt, but Dan doesn't know what to do with his life, like many of us; others seem to have it figured out but don't. (00:02:29)
  • 2010-09-14 (said on 2010-09-13, implied) · Hank: Hank says Rick, a YouTube employee who was very clearly a giant nerdfighter, gave him a little tour of YouTube. — Thoughts from Places: YouTube HQ 00:00:29
    • → point: Hank says there is real confusion about where YouTube is: to him it is on his desktop, a non-physical digital internet place. (00:00:29)
  • 2011-08-05 · John: John recalls standing on stage with Hank before the doors opened for VidCon 2011, unable to imagine the chairs full of people, and then they were. — Vidcon: Thoughts from Places 00:00:03
    • → opinion: John thanks Hank for organizing another amazing VidCon. (00:00:03)
  • 2011-08-05 · John: John lists VidCon moments: resting on beanbags, Charlie McDonnell playing Rock Band, meeting 'the actual Yosemite Bear', Philip DeFranco playing a game (name unclear) with him, and the Gregory Brothers. — Vidcon: Thoughts from Places 00:00:03
    • → opinion: John thanks Hank for organizing another amazing VidCon. (00:00:03)
  • 2011-08-05 · John: John says Driftless Pony Club, another band Hank and Alan signed to DFTBA Records, played; after ten years as a band, thousands sang their lyrics back to them for the first time. — Vidcon: Thoughts from Places 00:01:51
    • → opinion: John says the crowd catching Watsky shows the thing about the YouTube community: they always catch you. (00:01:51)
  • 2011-08-05 · John: John says that at the end of one of his poems George Watsky dove headfirst into the VidCon crowd, which caught him. — Vidcon: Thoughts from Places 00:01:51
    • → opinion: John says the crowd catching Watsky shows the thing about the YouTube community: they always catch you. (00:01:51)
  • 2012-01-06 · Hank: The dog at the end of the video is Sam, belonging to Hank's friends Heather and Dave, who own the TV; Sam had just had a bit of surgery but is doing fine. — Kill your TV 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says that in an age when video reaches us instantly anywhere as ones and zeros through copper and glass, the obvious question is why we still do television at all. (00:00:11)
  • 2012-01-06 · Hank: Hank recently sat down in front of a television; he last had cable at home in 2002, so ten years of changes hit him at once, and it 'freaking sucks'. — Kill your TV 00:00:16
    • → point: Hank says that in an age when video reaches us instantly anywhere as ones and zeros through copper and glass, the obvious question is why we still do television at all. (00:00:11)
  • 2012-01-20 · Hank: Hank says that a couple of days ago, when 'the internet was all…' (an on-screen gag), he and John were out of the loop, exhausted from being on the road. — Thoughts on SOPA From New Orleans 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says the internet is coming into its own as a powerful political force, just in time to face serious threats. (video description)
  • 2012-01-20 · Hank: The brothers are in New Orleans and played a show last night (19 January 2012) in a synagogue, weird but awesome; John is at a conference while Hank walks the city with his wife, eating and watching street performers. — Thoughts on SOPA From New Orleans 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says the internet is coming into its own as a powerful political force, just in time to face serious threats. (video description)
  • 2012-01-20 · Hank: The description notes every busker in the video got at least a $5 tip, and that posting a video of a busker raises an interesting intellectual property question. — Thoughts on SOPA From New Orleans 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says the internet is coming into its own as a powerful political force, just in time to face serious threats. (video description)
  • 2012-06-29 (said on 2012-06-30, implied) · Hank: Hank wanted to give a talk on what online video means on VidCon's main stage, but even at his own conference couldn't get a long enough slot; he wrote the talk anyway. — Online Video about Online Video 00:01:20
    • → point: Hank questions calling online video a revolution in entertainment and media; he says it feels like a natural thing. (00:01:50)
  • 2013-01-08 (said on 2013-01-05, implied) · John: John recalls that in late 2006, while planning Brotherhood 2.0, Sarah doubted he could do it given his internet time, and he insisted making videos would replace it. — Addicted to the Internet 00:00:45
    • → point: More generally, John says he is a little worried that he has become addicted to the internet. (00:00:41)
  • 2013-01-08 (said on 2013-01-05, implied) · John: John says he and Henry spent 20 minutes on the Wikipedia whale shark article settling whether whale sharks bite humans; he was right, and learning it cost nothing. — Addicted to the Internet 00:01:20
    • → point: John says he loves the internet and that the community and connection he feels through it have made his life richer and better. (00:01:16)
  • 2013-01-11 · Hank: Hank recalls making a video anagramming presidential candidates' names; about a week later The Daily Show did the same, but John, through his writer friends, found its segment was written first. — On the Ownership of Ideas 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says people have ideas concurrently all the time; some execute them, which leads to debates over who thought of it first that he calls unproductive and uninteresting. (00:00:25)
  • 2013-01-11 · Hank: Hank says he has been able to create a really cool project based on the work of Jane Austen, while not putting himself on her level. — On the Ownership of Ideas 00:01:45
    • → point: Hank distinguishes having a sense of ownership over something, as he does over DFTBA, from actually owning it, and says he does not want to give in to the desire for control. (00:01:36)
  • 2013-03-15 · Hank: Hank says he has been thinking a lot about YouTube lately and may be having a little creative crisis, which he says is part of his normal cycle. (hedged) — Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says YouTube is starting to look like the old system: fewer pots with more money in each, instead of many pots with the money spread out. (00:00:22)
  • 2013-10-18 · Hank: YouTube ended the event with a visit to the Exploratorium in San Francisco, 'like the original Science Center', built for students to teach themselves and get excited about learning. — Curiosity is the Greatest Human Quality 00:00:32
    • → opinion: Touring it with Vi Hart, Derek of Veritasium, Destin of Smarter Every Day, CGP Grey and Henry of MinutePhysics, Hank saw that these brilliant adults are as curious as the most curious second grader. (00:00:55)
  • 2014-06-20 · Hank: Hank recalls that, back in the day, his whole dorm would run to the nearest computer when a new Strong Bad Email came out. — Pre-History of Online Video 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says All Your Base Are Belong to Us was a self-sustained project of hundreds of willing collaborators - promoters, photoshoppers, musicians - who made it simply because they loved being part of its creation. (video description)
  • 2014-07-08 · John: John recalls Hank buying Vi Hart equipment years ago so she could make better videos more often - the best $1,000 he ever spent, as she became a phenomenally successful educational creator. — The Future of Nerdfighteria 00:02:31
    • → opinion: Five: vlogbrothers has never run pre-roll ads because the brothers find pre-rolls annoying; it has only display ads. (00:01:59)
  • 2015-06-19 · Hank: Hank says he has several times been asked to run for local election in Missoula and, as a local business owner and semi-celebrity, would have an okay chance. — 19 Ways to Not Suck on the Internet 00:00:01
    • → opinion: The description says the internet is already a pretty great place where more good than bad happens, and that its citizenship will bring more responsibilities as it matures. (video description)
  • 2015-10-06 · John: John says that for about eight years an online community has been generous and kind to him and his work, and criticism mostly thoughtful and respectful. — Question Tuesday: My Social Media Hiatus, My Excellent German, and Books! 00:01:00
    • → opinion: Asked whether everyone should take a social media hiatus, John doesn't know, but he hasn't missed social media as much as he expected; it had become a really unhealthy place for him. (00:00:56)
  • 2015-10-06 · John: But a small, persistent amount of vicious, hateful material directed at him has been tremendously hurtful and not good for his mental health. — Question Tuesday: My Social Media Hiatus, My Excellent German, and Books! 00:01:11
    • → opinion: John misses things about his old internet life but finds it much easier to write and do other work without all that stuff floating around in his head. (00:01:21)
  • 2015-10-23 · Hank: Hank says it is two in the morning and he has just finished editing the video, so he will talk a little more. — Benghazi: Explained 00:07:25
    • → opinion: Hank says few people make context-giving explainers because without outrage and attacks on the other side you don't get many views; he would hire or promote anyone doing it. (00:07:48)
  • 2015-10-27 · John: John says creator support is not the reason to get YouTube Red, but there are good reasons, and he is going to get it. — Understanding YouTube Red: Paid Subscriptions and the Future of Online Video 00:01:59
    • → opinion: Answering the most-asked question, John says YouTube Red is good for creators: some of the fee goes to them and per viewer it earns them more than advertising. (00:01:33)
  • 2015-10-30 · Hank: Hank says 300,000 views is a tremendous amount, influence that high-school or college Hank could only have dreamed of. — Feeling Thankful in Portland 00:01:54
    • → point: Hank asks whether growing a bigger platform is the only goal and says doing things bad for people and culture just to get a bigger audience is not worth it; use the platform for good. (00:02:02)
  • 2015-10-30 · Hank: Hank has installed YouTube Red on the 30-day free trial and loves having no ads: 'just me and my subscriptions'. — Feeling Thankful in Portland 00:03:00
    • → opinion: Hank understands why people install ad blockers but has never done so, because ads are literally how he pays his employees. (00:03:13)
  • 2015-11-11 · Hank: The last time Hank felt that level of uncontrollable excitement was in 2012, when the Curiosity rover was safely on the surface of Mars. — Watch This If You Want To Smile (Pizzamas Day 3) 00:03:08
    • → point: Hank says the clips show there is so much to be excited about: these people are open to the beauty of nature, human accomplishment and their own; they are his heroes and he wants to be like them. (00:03:17)
  • 2016-02-05 · Hank: Hank says he is now the CEO of a media company without quite knowing how: with VidCon, SciShow, Crash Course, DFTBA Records and other productions they have about 30 employees. — Honest YouTube Talk Time 00:00:17
    • → opinion: Being both authentic and relatable becomes very hard when doing online video professionally. (00:00:12)
  • 2016-02-05 · Hank: Hank has had many unrelatable problems this year (2016) he won't discuss in videos, such as how to classify employment insurance for Crash Course freelancers. — Honest YouTube Talk Time 00:00:37
    • → opinion: Being both authentic and relatable becomes very hard when doing online video professionally. (00:00:12)
  • 2016-04-01 · Hank: Hank says he spent the past two weeks (from 18 March 2016) in LA trying to pack in as much hangout time with internet creators as possible, and shows a diary of it. — Loving Loving Things in Los Angeles 00:00:00
    • → opinion: In the description Hank says one reason he lives in Montana is to stay a little disconnected from this culture, or he stops being a fan and gets competitive. (video description)
  • 2016-04-01 · Hank: Hank lists collab shoots: Not Too Deep with Grace Helbig, a Good Mythical Morning with Rhett and Link, stuff at SourceFed, two Just Between Us with Gaby and Allison. — Loving Loving Things in Los Angeles 00:00:18
    • → opinion: In the description Hank says one reason he lives in Montana is to stay a little disconnected from this culture, or he stops being a fan and gets competitive. (video description)
  • 2016-04-01 · Hank: Hank went to the launch party for Dysh, an app like Yelp but for individual restaurant dishes, which Ingrid, Grace, Mamrie and Hannah have been working on. — Loving Loving Things in Los Angeles 00:00:29
    • → opinion: In the description Hank says one reason he lives in Montana is to stay a little disconnected from this culture, or he stops being a fan and gets competitive. (video description)
  • 2016-04-01 · Hank: Hank spent a day at a collab camp, a new idea to him, where he met many YouTubers; later he visited 3 Black Dot to talk shop and try the HTC Vive. — Loving Loving Things in Los Angeles 00:00:59
    • → opinion: In the description Hank says one reason he lives in Montana is to stay a little disconnected from this culture, or he stops being a fan and gets competitive. (video description)
  • 2016-07-22 · Hank: Hank is going to Comic-Con and, mid-video, is in San Diego after getting on his plane. — Ending the Age of Outrage (at least in ourselves, if not in the world) 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says the internet has become a less kind place; unpleasant as it is for an internet lover to admit, we seem to have entered an age of outrage. (00:00:06)
  • 2017-03-21 · John: John recalls that at VidCon, while he scrolled his Twitter feed checking everyone was having a good time, a friend said he seemed stressed and he answered 'Twitter'. — My Information Diet 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says John is not sure whether others share his social media malaise, and is trying to sort out whether the social internet's architecture makes it inherently unhealthy for him or this is just a phase. (video description)
  • 2017-03-21 · John: John says in the last couple of weeks he has scaled way back on the social internet for an information diet: an hour or two each morning reading mostly The Economist, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Indianapolis Star. — My Information Diet 00:02:28
    • → opinion: John says the early results of his information diet are positive, but it is too soon to know for sure. (00:02:57)
  • 2017-04-18 · John: First true story: last week (April 2017) John went to VidCon Europe in Amsterdam, and it was awesome and amazing; he had a very good time. — Framing 00:01:17
    • → point: John says it is almost impossible to remember moment to moment that YouTube videos and social media feeds show curated versions of people. (00:00:55)
  • 2017-04-18 · John: Second true story: John was infuriated with himself that he could not do a signing at VidCon Europe because of the problems he has in his brain. — Framing 00:01:23
    • → point: John says it is almost impossible to remember moment to moment that YouTube videos and social media feeds show curated versions of people. (00:00:55)
  • 2017-04-21 · Hank: The description says watching revenue tank in early April was terrifying, but it got them thinking about many other ways to support the content, which excites Hank. — The Adpocalypse: What it Means 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says YouTube uniquely provides a massive audience it may push toward quality content, and a system to turn views into money. (00:00:12)
  • 2017-05-12 · Hank: Hank says that the first time he watched Kedi he glimpsed a piece of cat street art in the background. — Things That You Just Might Love 00:02:38
    • → point: Hank says there is so much great creation that we will definitionally miss most of it, in languages, cultures and places we will never know. (00:02:27)
  • 2017-05-30 · John: John says his life is now much better photographed: hundreds of pictures of himself at 39, and over a thousand of the kids taken by him and Sarah this year (2017). — What Should We Keep? 00:00:34
    • → point: John feels citizens of the internet are better at creating stuff than at preserving, curating and archiving it, and wonders how many of our pictures will survive 15 years. (00:00:41)
  • 2017-05-30 · John: John says there were once more photos of him at 23 on Friendster, a now-defunct social network, but they died with it. — What Should We Keep? 00:02:18
    • → point: John's only concern is that in constantly creating new things we risk forgetting old things that might someday be useful. (00:02:10)
  • 2017-07-07 · Hank: The video made Hank think more than the average video and made him proud to be John's brother. — My Earthquake Story - (And Thoughts About Numbers) 00:02:56
    • → opinion: John's Civil Twilight, with a faceless thumbnail and a non-clickbait title, got far fewer views than the average Vlogbrothers video, but counting views misses viewers' very different experience. (00:02:36)
  • 2017-12-19 · John: John is physically and metaphysically tired; his brain and voice are limping to the finish line of 2017. (hedged) — History Is Happening 00:00:08
    • → opinion: His mental illness often makes John feel a passenger in his own consciousness; scrolling the social internet makes him feel a passenger in history, as if it happens to us. (00:00:33)
  • 2017-12-19 · John: John says too much work and travel and too little sleep and exercise are bad for his OCD. — History Is Happening 00:00:18
    • → opinion: His mental illness often makes John feel a passenger in his own consciousness; scrolling the social internet makes him feel a passenger in history, as if it happens to us. (00:00:33)
  • 2017-12-19 · John: Lately John feels compelled to scroll through his social media feeds for hours, though it generally makes him feel worse. — History Is Happening 00:00:27
    • → opinion: His mental illness often makes John feel a passenger in his own consciousness; scrolling the social internet makes him feel a passenger in history, as if it happens to us. (00:00:33)
  • 2018-03-06 · John: The description credits Seth Radley with producing, editing and inspiring the video, and thanks Patrik Svedberg for photographing the Broccoli Tree and for rights to his images. — The Broccoli Tree: A Parable 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Sharing the tree so widely made it belong less to the photographer and his friends, but John calls it amazing that so many people saw the photographs. (00:01:46)
  • 2018-05-08 · John: From age 14 until a few years ago the social internet gave John deep, meaningful relationships he struggled to find IRL; now it mostly makes him anxious and spirally without deepening connection. — Old Man Yells at Cloud 00:01:52
    • → opinion: John says he yells at un-nuanced, outrage-driven political discourse. (00:01:49)
  • 2018-05-08 · John: Like many people with OCD, John lives with a constant urge to check, dread when not checking, and the irrational certainty that this time checking will be important. — Old Man Yells at Cloud 00:02:50
    • → opinion: John feels at times that this now happens across the social order, as if the internet has hacked healthy brains into obsessive checking machines. (00:03:00)
  • 2018-05-25 · Hank: Hank tried to scroll to the end of the month in his own subscription feed and did not have the patience. — Please Unsubscribe 00:01:58
    • → opinion: If fewer and fewer people use subscriptions, that is bad for everyone, and YouTube knows it: it is the only place people are guaranteed to see what they signed up to see. (00:02:16)
  • 2018-06-22 · Hank: On VidCon day two, Hank has been talking to educational YouTube creators and decides to ask them trivia questions to see how smart they really are. — Stumping EDU Creators - Trivia at VidCon 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The creators turn out pretty smart, because how many trivia answers you know doesn't really affect how smart you are. (00:00:16)
  • 2018-06-22 · Hank: Hank says he is uploading from a bathroom stall because there are so many cool people at VidCon he wants to talk to. — Stumping EDU Creators - Trivia at VidCon 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The creators turn out pretty smart, because how many trivia answers you know doesn't really affect how smart you are. (00:00:16)
  • 2018-07-03 · John: John's Myspace is still there, a minor museum to his 2007 self, with a profile picture advertising the forthcoming Paper Towns. — How Does This End? 00:00:39
    • → point: John asks whether that is how things end online, still present but relevant only as nostalgia, and whether it will happen to Twitter, Facebook or YouTube. (00:00:52)
  • 2018-07-31 · John: John says leaving his phone feels like getting out, not off; even as a kid on phone calls with friends he felt he was in a disembodied space with them. — On Prepositions 00:02:35
    • → point: John argues that whatever we do on our phones we are in the phone: not really in our physical space or with nearby people, but with others who are in their phones. (00:02:21)
  • 2018-08-10 · Hank: Hank credits the robot-suit analogy to Patrick Rothfuss, author of The Name of the Wind. — My Giant Robot Suit 00:00:03
    • → point: Hank writes that the internet can collapse the distance between people chatting among themselves and a mainstream celebrity; celebrities feel like ordinary people, so reacting to hearing terrible things is understandable, but those people see the robot suit, not the person. (video description)
  • 2018-08-10 · Hank: Hank says he is still learning these lessons: he has made mistakes and lives with the harm his missteps caused and the weight of his influence's responsibility. — My Giant Robot Suit 00:03:07
    • → point: Hank's one-step guide: look in the mirror of other people's eyes to see your power, and let it give you confidence to handle criticism without feeling victimized, even unkind criticism. (00:02:24)
  • 2018-08-24 · Hank: Number 6 shows John frustrated; Hank rates it ten out of ten because John actually injured himself filming it. — The Top 10 John Green GIFs 00:01:08
    • → opinion: Number 4, the sarcastic party popper: Hank finds it a shame the internet picked John's one sarcastic party-popping moment over many enthusiastic ones. (00:01:27)
  • 2018-09-07 (said on 2018-09-03, implied) · Hank: Hank introduces his guest Tessa Violet, a musician, singer, songwriter and friend of his. — Frightened Leech Science with Tessa Violet 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank says he is obsessed with the Wikipedia page Unusual Articles and proposes that he and Tessa each pick one and teach the other. (00:00:00)
  • 2018-09-07 (said on 2018-09-03, implied) · Hank: Hank says he found out about the list from Wendover Productions, which does a series on the page. — Frightened Leech Science with Tessa Violet 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank says he is obsessed with the Wikipedia page Unusual Articles and proposes that he and Tessa each pick one and teach the other. (00:00:00)
  • 2018-09-25 · John: John is so happy that last night he started crying for no reason except gratitude. — You Did It! 00:00:29
    • → opinion: John imagines it is also stressful for Hank: what he worked on for more than five years is now read by many people, exciting but scary. (00:00:29)
  • 2018-09-25 · John: John lightly edited the first poem because his kids watch Vlogbrothers now. — You Did It! 00:00:58
    • → opinion: John guesses the meter of 'Roses are red' calms some reptilian part of his brain, though the poem itself is terrible. (00:00:58)
  • 2018-09-25 · John: As a kid John often dreamt of the moment at the end of Back to the Future when George McFly opens a box of finished copies of his book. — You Did It! 00:02:26
    • → opinion: John says the poems remind him how lovely the world can be if you pay extremely close attention. (00:01:56)
  • 2018-11-06 · John: John breaks off to go vote, and gets a sticker. — Taking a Year Off 00:00:00
    • → point: John says his internet isn't working: not unreliable wireless, but he dislikes how he uses the internet, or rather how it uses him. (00:00:00)
  • 2018-11-06 · John: John spends something like 20 hours a week on Facebook, Reddit, Instagram and Twitter, mostly scrolling and skimming, and his attention has become extremely fractured. (hedged) — Taking a Year Off 00:00:00
    • → point: John says his internet isn't working: not unreliable wireless, but he dislikes how he uses the internet, or rather how it uses him. (00:00:00)
  • 2018-11-06 · John: John says he started his podcast The Anthropocene Reviewed in an attempt to pay more sustained and careful attention. — Taking a Year Off 00:02:26
    • → opinion: John hopes that with less fractured attention he will be more present in the places that matter most to him. (00:02:55)
  • 2018-11-06 · John: John posts much less than he used to but still spends huge swaths of time on those platforms; all his attempts at an information diet or dumbing down his phone have failed. — Taking a Year Off 00:02:26
    • → opinion: John hopes that with less fractured attention he will be more present in the places that matter most to him. (00:02:55)
  • 2018-11-07 · Hank: Hank thanks John for yesterday's video but says it didn't stop him from constantly refreshing his feed last night, and he is still doing it. (hedged) — A New Thing? 00:00:00
    • → point: The description says we need reasons to gather, and calls this the first step on a path Hank wants to walk to achieve that. (video description)
  • 2018-11-07 · Hank: Earlier this year (2018) Hank tweeted a 'really bad idea': what if you had to go to a place to watch a YouTube video? The most common response was 'thanks, I hate it'. — A New Thing? 00:00:00
    • → point: The description says we need reasons to gather, and calls this the first step on a path Hank wants to walk to achieve that. (video description)
  • 2018-12-11 · John: When the internet first came to John's house in the early 1990s, it seemed to live inside a box; once his dad got it working, it was green letters on a black screen. (hedged) — When the Internet Came Home 00:00:03
    • → opinion: John calls it one of the weird solipsisms of US life that the news almost never mentions weather outside the United States unless there is a natural disaster. (00:00:29)
  • 2018-12-11 · John: John's dad showed him what the internet could do, like the current weather in Beijing or downloading the Apology of Socrates for free. — When the Internet Came Home 00:00:13
    • → opinion: John calls it one of the weird solipsisms of US life that the news almost never mentions weather outside the United States unless there is a natural disaster. (00:00:29)
  • 2018-12-11 · John: His dad then showed him that on the internet you could talk to people, pointing him to a French forum so he could practice his French. — When the Internet Came Home 00:00:46
    • → opinion: John calls it one of the weird solipsisms of US life that the news almost never mentions weather outside the United States unless there is a natural disaster. (00:00:29)
  • 2018-12-11 · John: John found an English-language version of the service, which changed his life: he made friends, including many of the most important friendships of his childhood. — When the Internet Came Home 00:00:58
    • → opinion: John doesn't want to wax nostalgic: that internet had all the problems of today's, on a smaller scale. (00:02:17)
  • 2018-12-11 · John: Online John met a girl he eventually fell in love with and dated for most of college; when they first met in person, neither had ever seen a picture of the other. — When the Internet Came Home 00:01:08
    • → opinion: John doesn't want to wax nostalgic: that internet had all the problems of today's, on a smaller scale. (00:02:17)
  • 2018-12-11 · John: John got an email address, a series of random digits at CompuServe.com. — When the Internet Came Home 00:01:22
    • → opinion: John doesn't want to wax nostalgic: that internet had all the problems of today's, on a smaller scale. (00:02:17)
  • 2018-12-11 · John: The internet then charged by the hour; John wanted many hours, and his parents, though supportive, needed to pay the mortgage and told him to cut back. — When the Internet Came Home 00:01:27
    • → opinion: John doesn't want to wax nostalgic: that internet had all the problems of today's, on a smaller scale. (00:02:17)
  • 2018-12-21 · Hank: Hank has watched the video five times not for the glitter or the fart sprayer but because the thieves don't look or act as he thought they would. — The Psychology of Package Thieves 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank assumes John has seen Mark Rober's amazing new video, in which Rober builds a bait package that explodes glitter on people who steal it; its engineering is very good. (00:00:00)
  • 2019-01-08 · John: John learned that, without being aware of it, he typed Reddit, Twitter and Facebook into a web browser dozens of times a day. — I Quit Social Media. Here's How It's Going 00:00:58
    • → opinion: Social media makes John feel an itch only it can scratch; turning it off has mostly cured the itch. (00:01:27)
  • 2019-01-08 · John: He had not realised how fractured his attention had become, or how often he answered the first hint of boredom by going to Reddit. — I Quit Social Media. Here's How It's Going 00:01:10
    • → opinion: Social media makes John feel an itch only it can scratch; turning it off has mostly cured the itch. (00:01:27)
  • 2019-01-08 · John: A month in, John is happier, or at least less anxious. — I Quit Social Media. Here's How It's Going 00:01:20
    • → opinion: Social media makes John feel an itch only it can scratch; turning it off has mostly cured the itch. (00:01:27)
  • 2019-01-08 · John: John has more time: he wrote an Art Assignment video about Agnes Martin, and spends more time with his family. — I Quit Social Media. Here's How It's Going 00:01:33
    • → opinion: Social media makes John feel an itch only it can scratch; turning it off has mostly cured the itch. (00:01:27)
  • 2019-01-08 · John: Reading his hometown newspaper, John feels he understands his IRL community a little better. — I Quit Social Media. Here's How It's Going 00:01:50
    • → opinion: John is bored more often; boredom is unpleasant, but if he lets himself be bored he has thoughts, and since he can't tweet them, they are his own. (00:01:56)
  • 2019-01-08 · John: Leaving the social internet hasn't been magical: John misses it more than expected, such as funny Reddit soccer threads and camaraderie on Twitter. — I Quit Social Media. Here's How It's Going 00:02:10
    • → opinion: John is bored more often; boredom is unpleasant, but if he lets himself be bored he has thoughts, and since he can't tweet them, they are his own. (00:01:56)
  • 2019-02-01 · Hank: Hank says he often uploaded others' content, like a music video for a Willie Nelson song and his arguably parody song The Subway Where I Used to Go; none were blocked, only claimed, their AdSense money going to the labels. — We Have Destroyed Copyright Law 00:01:27
    • → opinion: Hank argues that neither YouTube nor the rights holders actually want to stop copyright violation. (00:01:12)
  • 2019-02-01 · Hank: Hank hints that, if John looks closely, he might be able to watch his blocked Tuesday video, slightly modified. (hedged) — We Have Destroyed Copyright Law 00:12:07
    • → point: Hank concludes that all this is much more about how we feel, what seems right and existing tiers of power than about what the law says, and it is a mess. (00:11:56)
  • 2019-02-22 · Hank: Hank is at their parents' house in very damp North Carolina; taking a step back is important and nice for him, especially right after VidCon. — I Don't Want The Same Things Anymore 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says he must remember his drive has changed shape: things he once wanted to do he doesn't want as much, and opportunities he missed he missed intentionally. (00:00:29)
  • 2019-03-08 · Hank: Hank recalls that in a former career he wrote news stories for a living and judged stories by whether they were interesting, never whether positive or negative. — Does "The Press" Hate YouTube? 00:01:40
    • → point: Hank argues audiences who know little about a thing want no nuance about its success, only stories of it being threatening, scary or dangerous, doubly so when it is big and important. (00:01:40)
  • 2019-03-15 · Hank: Hank says some of their later explainers introduced the same controls and standards, but that turned out to be really hard and time-consuming. — Why We Stopped Making Explainers: EXPLAINED 00:02:44
    • → point: Hank worries that people want the opposite of editorial structures: individuals they trust because they share their values and are charismatic; trusting a source on charisma rather than rigor is bad. (00:02:44)
  • 2019-04-12 · Hank: Hank says YouTube kept showing him the escalator-etiquette video (app home screen, desktop homepage, autoplay after Veritasium) until he caved and watched it. — Escalators: We're Not Doing it Wrong (Mostly) 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank says the video's title is fine, but its thumbnail and content argue that the stand-right, walk-left split is wrong, which he denies. (00:00:00)
  • 2019-04-12 · Hank: Hank says he runs a media company where they often say a SciShow topic isn't good unless it surprises people. — Escalators: We're Not Doing it Wrong (Mostly) 00:02:18
    • → point: Hank says the greatest bias in media is not political but toward interesting, tellable stories, because that is the audience's biggest bias. (00:02:18)
  • 2019-04-12 · Hank: Hank admits he has also been guilty of manufacturing the interesting, especially early in his blogging career. — Escalators: We're Not Doing it Wrong (Mostly) 00:03:16
    • → point: Hank says Crash Course, Destin of Smarter Every Day and many others realize we must take this seriously and notice how content pushes our buttons; taking clicks seriously could start the revolution. (00:03:16)
  • 2019-04-26 · Hank: Hank says he helped popularize a Twitter hole, 'the five jobs': list five jobs you've had and ask 'what about you?' — It's Time to Care About "Business" 00:00:00
    • → point: The description says all work is business, and even people isolated from its business parts need to understand them; separating business school from the rest of work is a problem. (video description)
  • 2019-05-14 · John: John says he writes books and has been making YouTube videos for more than 12 years. — An Open Letter to Professional YouTubers 00:00:00
    • → point: John says 'influencer' is accurate: having an audience means shaping its worldview, both what to buy and what to believe and value; that is a weird job. (00:00:00)
  • 2019-10-18 · Hank: The hackers didn't seem to get into anything very important, but it is hard to tell. (hedged) — They Hacked Me 00:00:58
    • → point: Hank says hacking is inevitable. (00:00:58)
  • 2019-10-18 · Hank: The hack was very stressful mostly because Hank long didn't know, and still doesn't, how much the hackers accessed; checking all his passwords took days. — They Hacked Me 00:01:57
    • → point: Hank says hacking is inevitable. (00:00:58)
  • 2019-11-07 · John: John likes his life much more now: his average daily phone time has fallen by more than 80% and he is getting more work done. — I took a year off social media. Here's what happened. 00:01:27
    • → opinion: John might eventually return to use the platforms only for promotion, but for now he would get sucked back into the feed, given his long history of failing to moderate his social media use and other obsessions. (00:00:58)
  • 2019-11-07 · John: This year (2019) he has written more words he is proud of than in any year since 2011, and hosted Crash Course series on European history and on navigating digital information. — I took a year off social media. Here's what happened. 00:01:33
    • → opinion: John might eventually return to use the platforms only for promotion, but for now he would get sucked back into the feed, given his long history of failing to moderate his social media use and other obsessions. (00:00:58)
  • 2019-11-07 · John: He feels better informed than a year ago: he misses watching news unfold live online, but learns a lot from his local newspaper, podcasts and outlets like The Economist. — I took a year off social media. Here's what happened. 00:01:44
    • → opinion: John might eventually return to use the platforms only for promotion, but for now he would get sucked back into the feed, given his long history of failing to moderate his social media use and other obsessions. (00:00:58)
  • 2019-11-07 · John: Most important, John is less socially isolated: he spends much more time with friends and family, hard and stressful at first but very fulfilling. — I took a year off social media. Here's what happened. 00:01:56
    • → opinion: John might eventually return to use the platforms only for promotion, but for now he would get sucked back into the feed, given his long history of failing to moderate his social media use and other obsessions. (00:00:58)
  • 2019-11-07 · John: With no bright line between his life and his job, he had come to feel he was living his job and jobbing his life; he no longer feels that way. — I took a year off social media. Here's what happened. 00:02:05
    • → opinion: John might eventually return to use the platforms only for promotion, but for now he would get sucked back into the feed, given his long history of failing to moderate his social media use and other obsessions. (00:00:58)
  • 2019-11-07 · John: He still spends much time online: too much email, dumb Google News stories, and some lurking on Twitter and Reddit, which he will probably keep doing. (hedged) — I took a year off social media. Here's what happened. 00:02:26
    • → opinion: John watches a lot of YouTube, not all of it nourishing, which he thinks is okay: there is a place in the world for wondrously empty distraction. (00:02:45)
  • 2019-11-29 · Hank: The description says the video was inspired by a really dumb conversation Hank and his friends had after recording SciShow Tangents, and thanks them and the people who engaged on Twitter. — My Most Controversial Opinion 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank says his most controversial opinions are pretty controversial, and also nuanced and slow to explain. (00:00:20)
  • 2020-02-25 · John: In a comment John says the video has a bad cut because he rushed the edit; he already re-uploaded once, removing a version with a long blank stretch, and won't again. — A weird YouTube thing? 00:00:00
    • → opinion: John concludes the 1:10 ratio was not necessary or inevitable and probably partly human behavior, and that online, human and algorithmic behavior aren't really separable. (creator comment)
  • 2020-02-25 · John: John recalls that before likes, when videos were rated on a five-star scale, the brothers often asked viewers to rate videos five stars because 'it makes new nerdfighters'. — A weird YouTube thing? 00:00:58
    • → opinion: John says one of the chief joys of his professional life is no longer having to chase the whims of YouTube's recommendation engine. (00:01:27)
  • 2020-02-25 · John: John says almost every video he has made for several years uses whatever thumbnail YouTube chose, not as the right way in general but as right for this channel and viewership. — A weird YouTube thing? 00:02:26
    • → point: John says that for several years the brothers have made a point of not asking viewers to like and subscribe, first because YouTube users hear that enough every day. (00:01:56)
  • 2020-04-03 · Hank: Hank says he has a little experience with livestreams and a lot with making video, so he offers tips for good livestreams. — 11 Little Tips for Better Video Chat (For Teachers...and Everybody Else) 00:00:43
    • → opinion: Hank says that now, temporarily, we are being forced to partly replace classrooms, and much of that replacement is teaching over live video. (00:00:34)
  • 2020-05-29 · Hank: The description says the brothers have been wary whenever offered a chance to put their content somewhere new: leaving YouTube would be done to viewers and feel like betrayal. — Get Paid 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank describes the old model: a star builds a career, audiences gain affinity and see movies because the star is in them, as Chris Pratt went from Parks and Rec to Peter Quill to Jurassic World. (00:00:00)
  • 2020-07-17 · Hank: When there is a new way stories spread, Hank feels almost obliged to engage with it, and he has been doing so with TikTok. — So Much to See 00:00:31
    • → point: Hank's theory: we now live in a world of functionally infinite content, though not all content that should be made is made, nor all audiences served. (00:00:31)
  • 2020-08-25 · John: In a comment John says he has drawn 12,000 circles so far, and it has been very moving to see so many viewers also take up drawing circles. — Somebody once told me… 00:00:00
    • → point: John says humans trust information from people they trust, which is why so many sentences start with what someone told us; online this rumor- and anecdote-driven sorting runs wild. (00:00:00)
  • 2020-08-28 · Hank: Hank says Facebook is also a big media player, yet he spends about 15 minutes a month there; his posts there are just reposted tweets. — Break the Mold 00:00:29
    • → opinion: Hank says it is also true that following trends is part of his work: it feeds some of the best parts of his novels, and Complexly, SciShow and Crash Course need to understand how people get information. (00:00:14)
  • 2020-10-02 (said on 2020-10-01, implied) · Hank: Hank says they began the idea on April 21, 2020, as everyone was getting used to a big deal changing their lives for a long time. — I ain't she was with well and I so and it's and but so and I'll and 00:00:32
    • → point: Hank says the first reason was that constraint is inspiring: not every constraint, but adding constraints can juice up the creative process. (00:01:01)
  • 2020-10-09 · John: John's accountability buddy is his best friend Chris, whom he just texted to say he had voted. — The Rax Guy 00:02:20
    • → point: John's point: information feeds shape us, his as a kid going to Rax in 1985 and his today; what you do with your attention is, in the end, what you do with your life. (00:02:49)
  • 2020-10-09 · John: John's first remembered obsessive experience was the worry that no one else on Earth was a real person like him, but aliens in human costumes; it tortured him for years as a kid. — The Rax Guy 00:02:20
    • → point: John's point: information feeds shape us, his as a kid going to Rax in 1985 and his today; what you do with your attention is, in the end, what you do with your life. (00:02:49)
  • 2020-10-09 · John: The Rax Guy didn't cause John's OCD, which he would have had anyway, but he shaped the particular worry that took over John's life at seven and eight. — The Rax Guy 00:02:49
    • → point: John's point: information feeds shape us, his as a kid going to Rax in 1985 and his today; what you do with your attention is, in the end, what you do with your life. (00:02:49)
  • 2020-10-16 · Hank: Hank feels extremely lucky to be part of it; it doesn't seem like something that would have happened to him. — Still Riding a Big Wave that I Do not and Cannot Know 00:01:35
    • → point: Hank says YouTube revenue sharing, Etsy getting big and Patreon were puzzle pieces that let this long-running thing take off. (00:01:13)
  • 2021-01-15 · Hank: When the brothers started, income and status were not part of it; now YouTuber is a high-status job people want, and Hank says it is a good job. — Influencers and Insurrectionists 00:00:29
    • → opinion: From the early 2010s it got crowded at the bottom: to get noticed you had to be better and do more, as Epic Meal Time and the Gregory Brothers did. (00:00:29)
  • 2021-02-09 · John: John's producing partner Rosianna Halse Rojas just marked 15 years on YouTube, more than half her life making videos. — Lesser Known YouTube Channels I Love 00:01:54
    • → opinion: Every year during the P4A John discovers new channels to love as people make videos about their favourite charities. (00:02:23)
  • 2021-03-02 · John: John's speech particularities mean a four-minute video takes about 45 minutes to record; he cuts the stumbles so he doesn't seem to stutter, but that is the frame, not what is real. — What's Not in the Frame 00:01:35
    • → point: John calls it the central trick of the social internet: creators choose what is inside the frame, but viewers can't help believing it, because it is all they can see. (00:01:27)
  • 2021-03-02 · John: Now that everyone seems okay and the crisis has hopefully passed, it is easier for John to talk about. (hedged) — What's Not in the Frame 00:02:50
    • → point: Perhaps the best strategy, John says, is to call attention to the frame at least some of the time and acknowledge that most of what happens is outside it. (00:02:21)
  • 2021-03-09 · John: John told his daughter her Uncle Hank loves corn dogs; she asked 'does he?', and John realized how successfully Hank has rebranded himself. — Hank Rebranded Without Any of Us Noticing 00:00:58
    • → opinion: In 2010 Hank was a goofball corndog enthusiast; today he is a TikTok sensation among the world's leading science communicators, two phrases John had never heard in 2010. (00:00:58)
  • 2021-03-09 · John: The one essential thing John would say about himself is that he is a parent, which 2007 John wasn't. — Hank Rebranded Without Any of Us Noticing 00:01:56
    • → opinion: People who left many artifacts online, from tweets to YouTube videos, now have a similar experience: John's March 2007 vlogbrothers self is both familiar and quite distant. (00:01:56)
  • 2021-03-09 · John: 2007 John wasn't the author of The Fault in Our Stars, a resident of Indianapolis, an AFC Wimbledon supporter, Crash Course's co-founder, best friends with Chris and Marina, or a jogger. — Hank Rebranded Without Any of Us Noticing 00:01:56
    • → opinion: People who left many artifacts online, from tweets to YouTube videos, now have a similar experience: John's March 2007 vlogbrothers self is both familiar and quite distant. (00:01:56)
  • 2021-03-12 · Hank: Hank still eats corndogs a lot and probably prefers them to pizza; they just aren't part of the lore anymore. — A Crisis of Branding 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description clarifies that by having no authentic self Hank doesn't mean lacking innate tendencies, but that searching for 'the real me' could go on forever and leave him freezer burned. (video description)
  • 2021-03-12 · Hank: Ordering a pizza right before recording, Hank gave his name and was told 'I love your TikToks'; he asked to record the person. — A Crisis of Branding 00:00:29
    • → opinion: The description clarifies that by having no authentic self Hank doesn't mean lacking innate tendencies, but that searching for 'the real me' could go on forever and leave him freezer burned. (video description)
  • 2021-03-12 · Hank: Hank really is into pelicans: Katherine loved them first and got him into them. — A Crisis of Branding 00:02:30
    • → point: The more Hank acts a way on the internet, the more he actually is that way; people change their whole lives, different from one year to another. (00:02:30)
  • 2021-06-29 · John: Until recently John thought of the internet and IRL as fundamentally separate; when young, he liked the internet precisely because it was not IRL. — Sneezing is not normal. 00:03:31
    • → point: John says there is no bright line between real life and cyberspace: the outrageous ridiculousness we meet online or off shapes who we are and the world we share, and he doesn't know what to do about it. (00:03:43)
  • 2021-07-16 · Hank: Hank likes social media and is good at it, has done it a very long time, finds it fun, and on an average day is grateful for his job creating things on the internet. — Should You Abandon Social Media? 00:00:29
    • → opinion: Hank compares hamburgers, which he hates to hate because he loves them though they are bad for nearly everyone involved, and asks whether the internet is like a cow. (00:00:29)
  • 2021-07-16 · Hank: Since around January this year (2021) Hank has used Twitter in a way he enjoys: making jokes, talking about things he loves and his life, and joining productive discussion of less heated topics. (hedged) — Should You Abandon Social Media? 00:01:19
    • → point: Hank doesn't think the internet is like a cow: not having cows anymore would probably be for the best, but the internet vanishing one day would be worse. (00:00:51)
  • 2021-07-16 · Hank: Hank says two days ago Lindsey Graham tweeted he would go to war for Chick-fil-A's values, a tweet so well designed to create screaming that this is clearly its goal; Hank began composing a reply. — Should You Abandon Social Media? 00:01:45
    • → opinion: Hank deleted his tweet because this is exactly what Twitter is worst at: attention to such a controversy only lends power to divisive politicians who chip humanity apart to create engaged anger. (00:02:14)
  • 2021-10-05 · Hank: Hank says that in May 2020 someone told him TikTok is pretty cool; very soon he was uploading several TikToks a day, and over a year later he still is. — Why the Heck am I on TikTok??? 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says Hank doesn't claim a healthy relationship with any of this, but the world changes so fast he wants to stay aware of it, at least for now; ignoring it won't help. (video description)
  • 2021-10-05 · Hank: Hank joined TikTok shortly before his second novel came out and used it to promote the book, unashamed of using his social media skill for work he thinks many people should read. — Why the Heck am I on TikTok??? 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says Hank doesn't claim a healthy relationship with any of this, but the world changes so fast he wants to stay aware of it, at least for now; ignoring it won't help. (video description)
  • 2021-11-19 · Hank: On TikTok, where the crowd is different and often younger, Hank sometimes sees conversations being had that he and everyone he knows finished long ago. — How do We Get Anything Done At All? 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Seeing a TikTok argue how to pronounce GIF, Hank says he is five years into hearing every argument and has settled on both pronunciations being correct. (00:00:00)
  • 2021-12-10 · John: John wanted to stop Brotherhood 2.0 around March, when it still felt long; imagining the future is always the hard, overwhelming part for him, while the present was always fun. — What Was Early YouTube Like? (with Hank and John) 00:01:25
    • → opinion: John's least favourite change: ratings were better as a five-star system than likes and dislikes, now without dislikes, though he is old and wrote a book about the five-star scale. (00:01:25)
  • 2021-12-10 · Hank: Neither brother knows who has the Vlogbrothers play button; Hank thinks it is on the wall at Complexly in Missoula. (hedged) — What Was Early YouTube Like? (with Hank and John) 00:01:55
    • → opinion: Hank misses video responses far more now than when YouTube removed them, feeling they would do better now. (00:02:53)
  • 2021-12-10 · Hank: Hank remembers being on a plane when they hit 1 million subscribers and the incredible feeling; now he never thinks about it. — What Was Early YouTube Like? (with Hank and John) 00:01:55
    • → opinion: Hank misses video responses far more now than when YouTube removed them, feeling they would do better now. (00:02:53)
  • 2022-03-11 · Hank: Hank tweeted a question earlier this week (week of 7 March 2022): will we still be using phones, meaning little hand computers, in 200 years? — Is it All Hopeless? 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says Hank doesn't know what to do when the world defies his expectations, but knows giving up is the wrong thing. (video description)
  • 2022-05-06 · Hank: In a channel comment Hank says that VidCon, which he loves, was responsible for some of the hardest days of his life. — Why I Didn't Quit YouTube (yet) 00:00:00
    • → point: Hearing the worst parts of the last 15 years of his life summed up made Hank wonder why the brothers didn't quit or burn out on YouTube. (00:00:00)
  • 2022-05-06 · Hank: Sometimes Hank tweets something he has believed since high school and people say he has changed; he has, but not on that. — Why I Didn't Quit YouTube (yet) 00:00:58
    • → point: Hank says the times he entertained quitting came when the weight got too heavy for the support he had. (00:00:29)
  • 2022-05-06 · Hank: The other form: people really disliking him and being mean online; not lately, but when bad it made him ask why he does this without the support to carry it. — Why I Didn't Quit YouTube (yet) 00:01:27
    • → point: Hank says the times he entertained quitting came when the weight got too heavy for the support he had. (00:00:29)
  • 2022-10-05 · Hank: Hank describes prompting Pizza John in artists' and period styles: by Van Gogh, as a Renaissance painting, and as Andy Warhol pizza art. — Asking an AI Image Generator for Pizza Johns 00:01:07
    • → opinion: Hank agrees and adds that the AI is just getting very good at it. (00:00:29)
  • 2022-10-18 · John: Recovering from labyrinthitis, John was told by his physical therapist to go outside daily; relearning balance, his brain relied on visual cues and was easily overwhelmed. — Terraverse Over Everything: Thoughts from London 00:03:16
    • → point: John loves the internet, where he made wonderful friends and had deep, real experiences, but says it is a complement to the Terraverse, not a replacement for it. (00:02:47)
  • 2022-10-18 · John: John still sometimes gets vertigo when the quantity of visual information gets too high. — Terraverse Over Everything: Thoughts from London 00:03:16
    • → point: John loves the internet, where he made wonderful friends and had deep, real experiences, but says it is a complement to the Terraverse, not a replacement for it. (00:02:47)
  • 2022-10-25 · John: John's joke tweet about the former UK Prime Minister got 20,000 likes and generated over 100 new followers. — Instantly Debateable 00:00:58
    • → opinion: Everywhere John makes things online, work that lets people agree or disagree in a straightforward, dichotomous way gets a larger audience, even about news almost everyone welcomes. (00:01:27)
  • 2022-10-25 · John: John's tweet about Kissy's accreditation got about 5% as many likes as the Liz Truss one and zero new followers. — Instantly Debateable 00:00:58
    • → opinion: Everywhere John makes things online, work that lets people agree or disagree in a straightforward, dichotomous way gets a larger audience, even about news almost everyone welcomes. (00:01:27)
  • 2022-12-02 · Hank: Hank felt left out not being in Rewind that year or the next, then they slipped into Rewind 2014, maybe the series' peak. — I Know How to Fix YouTube Rewind 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says rewatching old Rewinds makes YouTube feel very old and much changed; their vibe differs completely from today's social internet. (video description)
  • 2022-12-09 · Hank: In a channel comment Hank says he, not ChatGPT, wrote this video, and admits he is also a little stressed. — Things are Changing Very Fast 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says he wrote two books about how, when new things arrive (a pandemic, social change, a powerful technology, an alien), people retreat to the camps where they feel safest, the more so the more confused they are. (00:00:00)
  • 2022-12-09 · Hank: Hank asked Midjourney to imagine an Afghan woman with green eyes and shows what it gave him. — Things are Changing Very Fast 00:00:58
    • → opinion: Hank says he doesn't know what those perspectives will be, what questions need asking, or their answers. (00:00:58)
  • 2022-12-16 · Hank: Hank has decided not to use Twitter until January, for a holiday break and a break from whatever Twitter is, with fun and productive things to do instead. — What I Would Have Tweeted 00:00:29
    • → opinion: Hank says getting sick after eating something doesn't prove that food did it, unless others who ate it also got sick, as happened to him, so he knows the cause. (00:00:29)
  • 2022-12-16 · Hank: Hank still has the urge and ideas to tweet, so he reads some of the tweets he would have posted. — What I Would Have Tweeted 00:00:58
    • → opinion: A would-be tweet says it's not good to be good at something bad; Hank explains it was about himself being good at tweeting, which doesn't mean he should do it. (00:00:58)
  • 2022-12-23 · Hank: Hank says he is very good at becoming whatever a platform wants him to be: he got good at YouTube, Twitter and TikTok, and just had the top toot of the day on Mastodon. — You Cannot Trust Yourself (Hank's End of the Year Worries) 00:01:38
    • → point: Hank asks whether to just follow what interests him, as in the channel's first ten years, or keep wondering if algorithms hack his pro-social biology toward misinformation and loneliness; he needs both. (00:02:16)
  • 2023-01-10 · John: John notes The Fault in Our Stars came out 11 years ago today (10 January 2012) and calls it a strange 11 years. — Introducing: The Format 00:00:00
    • → opinion: In a comment, John says all his favorite art makes him feel things intensely without knowing why, and that is the magic; making viewers feel that way was his big hope. (creator comment)
  • 2023-03-31 · Hank: The description says Hank has always loved looking at things through ecology, which he spent much of his education studying. — The Coming AI Invasion 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank says the current AI wave looks set to become 30 to 40 giant AI developments over the next three months to five years, and he is not ready. (00:00:00)
  • 2023-04-04 · Hank: Hank says he rewatched the video and did not make the point well, but he was leading the listener toward it and they got there. — April 4, 2023 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says an ecological metaphor lets us look ahead: things unlike anything before will travel through society, feeling human but not human and unable to do everything humans can. (00:00:00)
  • 2023-04-07 · Hank: Hank says a few years ago he decided to try to get big on TikTok because he missed being part of a new platform's rise, as with YouTube. (hedged) — Getting One Million LinkedIn Followers 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank says growing on a platform depends not on its age but on whether it is underused by current users, creatively fulfilling for him, and whether he adds value. (00:00:29)
  • 2023-04-07 · Hank: Hank says he now has 7 million TikTok followers, more than anywhere else. — Getting One Million LinkedIn Followers 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank says growing on a platform depends not on its age but on whether it is underused by current users, creatively fulfilling for him, and whether he adds value. (00:00:29)
  • 2023-04-07 · Hank: Hank says a couple of weeks ago he decided to get to a million followers on LinkedIn. — Getting One Million LinkedIn Followers 00:00:29
    • → opinion: Hank says growing on a platform depends not on its age but on whether it is underused by current users, creatively fulfilling for him, and whether he adds value. (00:00:29)
  • 2023-04-21 · Hank: As perhaps the person in Montana with the most TikTok followers, Hank says reporters, local reporters and TikTok's comms people have been calling him for comment. — On TikTok Bans 00:00:21
    • → opinion: The description says a national ban would be a significant loss, and rejects both frames heard so far: TikTok is trash so ban it, or a treasure so don't. (video description)
  • 2023-08-18 · Hank: The description says the internet is messy and it took Hank a very long time to get good at this, likely easier for him than for many, but once he did things got much easier. — The #1 Tip for People Who Use the Internet 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank offers his number one tip for anyone posting online: an understanding every early creator, himself included, gets wrong, and whose lack he has seen end careers prematurely. (00:00:30)
  • 2023-08-18 · Hank: In a channel comment Hank says he was going on vacation that week and wanted to make the video very quickly. — The #1 Tip for People Who Use the Internet 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank offers his number one tip for anyone posting online: an understanding every early creator, himself included, gets wrong, and whose lack he has seen end careers prematurely. (00:00:30)
  • 2023-11-03 · Hank: Hank says that in high school he was obsessed with Gordon Gano and Helen Hunt. — We Need to talk about Sarapocial Relationships 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank defines a parasocial relationship: brain systems built for social relationships used for a relationship with someone who does not or cannot know you, such as Huckleberry Finn. (00:00:00)
  • 2023-12-24 · John: John says he wanted to stop Brotherhood 2.0 around March, when it still felt long; imagining the future overwhelmed him, but the present was always fun. — John and Hank Hanging Out but they Keep Getting Younger and More Pixelated 00:13:14
    • → opinion: John says YouTube was better with a five-star rating system than with likes and dislikes, then no dislikes, admitting he is old and wrote a book about five-star ratings. (00:13:14)
  • 2024-01-02 · John: John never expected to be making YouTube videos at 46 and doesn't know whether he will be at 50 or 56. — Being Old on YouTube 00:02:12
    • → point: John sums up: he is not old yet, but he is old on YouTube. (00:01:42)
  • 2024-01-12 · Hank: Hank calls himself a sidelines fan of Magic: The Gathering, which he started playing in the 90s; he no longer understands it but watches games on YouTube and follows its news. — How to Detect AI Images (and why it doesn't matter) 00:00:00
    • → point: In a comment Hank softens the video: he doesn't think we'll be unable to tell the difference in a year, only that the video's tools will be less useful. (creator comment)
  • 2024-01-12 · Hank: Hank says the gauge's crisp numbers look photoshopped over a messed-up AI gauge, and a reverse image search found the exact gauge used. — How to Detect AI Images (and why it doesn't matter) 00:02:05
    • → point: Step two: look at small parts close up rather than the whole; in the Magic image odd protrusions, double-filament lamps and wires make no sense. (00:01:27)
  • 2024-01-30 · John: John commented 'congrats, Tom' on Tom Scott's last video, and many people replied asking why he would congratulate him on stopping. — How Vlogbrothers Will End 00:01:38
    • → point: John says having a show that runs seven or eight seasons is not a failure or tragedy but a tremendous success. (00:01:30)
  • 2024-03-08 · Hank: A couple of months ago Hank began keeping track of every time he believed something outright and later found it not quite right or totally wrong; he shares four because it is useful. — I Believed These Four Lies 00:00:00
    • → point: The description calls the NOAA case a classic cycle: an authority's statement is misinterpreted online, then the misinterpretation is assigned to the authority to degrade it. (video description)
  • 2024-03-08 · Hank: Hank saw a TikTok animation showing rent and household income diverging dramatically since the 1990s; it matched his understanding, so he did not question it. — I Believed These Four Lies 00:00:20
    • → point: The description calls the NOAA case a classic cycle: an authority's statement is misinterpreted online, then the misinterpretation is assigned to the authority to degrade it. (video description)
  • 2024-03-08 · Hank: During a Twitter storm Hank accepted that Jane Goodall had advocated reducing the global population to 500 million, since he knows old-school environmentalists who push population reduction, and he disliked it. — I Believed These Four Lies 00:01:47
    • → point: Hank says someone heard true things, took an implication and attributed it to Goodall; whether she meant it is subjective, and by his read she did not. (00:03:44)
  • 2024-03-08 · Hank: A couple of months later, after repeating the claim to someone who praised Goodall, Hank felt uneasy about putting it in another head, checked it, and found Goodall never said it. — I Believed These Four Lies 00:02:46
    • → point: Hank says someone heard true things, took an implication and attributed it to Goodall; whether she meant it is subjective, and by his read she did not. (00:03:44)
  • 2024-03-08 · Hank: Hank's brain read the graph as showing climate change damage, as Twitter did, though neither NOAA nor the article, which was about disaster preparedness, said so. — I Believed These Four Lies 00:05:58
    • → point: Hank says NOAA and Scientific American did not misrepresent the data: Twitter users did, and others then attributed that misrepresentation to the two institutions. (00:06:56)
  • 2024-05-21 · John: John says the article came out with an inevitably click-baity headline and got a lot of readers. — Getting Personal about Getting Personal 00:03:14
    • → point: John wants a private life for his family but also wants to share his work widely, and the more you share of yourself, especially pain and secrets, the easier it is to interest people in the work. (00:03:53)
  • 2024-05-31 · Hank: Hank admits he has this problem too: there is a certain kind of powerful person on the internet he cannot stand, and he spends a not insignificant amount of time disliking them. — The People I Hate Most in the World 00:01:27
    • → point: Explaining the title, Hank says being amazed that a few people made something internationally impactful for teachers and students is somehow much less compelling than hating people on the internet. (00:00:58)
  • 2024-06-25 · John: John recently spoke with Brotherhood 2.0's resident mathematician Daniel Biss, now mayor of Evanston, Illinois, who explained why he left Twitter. — taking a break 00:01:27
    • → opinion: John says that is how he feels about making stuff now, especially on Twitter or TikTok but also everywhere. (00:01:56)
  • 2024-07-19 · Hank: Hank says he gets stuck on the internet after major events like the attempted assassination of Donald Trump; when Katherine asked why, he couldn't explain. — The Assassination Attempt and the Comfort of Certainty 00:00:00
    • → point: The description says doomscrolling during a significant event makes sense even if unhealthy; called irrational, Hank answers he is an animal trying to feel safe. (video description)
  • 2024-08-07 · Hank: Hank posted on Threads that The Tortured Poets Department was deliberately an album for fans, not a hit factory, leaving room for other pop music, and got a lot of hate. — Dear Hank and John Livestream! 00:08:59
    • → opinion: Hank says fame comes in waves, most visibly for big celebrities: Taylor Swift is on top of the world, then collectively hated, then back stronger; now is a hate moment. (00:08:59)
  • 2024-08-07 · Hank: Hank says his novel had a small discourse about its line on boobs getting slammed in doors, which he is happy to have as his discourse. — Dear Hank and John Livestream! 00:12:33
    • → opinion: Hank says he would not include that line if he did it over: it was not mission critical, and other things could have done its job. (00:13:03)
  • 2024-08-07 · Hank: Hank recalls early feedback asking whether April should use a fictional platform instead of YouTube; he answered that if YouTube stopped mattering, none of the book would. — Dear Hank and John Livestream! 00:14:38
    • → opinion: Hank says he would not include that line if he did it over: it was not mission critical, and other things could have done its job. (00:13:03)
  • 2024-08-07 · John: John says although they don't run them, the two companies he and Hank own employ over 150 people, an intense stress for them. — Dear Hank and John Livestream! 00:21:49
    • → point: John says their real job is Nerdfighteria, making cool stuff with the community; during his break he saw it is the job he wants, unlike his other jobs. (00:22:40)
  • 2024-08-07 · Hank: Hank says he cannot figure out a job description for himself at Complexly right now. — Dear Hank and John Livestream! 00:23:05
    • → opinion: Retelling a story of Elton John saying he is 'just Elton John' for a living, Hank says that is what people imagine influencing is: being yourself and getting paid. (00:23:41)
  • 2024-08-23 · Hank: Hank has personally uploaded over a thousand videos and his company over 9,000; they did not upload them thinking this was part of their license. — Is Google Training AI on YouTube Videos? 00:09:32
    • → point: Hank's main point for YouTube and YouTubers: training LLMs did not exist when his license was written; it is a new use, and claiming the old license covers it doesn't feel great. (00:08:53)
  • 2024-08-23 · Hank: Hank asked his YouTube contacts whether Google trains Gemini on YouTubers' property; they said YouTube had no comment beyond Mohan's Bloomberg interview. — Is Google Training AI on YouTube Videos? 00:11:29
    • → opinion: Hank favors Google's training of AI on YouTube videos for subtitles and translations: it gives him and the world value, and he would not opt out. (00:11:29)
  • 2024-08-23 · Hank: Hank says he cannot opt out of YouTube: he built his company there, with 70 employees, and his community and heart are there. — Is Google Training AI on YouTube Videos? 00:25:49
    • → point: Hank says that when he implicitly agreed to the license by uploading, he did not think, and could not have thought, he was agreeing to LLM training. (00:24:54)
  • 2024-08-27 · John: John has been on YouTube since January 2, 2007, long before videos could be meaningfully monetized. — How The Internet Is Rigged 00:00:58
    • → point: John recalls that in 2006 one of the most-subscribed early YouTube celebrities asked her audience for direct support to buy an editing computer, which many considered selling out. (00:01:06)
  • 2024-08-27 · John: Fearing being seen as a sellout, John kept his books out of the background of his videos; the feeling was that nobody should make money from something so weird and non-commercial. — How The Internet Is Rigged 00:01:27
    • → point: John recalls that in 2006 one of the most-subscribed early YouTube celebrities asked her audience for direct support to buy an editing computer, which many considered selling out. (00:01:06)
  • 2024-08-27 · John: Had he and Hank stopped making videos in December 2007 as planned, John says, they would have netted nothing from their YouTube project. — How The Internet Is Rigged 00:02:15
    • → point: John says users who invested intellectual property got no return: lonelygirl15's creators and cast, who helped put YouTube on the map, did not become wealthy. (00:01:56)
  • 2024-08-27 · John: In 2011 John built a large audience on Tumblr, which, as Tumblr grew, sold many copies of The Fault in Our Stars. — How The Internet Is Rigged 00:03:06
    • → point: John says user-generated content remains tremendously undervalued by the platforms that distribute it. (00:03:45)
  • 2024-08-27 · John: John says Hank bet on TikTok in 2018 and benefited financially when it blew up. — How The Internet Is Rigged 00:03:14
    • → point: John says user-generated content remains tremendously undervalued by the platforms that distribute it. (00:03:45)
  • 2024-08-27 · John: In 2007 John wouldn't even hold up Looking for Alaska on camera; by 2012 he reblogged every piece of Fault in Our Stars fan art with a link to buy the book. — How The Internet Is Rigged 00:03:24
    • → point: John says user-generated content remains tremendously undervalued by the platforms that distribute it. (00:03:45)
  • 2024-08-27 · John: John says he has been online a long time and the channel will soon turn 18. — How The Internet Is Rigged 00:06:28
    • → point: John says we feel we must accept the world as it is, but the world will change, each of us has a little say in how, culturally and structurally, and the future is not inevitable. (00:06:49)
  • 2024-09-17 · John: John says he has been emerging from a depression, partly by engaging less with algorithms. — My Consciousness. Their Capital. 00:00:29
    • → point: John says that for most internet citizens, algorithms decide to a remarkable degree what we think about and how we feel. (00:00:00)
  • 2024-09-17 · John: When the coyote casually walked back into the woods, John felt a huge flood of relief. — My Consciousness. Their Capital. 00:03:12
    • → point: John concludes that not only algorithms decide how we feel: even in nature he, the purported captain of the ship of himself, does not decide how he feels facing a coyote. (00:03:12)
  • 2024-09-20 · Hank: Hank says almost exactly four years ago (September 2020) he uploaded his first TikTok; his fourth got millions of views, and with a book coming and his fascination with platforms he pushed hard into TikTok. — Do I Regret TikTok? 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says attention is the stuff a life is made of, we only get so much, and in theory we control what we do with it. (00:00:29)
  • 2024-09-20 · Hank: Hank says working with machine-learning algorithms to control other people's attention is literally his job; he believes he does it for good as well as for a living. — Do I Regret TikTok? 00:04:23
    • → point: Hank thinks TikTok is structurally worse at handling its power: short-form video earns less per minute uploaded, so there is more to moderate and less money for moderation. (00:04:52)
  • 2024-09-20 · Hank: Hank says he went into TikTok curious, hungry, excited and amazed rather than strategic; though somewhat manipulated by its systems, it really delivered value for him. — Do I Regret TikTok? 00:05:50
    • → point: Hank says no one needs to tweak an algorithm to increase fear, outrage and division on a platform; simply letting it happen is enough. (00:05:21)
  • 2024-09-20 · Hank: As TikTok stopped being fun, buzzy and cool, it changed for Hank from a place of doing things with people and making culture to one where things just happened to him; he enjoys it less. — Do I Regret TikTok? 00:07:45
    • → opinion: Hank says that, amazingly, 17 years later YouTube still feels like something he does with people. (00:07:45)
  • 2024-11-05 · John: John isn't doing it for the money: he makes about $25,000 a year helping with Crash Course, which gets him health insurance, and otherwise hasn't been paid for YouTube in years. — Why Do I Still Make YouTube Videos? 00:00:29
    • → point: John says the more people like you, the more dislike you; you fixate on them, see yourself through them, and your happiness comes to depend on those least inclined to like you. (00:01:27)
  • 2024-11-05 · John: John says attention and the pleasure of being liked by strangers was a huge motivator for him; he wants to be liked far more than he wants money. — Why Do I Still Make YouTube Videos? 00:00:58
    • → point: John says the more people like you, the more dislike you; you fixate on them, see yourself through them, and your happiness comes to depend on those least inclined to like you. (00:01:27)
  • 2024-11-13 · Hank: Hank says a cybersecurity expert on Bluesky explained such scams ask you later to add an event; his caller said they would ask that in a couple of days, so it was a two-step scam stopped at step one. — Some New Things… 00:39:21
    • → opinion: Hank says free shipping does not exist except as an idea: someone, here Good Store, pays for it, and Amazon makes it hard for everyone else. (00:40:35)
  • 2024-11-22 · Hank: In a channel comment Hank says John read the script and gave him a lot of feedback on the section a viewer commented on. — Populism, Media Revolutions, and Our Terrible Moment 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank argues his eight-year-old son, probably alive in 2100, will have a historically weird life in a world fractured by circumstances unseen for more than 500 years. (00:00:29)
  • 2025-06-20 · Hank: Hank says he was inducted into the VidCon Hall of Fame along with the people who said good morning at the start, and enjoyed hanging out with old-school YouTube friends. — 'Influencer' Must Die. 00:00:00
    • → opinion: In a comment Hank predicts creators will probably end up with a variety of mostly existing words, such as comedian, filmmaker and science communicator, applied online. (creator comment)
  • 2025-06-20 · Hank: Hank feels lucky to have had years of apprenticeship in which he did not have to be good at anything, so that he eventually gained the skills to do it well. — 'Influencer' Must Die. 00:04:28
    • → point: Hank says online video draws on writing, editing, performing and filming, but one big part is new: the creator is the distribution, responsible for getting eyes on the content. (00:03:30)
  • 2025-06-24 · John: John quit chewing Nicorette around the time he got really into the internet, about 2005. — Am I Cigarettes? 00:00:58
    • → point: Now a little voice tells John to check the internet while he reads or works; he resists, gives in to the craving, checks Reddit, Tumblr and Bluesky, and it is cigarettes all over again. (00:01:03)
  • 2025-06-24 · John: When John was a kid every indoor space smelled of smoke; he remembers people smoking on airplanes and at church. — Am I Cigarettes? 00:02:23
    • → opinion: John says the internet is not merely harmful: for many people, especially those most isolated by previous social orders, it is a godsend and a way to build community. (00:02:41)
  • 2025-06-24 · John: John says cigarettes have directly caused much suffering and death, including the deaths of two of his grandparents. — Am I Cigarettes? 00:02:35
    • → opinion: John says the internet is not merely harmful: for many people, especially those most isolated by previous social orders, it is a godsend and a way to build community. (00:02:41)
  • 2025-06-24 · John: As a 14-year-old wearing a trench coat every day in Orlando, Florida, John needed the internet before it really existed; it gave him his life and livelihood. — Am I Cigarettes? 00:02:52
    • → opinion: John says the internet is not merely harmful: for many people, especially those most isolated by previous social orders, it is a godsend and a way to build community. (00:02:41)
  • 2025-06-24 · John: John did quit for a couple of years, a very productive time in some ways, but he missed the connection and the high. — Am I Cigarettes? 00:03:40
    • → point: John cannot stop: as he chose Nicorette over cigarettes, he picks the healthier-for-him Instagram and Bluesky over Twitter and TikTok, but he cannot stop using the social internet. (00:03:26)
  • 2025-06-24 · John: John chooses the unhealthy internet for hours every week, knowing it is bad for him and for the social order. — Am I Cigarettes? 00:04:26
    • → point: John worries that by contributing to the unhealthy internet, not just ingesting it, he is not just smoking cigarettes: he is cigarettes. (00:04:40)
  • 2025-06-27 · Hank: Hank has never smoked a cigarette: he was so scared of addiction as a kid, which he finds wild given how he uses the social internet. — You’re Not Addicted to Content, You’re Starving for Information 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Replying to a viewer who says food, unlike content, is necessary, Hank comments that information is necessary too: it can come many ways, but you must consume it. (creator comment)
  • 2025-06-27 · Hank: Hank recalls a TV ad in Florida from his childhood: businessmen around a dying man lament losing their most loyal customer, then the camera pans to a young person in the hallway. — You’re Not Addicted to Content, You’re Starving for Information 00:11:21
    • → point: That is the best messaging: platforms, foods, creators and leaders that hack your brain and keep you scared, angry and superior to control you are the businessmen in that hospital room. (00:11:50)
  • 2025-10-03 · John: John talked about this with MatPat and Steph when they retired from YouTube not long ago; they told him he would know when he was done. — Is It Time to Retire? 00:00:58
    • → point: John says YouTube careers also tend to be short: many YouTube friends who made videos for a living eventually went on to do something else. (00:00:29)
  • 2025-10-10 · Hank: Hank says that at times in recent years he has felt moral stress about the internet, fearing he participates out of a pathological addiction to its structure or because he is locked in by work, infrastructure and people relying on him. — Maybe This is My Problem 00:01:46
    • → point: Looking at what actually is, Hank says he and John have been aware of these problems for a long time and have not been doing nothing about them. (00:02:49)
  • 2025-10-10 · Hank: Hank apologizes that this is an unscripted vlog: he doesn't have it all straight in his head and hasn't settled on these thoughts. — Maybe This is My Problem 00:02:49
    • → point: Looking at what actually is, Hank says he and John have been aware of these problems for a long time and have not been doing nothing about them. (00:02:49)
  • 2025-10-10 · Hank: Hank says he no longer posts on Twitter: he does not want to add to its network effects, calls it explicitly harmful, and has no interest in being there. — Maybe This is My Problem 00:03:58
    • → point: Hank calls it a dumb idea that if you recognize the system you are inside as imperfect, broken or bad, any work you do inside it must also be imperfect, broken or bad. (00:03:58)
  • 2025-10-31 · Hank: Hank says John's video was trending toward being their worst-performing video in many months. — We Did It… 00:04:19
    • → opinion: Hank says this is no indictment of people: humans care about what they care about, and expanding our circle of empathy is in some ways contrary to our nature. (00:04:19)
  • 2025-10-31 · Hank: Hank says their second-best-performing video of recent months had just 1% higher engagement. — We Did It… 00:04:19
    • → opinion: Hank says this is no indictment of people: humans care about what they care about, and expanding our circle of empathy is in some ways contrary to our nature. (00:04:19)
  • 2025-10-31 · Hank: Hank workshopped and tested titles for engagement and ended up with one that intersects a narrative people are engaged with and understandably outraged by. — We Did It… 00:04:48
    • → opinion: Hank says this is no indictment of people: humans care about what they care about, and expanding our circle of empathy is in some ways contrary to our nature. (00:04:19)
  • 2025-10-31 · Hank: Hank says the same video, with only a new title and thumbnail, is now on track to be their second most viewed video of the last few months. — We Did It… 00:05:17
    • → opinion: Hank says that while people sometimes use their powers to watch numbers go up, John more than anyone uses his to put attention where it is most deserved. (00:05:17)
  • 2026-01-02 · Hank: Uploading the day after New Year's, Hank names his resolutions: consume long-form rather than very short media, focus on long-form work, and have a life defined more by humanity than by computer programs. — I Got a New Disease and I Kinda Liked It. 00:03:16
    • → opinion: Hank says yes, he would pay for a medicine that made him want a morning walk and made him a little sick if he skipped it, with no other side effects. (00:03:16)
  • 2026-01-02 · Hank: Hank wants to do the healthy things he likes more and wants his son to be able to as well; that neither can makes him frustrated and scared. — I Got a New Disease and I Kinda Liked It. 00:06:18
    • → point: We cannot create a disease that makes you nauseated after too long on your phone (Hank would if he could), so we will build structures of social support and tools to make the choices we want, and use them. (00:06:47)
  • 2026-01-23 · Hank: Hank listened to that episode while walking through Kensington Gardens and thought they did a good job; he will talk to John about it one-on-one, not online. — Two Unrelated Destroyers of Trust 00:03:01
    • → point: Hank says much online content is about capturing attention rather than representing reality, so it is easy to carry mechanistic, probabilistic accidents of history as if they reflected reality. (00:03:27)
  • 2026-01-30 · Hank: Hank says he had a Twitter relapse but is not still on Twitter. — Has Anyone Ever Accidentally Seen me Naked (Question Tuesday on a Friday) 00:02:26
    • → opinion: Hank says his three-day Twitter binge produced nothing good; he kind of enjoyed it but does not think it is good behaviour. (00:02:56)
  • 2026-01-30 · Hank: Hank says his three days on Twitter were the only topic he discussed with his therapist this week (week of 26 January 2026). — Has Anyone Ever Accidentally Seen me Naked (Question Tuesday on a Friday) 00:03:25
    • → opinion: Hank says that instead of nice, value-adding posts he posts angry rage on Twitter because he is feeling anger and rage. (00:03:25)
  • 2026-02-03 · John: John says he can't even convince his own MAGA family members that people who were murdered were in fact murdered. — Does the truth still matter? 00:00:58
    • → point: John says he doesn't know how to talk about this online because we are profoundly, unprecedentedly siloed in our information distribution systems, so we don't hear or really listen to each other. (00:00:29)
  • 2026-02-15 · Hank: Hank says Destin asked him the day before, with surprise, whether he still has Instagram on his phone, leaving Hank to wonder whether they are not doing that anymore. — Project for Awesome 2026 part 5! 04:34:15
    • → opinion: Hank thinks the late surge shows many people waited until the last possible second to donate, as he did himself. (04:35:19)
  • 2026-03-06 · Hank: Hank says he has advised almost every public figure he respects and counts as a friend on handling their own surprise blowups, which happen a lot. — How Do You Create When You Don't Feel Safe 00:01:28
    • → point: Hank poses the question he wrote down for the podcast, which titles the video: how do you create when you don't feel safe? (00:00:30)
  • 2026-03-06 · Hank: Hank recalls his first editor's notes on a magazine article, which redlined three quarters of it, and doing public readings of his work. — How Do You Create When You Don't Feel Safe 00:01:57
    • → point: Hank poses the question he wrote down for the podcast, which titles the video: how do you create when you don't feel safe? (00:00:30)
  • 2026-03-06 · Hank: Hank says that even now he sometimes worries a work won't be received well: no views, bad reviews, or people finding him a cringe try-hard. — How Do You Create When You Don't Feel Safe 00:01:57
    • → point: Hank poses the question he wrote down for the podcast, which titles the video: how do you create when you don't feel safe? (00:00:30)
  • 2026-03-06 · Hank: Hank says he has been working on a book for years and worries about it very differently than about a YouTube video. — How Do You Create When You Don't Feel Safe 00:02:27
    • → point: Hank poses the question he wrote down for the podcast, which titles the video: how do you create when you don't feel safe? (00:00:30)
  • 2026-03-27 · Hank: In a channel comment Hank says he sees the backlash against AI code, but also sees about 90% of the coders he knows using the tools. — What is 'Slop' (and why it gives me hope) 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says slop is a real thing, not just a mean word for AI stuff, and it might be fairly easy to draw a line around it. (00:00:29)
  • 2026-03-27 · Hank: Hank found an Instagram video of a kid doing a cool dance and, before sharing it with Katherine, studied its frames for two minutes to make sure it was not AI; it was not. — What is 'Slop' (and why it gives me hope) 00:01:14
    • → point: Hank says the same dance would not be impressive if AI-generated: it is cool because the video holds all the kid's work and talent, while an AI dance video impresses only those who think it real. (00:01:43)
  • 2026-03-27 · Hank: Hank keeps watching YouTube videos in which human speakers use obvious generative-AI-isms, because he thinks they had the idea and they help him think through issues while he does the dishes. — What is 'Slop' (and why it gives me hope) 00:06:40
    • → point: Hank says that by the 30th such video it is less enjoyable than the first: it is slop now, because it is so easy to make that it no longer feels worth watching. (00:07:41)
  • 2026-04-24 · Hank: Hank hopes John is having a good trip and asks him to tell everyone at the Maternal Center of Excellence that their work really matters. — The AI Question that No AI Person Asks 00:07:58
    • → point: AI is clearly powerful, but no one can know its impacts: will it let wisdom flourish, or let the powerful route around wisdom as they tend to? Hank doesn't know. (00:07:58)
  • 2026-05-22 · Hank: Hank says he is still often thanked for Crash Course; today Kendall and Miranda stopped him in Missoula to say thank you. — Why I Made Crash Course a Non-Profit 00:00:29
    • → point: Hank says the reason no one paid attention to the brothers' work had basically nothing to do with its impact: those companies took investment, and they and their investors told stories of the future backed by big dollar figures, which helps people writing stories they want clicked. (00:01:27)
  • 2026-05-22 · Hank: Hank confesses that as Crash Course and SciShow grew into Complexly he was hungry with jealousy of BuzzFeed, Vice and Mashable. — Why I Made Crash Course a Non-Profit 00:00:39
    • → point: Hank says the reason no one paid attention to the brothers' work had basically nothing to do with its impact: those companies took investment, and they and their investors told stories of the future backed by big dollar figures, which helps people writing stories they want clicked. (00:01:27)
  • 2026-05-22 · Hank: Hank says this was not new: as a blogger he was jealous of Gizmodo, TreeHugger, TechCrunch and another site. — Why I Made Crash Course a Non-Profit 00:00:50
    • → point: Hank says the reason no one paid attention to the brothers' work had basically nothing to do with its impact: those companies took investment, and they and their investors told stories of the future backed by big dollar figures, which helps people writing stories they want clicked. (00:01:27)
  • 2026-05-22 · Hank: Hank says that had he lived in LA, San Francisco or New York he would have gone down that rabbit hole; he still feels these feelings more intensely there. (hedged) — Why I Made Crash Course a Non-Profit 00:01:50
    • → point: Hank says the reason no one paid attention to the brothers' work had basically nothing to do with its impact: those companies took investment, and they and their investors told stories of the future backed by big dollar figures, which helps people writing stories they want clicked. (00:01:27)
  • 2026-05-22 · Hank: Hank says that for many reasons he never wanted to leave Montana, so he and John built a company brick by brick, nice and slow. — Why I Made Crash Course a Non-Profit 00:02:10
    • → point: Hank says the reason no one paid attention to the brothers' work had basically nothing to do with its impact: those companies took investment, and they and their investors told stories of the future backed by big dollar figures, which helps people writing stories they want clicked. (00:01:27)
  • 2026-06-05 · Hank: Hank still spends at least an hour in the comments on the day of every Vlogbrothers upload, to see the people-y parts. — The Things We Don't Discuss 00:04:28
    • → point: Hank says the internet wants you to see the view as a metric, not a person; but views and creators are people, even if it feels like technology. (00:04:28)
  • 2026-06-05 · Hank: Hank notes that John studied Mark Twain in college. — The Things We Don't Discuss 00:06:39
    • → opinion: In the podcast Hank asks whether Mark Twain may have had something to do with the brothers' success, through John understanding his life. (00:06:10)
  • 2026-06-05 · Hank: Hank recalls that John went to boarding school at 14 and came home with long, story-shaped stories that Hank listened to rapt. — The Things We Don't Discuss 00:07:17
    • → opinion: In the podcast Hank asks whether Mark Twain may have had something to do with the brothers' success, through John understanding his life. (00:06:10)
  • 2026-07-28 · John: The first time John was recognized for his work came before YouTube: a young woman on a New York City train asked if he was John Green, said she'd read Looking for Alaska, and got his autograph. — 'Are You John Green?' 00:01:27
    • → point: John says we all want outside affirmation for our work and to be acknowledged for doing a good job; being recognized felt, and still feels, like that. (00:01:59)
  • 2026-07-28 · John: John spent the whole day after that encounter buzzing, and is sure it meant more to him than to the woman who recognized him. — 'Are You John Green?' 00:01:59
    • → point: John says we all want outside affirmation for our work and to be acknowledged for doing a good job; being recognized felt, and still feels, like that. (00:01:59)
  • 2026-08-07 · Hank: Hank says he has been searching a lot for certainty, not just this last week (week of 27 July 2026) but over the last couple of years, which have felt destabilized. — Just Trying to Figure Out My Job 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank explains audience capture: a creator takes signals about what the audience likes, dislikes or is angered by and slowly becomes that perspective, until creator and audience reinforce each other's certainty. (00:00:00)
  • 2026-08-07 · Hank: Hank stopped doing brand deals on Hank's channel at the beginning of the year because he did not like the lock-in. — Just Trying to Figure Out My Job 00:03:56
    • → point: After a week of listening to the conversation, Hank feels more aware of his job right now: a huge part is to be himself, and making more things does not make him make better things. (00:04:52)
  • 2026-08-18 · John: Last week (week of 10 August 2026) John made an Instagram video praising the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles that also criticized Indiana's lieutenant governor. — My Nemeses 00:02:28
    • → point: John says the landscape seems tailor-made for turning bad leaders into powerful ones: we have incentivized professional provocateurs while disincentivizing nuance and complexity. (00:03:56)
  • 2026-08-18 · John: John's hometown paper, the Indy Star, ran an article framed as John Green criticizing his nemesis, the lieutenant governor. — My Nemeses 00:02:57
    • → point: John says the landscape seems tailor-made for turning bad leaders into powerful ones: we have incentivized professional provocateurs while disincentivizing nuance and complexity. (00:03:56)
  • 2026-09-11 · Hank: Craig is visiting to film A Day in the Life of Hank Green for his own channel, which Craig thinks will be out by the time this video is. — Our Last YouTube View… 00:01:29
    • → opinion: Hank says most YouTubers don't know how to do anything on a stage, because they talk to cameras by themselves and then edit for hours. (00:01:58)
  • 2026-09-11 · Hank: Hank says the brothers started VidCon, and that he has stopped doing VidCon. — Our Last YouTube View… 00:01:29
    • → opinion: Hank says most YouTubers don't know how to do anything on a stage, because they talk to cameras by themselves and then edit for hours. (00:01:58)
  • 2026-09-11 · Hank: Hank says Craig has stage experience as a front man in bands, Driftless Pony Club and Violet Palms; Craig says he fronts only one of them. — Our Last YouTube View… 00:01:58
    • → opinion: Hank says most YouTubers don't know how to do anything on a stage, because they talk to cameras by themselves and then edit for hours. (00:01:58)
  • 2026-09-18 · Hank: Hank says that as early as 2015 he wrote a widely circulated post, which made him enemies, about how Facebook was counting views. — John was Wrong about YouTube Views 00:01:27
    • → opinion: Hank sums up YouTube's framework then: a view should be what you think of when you hear the word, though not all platforms have done this. (00:01:27)
  • 2026-09-18 · Hank: Hank says he has seen himself paid far more for a TikTok or Instagram video than he feels he delivers in value, and far less on YouTube. — John was Wrong about YouTube Views 00:04:27
    • → opinion: Hank says early creators are paid in views: 50 or 100,000 TikTok views feel like the YouTube numbers they grew up with, though they are different views. (00:03:28)
  • 2026-10-02 · John: Pizzamas rolls on; John is in his 13th different hotel room in 15 days and feels reasonably disoriented; the description says he is on a five-hour drive to his next tour stop. — the most powerful attention-consuming tools in the history of the world 00:00:01
    • → point: John says consuming content is a central theme of Hollywood, Ending: it really means engaging with art, but within capitalism we view that engagement as consumption and art as content. (00:00:01)
  • 2026-10-30 · Hank: In Hank's mind the most normal year was around 1996, when he was 16, which he says is no surprise. — The Last Normal Year 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank makes the case, expecting John to refute it, that 2016 was the last normal year, though it stopped being normal before the year was over. (00:00:29)
  • 2026-10-30 · Hank: Hank pitched this video idea to John, who rolled his eyes; Hank expects John to say he is wrong and invites him to disagree. — The Last Normal Year 00:00:58
    • → point: Hank believes that 2016 felt like the worst year ever, and every later year even worse, because of a switch that flipped in 2016. (00:01:30)
  • 2026-10-30 · Hank: Hank recalls Pizzagate, and Donald Trump being elected president just days after Hank's son was born, which he found weird. — The Last Normal Year 00:01:30
    • → point: Hank believes that 2016 felt like the worst year ever, and every later year even worse, because of a switch that flipped in 2016. (00:01:30)
  • 2026-10-30 · Hank: Hank remembers DFTBA selling a shirt of a dumpster on fire with 2016 written on it, because 2016 was the dumpster fire year. — The Last Normal Year 00:01:30
    • → point: Hank believes that 2016 felt like the worst year ever, and every later year even worse, because of a switch that flipped in 2016. (00:01:30)

Global development

  • 2007-06-28 · John: John says the brothers' Dominican Republic resort was swank, but they took one day to visit 'the real Dominican Republic', where regular people live in poverty. — June 28: How to Be a Microfinancier 00:00:00
    • → point: John explains a cycle of poverty: without collateral the very poor get no bank loans, so cannot start businesses, so there are no jobs and the economy stays weak. (00:00:45)
  • 2007-06-28 · John: John says that on the visit they saw people who did not know whether a check is signed on the front or the back. — June 28: How to Be a Microfinancier 00:00:45
    • → point: John explains a cycle of poverty: without collateral the very poor get no bank loans, so cannot start businesses, so there are no jobs and the economy stays weak. (00:00:45)
  • 2007-06-28 · John: John recalls visiting a group of women graduating, in their own neighborhood, from five weeks of microfinance training in banking basics and business planning. — June 28: How to Be a Microfinancier 00:01:14
    • → point: John says microfinance organizations offer opportunities to the poorest of the poor, whose only other source of loans is loan sharks. (00:01:14)
  • 2007-06-28 · John: Pointing to a photo, John lists the women's planned businesses: a shoe store, selling Avon products, a cafeteria. — June 28: How to Be a Microfinancier 00:01:43
    • → point: John says microfinance organizations offer opportunities to the poorest of the poor, whose only other source of loans is loan sharks. (00:01:14)
  • 2007-06-28 · John: John says that driving back they saw a sprawling restaurant complex started by one woman with one $180 microfinance loan. — June 28: How to Be a Microfinancier 00:02:12
    • → point: John says microfinance organizations offer opportunities to the poorest of the poor, whose only other source of loans is loan sharks. (00:01:14)
  • 2007-12-19 · Hank: Hank thanks everyone who participated, including those who skipped school or work, and says he did not go to work that day either. — December 19: The Day that the Nerds Took Over YouTube 00:03:01
    • → opinion: Hank says the Secret Project was exciting and made him kind of hopeful, seeing so many people promote organizations doing good simply because it is right. (00:02:44)
  • 2008-12-17 · Hank: Hank says he spent about half the day on DonorsChoose looking for inspired science teachers who need resources they couldn't otherwise get. — Project for Awesome: DonorsChoose.org 00:02:17
    • → opinion: Hank says DonorsChoose also pushes teachers to think of good uses for donors' money, since donors fund only ideas that sound good. (00:02:17)
  • 2009-12-16 · Hank: Hank says the brothers' dad worked for the Nature Conservancy when they were growing up, as its Florida State Director. — Project for Awesome: The Nature Conservancy 00:00:33
    • → point: Hank explains the Nature Conservancy's mission: buying land across the world so it is not destroyed and saving it forever, 'the last best places'. (00:00:33)
  • 2010-03-19 · John: Because breast cancer has affected several members of his family, John gives money to breast cancer research, and is statistically likelier to do so than to fight cholera. — Foreign John Green Books and the Ultimate Concern 00:01:35
    • → point: John says if you truly felt your life was no more valuable than others', there are many things you could sacrifice to improve their lives. (00:01:35)
  • 2010-10-27 · John: John says a recent BlogTV show raised a lot of money for surgery for James at War's cat, plus an equal amount to fight malaria. — You Are Awesome 00:01:11
    • → opinion: John's inclination is to give it to This Star Won't Go Out and then hold a matching BlogTV fundraiser for the Uncultured Project and Save the Children, or the reverse, or something else. (00:02:04)
  • 2011-03-21 · Hank: Hank says he used water again and again this morning, clean water that leaks out of somewhere if he jostles the silver fixtures, and all of it cost about one nickel. — Helping Haiti 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank notes March 22nd is World Water Day and says we should take a moment to think about how freaking awesome our lives are. (00:00:25)
  • 2011-03-21 · Hank: Hank says the two letter writers seemed a bit frustrated with the process, thinking Water.org should just drill the well and leave things as they were. (hedged) — Helping Haiti 00:01:31
    • → point: Hank says without the coalition the two men who wrote the letter could claim credit for the well, demand gratitude, or in the worst case sell water for personal profit. (00:01:16)
  • 2011-09-26 · John: John has lent through Kiva since 2007 with a 100% payback rate, but found $913 he was not lending, says he had become the scared banker, and re-lent it to entrepreneurs. — Awesome Bankers? 00:02:26
    • → point: John concludes that bankers can reduce world suck and that we can be bankers, facilitating sustainable economic growth in the developing world. (00:02:55)
  • 2011-11-11 · John: John lent money to Edith in El Salvador, whose bookstore also sells candy, to refurbish it and buy new stock, and she paid him back. — The Bank of Nerdfighteria 00:01:47
    • → point: John explains that Kiva.org lets anyone lend to entrepreneurs in the developing world, who almost always pay back, so it is like charity except free. (00:02:17)
  • 2011-11-11 · John: John thanks Edith, his Kiva borrower in El Salvador, for reporting back that her business is growing. — The Bank of Nerdfighteria 00:02:17
    • → point: John explains that Kiva.org lets anyone lend to entrepreneurs in the developing world, who almost always pay back, so it is like charity except free. (00:02:17)
  • 2011-11-11 · John: John was also repaid by Hayam, an accountant in Lebanon whose name he says he probably mispronounced; she renovated her office with his loan and reports her income has gone way up. — The Bank of Nerdfighteria 00:02:17
    • → point: John explains that Kiva.org lets anyone lend to entrepreneurs in the developing world, who almost always pay back, so it is like charity except free. (00:02:17)
  • 2011-11-11 · John: John has made more than 70 loans through Kiva.org and has always been paid back. — The Bank of Nerdfighteria 00:02:17
    • → point: John explains that Kiva.org lets anyone lend to entrepreneurs in the developing world, who almost always pay back, so it is like charity except free. (00:02:17)
  • 2011-12-17 · Hank: Less than a year ago Hank was in Haiti with Water.org, which wanted to share its work with him so he could share it with the world through his camera. — We Built a Well in Haiti 00:00:00
    • → point: What astounded Hank in Haiti was not the medieval-level hygiene but that the people are, in the important ways, exactly like him, his friends and family: caring, fun-loving, communal, wanting better for their children. (00:00:00)
  • 2011-12-17 · Hank: During Hank's visit Jenna, one of the youngest well-committee members, said in frustration there had to be a better way; now she has it, and she remembered Hank and asked where he was. — We Built a Well in Haiti 00:00:58
    • → point: More than a well, the village has a community-owned asset that users pay a fair price for, the money funding maintenance so it still gives clean water 20, 30, 50 years from now; the community invested in, controls and maintains it. (00:00:58)
  • 2014-07-22 · John: John says that as Hank watches, he is in East Africa learning about work people there are doing with the help of the Gates Foundation. — Ambiguous Victories and Real Progress: Behind the Beautiful Forevers 00:02:03
    • → point: John says he keeps rereading Behind the Beautiful Forevers because it contains no unambiguous victories, not for its characters nor for foreign aid, government spending, microfinance or charity. (00:02:58)
  • 2014-07-29 · John: Dr. Gessesse told John of failed outreach: a dozen CPAPs arrived from a charity, all adult-sized and none of use to her. — Listen: Thoughts from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 00:02:12
    • → point: John draws the lesson: we have to listen to each other. (00:02:20)
  • 2014-07-29 · John: John says he hung out with Bill Gates, whom he calls brilliant, overcame his fear of heights to fly in a helicopter with him, and will talk about it in the coming weeks. — Listen: Thoughts from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 00:02:57
    • → opinion: John asks viewers to pause in gratitude to Dr. Gessesse, who has quietly saved thousands of babies; she told him she has many children, only two biological. (00:03:05)
  • 2014-08-12 · John: In hospital, doctors worried he might have meningitis, malaria, typhoid or dengue fever, all potentially fatal, but were not worried about Ebola. — EBOLA! (...meningitis) 00:01:04
    • → point: John argues that even if he had had Ebola it would have mattered to him and his family but would not have been a big deal from a public-health perspective. (00:01:15)
  • 2014-08-19 · John: There John met Bill Gates and Gates Foundation CEO Sue Desmond-Hellmann; he assumed a photo op, but they asked detailed questions about diagnosis, vaccine stocks and staffing. — Baby Names: Thoughts from Rural Ethiopia 00:01:03
    • → opinion: Seeing them gravitate away from cameras toward health workers convinced John that the Foundation's principle that all human lives have equal value isn't just rhetoric. (00:01:26)
  • 2014-08-26 · John: John met a woman who went from receiving US food aid to producing it, but Gates and Desmond-Hellmann learned her land's income all goes to her husband; she is a founding member of a farmers' cooperative. — Food Is Weird: Understanding Agriculture in the Developing World 00:04:53
    • → opinion: Higher yields and family income are good, but the project's mission of empowering women farmers to keep their proceeds isn't as effective. (00:05:10)
  • 2014-08-26 · John: Women sorting corn by hand to WFP purity standards told John, contrary to what he'd been told, that it was their primary, exhausting work but the money was pretty good; loaders made about five dollars a day. — Food Is Weird: Understanding Agriculture in the Developing World 00:05:25
    • → opinion: Higher yields and family income are good, but the project's mission of empowering women farmers to keep their proceeds isn't as effective. (00:05:10)
  • 2014-09-09 · John: John says the university library has no running water: the toilet flushes by pouring in a bucket of water. — Going to College (in Ethiopia) 00:03:02
    • → point: John says there isn't just one Ethiopia: the library without water, the future engineers, the kids, a doctor, farmers and the presidential marching band are all Ethiopia. (00:03:12)
  • 2014-11-19 · John: John heads back to the movie set; this is the last time he gets to say he'll see Hank tomorrow, which he calls a bummer. — The Future of the Project for Awesome: Pizzamas Day 8 00:03:53
    • → opinion: John: the P4A's format and scope have changed a lot over the years, but it is always his favourite time of year to be a Nerdfighter. (00:03:43)
  • 2015-05-19 · John: John signs off because Alice needs him to read her an Elmo story. — Pain Destroys Language: John after the Dentist 00:02:30
    • → point: John says the only thing he can say about pain is that it sucks; he doesn't think it is romantic or transcendent. (00:02:12)
  • 2016-01-26 · John: John met representatives of Save the Children and the UN Refugee Agency to learn about improving health care and education for the world's most vulnerable people. — Billionaires and Radical Hope: Thoughts from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland 00:01:55
    • → opinion: Yet John found Davos wonderful: clear discussions of why climate change is happening and what it will do, and the global goals posted everywhere as reminders of our commitments. (00:01:41)
  • 2016-01-26 · John: John says he learned about virtual reality films made in refugee camps, research on peer learning and the perils of economic inequality. — Billionaires and Radical Hope: Thoughts from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland 00:02:05
    • → opinion: Yet John found Davos wonderful: clear discussions of why climate change is happening and what it will do, and the global goals posted everywhere as reminders of our commitments. (00:01:41)
  • 2016-03-08 · John: For International Women's Day John focuses on sisters Majeeda (12) and Aida (10), who reached the Azraq camp the day before he met them after more than four months in limbo at the border. — Aida and Majeeda: Thoughts from the Azraq Refugee Camp 00:00:12
    • → point: Asked about their most urgent needs, the girls' parents said only that they wanted the children in school, a theme among almost every refugee John met. (00:00:43)
  • 2016-03-08 · John: John relays that the girls' father, Abu Majed, described the border as 'cold, hunger and constant thirst', and that the family registered in the camp that morning, from iris scans to finding a shelter. — Aida and Majeeda: Thoughts from the Azraq Refugee Camp 00:00:28
    • → point: Asked about their most urgent needs, the girls' parents said only that they wanted the children in school, a theme among almost every refugee John met. (00:00:43)
  • 2016-03-08 · John: The day before, in the Zaatari camp, John met the Tiger Group, where young women mentor girls; asked what they wanted most, Aryam and Farah immediately answered 'to learn'. — Aida and Majeeda: Thoughts from the Azraq Refugee Camp 00:00:52
    • → point: Asked about their most urgent needs, the girls' parents said only that they wanted the children in school, a theme among almost every refugee John met. (00:00:43)
  • 2016-03-08 · John: Nahid, a mother of young children who volunteers as a teacher, told John she wants her children to have a good education. — Aida and Majeeda: Thoughts from the Azraq Refugee Camp 00:01:03
    • → point: Asked about their most urgent needs, the girls' parents said only that they wanted the children in school, a theme among almost every refugee John met. (00:00:43)
  • 2016-03-08 · John: Aida, only five when the war began, has never been to school and Majeeda has been out of school for years; asked what she wanted now she was safe, Aida said not food or rest but 'We need to study.' — Aida and Majeeda: Thoughts from the Azraq Refugee Camp 00:01:14
    • → point: Asked about their most urgent needs, the girls' parents said only that they wanted the children in school, a theme among almost every refugee John met. (00:00:43)
  • 2016-03-08 · John: For the past four months the children walked 10 km almost every day to find firewood at the border, and before that moved around Syria for years to stay safe. — Aida and Majeeda: Thoughts from the Azraq Refugee Camp 00:01:40
    • → point: Asked whether she had lost friends in the war, Aida began to cry; John felt terrible asking but wants viewers to know there should be another sister here. (00:01:51)
  • 2016-03-08 · John: Through interpreter Nida, Aida's message to American children her age was that they just want to go to school and to have a life. — Aida and Majeeda: Thoughts from the Azraq Refugee Camp 00:02:25
    • → point: John insists Aida and Majeeda have rich, complex lives that aren't mere tragedies: warm kids who joked, played with their little brothers and taught him a Syrian hide-and-seek. (00:02:07)
  • 2016-06-07 · John: John met Aida, who lives in the camp with five of her children, including twin five-year-olds who found Snapchat filters hilarious. — Zaatari: Thoughts from a Refugee Camp 00:00:52
    • → point: John says we cannot imagine those things, but still need to know that they are real and that this is happening. (00:01:37)
  • 2016-06-07 · John: John says Zaatari also teems with life: its main marketplace sells TVs and solar phone chargers, rents wedding dresses, fixes bicycles and shoes, and has a delivery pizza restaurant. — Zaatari: Thoughts from a Refugee Camp 00:01:43
    • → point: John says people and their lives are complex, and refugees told him again and again that a main challenge is feeling dehumanized: distrusted, disbelieved, seen as objects of pity or fear. (00:02:00)
  • 2016-06-07 · John: John saw a flock of pigeons he took for an accident of natural beauty, then learned kids train the pigeons to fly in patterns: an expression of a kid's joy. — Zaatari: Thoughts from a Refugee Camp 00:02:40
    • → point: John says Zaatari reminded him that human nature is not just a force acting on us but something we create together in deciding how to treat each other and the world. (00:03:14)
  • 2016-06-21 · John: A couple of weeks ago John and Rosianna visited the family in Rockford; they shared a big lunch, but the move had clearly been hard, with everything from language to appliances different. — Syrian Refugees in the United States: One Family's Story 00:01:11
    • → opinion: John sums up the family's situation as complicated, hard and hopeful, like a lot of our lives. (00:01:53)
  • 2016-06-21 · John: Nada told John that in Jordan they took public transport, but here they need a car or someone who has one; she cried, missing her family. — Syrian Refugees in the United States: One Family's Story 00:01:26
    • → opinion: John sums up the family's situation as complicated, hard and hopeful, like a lot of our lives. (00:01:53)
  • 2016-06-21 · John: Everyone in the family takes English classes, Mufak will soon work as a butcher, and the kids are in summer school learning to read and write English. — Syrian Refugees in the United States: One Family's Story 00:01:45
    • → opinion: John sums up the family's situation as complicated, hard and hopeful, like a lot of our lives. (00:01:53)
  • 2017-02-03 · Hank: Last weekend Hank offered on Twitter to donate $5 to the ACLU for every hand-drawn message of support for immigrants and refugees; he got over 2,000, some beautiful art. — Are We Making Things Worse? 00:02:01
    • → point: Hank says we can make a difference and work for the world we want: that isn't creating an echo chamber, it's creating change. (00:03:04)
  • 2018-02-13 · John: John asked Bill Gates about this on a phone call a couple of weeks ago; Gates first pointed out that not every dollar spent has equal impact. — What Can't a Billion Dollars Buy? 00:01:54
    • → point: John agrees: breakthrough technologies can transform, and better systems can be disproportionately effective because they keep producing results after funding stops. (00:02:50)
  • 2018-12-04 · Hank: Hank says care comes easily to him, but at various times in his life he has lost his grip on hope. — When it All Seems Like Too Much 00:02:32
    • → point: Hank says we are not working toward a fixed state but toward a better place on the spectrum of bad: every bit of good work adds up to a better world. (00:02:40)
  • 2019-04-09 · John: John and Sarah spent last week (week of 1 April 2019) in Sierra Leone learning about its health care system and visited Kissy Psychiatric Hospital. — The Only Psychiatric Hospital in Sierra Leone 00:00:00
    • → opinion: John thanks viewers who have donated to the first half of the Project for Awesome in the last few years: they helped fund Kissy's ongoing transformation. (video description)
  • 2019-04-09 · John: John says the visit was personal: he has been, at one level or another, a psychiatric patient for most of his life. — The Only Psychiatric Hospital in Sierra Leone 00:00:16
    • → opinion: John thanks viewers who have donated to the first half of the Project for Awesome in the last few years: they helped fund Kissy's ongoing transformation. (video description)
  • 2019-10-01 · John: In Sierra Leone earlier this year (2019) someone told John to look at the colonial railway map: the tracks linked mineral-rich areas to the coast, not cities to each other. — Why Are Poor Countries Poor? 00:00:29
    • → point: John says colonization was in the business of resource extraction, so colonies got extraction systems and little investment in health or education systems. (00:00:58)
  • 2019-10-01 · John: Dr. Bailor Barrie, founder of the respected Wellbody Clinic, had to leave his studies to escape to a refugee camp; John heard similar stories from several health workers. — Why Are Poor Countries Poor? 00:02:26
    • → point: John describes a paradox common to poor countries: almost none of Kono's diamond wealth stays there, so one of West Africa's richest areas is among the world's poorest and least healthy, with few mine jobs for locals. (00:03:24)
  • 2019-10-01 · John: John met an Ebola survivor, now working for Partners In Health, who shared a bed with his son at a treatment facility; both survived, but his wife died a few beds over. — Why Are Poor Countries Poor? 00:04:22
    • → point: Poverty can become a vicious cycle; John thinks the Ebola outbreak epitomizes how impoverished, fragile health systems lead to emergencies. (00:03:53)
  • 2019-10-22 · John: In Sierra Leone earlier this year (2019) John spent a day with Ruth, a PIH community health worker who makes house calls to people with serious illnesses like tuberculosis or HIV. — Why We're Donating $6,500,000 00:00:09
    • → opinion: John stresses that Ruth's $2 gift required far more sacrifice and compassion than his family's donation does. (00:01:33)
  • 2019-10-22 · John: John says Ruth's education was interrupted by the civil war (1991-2002); she contracted HIV and nearly died before antiretroviral therapy let her recover and find a job with PIH. — Why We're Donating $6,500,000 00:00:43
    • → opinion: John stresses that Ruth's $2 gift required far more sacrifice and compassion than his family's donation does. (00:01:33)
  • 2019-10-22 · John: John says Ruth earns a living wage by local standards but is far from well off, yet he saw her slip the equivalent of $2 to a patient, a mother struggling to feed her kids. — Why We're Donating $6,500,000 00:01:05
    • → opinion: John stresses that Ruth's $2 gift required far more sacrifice and compassion than his family's donation does. (00:01:33)
  • 2019-10-25 · Hank: Hank says money usually sits invested in the stock market, and advisors told him to wait for it to grow and give more later. — Unscripted and Unhinged 00:01:12
    • → point: Hank says 'best' is a trap: if you ask whether something is the best possible use of money you will never do anything. (00:01:12)
  • 2019-12-03 · John: Earlier this year (2019) John and Hank had a photoshoot with longtime nerdfighter Ashe Walker, which John thought was meant to produce a semi-professional picture for media use. — We Are Cats Now, I Guess? 00:00:00
    • → opinion: John notes the US keeps minting one-cent coins though they cost more than a cent to make and don't facilitate the exchange of goods and services, the point of currency. (00:01:31)
  • 2020-01-28 · John: John says that when he and Sarah went to Sierra Leone they visited Koidu Government Hospital, the only hospital in Kono District, which has come a very long way. — Looking Away (Again) 00:00:00
    • → opinion: John says after the devastations of colonialism Sierra Leone never had much money to build a health system, which the civil war and then a horrifying Ebola outbreak weakened further. (00:00:29)
  • 2020-01-28 · John: The description corrects the video: the Looking Away video was made five, not six, years ago. — Looking Away (Again) 00:00:00
    • → opinion: John says after the devastations of colonialism Sierra Leone never had much money to build a health system, which the civil war and then a horrifying Ebola outbreak weakened further. (00:00:29)
  • 2020-01-28 · John: At the hospital John saw a mother with a young child in the pediatric ward; he thinks the child was probably dying. (hedged) — Looking Away (Again) 00:01:27
    • → point: John says most children who die in Sierra Leone die of conditions we know how to treat or prevent. (00:01:51)
  • 2020-01-28 · John: John says he looked away: he didn't want to gawk, didn't know how to help in that moment, and it was awful to see a mother in such pain and a child suffering. — Looking Away (Again) 00:01:51
    • → point: John says most children who die in Sierra Leone die of conditions we know how to treat or prevent. (00:01:51)
  • 2020-01-28 · John: John says he has worked in a children's hospital and held the hands of children as they died. — Looking Away (Again) 00:01:51
    • → point: John says most children who die in Sierra Leone die of conditions we know how to treat or prevent. (00:01:51)
  • 2020-01-28 · John: John recalls making a video from Ethiopia six years ago called Looking Away, about listening to and supporting people living in absolute poverty. — Looking Away (Again) 00:02:20
    • → point: John says most mothers who die in childbirth there die for want of an ambulance ride, a blood transfusion or an emergency C-section: these deaths are preventable and have been for decades. (00:02:20)
  • 2020-01-28 · John: John says in those years he did some things and gave some money but made no serious commitment to listen better or to focus on the needs of the poor in an ongoing way. — Looking Away (Again) 00:02:20
    • → point: John says most mothers who die in childbirth there die for want of an ambulance ride, a blood transfusion or an emergency C-section: these deaths are preventable and have been for decades. (00:02:20)
  • 2020-01-28 · John: John says he is talking to every rich person who will take his calls and doing whatever he can to drum up money. — Looking Away (Again) 00:05:16
    • → point: John says solidarity can be donations but also listening, paying attention, reading annual reports, or telling friends and family about these efforts. (00:05:45)
  • 2021-02-12 · Hank: Hank recalls that a couple of years ago John called him to pitch an idea, unusually since Hank is usually the one pitching; it was big, uncomfortable and really good. — Doing Better 00:00:03
    • → point: Hank says the world is unfair in many unacceptable ways, yet he must accept them because he cannot change everything. (00:00:13)
  • 2021-04-20 · John: John just finished recording The Anthropocene Reviewed audiobook, which was fun; he found only one typo. — Breaking Ground!!! 00:01:46
    • → opinion: As a teaching hospital, the MCOE will train the next generation of Sierra Leonean health care workers. (00:01:16)
  • 2021-10-01 · Hank: Hank says humans have many biases, and he didn't understand that we are bad at dealing with ongoing long-term crises until John spent time helping him understand it. — A Lie I Heard this Week 00:02:45
    • → point: Hank says this is what a strong community can do: look past what is new to see what is important. (00:03:10)
  • 2022-01-04 · John: On their 2019 visit to Kono, John and Sarah saw a primary health care center in Kombayendeh that was not functioning: no running water, electricity or paid staff; the only care that day was a vaccination. — After 15 Years on YouTube, THIS IS THE MOST AMAZING THING 00:04:35
    • → point: John likens Kono's health system to a wheel: Koidu Government Hospital is the hub, surrounded by primary health care centers with safe delivery spaces, trained staff and a referral and transport system. (00:04:06)
  • 2022-02-11 · Hank: Hank says he has had 15 years of practice at this; it isn't easy, but it isn't magic, just work. — Knowing is not Understanding - Pluto and the P4A 00:02:55
    • → point: Hank says making a great charity video, or any video, is hard, and the main thing needed is to capture and hold people's attention. (00:01:27)
  • 2022-02-22 · John: When John last spoke to Paul he asked what keeps him going; Paul said something like: getting to do hard work with friends. (hedged) — On the Death of My Hero 00:03:24
    • → opinion: John toasts doing hard work with friends and the light Paul Farmer's life showed all of us. (00:03:24)
  • 2022-02-25 · Hank: Walking around their neighborhood that morning, Hank told Katherine how powerless he felt in the moment. — When You Can't Fix Everything… 00:00:56
    • → point: Hank says we are all ultimately trying to do one big thing, make the world better, so any work that makes it better counts: not perfect, better. (00:00:56)
  • 2022-04-19 · John: Answering Hank's question about how he overcomes despair and helplessness before big problems and comes to believe something can be done, John tells a story. — How do you cross the Sad Gap? 00:00:00
    • → point: John says the suffering after the Haiti earthquake was caused at its core not by the earthquake but by human choices and systems that impoverished Haiti for centuries. (00:00:29)
  • 2022-04-19 · John: John says they started working with Partners In Health in 2010 in response to the Haiti earthquake, focused on it because everyone was; as a community they felt powerless. — How do you cross the Sad Gap? 00:00:00
    • → point: John says the suffering after the Haiti earthquake was caused at its core not by the earthquake but by human choices and systems that impoverished Haiti for centuries. (00:00:29)
  • 2022-04-19 · John: John credits Partners In Health's long-term investment in Haiti's health system for the University Hospital in Mirebalais, stressing he wasn't responsible: he was all about short-term thinking. — How do you cross the Sad Gap? 00:00:58
    • → point: John says the suffering after the Haiti earthquake was caused at its core not by the earthquake but by human choices and systems that impoverished Haiti for centuries. (00:00:29)
  • 2022-04-19 · John: Without a first priority, John felt there were always new crises and the old ones never got better, which left him perpetually in the sad gap. — How do you cross the Sad Gap? 00:01:27
    • → point: John says the suffering after the Haiti earthquake was caused at its core not by the earthquake but by human choices and systems that impoverished Haiti for centuries. (00:00:29)
  • 2022-04-19 · John: John's life changed in 2014 when he asked PIH's chief medical officer, Dr. Joia Mukherjee, whether PIH would be part of the Project for Awesome's Ebola fundraising. — How do you cross the Sad Gap? 00:01:56
    • → point: John says staying, learning and listening through open-ended commitments helps him cross the sad gap: our shared problems are tremendous, but so is our shared capacity to address them. (00:02:26)
  • 2022-04-19 · John: Dr. Mukherjee asked them to stay too, and John says that request changed his life. — How do you cross the Sad Gap? 00:02:26
    • → point: John says staying, learning and listening through open-ended commitments helps him cross the sad gap: our shared problems are tremendous, but so is our shared capacity to address them. (00:02:26)
  • 2022-04-19 · John: John goes deep on maternal and child health in West Africa, Hank on climate change, and Rosianna Halse Rojas is getting a master's in refugee studies; all benefit from each other's priorities. — How do you cross the Sad Gap? 00:02:55
    • → opinion: John says raising money for crises matters, but so do priorities, accepting that others have different ones: no one can go deep on everything, and depth makes you more valuable. (00:02:55)
  • 2023-01-31 · John: After school John fell in love with learning; over the last year he has read a ridiculous number of books about tuberculosis, though it is not his job. — I'm Going Back to College? 00:00:58
    • → point: John says he never understood that the point of school is not a degree or meeting expectations but to better understand the universe and your place in it. (00:00:58)
  • 2023-01-31 · John: John explores these questions in his free time for fun, which would have been hard to explain to his 19-year-old self. — I'm Going Back to College? 00:01:27
    • → point: John says he never understood that the point of school is not a degree or meeting expectations but to better understand the universe and your place in it. (00:00:58)
  • 2023-02-10 · Hank: Every year Hank used the same roll of paper as a drop cloth; it became beautiful with stencil marks, scuffs and footprints, and he could not throw it away. — If it ain't broke don't fix it. 00:01:05
    • → opinion: Hank says these can only be made once because the paper no longer exists, a pretty good trade; next year (2024) he will have to find something else. (00:01:33)
  • 2023-02-21 · John: John says his favorite part of this year's (2023) P4A was the very end, when their families were on the stream, everyone was celebrating together, and the chat together typed the phrase we're here because we're here over and over, a kind of written global chorus. — Maybe Art Only Needs to Be 00:02:17
    • → opinion: John says the P4A reminds him that hope is the correct response to consciousness. (00:02:33)
  • 2023-05-02 · John: The description says John visits Sierra Leone's Kono District for the first time since Covid and is astonished by the progress, the hope, and how far is still to go. — GOOD NEWS 00:00:00
    • → opinion: In a comment John says maintaining the hospital will be a long-term challenge, which is why they are building ongoing revenue like the Awesome Socks Club for open-ended MCOE support. (creator comment)
  • 2023-05-02 · John: Greeting Hank from the Maternal Center of Excellence in Sierra Leone, John shows his crying, sweaty face as it sinks in how many lives the community is helping. — GOOD NEWS 00:00:00
    • → opinion: In a comment John says maintaining the hospital will be a long-term challenge, which is why they are building ongoing revenue like the Awesome Socks Club for open-ended MCOE support. (creator comment)
  • 2023-05-02 · John: In the special care baby unit, PIH co-founder Ophelia Dahl asked whether a frail baby on CPAP would live; the nurse answered that all these babies will live: this is the good news room. — GOOD NEWS 00:06:49
    • → point: John closes: look at what humans can do when we come together. (00:06:49)
  • 2023-07-11 · John: The description thanks TB expert Carole Mitnick and MSF's Christophe Perrin for helping John understand drug patents. — Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Johnson & Johnson 00:00:00
    • → point: John says that instead of bedaquiline's patent expiring next Tuesday (18 July 2023), Johnson & Johnson will begin enforcing a secondary patent, denying people access to the drug. (00:00:00)
  • 2023-07-11 · John: In a comment John says he wrote a Washington Post op-ed when he learned of the patent move, and made the video when it didn't get enough traction. — Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Johnson & Johnson 00:00:00
    • → point: John says that instead of bedaquiline's patent expiring next Tuesday (18 July 2023), Johnson & Johnson will begin enforcing a secondary patent, denying people access to the drug. (00:00:00)
  • 2023-07-11 · John: John recalls meeting two young women in Sierra Leone a couple of months ago who were dying of TB; after a bedaquiline cocktail they recovered and are now cured, home and in school. — Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Johnson & Johnson 00:02:55
    • → opinion: John relays an expert's analogy: the secondary patent is like patenting a pen cap that makes your pen work better and last longer, but is not the pen. (00:02:26)
  • 2023-07-14 · Hank: Hank says he is really proud to be part of this community, to be John's brother, and of the memes, both critical of J&J and celebrating its action. — The Good News Video 00:03:16
    • → point: Hank says John got into the rooms where drug-resistant TB is discussed and found a needless barrier; the community asked whether it could go, and within days it was gone. (00:02:46)
  • 2023-07-18 · John: John recalls that as a teenager the 'Andre the Giant has a posse' stickers brought him joy: he loved the idea that Andre had people with him and would no longer be marginalized for his size. — Tuberculosis Fighters Have a Posse 00:04:52
    • → point: John wants people living with tuberculosis and the activists fighting it to have a posse: the world, especially the rich world, telling them they are not alone and will be stood and fought for. (00:05:21)
  • 2023-08-15 · John: In 2019 John visited the Lakka TB hospital in Sierra Leone and met Henry, who shares his son's name and seemed his son's age; Henry showed him around, and John assumed he was a nurse's child. — Henry 00:00:00
    • → point: John says people often ask him why he is obsessed with tuberculosis, and this video is why. (00:00:00)
  • 2023-08-15 · John: The description thanks Henry, Dr. Girum Tefera and his Lakka colleagues, and Partners In Health for introducing John to Henry. — Henry 00:00:00
    • → point: John says people often ask him why he is obsessed with tuberculosis, and this video is why. (00:00:00)
  • 2023-08-15 · John: A doctor told John that Henry was a patient they were very concerned about: Henry was 16, not nine like John's son; tuberculosis had ravaged his body. — Henry 00:00:29
    • → point: John says people often ask him why he is obsessed with tuberculosis, and this video is why. (00:00:00)
  • 2023-08-15 · John: Before getting sick Henry was a great student who dreamt of university; his mother Isatu worked hard to pay his school fees with a small market business selling scented oils and perfumes. — Henry 00:00:29
    • → point: John says people often ask him why he is obsessed with tuberculosis, and this video is why. (00:00:00)
  • 2023-08-15 · John: When John met him, Henry was out of school and had been a full-time patient at Lakka for over two months, receiving injections for multidrug-resistant TB. — Henry 00:00:58
    • → point: John says people often ask him why he is obsessed with tuberculosis, and this video is why. (00:00:00)
  • 2023-08-15 · John: The injections were not working for Henry: he lost weight, TB-swollen lymph nodes became open wounds, and he bled so much he needed blood transfusions. — Henry 00:01:27
    • → point: John says people often ask him why he is obsessed with tuberculosis, and this video is why. (00:00:00)
  • 2023-08-15 · John: Henry's mother Isatu paid the equivalent of thousands of dollars for his treatment, finding blood and supplies, and lost her business and apartment in the process. — Henry 00:01:56
    • → point: John says people often ask him why he is obsessed with tuberculosis, and this video is why. (00:00:00)
  • 2023-08-15 · John: Dr. Tefera came to Sierra Leone from Ethiopia a few months after John met Henry, and he too first took Henry for staff, since Henry kept encouraging and helping other patients. — Henry 00:01:56
    • → point: John says people often ask him why he is obsessed with tuberculosis, and this video is why. (00:00:00)
  • 2023-08-15 · John: John came home from that trip obsessed with tuberculosis and spent the next few years learning about it, often thinking of and praying for Henry but never daring to ask what happened to him. — Henry 00:03:14
    • → opinion: John says it was only one kid, but tell that to his mother, and maybe this one kid could be the first of many. (00:03:14)
  • 2023-08-15 · John: When John and Sarah returned to Lakka in 2023, John asked a nurse about Henry; she said he was there that day, wanting to see John, and they reunited. — Henry 00:03:43
    • → opinion: John says it was only one kid, but tell that to his mother, and maybe this one kid could be the first of many. (00:03:14)
  • 2023-08-15 · John: John says Henry was the first in Sierra Leone to get the bedaquiline-based cocktail; he recovered 'like magic', walking and laughing within three weeks, was cured and went home after over two years at Lakka. — Henry 00:04:15
    • → opinion: John says it was only one kid, but tell that to his mother, and maybe this one kid could be the first of many. (00:03:14)
  • 2023-08-22 · John: The description says John made the video before the news was public that Hank is in remission; John is grateful and relieved and hopes Hank will talk about it on Friday. — The Panera Phenomenon 00:00:00
    • → point: John says the MCOE is not a symbol of hope but an activation of hope; English lacks a word for hope realized, which is telling, but that is how he feels. (00:00:29)
  • 2023-08-22 · John: In a comment John explains he grew the peppers in his bathtub because he has no greenhouse. — The Panera Phenomenon 00:00:00
    • → point: John says the MCOE is not a symbol of hope but an activation of hope; English lacks a word for hope realized, which is telling, but that is how he feels. (00:00:29)
  • 2023-09-12 · John: John recalls a lab tech in Sierra Leone telling him the machine is amazing, if only they could afford the tests. — Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Danaher and Cepheid 00:02:05
    • → point: John explains the printer-ink business model (cheap machines, overpriced locked-in consumables, as with razor blades and Nespresso pods) and says Danaher uses it for TB tests. (00:02:14)
  • 2023-09-12 · John: John apologizes for sounding angry but says he is angry: he has known many people who went undiagnosed for months or years, and some died for lack of a timely accurate test. — Barely Contained Rage: An Open Letter to Danaher and Cepheid 00:04:27
    • → point: John says Danaher's prices should acknowledge that GeneXpert tests are publicly funded public goods, not means to enrich the world's richest at the expense of the poorest. (00:05:04)
  • 2023-09-14 · John: John says he read that Phumeza took between 20,000 and 30,000 pills during her treatment. — Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES 00:18:24
    • → point: John says the core disagreement with Danaher and Cepheid is that a tool the neediest can't use is not useful; citing Dr. Peter Mugyenyi on HIV drugs, he says medicine fails unless it both invents and distributes treatments. (00:20:05)
  • 2023-09-14 · John: John recalls a memoir by a woman who had TB as a child in mid-20th-century US sanatoriums until streptomycin saved her; going home, she had forgotten being touched with love. — Talking Tuberculosis, GeneXpert, J&J, and more with MY HEROES 00:48:37
    • → opinion: John says such isolation is heartbreaking and unnecessary, since people a few weeks into treatment are no longer infectious and pose less threat than a crowded bus. (00:49:06)
  • 2023-09-19 · John: In a comment John says the result happened stunningly fast; he had a whole different video written for today. — So, um.... GOOD NEWS?!?!?! 00:00:00
    • → opinion: In a comment John says that, assuming third-party verification, he takes Danaher at its word that $7.97 is its cost, and hopes engineering brings costs down further. (creator comment)
  • 2023-09-19 · John: John tells how Phumeza Tisile's TB took over a month to diagnose; a chest X-ray missed her drug resistance, so she got the wrong regimen and spent over three and a half years in treatment, taking over 20,000 pills. — So, um.... GOOD NEWS?!?!?! 00:01:31
    • → opinion: John says it is easy to think of this in numbers or dollars, but he wants to think of it in terms of people's individual experiences. (00:01:31)
  • 2023-09-19 · John: John says he has experienced such threats: they only make him feel resentment, fear and anger, which makes mutual understanding and compromise far harder. — So, um.... GOOD NEWS?!?!?! 00:03:55
    • → point: John says millions more available tests mean the chance to transform millions of lives for the better. (00:02:31)
  • 2023-09-22 · Hank: Hank says John's calendar showed him how much time John spent on it, pushing and playing a chess game; it was a lot of work and John was freaked out. — A Feeling I've Never Felt Before 00:02:37
    • → opinion: Hank says it is not fun to be disliked by powerful people, and intense to work on something important that could go many different ways. (00:03:02)
  • 2023-09-22 · Hank: Hank says he is very proud of John, a feeling that is not new to him. — A Feeling I've Never Felt Before 00:04:02
    • → opinion: Hank says it happened not only through the community's energy but because John spent much time talking to experts and thinking about his tools, so he could, with others, find an opportunity and take it. (00:03:36)
  • 2023-09-27 · John: On his 40-minute walk to the UN, John wondered whether he would get to speak and thought of the honor of representing Nerdfighteria, Partners In Health, TB survivors and those who died. — John Goes ... to the UNITED NATIONS? 00:00:58
    • → opinion: John says the declaration is only a piece of paper unless nations and their leaders fund and implement its initiatives. (00:01:36)
  • 2023-09-27 · John: Thinking of Shreya, John was told by UN staff that he would get to speak if he kept it under two minutes. — John Goes ... to the UNITED NATIONS? 00:02:34
    • → opinion: John says Shreya's death was caused not just by tuberculosis but by government bureaucracy and international indifference to TB. (00:02:34)
  • 2023-09-27 · John: John hopes he did okay and that Shreya somehow knows we are still fighting for her and will continue until the fight is finished. — John Goes ... to the UNITED NATIONS? 00:04:31
    • → opinion: John believes that, working together over the next decade, we will choose a world where no one dies of tuberculosis. (00:04:31)
  • 2023-10-24 · John: John says Mondeh, like Hank, is now in remission and is a great young artist; visiting him in 2019, John saw his sketch of Mohamed Salah, John's favorite football player. — A Tale of Two Cancers 00:02:28
    • → point: John says much had to go right for Mondeh to survive: a correct diagnosis, though early diagnosis, often called vital in cancer care, is basically impossible in such circumstances. (00:02:38)
  • 2023-10-24 · John: John says all of this would have been impossible for Mondeh's family to afford without support from Partners In Health. — A Tale of Two Cancers 00:03:15
    • → point: John says accessing treatment meant paying for it plus months in a hotel in the capital and transport to hospital, and even then Mondeh had to travel thousands of miles to a cancer center. (00:02:52)
  • 2023-11-10 · Hank: Hank says his third obsession was that the socks could help other people who felt as bad as he did then. — My Final Chemo Secret 00:01:56
    • → opinion: Hank says during treatment he was obsessed with being extremely lucky to live at a time and place where treatment for his disease was available, so he would probably be okay. (00:02:05)
  • 2023-12-19 · John: John says that because he hasn't been good at being hopeful lately, he hasn't spent enough time marveling at the multi-generational global collaboration behind this progress. — End of a Rough Year 00:01:27
    • → opinion: John says the test's existence is cause for hope and celebration and a testament to research, the scientific method, the sharing of knowledge and the talent and hard work of Cepheid's people. (00:01:13)
  • 2024-03-19 · John: John says last week (week of 11 March 2024) he was in Washington, D.C. to ask senators and congresspeople to prioritize tuberculosis, the world's deadliest infectious disease. — Our $80,000,000 Bet 00:00:00
    • → point: John calls it in some ways the biggest bet of his life: a bet that we don't have to live in a world where over a million people a year die of a curable, preventable disease. (00:00:00)
  • 2024-08-06 · John: John donated to Henry's well project, promised to help share it, and links it in the doobly-doo. — What Helped Through Depression 00:01:56
    • → point: Helping helps: engaging with issues he cares about, and the friendships and connections that emerge from that work, encourage John. (00:01:56)
  • 2024-08-06 · John: John's work on TB has been a great source of solace and connection this past month. — What Helped Through Depression 00:01:56
    • → point: Helping helps: engaging with issues he cares about, and the friendships and connections that emerge from that work, encourage John. (00:01:56)
  • 2024-09-27 · John: John says they made a vinyl of The Anthropocene Reviewed, probably no longer available; he isn't selling it, it just makes him happy that it exists. (hedged) — Is It 2010? IT'S A PARTS VIDEO 00:04:45
    • → opinion: John says experts, including ones hired by the Global Fund, agree a greater share should go to tuberculosis and the overall pie must get much bigger. (00:04:30)
  • 2025-02-11 · John: John says one of his friends survived TB after taking between 20,000 and 30,000 pills. — What's at Stake 00:00:58
    • → point: John sets out to explain what is likely to happen when TB medication and diagnostics that are already paid for rot in warehouses because of US government stop-work orders. (00:00:29)
  • 2025-02-11 · John: John says friends ask him how to get their meds, and he doesn't know what to tell them because the supply chains are frozen. — What's at Stake 00:03:24
    • → point: John says a resurgence of TB, especially drug-resistant TB, would mean not thousands but millions or tens of millions more premature deaths. (00:02:55)
  • 2025-02-11 · John: John says phoning his senators and congresspeople or their offices has made him feel quite empowered: someone has to make the case, and he is grateful we still have some say in our governance. — What's at Stake 00:04:22
    • → opinion: John says philanthropy cannot replace USAID's at-scale responses, but supporting global health charities is more important than ever. (00:04:22)
  • 2025-02-25 · John: John says he started writing about TB to understand how an illness could quietly shape so much of human history. — EVERYTHING IS TUBERCULOSIS 00:06:20
    • → point: John says the same holds for TB: this year (2025) thousands of doctors will be unable to save millions of patients because the cure is where the disease is not. (00:06:20)
  • 2025-03-04 · John: John says feeling far from hope makes it anxiety-inducing to do interviews where people ask for his hopeful message. — The ANXIETY IS PALPABLE 00:01:27
    • → point: John says the book argues that tuberculosis has thrived through history along paths of injustice humans blazed, and traces how those forces made one particular boy sick in one place. (00:01:37)
  • 2025-03-04 · John: John says having a book come out is always stressful because it is the culmination of several years of his life and he wants people to like it and respond generously. — The ANXIETY IS PALPABLE 00:02:05
    • → point: John says the book argues that tuberculosis has thrived through history along paths of injustice humans blazed, and traces how those forces made one particular boy sick in one place. (00:01:37)
  • 2025-03-04 · John: John says his private, personal anxieties are at the moment legion. — The ANXIETY IS PALPABLE 00:02:15
    • → point: John says the book argues that tuberculosis has thrived through history along paths of injustice humans blazed, and traces how those forces made one particular boy sick in one place. (00:01:37)
  • 2025-03-28 · Hank: Hank films at Torc Waterfall in Killarney National Park in Ireland. — Is This a Million Dollar Idea? 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank says the waterfall made him think its sound is the perfect noise to fall asleep to. (00:00:05)
  • 2025-03-28 · Hank: The description says Hank is uploading from the Seattle airport on his way home, very tired, having just taken a picture with a group of rocket engineers. — Is This a Million Dollar Idea? 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank says the waterfall made him think its sound is the perfect noise to fall asleep to. (00:00:05)
  • 2025-03-28 · Hank: Hank often uses YouTube videos as a white noise machine when he travels without one. — Is This a Million Dollar Idea? 00:00:09
    • → opinion: Hank says the waterfall made him think its sound is the perfect noise to fall asleep to. (00:00:05)
  • 2025-05-06 · John: John met several TB survivors, including Gladys, whose extrapulmonary TB invaded her breast, an extremely painful and life-threatening condition. — Health CARE: Thoughts from Lima 00:01:56
    • → opinion: John says this kind of TB response is what the world needs; Peru still has a long way to go before everyone is screened and treated, but the progress is impressive. (00:01:27)
  • 2025-05-06 · John: After many months of treatment Gladys was cured; she now studies to become a nurse technician while caring for her kids and her dog. — Health CARE: Thoughts from Lima 00:02:26
    • → opinion: John says Gladys's treatment is no magic solution to all of life's problems, but it is the basic access to health care every human being deserves. (00:02:26)
  • 2025-05-06 · John: At a Socios clinic John met Brenda, a trans woman in Lima; he says it can be really hard for impoverished trans people to access health care in Peru. — Health CARE: Thoughts from Lima 00:02:55
    • → point: John says the fundamental thing health care needs in order to work is care. (00:02:55)
  • 2025-05-06 · John: Brenda told them how much her life has changed since she could access gender-affirming care and treatment for other health concerns. — Health CARE: Thoughts from Lima 00:03:24
    • → point: John says TB and other diseases of injustice do not strike randomly: they follow the paths of injustice and inequity that humans blaze. (00:03:24)
  • 2025-05-06 · John: John saw a health worker standing with Brenda as she registered for a doctor's visit and patting her back softly, kindly, with care. — Health CARE: Thoughts from Lima 00:03:53
    • → point: John says TB and other diseases of injustice do not strike randomly: they follow the paths of injustice and inequity that humans blaze. (00:03:24)
  • 2025-06-10 · John: John says a friend in Sierra Leone with HIV had his medication rationed by funding cuts; John promised he and Sarah would cover private medication, and the friend asked: what about everyone else? — 90,000,000 Lives for $20 00:05:50
    • → point: John says private philanthropy simply cannot step up and fill these gaps. (00:06:12)
  • 2025-10-28 · John: John flew into Manila, slept two hours, flew to Iloilo, met TB workers and took a ferry to Guimaras. — Elon Cancelled This...Let's Do it Anyway 00:00:00
    • → opinion: John says Guimaras is famous for its mangoes and hopefully will soon be famous for its tuberculosis eradication program. (00:00:00)
  • 2025-10-28 · John: John says he is grateful he fell in hate with TB, which has let him know hundreds of people working hard on a complicated problem. — Elon Cancelled This...Let's Do it Anyway 00:03:24
    • → point: John says it takes many people, from preventive therapy champions to political leaders, to bring lasting change, and he knows lasting change is possible. (00:03:53)
  • 2025-11-04 · John: John says at meetings he attended last week (week of 27 October 2025) in the Philippines he heard a lot about funding gaps, a polite phrase for not devoting nearly enough money to ending TB. — The Real Question 00:01:27
    • → point: John says that by not having sufficient money he means we choose not to have it. (00:01:27)
  • 2025-11-04 · John: John says at the meetings he heard about exciting new tests, a potential vaccine and shorter, easier-to-tolerate treatment regimens, which encouraged him. — The Real Question 00:01:56
    • → point: John says that by not having sufficient money he means we choose not to have it. (00:01:27)
  • 2025-11-04 · John: John says traveling with Doctors Without Borders to Tondo, a deeply impoverished community in Manila, reminded him that nothing about ending the TB crisis is easy. — The Real Question 00:02:26
    • → opinion: John says the world is struggling to get even roughly 45-year-old TB treatment regimens to patients, let alone the newest technologies. (00:02:26)
  • 2025-11-04 · John: In Tondo John met a 20-year-old man just diagnosed with TB, terrified for himself and for the six people he shares a room with. — The Real Question 00:02:26
    • → opinion: John says the world is struggling to get even roughly 45-year-old TB treatment regimens to patients, let alone the newest technologies. (00:02:26)
  • 2025-11-04 · John: John says he does not want to live benefiting from that scale of injustice, and it keeps him up at night. — The Real Question 00:04:23
    • → point: John says if the 20-year-old dies of TB or his siblings catch it, that will not be his fault but our shared fault. (00:04:23)
  • 2025-11-13 · John: John recently met someone whose child got TB and who had to crush the pills, divide them into thirds and give them in sugar water daily for months; this is starting to change. — Fighting TB in Kids: A Discussion with Doctors without Borders 00:00:47
    • → opinion: John says we don't invest much of our research money in kids. (00:00:47)
  • 2025-11-13 · John: In the Philippines John saw Doctors Without Borders work in an impoverished Manila community and met a young man diagnosed with TB hours earlier. — Fighting TB in Kids: A Discussion with Doctors without Borders 00:15:14
    • → opinion: John says hearing from a survivor who has been through TB is entirely different from hearing from him or a nurse that medicine will make you stronger. (00:15:14)
  • 2025-11-13 · John: John says his friend Henry, an MDR-TB survivor in Sierra Leone, credits Dr. Girum Tefera and also his mother, who brought him extra food when many are abandoned by families. — Fighting TB in Kids: A Discussion with Doctors without Borders 00:47:09
    • → opinion: John recalls a young MSF doctor in Manila urging him to treat the person, not the lab: especially in kids, a negative GeneXpert test may not tell much. (00:47:51)
  • 2025-11-25 · John: John says Henry's visa was approved, and he spoke to thousands of TB researchers and doctors about his experience, celebrating his mother and doctors and standing in for those with TB. — Poverty Is Expensive 00:03:24
    • → opinion: John calls Isatu an expert on saving kids from TB death, from providing nutrition to addressing stigma. (00:03:24)
  • 2025-11-25 · John: John says Henry spoke beautifully and confidently; they shared meals, John learned Henry is a K-pop fan, and they visited an art museum in a magical week. — Poverty Is Expensive 00:03:53
    • → opinion: John calls Isatu an expert on saving kids from TB death, from providing nutrition to addressing stigma. (00:03:24)
  • 2026-02-13 · John: John says Sarah printed a book of the emails they wrote each other in the two years they were close friends before dating; they had known each other since high school. — Project for Awesome 2026 Kickoff! 02:00:39
    • → opinion: John says the Galapagos episode of The Anthropocene Reviewed explores his humanism: why he is broadly in favor of humans and life, and why we should celebrate what is good about our species. (02:01:27)
  • 2026-02-13 · John: John says hosting the Project for Awesome is always exhausting, thrilling, nerve-wracking and wonderful; every year it goes astonishingly well thanks to the people who work on it in the background and all year. — Project for Awesome 2026 Kickoff! 02:46:46
    • → opinion: John has written no romantasy but would like to; the things he loves writing and reading most are romance and mystery novels, though he says he is not very good at either. (02:45:22)
  • 2026-02-14 · John: In 2019 Partners In Health told John that $25 million was needed even to break ground on the maternal hospital in Sierra Leone, and he almost had a panic attack. — Project for Awesome 2026 part 4! 00:03:54
    • → opinion: John calls the first birth at the Maternal Center of Excellence a testament to what people can do when they work together and take a long-term focus on a long-term problem. (00:05:41)
  • 2026-02-14 · John: John recalls that when he was ill in March 2007, about 270 viewers sent pictures with stuff on their heads to cheer him up, the first moment he and Hank thought of doing more with the community. — Project for Awesome 2026 part 4! 00:08:24
    • → opinion: John finds it metaphorically resonant that the first birth came during the Project for Awesome, since the hospital would not exist without the P4A and the community pushing the brothers toward charity. (00:07:36)
  • 2026-02-14 · John: John dedicated The Fault in Our Stars to Esther Earl, a Nerdfighter who lived with cancer and in whose memory This Star Won't Go Out was founded; she and her family were and are good friends. — Project for Awesome 2026 part 3! 00:38:42
    • → opinion: As AFC Wimbledon draw level, John says life is full of surprises and hope is always the correct response to consciousness: not always rewarded, but always justified. (00:37:55)
  • 2026-02-14 · John: When John got the message from Peyton (as heard) that the first baby had been delivered by emergency C-section, with the mother safe and the baby in the NICU, he burst into tears. — Project for Awesome 2026 part 4! 00:58:53
    • → point: John says thousands of people had to come together to make the Maternal Center of Excellence happen, as is usually the case with things that truly transform a community. (00:59:33)
  • 2026-02-14 · John: John recalls looking at his newborn son and thinking he was zero days old; now a brand-new baby in Kono is getting the care it deserves. — Project for Awesome 2026 part 4! 01:01:22
    • → point: John says thousands of people had to come together to make the Maternal Center of Excellence happen, as is usually the case with things that truly transform a community. (00:59:33)
  • 2026-02-14 · Hank: Hank is texting John, who tells him he is doing a good job hosting. — Project for Awesome 2026 part 3! 06:33:44
    • → opinion: Answering a viewer's email about the amount of bad in the world, Hank says he doesn't know what to do except focus on the things he can feel and know are good, which are strong, real and in his community. (06:34:32)
  • 2026-02-14 · Hank: Hank says he keeps trying different formats for his Hanklerfish art perks, and likes this year's (2026) woodblock because it is harder to break in the mail and feels substantial. — Project for Awesome 2026 part 3! 07:03:54
    • → opinion: Hank explains that 2022 was the P4A's best year because there was suddenly more disposable income in the economy. (07:04:46)
  • 2026-02-15 · John: When John was 13 he got a key to the house as his present, so he could come home and let himself in as a latchkey child. — Project for Awesome 2026 part 5! 02:24:20
    • → opinion: John likes having his makeup done because being touched on the face kindly is actually really rare. (02:25:12)
  • 2026-02-15 · John: John was 29 when they started and is now 48; he does not know if he will still make videos every Tuesday when it is half his life, but suspects he will still be doing the Project for Awesome. (hedged) — Project for Awesome 2026 part 5! 02:56:32
    • → opinion: John says Nerdfighteria has been game-changing in his life; his family talks and thinks about it a lot because it is such an important part of their lives. (02:56:32)
  • 2026-02-15 · John: John gets the Nerdfighter art perk every year because it connects him with a random Nerdfighter who made something just for him; of 1,475, only 246 remain. — Project for Awesome 2026 part 5! 03:50:36
    • → opinion: John says that besides positive thinking there is the power of negative thinking: as he discussed with his therapist, worry does a job, and the correct amount of worry is not zero. (03:51:39)
  • 2026-02-15 · Hank: Hank lives in a neighborhood where people put things out on the corner, which he loves; he has no HOA, one of its most appealing features. — Project for Awesome 2026 part 5! 04:00:21
    • → opinion: Recalling a condo committee, Hank says negotiating with neighbors is annoying but is the nature of living in a society: figuring out together how to get things done is an essential part of adulthood. (04:01:15)
  • 2026-02-15 · John: Chat's "we're here because we're here because we're here" always makes John emotional, as it makes him think of his great friend Amy Krouse Rosenthal. — Project for Awesome 2026 part 5! 04:27:41
    • → opinion: John thanks Hank for joining when he did and giving the livestream a big boost, because John was flagging a little. (04:26:56)
  • 2026-02-20 · Hank: Hank recalls that at the 2011 Project for Awesome they pledged $10,000 to Partners In Health for its work in Haiti for a number of comments, he thinks their first direct gift to PIH. (hedged) — What We Actually Did. 00:00:29
    • → point: Hank says our minds struggle to focus on something bad that has been that way a long time, even one of the world's biggest disasters, if it is not sudden news. (00:00:58)
  • 2026-02-20 · Hank: Hank recalls that a few years later John told him of a big idea: responding not to a sudden disaster but to a long-term one that was just the way things had been. — What We Actually Did. 00:00:29
    • → point: Hank says our minds struggle to focus on something bad that has been that way a long time, even one of the world's biggest disasters, if it is not sudden news. (00:00:58)
  • 2026-02-20 · Hank: Hank says John pitched the project as very long, very hard and not making them more popular, convincing him it was not about most views but most good with their views. — What We Actually Did. 00:00:58
    • → point: Hank says our minds struggle to focus on something bad that has been that way a long time, even one of the world's biggest disasters, if it is not sudden news. (00:00:58)
  • 2026-02-20 · Hank: Hank says they promised Partners In Health to raise tens of millions of dollars and made a spreadsheet of how, which proved very wrong and which he cannot find. — What We Actually Did. 00:01:27
    • → point: Hank says the easiest thing to do with views or money is get more of them, but their whole point is to be turned toward something valuable. (00:01:27)
  • 2026-02-20 · Hank: Hank says he wrote to the richest people he knew and learned how generous they were; the most generous, who prioritized mothers' health, sadly did not live to see this. — What We Actually Did. 00:03:24
    • → point: Hank says by far the biggest thing they did was simply orient people's attention toward the effort. (00:02:26)
  • 2026-02-20 · Hank: Hank says she was triaged first among other pregnant women, and her baby was born by C-section just after 1pm on Valentine's Day. — What We Actually Did. 00:04:18
    • → point: Hank says he did none of this: at most he had fun ideas that turned people's heads, and they did the rest; John turned his head, and Paul Farmer turned John's. (00:04:47)
  • 2026-02-20 · Hank: Hank lists other first-day patients: a mother with chest pains who drove five hours, one past her due date who had the second C-section, and one rushed from a nearby clinic. — What We Actually Did. 00:04:18
    • → point: Hank says he did none of this: at most he had fun ideas that turned people's heads, and they did the rest; John turned his head, and Paul Farmer turned John's. (00:04:47)
  • 2026-02-24 · John: John says his safety net lets him risk writing a novel that might not work out; since The Fault in Our Stars he can do pretty much whatever he wants with his time. — Risk Is a Privilege 00:02:26
    • → point: John says the reluctance to invest in impoverished communities is the main reason maternal and child mortality were so high in Sierra Leone. (00:02:55)
  • 2026-02-24 · John: John recalls an unfathomably rich person emailing him to decline investing in the project because it had an unfavorable risk profile. — Risk Is a Privilege 00:03:24
    • → point: John says the reluctance to invest in impoverished communities is the main reason maternal and child mortality were so high in Sierra Leone. (00:02:55)
  • 2026-03-17 · John: John says the reason Hank is in so much pain turns out to be that he has shingles again. — Tuberculosis and Hank's Shingles 00:00:58
    • → point: John says the story shows the strange incentives in creating vaccines for poor countries' diseases when they conflict with health problems of wealthy countries, whose governments can spend lots on vaccines. (00:02:26)
  • 2026-04-14 · John: John tells of Sia Jamisa, 33, a pregnant mother of three two hours from Koidu, who went to her local clinic to give birth but developed complications needing an emergency C-section. — Babies. Babies. Babies. 00:00:58
    • → point: John says a functioning maternal and child health system needs more than nurses, midwives and operating rooms: a woman with complications far away needs an ambulance. (00:00:58)
  • 2026-04-14 · John: John reveals a recent family emergency at home involved an ambulance ride; it was terrifying, and he is grateful to the EMS professionals for their calm and skill. — Babies. Babies. Babies. 00:01:56
    • → point: John says a functioning maternal and child health system needs more than nurses, midwives and operating rooms: a woman with complications far away needs an ambulance. (00:00:58)
  • 2026-04-14 · John: Scared and anxious, Sia was taken by ambulance to an available operating room and delivered a healthy baby boy by emergency C-section; mother and baby are doing great. — Babies. Babies. Babies. 00:02:55
    • → point: John says a functioning maternal and child health system needs more than nurses, midwives and operating rooms: a woman with complications far away needs an ambulance. (00:00:58)
  • 2026-04-28 · John: John recalls that on his first visit in 2019 KGH, already improved with PIH support, had running water and 24-hour electricity but no ultrasound or diabetes treatment, and far fewer patients. — What I Can't Show You 00:00:29
    • → point: John says the wards are crowded because they give real care, with the staff, stuff and systems to save lives: the first difference PIH makes is building and maintaining hospitals where you come to get well. (00:01:56)
  • 2026-04-28 · John: John confesses that visiting the MCOE he wept with gratitude and astonishment. — What I Can't Show You 00:02:55
    • → point: John says that after seven long years of fundraising and building, the MCOE is the kind of long-term response that transforms not just its patients' lives but its community's. (00:03:24)
  • 2026-04-28 · John: In the NICU John saw babies who months ago would have had a very low chance of survival and will now lead long, productive lives. — What I Can't Show You 00:02:55
    • → point: John says that after seven long years of fundraising and building, the MCOE is the kind of long-term response that transforms not just its patients' lives but its community's. (00:03:24)
  • 2026-04-28 · John: In the C-section recovery wards John met women whose lives would have been in grave danger from giving birth, now getting the care everyone deserves. — What I Can't Show You 00:03:24
    • → point: John says that after seven long years of fundraising and building, the MCOE is the kind of long-term response that transforms not just its patients' lives but its community's. (00:03:24)
  • 2026-04-28 · John: In the MCOE's prenatal ward John met Rebecca, who, asked how many children she had, said four children, one living. — What I Can't Show You 00:04:14
    • → opinion: John says Rebecca's loss was not necessary or inevitable but, as the MCOE's entrance says, came from the idea that some lives matter less, the root of all that is wrong with the world. (00:04:14)
  • 2026-04-28 · John: Now cared for in a dignified space by well-trained staff who found her pregnancy extremely high risk, Rebecca was staying in the antenatal ward before a C-section later that week. — What I Can't Show You 00:04:40
    • → opinion: John says Rebecca's loss was not necessary or inevitable but, as the MCOE's entrance says, came from the idea that some lives matter less, the root of all that is wrong with the world. (00:04:14)
  • 2026-04-28 · John: Rebecca told John she was scared of being cut open, of another stillbirth, and of not being able to hold a living child. — What I Can't Show You 00:04:40
    • → opinion: John says Rebecca's loss was not necessary or inevitable but, as the MCOE's entrance says, came from the idea that some lives matter less, the root of all that is wrong with the world. (00:04:14)
  • 2026-04-28 · John: Rebecca's nurse told her not to worry: that day the doctors had performed nine C-sections with no complications, nine healthy mothers and nine healthy babies. — What I Can't Show You 00:05:09
    • → opinion: John says that in 2019 Rebecca's nurse could not totally have reassured her, because pregnancy in Kono was dangerous. (00:05:09)
  • 2026-04-28 · John: John says he has never been so proud; this is only the beginning, but what a beginning. — What I Can't Show You 00:06:05
    • → opinion: John says there is much more work to do, miles to go before he sleeps as Robert Frost put it: we need more centers of excellence. (00:06:05)
  • 2026-05-01 · Hank: Hank was surprised that while about half the replies to his post agreed, many reframed the graph in today's desperation: anti-vaxxers or AI data centers will take it away, what about adult mortality. — Despair is Not Wisdom 00:00:58
    • → opinion: On the US aid cuts, Hank says we cannot be numb to the brutality of the richest man in the world taking aid from the poorest people; he will never forgive it and finds it monstrous. (00:01:27)
  • 2026-05-05 · John: Last week (week of 27 April 2026) John met two 20-year-old best friends who live together; one is being treated for tuberculosis alongside her one-year-old child. — Noted Brother Hank Green 00:02:44
    • → point: John says the two women sharing their stories helped him bridge the empathy gap: what feels distant collapses when sitting together, invited into their home. (00:02:59)
  • 2026-05-08 · Hank: Hank says he is maybe, probably done with his own journey; the world definitely is not, but it is on the journey. (hedged) — My Deathday 00:04:22
    • → point: Hank says Hodgkin's is a big problem for an individual, which he lived through, but also a big problem for the world, whose effort to solve it he did not experience. (00:04:22)
  • 2026-08-25 · John: John's back hurt terribly yesterday; today it hurts less and he cannot call to mind how bad it was. — The Great Thing about Infectious Disease 00:05:21
    • → point: In the fight for better human health, John says, progress is never final, but it is also possible. (00:05:21)
  • 2026-10-20 · John: Earlier this year (2026) in the Philippines John met a teenager just diagnosed with TB who was told no treatment was available because of drug stockouts; every drug in his proposed regimen is over 60 years old. — Correcting a Mistake in Everything Is Tuberculosis · 50 x 50 Science 00:07:18
    • → point: To bring about a world where tuberculosis is no longer the deadliest infection, John says, both biological and sociological problems must be solved. (00:07:47)

Philosophy & meaning

  • 2009-09-15 · Hank: Hank mentions a friend about to go to the Congo to teach digital media to Congolese people, which he calls an awesome idea and a very different life. — Internetless in Maine 00:01:23
    • → point: Hank says life here is barely different, only without internet, yet that is enough to show him most people live lives nothing like his, which he never thinks about. (00:01:23)
  • 2010-03-17 · Hank: Family is always central to Hank's concerns, so he wishes his mom a happy birthday and plays her a song on party blowers. — Side-Boob is Not my Ultimate Concern 00:02:40
    • → opinion: Hank says you can't care about everything: you can't care about a neighbor's baby as much as he cares about his nephew Henry. (00:02:40)
  • 2010-03-19 · John: The Looking for Alaska line on the Italian edition's back, 'imagining the future is a kind of nostalgia', was said to John by Sarah on their first date. — Foreign John Green Books and the Ultimate Concern 00:02:04
    • → point: John thinks we all privilege those close to us over those who aren't, and threats close to us over distant ones, which is why Hank's farsighted concern impresses him. (00:02:33)
  • 2010-06-21 · John: John recalls learning as a child at the Orlando Science Center planetarium that the Earth will end, his first grappling with the temporary habitability of the universe. — You're Gonna Die 00:00:24
    • → point: John tells Hank they and everyone they love will die, and one day no one will remember the books, World Cups, proofs or in-your-pants jokes, as if they never happened. (00:00:00)
  • 2010-08-20 · John: The other day at Charlie McDonnell's house John saw the sign 'Zombies Are People Too' on Charlie's famous wall of stuff. — The Fox Hat IS REAL, but Are Zombies People? 00:00:00
    • → point: John suggests zombiness is defined not by shuffling, reanimation or cannibalism but by just walking around doing whatever is needed to keep walking around. (00:00:29)
  • 2010-08-20 · John: Years ago in New York, John's friends Cassandra Clare and Holly had a knock-down fight over whether trolls are people. — The Fox Hat IS REAL, but Are Zombies People? 00:00:00
    • → point: John suggests zombiness is defined not by shuffling, reanimation or cannibalism but by just walking around doing whatever is needed to keep walking around. (00:00:29)
  • 2010-08-27 · John: Before writing books John worked as a chaplain at a children's hospital, where his supervisor told him: don't just do something, stand there. — Rest In Awesome, Esther 00:01:24
    • → point: John argues that rather than rushing to mitigate loss or find a silver lining, there is real value in standing still, being sad, bearing witness to Esther's life and being transformed by it. (00:01:35)
  • 2010-08-27 · John: John recounts that when he saw Esther in Boston a couple of months ago she said she believes the dead live on in the memory and lives of those they touched. — Rest In Awesome, Esther 00:01:52
    • → point: John argues that rather than rushing to mitigate loss or find a silver lining, there is real value in standing still, being sad, bearing witness to Esther's life and being transformed by it. (00:01:35)
  • 2011-06-20 · John: A decade ago John worked as a chaplain at a children's hospital, and he was briefly enrolled in, though never attended, the University of Chicago's divinity school. — On Religion 00:00:10
    • → opinion: Nerdfighters often ask whether the brothers are religious; they have been reluctant to discuss it because the quality of internet discourse about religion is atrocious. (00:00:01)
  • 2011-06-24 · John: In college John visited a Pentecostal church in rural Florida where a woman asked the pastor to pray for her sister, lost because she attended the Pentecostal church across the street. — On Religion (Redux) 00:01:06
    • → point: Even within one denomination of one sect of one tradition there are big disagreements: whoever you are, someone in your own tradition will say you aren't really Jewish, Muslim or Christian. (00:01:25)
  • 2011-12-12 (said on 2011-12-11, implied) · Hank: Hank says Papa had about 20 years more life than the average person. — Our Grandfather 00:01:26
    • → point: It still makes Hank very angry, but life is just a limited time span in which we get to do things; it always ends, and everything that lives dies. (00:01:26)
  • 2012-03-30 · Hank: Hank finds a yard with crocuses coming up and declares spring official. — Springtime Hunger Games Zit Bully Walk 00:01:56
    • → point: Hank says what he enjoys most is anticipation; he thinks humans care more about anticipating a thing, like a new game or movie, than about getting it. (00:02:26)
  • 2013-02-05 · John: John found his book in a bookshop (which book is not said), and the walk ended at London City Hall and a view of Tower Bridge. — Headless Statues and Elton John's Piano: Seeing Sights in London (Thoughts from Places) 00:03:24
    • → opinion: John wonders how different Tower Bridge really is from a photograph; after 30 hours awake he can't decide whether sights need seeing or virtual experience is enough. (00:03:24)
  • 2013-06-07 · Hank: Hank's description says he has talked to John a lot since the birth: John is excited, exhausted, enjoying time with his family, and far less freaked out than when Henry was born. — How To Be a Baby Properly 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank welcomes Alice to Earth, 'a wonderful, terrible place', and says she is being born into what may be the most interesting time in human history. (00:00:00)
  • 2013-06-07 · Hank: Hank writes that it is really weird to lose John not just from YouTube but largely from Tumblr and Twitter too, and asks viewers not to forget about him while he is gone. — How To Be a Baby Properly 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank welcomes Alice to Earth, 'a wonderful, terrible place', and says she is being born into what may be the most interesting time in human history. (00:00:00)
  • 2014-03-25 · John: John recalls that on a recent Art Assignment episode a viewer asked Sarah to define art; she was comfortable without a definition while he blathered. — I Gotta Go: Signing Off and Thinking about Inspiration 00:02:26
    • → point: John says we imagine creative work as singular feats of genius, like James Joyce writing Ulysses or Beyoncé's surprise album, but even they rely on vast networks of influence. (00:02:36)
  • 2015-02-06 · Hank: Hank lists his successes: touring in a rock band, being written about in the New Yorker, helping raise over 2 million dollars for charity, Crash Course in thousands of schools, interviewing the President. — You Will Be Forgotten ...And That's OK 00:01:16
    • → point: Hank says none of the milestones (first recognized in public, 100,000 or a million subscribers, paying bills with YouTube) was the day he became perpetually satisfied and always happy. (00:01:29)
  • 2015-03-20 · Hank: Hank says that growing up he went to many shows at grimy little venues full of strangers and found them scary pretty much every time. — A Sacrifice of Individuality and the Internets 00:03:13
    • → point: Hank says those shows taught him not that crowds are wise or powerful, but that crowds are kind, at least in the right situations; letting his individuality drop, he gained more than he lost. (00:03:23)
  • 2015-05-12 · John: John says he is much more self-conscious: being recognized makes him anxious, and though grateful, he finds people photographing him from a distance weirdest. — Becoming Someone Else 00:01:28
    • → opinion: John is nostalgic for 2007-2009, when everyone who met him on the street was a nerdfighter, though that is terrible since good things followed: his children, his book's success and film. (00:01:41)
  • 2015-05-12 · John: To become his 2008 self, John puts on a hat. — Becoming Someone Else 00:01:57
    • → opinion: John is nostalgic for 2007-2009, when everyone who met him on the street was a nerdfighter, though that is terrible since good things followed: his children, his book's success and film. (00:01:41)
  • 2015-05-12 · John: John says the hat makes him feel like someone else, someone he is more comfortable being in public: strangely effective. — Becoming Someone Else 00:02:55
    • → point: John says Tameka's assignment reminded him that he is always becoming someone else. (00:03:16)
  • 2015-05-29 · Hank: Hank says feeling comfortable being himself and having society recognize his strengths is rare and rad; he has it now, never wants to take it for granted, and won't be bitter if he loses it. — 15 of My Favorite Feelings 00:01:19
    • → opinion: Favorite feeling: someone you respect telling you they respect you. (00:01:35)
  • 2016-01-08 · Hank: Hank, now 35, says he expected someone his age to know who he is, but he does not. — Who Am I?! - Some thoughts on Personal Identity 00:00:47
    • → opinion: Hank says he thinks climate change is the greatest challenge humanity has ever faced. (00:00:29)
  • 2016-01-22 · Hank: Hank says he will keep eating less meat, but not no meat, because it is easier and simpler, he likes it, and he is not perfect. — Why Are Vegetarians Annoying? (An Exploration of a Cultural Rift) 00:03:41
    • → point: Hank's answer to why people are annoyed by vegetarians: they work extremely hard to live by values that conflict with society's, and people don't want to hear that what they enjoy makes the world less good. (00:02:55)
  • 2016-06-03 · Hank: Hank says that as he has worked to appreciate the work behind his home, town, country and world, he has become happier with who and where he is. — Redefining What it Means to Matter 00:03:07
    • → point: Hank says that in the end we matter because we make life better for people around us and for people in the future. (00:03:19)
  • 2016-07-12 · John: John recalls a November woods walk when son Henry was about two: John held him up to admire the misty forest view, but Henry said 'leaf' and grabbed a single brown oak leaf. — Our Capacity for Wonder: A Review 00:01:53
    • → point: John says the leaf's intricacy reminded him that aesthetic beauty is as much about how and whether you look as about what you see. (00:02:54)
  • 2016-07-12 · John: John says he wanted to tell Henry that brown oak leaves are everywhere in the eastern US in November, but looking with him he saw red, orange and yellow veins too complex to take in. — Our Capacity for Wonder: A Review 00:02:26
    • → point: John says the leaf's intricacy reminded him that aesthetic beauty is as much about how and whether you look as about what you see. (00:02:54)
  • 2016-11-09 · John: John says his nephew Orin was born ten days ago (30 October 2016); his parents bringing him into the world was an act of hope, which heartens John and was not misguided. — My Post-Election Thoughts 00:02:42
    • → point: John says hope is not idealistic or silly but the founding emotion of our species. (00:03:12)
  • 2017-02-21 · John: John says he doesn't know when his new book will come out. — Does Human Life Have Real Meaning? 00:03:20
    • → point: Asked why people are obsessed with being right, John says he doesn't know, and that he is practising saying 'I don't know' more because it is a really underutilized phrase. (00:03:08)
  • 2017-02-24 · Hank: The idea appealed to Hank as a younger man partly because it excused acting against his values, but mostly because it fed his wish to believe he could manipulate people and the world toward a good outcome. (hedged) — Doing Bad Things To Make Good Things Happen 00:00:40
    • → point: Hank describes the 'Machiavellian train' he used to be on: the idea that good people must be willing to do everything bad people do to get a good outcome, or the bad people win. (00:00:21)
  • 2017-02-24 · Hank: Hank says he saw himself as the protagonist of books he liked: Ender Wiggin, Frank Chalmers, Paul Atreides. — Doing Bad Things To Make Good Things Happen 00:01:01
    • → point: Hank describes the 'Machiavellian train' he used to be on: the idea that good people must be willing to do everything bad people do to get a good outcome, or the bad people win. (00:00:21)
  • 2017-02-24 · Hank: When Hank saw people as pawns to be moved, he trusted others less because he thought they saw him that way too, which was a bad feeling. — Doing Bad Things To Make Good Things Happen 00:01:34
    • → point: First reason: healthy societies rely on trust, and that trust can never exist if we all see each other as pawns. (00:01:27)
  • 2017-02-24 · Hank: Hank had to get okay with discarding ideas he couldn't carry out while living rightly, which was surprisingly hard because he had praised ideas above reality. (hedged) — Doing Bad Things To Make Good Things Happen 00:03:00
    • → point: Hank has come to believe that millions of tiny, sometimes invisible actions, more than any huge accomplishment, are what really make humanity work. (00:03:35)
  • 2017-07-18 · John: John says ten years ago today was one of the most important days of his life. — Accio Decade Hallows 00:00:05
    • → opinion: John recalls Hank's idea that bad news usually comes all at once and good news slowly: declines in absolute poverty, child mortality and violent deaths go unreported because they are decades-long processes, not events. (00:00:09)
  • 2017-08-08 · John: John says that yesterday he was happy in the Piazza San Marco, loving the families from all over the world and people taking selfies with history; he didn't even mind the pigeons. — What You Make of It: Thoughts from Venice, Italy 00:02:44
    • → point: John says he was reminded that how you feel at your worst is not how you are always going to feel. (00:02:56)
  • 2017-11-03 · John: John tells an Amy story from his tour: in 2005 Amy, a children's book writer, memoirist and professional seeker of wonder, invited him to one of her readings. — Because We're Here 00:00:38
    • → point: John says that night Amy transformed the song for him without changing its words: we were here together, never really alone, part of a vast, deeply interconnected us. (00:02:05)
  • 2017-11-03 · John: John says he was then in a period of intense unwellness, losing himself to intrusive thought spirals, with a chest-crushing depression: nothing enjoyable, struggling to get out of bed. (hedged) — Because We're Here 00:00:47
    • → point: John says that night Amy transformed the song for him without changing its words: we were here together, never really alone, part of a vast, deeply interconnected us. (00:02:05)
  • 2017-12-29 · Hank: Hank says retaking a Myers-Briggs test online made it very clear he has changed a lot: five-years-ago Hank would have answered differently. — Can You Ever Really Change? 00:01:41
    • → point: Hank's milder reason for disliking personality tests now: he worries the idea of such a test leads to the belief that we are what we are and will never be anything else. (00:01:33)
  • 2017-12-29 · Hank: Hank says he is now much more a planner than the improviser he was, partly from having a child and partly from a team of 15 people, and he likes working that way. — Can You Ever Really Change? 00:01:52
    • → point: Hank's milder reason for disliking personality tests now: he worries the idea of such a test leads to the belief that we are what we are and will never be anything else. (00:01:33)
  • 2017-12-29 · Hank: Hank says he is no longer in the middle of introvert-extrovert but way over on the extrovert side, as anyone who knows him would say. — Can You Ever Really Change? 00:02:15
    • → point: Hank's milder reason for disliking personality tests now: he worries the idea of such a test leads to the belief that we are what we are and will never be anything else. (00:01:33)
  • 2018-06-26 · John: John first heard the joke at 23, when he believed adulthood was a process through which one became the wise older fish. — How's the Water? 00:00:30
    • → opinion: They all told him that once he opened his eyes he'd see 'this is water': Jesus or anti-theism, rigid social hierarchies or radical egalitarianism, low-fat or low-carb diets. (00:00:59)
  • 2018-06-26 · John: So John listened to people claiming to be the wise fish, religious or atheistic, conservative or liberal, whose shared certainty he found almost desperately attractive. — How's the Water? 00:00:38
    • → opinion: They all told him that once he opened his eyes he'd see 'this is water': Jesus or anti-theism, rigid social hierarchies or radical egalitarianism, low-fat or low-carb diets. (00:00:59)
  • 2018-11-01 · Hank: The landlord said they were wildflowers grown from the seeds thrown at his wedding, and Heath replied that now he was just making him feel guilty. — Should I Feel Guilty? 00:00:41
    • → point: Hank says he understands feeling bad for doing something wrong even unintentionally, since that negative emotion can make him behave better in future. (00:00:53)
  • 2018-11-01 · Hank: Hank never had student loans because his grandfather ran businesses and was wealthy; his family was not wealthy but had a safety net his friends lacked, and he has always felt guilty about it. — Should I Feel Guilty? 00:01:49
    • → opinion: Hank says he also feels bad about having things others lack, like his book deal and well-received book while many other great books never got published. (00:01:36)
  • 2019-02-19 · John: Off social media, John says he treated Instagram and Twitter like first love, as if an experience's realness depended on its sharedness; he enjoys looking at things outside the frame of shareability. — Battling Apathy and Searching for Meaning on Question Tuesday 00:00:29
    • → opinion: John thinks the meaning of life differs between people and times; for him right now it is to use the gift of human consciousness to pay attention. (00:00:29)
  • 2019-02-26 · John: Sitting at an airport gate waiting for his flight to Detroit, John couldn't stop thinking that everyone in the airport would be dead within a century or so. — The Necessity to Struggle / The Futility of Effort 00:00:00
    • → opinion: John says the present moment will one day feel distant like an old picture and then be entirely forgotten; it is absurd how temporary we are despite our efforts to feel permanent. (00:00:29)
  • 2019-02-26 · John: Thinking further, John began to feel nihilistic, angry and disgusted by everything, from a man loudly discussing supply chains on his Bluetooth headset to how much stuff everyone has. — The Necessity to Struggle / The Futility of Effort 00:00:58
    • → opinion: In the spiral, John is disgusted at people pretending human effort matters when our species will be gone in a geologic nanosecond, a brief blip in the planet's story. (00:01:27)
  • 2019-04-16 · John: On his usual Monday nights of doing nothing, John scrolls Netflix for about 20 minutes after the kids sleep, then watches something or reads. — Doing Somethings 00:00:29
    • → point: John says doing nothing means not making an active choice: it feels like the natural default, while doing something feels like making a choice. (00:00:29)
  • 2019-04-16 · John: John takes medication for his mental illness every day; taking it feels like doing something, and not taking it feels like doing nothing. — Doing Somethings 00:00:58
    • → point: John says doing nothing means not making an active choice: it feels like the natural default, while doing something feels like making a choice. (00:00:29)
  • 2019-04-16 · John: John says a Birmingham, Alabama mayoral candidate's slogan, 'Larry Langford, let's do something', became a catchphrase in his family. — Doing Somethings 00:02:26
    • → point: John says while we're here we'll do a lot of somethings; doing nothing is not a way out of the responsibilities and opportunities of personhood. (00:02:55)
  • 2019-04-19 · Hank: Hank says that for him, unlike John, taking his medicine is the default choice. — Making your Nothings into Somethings 00:01:21
    • → point: Hank proposes a grid: active nothings (good), passive nothings (the worst), active somethings (hard) and passive somethings (the best). (00:01:50)
  • 2019-05-21 · John: John wanted fame when younger so people would like him, but when his work became known he felt people liked Mickey Mouse, not him. — Keanu Reeves: A Love Letter 00:02:55
    • → point: John concludes that we don't know who is in Keanu's Mickey Mouse suit, but Keanu does, and that is all that matters. (00:02:55)
  • 2019-08-03 · Hank: Valentine's Day as people do it has always seemed blah to Hank, but he likes the chance to write Katherine a card saying he loves her and why. — I Love John: Esther Day 2019 00:02:05
    • → point: Esther's request to celebrate her birthday by celebrating familial love was genius: there was no day for that, and the tradition needed to exist. (00:02:40)
  • 2020-03-17 · John: John's comment says the video is early because he now helps homeschool two children. — together. 00:00:00
    • → point: John says togetherness is the superpower of our species: humans are smart as animals go, but collective knowledge is what made us so successful. (00:00:00)
  • 2020-03-17 · John: In a comment John says his family is self-isolating because of potential exposure at one of the kids' schools before it closed. — together. 00:00:00
    • → point: John says togetherness is the superpower of our species: humans are smart as animals go, but collective knowledge is what made us so successful. (00:00:00)
  • 2020-03-20 · Hank: As an active, uncoordinated kid Hank broke several bones and learned the sudden realization that life will not be the same and that sameness cannot be regained. — The Sudden Obliteration of Expectation 00:02:02
    • → point: The diagnosis settled nothing except one thing: Hank's future was definitely not going to be what he had imagined. (00:02:02)
  • 2020-03-20 · Hank: Hank could find no English word for the feeling, so he wrote to Susie Dent, his favorite game show linguist, who replied on Twitter. — The Sudden Obliteration of Expectation 00:03:19
    • → point: Hank describes the feeling: the story you have silently told yourself about the future falls apart and is simply gone, not replaced by anything. (00:03:19)
  • 2020-03-31 · John: John feels calmer than when he started, though not calm; he knows the feeling won't last, as nothing does, but is grateful for it anyway. — Let's take a walk. 00:02:56
    • → point: John thinks of a Lucille Clifton poem that ends 'The future is possible' and feels hope in it. (00:03:25)
  • 2020-05-01 · Hank: Hank and Monica painted part of the ball; Michael told them to leave the rest for people about to arrive, three nice young people who then came. — I Need to Get Myself Away from this Place 00:02:40
    • → point: Hank felt he was no longer in his own story but in the young visitors', an extraordinarily minor character in their road trip: the guy who painted the other half of the ball. (00:02:40)
  • 2020-05-12 · John: John says that, like many people, his brain problems have been dramatically amplified by the wider problems, making it hard at times to think straight. — We Could All Use a Little Change 00:01:56
    • → point: John says he always said he had a lot to be grateful for but didn't know it, attending only to what he yearned for, such as a brain that handles a crisis well. (00:02:26)
  • 2020-05-12 · John: John is grateful for owls, spring, safe food and water and his family's health, but mostly writes gratitude to other people for their generosity. — We Could All Use a Little Change 00:02:55
    • → point: John says he always said he had a lot to be grateful for but didn't know it, attending only to what he yearned for, such as a brain that handles a crisis well. (00:02:26)
  • 2020-05-12 · John: John is grateful to his kids' teachers for e-learning with almost no preparation and to his own teachers, many now gone, whose love still holds him together. — We Could All Use a Little Change 00:02:55
    • → point: John says he always said he had a lot to be grateful for but didn't know it, attending only to what he yearned for, such as a brain that handles a crisis well. (00:02:26)
  • 2020-05-12 · John: John is grateful to Hank for keeping things running with compassion and determination. — We Could All Use a Little Change 00:02:55
    • → point: John says he always said he had a lot to be grateful for but didn't know it, attending only to what he yearned for, such as a brain that handles a crisis well. (00:02:26)
  • 2020-05-12 · John: John is grateful to strangers whose work brings him joy and comfort, from Mohamed Salah to Mary Oliver. — We Could All Use a Little Change 00:03:24
    • → point: John says feeling grateful shows him he is not alone, that distant or lost loved ones' love is still with him, so he can make it through one day at a time. (00:03:24)
  • 2020-05-26 · John: John says he will never know what it's like to be fluent in French, play soccer professionally, or understand the mathematics of quantum computing. — you'll never know 00:00:00
    • → point: John says almost all of history went unrecorded, so we'll never really know big answers, like why humans turned to agriculture, or small ones, like why cave paintings rarely show humans. (00:00:29)
  • 2020-05-26 · John: In a comment John says he has a TikTok; making one was fun, but he doesn't know if he'll ever make a second. — you'll never know 00:00:00
    • → point: John says almost all of history went unrecorded, so we'll never really know big answers, like why humans turned to agriculture, or small ones, like why cave paintings rarely show humans. (00:00:29)
  • 2020-05-26 · John: John says when he and Sarah decided to marry they couldn't know what decades together, raising children or facing loss would be like; they made their best guess and got very lucky, or at least he did. — you'll never know 00:01:27
    • → point: John says the past is like the future: we can speculate about and even usefully model the future, but can't know it; he will never know 22nd-century life. (00:00:58)
  • 2020-05-26 · John: John says the matrix he uses to make guesses about the future, from what to study to how to spend an afternoon, has recently been obliterated, which makes this historical moment dizzying. — you'll never know 00:01:27
    • → point: John says the past is like the future: we can speculate about and even usefully model the future, but can't know it; he will never know 22nd-century life. (00:00:58)
  • 2020-07-14 · John: Last night, with Robbie Gonzalez's help and anxious insomnia, John finished a Rubik's Cube after 30 years of failure, producing some of his own joy. — The ice we skate is getting pretty thin. 00:02:26
    • → point: Solving the cube wasn't a Vlogbrothers video, a podcast episode or answering overdue emails, but John says it also wasn't time wasted. (00:02:55)
  • 2020-09-29 · John: John remembers a walk ten years ago (2010) with his friend Esther: for her Make-A-Wish she gathered Nerdfighter friends and invited him, and on the way to gelato they had to cross a bridge. — How 'bout Yours? 00:00:29
    • → point: John recalls a Wallace Stevens poem: twenty men crossing a bridge into a village are twenty men crossing twenty bridges into twenty villages; the bridge is different for each of us. (00:00:29)
  • 2020-09-29 · John: The bridge had a see-through floor and John dislikes heights and bridges; Esther noticed, said they were almost across and offered him her wheelchair to push and hold on to. — How 'bout Yours? 00:01:05
    • → point: John says the true observation is never 'this bridge is terrifying'; all you can say with certainty is 'my bridge is terrifying. How about yours?' (00:01:32)
  • 2020-09-29 · John: John is walking in exactly the same woods as last week (week of 21 September 2020), but it is a completely different walk: the leaves are falling and it is cold. — How 'bout Yours? 00:02:01
    • → point: John likes repeatable outdoor experiences because they aren't really repeatable: the same path reminds him it is never the same woods, and how he is now is not how he will always be. (00:02:31)
  • 2020-09-29 · John: The walk also differs because John has changed: last week (week of 21 September 2020) he felt dread encroaching, winter not just a fact but a threat. — How 'bout Yours? 00:02:01
    • → point: John likes repeatable outdoor experiences because they aren't really repeatable: the same path reminds him it is never the same woods, and how he is now is not how he will always be. (00:02:31)
  • 2020-09-29 · John: John says this week (week of 28 September 2020) the weather is worse and he is better, but he doesn't know why; these days he barely knows how he is, let alone why. — How 'bout Yours? 00:02:31
    • → point: John likes repeatable outdoor experiences because they aren't really repeatable: the same path reminds him it is never the same woods, and how he is now is not how he will always be. (00:02:31)
  • 2020-09-29 · John: John says Esther has been gone over ten years, but her thoughtfulness and kindness still help him and hold him together. — How 'bout Yours? 00:03:04
    • → point: John says tomorrow a different John will take a different walk in different woods, even if the GPS says the route was identical. (00:03:04)
  • 2020-10-20 · John: John sometimes thinks about the little imperfections in his signature he can't get rid of, and how many sheets and boxes are left. — How to Sign Your Name 150,000 Times 00:02:53
    • → point: John says mostly he won't think at all: on the other side of monotony lies a flow state, just being, a present tense that feels present, like driving alone at night or getting lost in a story. (00:03:20)
  • 2020-12-18 · Hank: Hank had a great phone chat with John this week (week of 14 December 2020) and wants to share insights the brothers have developed together over the years but may never have discussed. — How to Change What you Want 00:00:00
    • → point: Insight one: it is really hard, maybe impossible, to stop wanting things, and it is not clear that wanting nothing would be good. (00:00:15)
  • 2020-12-18 · Hank: Hank is not always good at this and finds his want hard to steer, but he will keep trying because he feels he is getting better and the results are positive. — How to Change What you Want 00:03:20
    • → point: Prizing a little bit of the interesting or weird, as Hank does, is a baseline story you can always believe in that keeps you from getting stuck in societal ruts. (00:03:06)
  • 2020-12-31 · John: In public appearances Amy would ask audiences to sing the soldiers' recursive lament with her, transforming it without changing the tune or words. — Auld Lang Syne: The Anthropocene Reviewed 00:18:46
    • → point: Singing the nihilistic song with Amy, John always saw hope in it: we are here together and not alone, we exist, and astonishing unlikelihoods made us possible. (00:19:10)
  • 2021-01-26 · John: In a comment John says that back then he only ever gave things four and a half stars, as a build-up to his review of sunsets. — The Sycamore Tree: The Anthropocene Reviewed 00:00:00
    • → opinion: In a comment John concludes that we are here to make shade for ourselves and those we love, and to pay attention to sycamore trees. (creator comment)
  • 2021-01-26 · John: John's brain plays a similar game, What's Even the Point; a Millay poem he has quoted in two of his novels describes his depressive blizzards perfectly. — The Sycamore Tree: The Anthropocene Reviewed 00:01:08
    • → opinion: In the game John's brain says there is no point to the human endeavor: no permanent legacy, and our lasting contribution is being the first species able to muck up the planet. (00:02:06)
  • 2021-01-26 · John: Waiting in an airport to fly to Milwaukee, John feels the chill and sees the flight as apes herded into a tube spewing carbon dioxide between population centers. — The Sycamore Tree: The Anthropocene Reviewed 00:01:37
    • → opinion: In the game John's brain says there is no point to the human endeavor: no permanent legacy, and our lasting contribution is being the first species able to muck up the planet. (00:02:06)
  • 2021-01-26 · John: In the airport John is disgusted by his failures and attempts at meaning; his brain tells him consciousness is a burden, life a terror, and the universe doesn't care if he's here. — The Sycamore Tree: The Anthropocene Reviewed 00:03:59
    • → opinion: John reads the poem's 'bright trouble' as the light you see when you first open your eyes after birth, your first and greatest fear. (00:03:35)
  • 2021-01-26 · John: During the game John struggles to do anything and often can't find a reason to get out of bed. — The Sycamore Tree: The Anthropocene Reviewed 00:05:42
    • → point: Though hope feels flimsy amid life's horrors, John says despair is unproductive: like a replicating virus it only makes more of itself and renders him inert and apathetic. (00:05:42)
  • 2021-01-26 · John: One overcast day in a forested park, John's nine-year-old points out squirrels racing up an immense American sycamore with peeling white bark and huge leaves, and John finds it beautiful. — The Sycamore Tree: The Anthropocene Reviewed 00:08:02
    • → point: Looking up at the tree that turned dirt, water and sunshine into a place where squirrels play, you realize you are in its vast shade, and John says that's the point. (00:09:24)
  • 2021-03-05 · Hank: Hank says his mood is elevated and good. — How Much Hope is OK? 00:01:04
    • → point: With spring coming, Hank feels that what he is experiencing is not just hope but joy. (00:01:04)
  • 2021-03-05 · Hank: Hank thinks his mood may come from Montana's winter: everyone he knew expected it to be very bad, and then they went through it heads down without mentioning it. (hedged) — How Much Hope is OK? 00:01:04
    • → point: With spring coming, Hank feels that what he is experiencing is not just hope but joy. (00:01:04)
  • 2021-05-25 · John: In early 2020, after two years of writing the podcast, a novel coronavirus appeared, and John began to write about the only thing he could write about. — The Anthropocene Reviewed, Animated 00:12:53
    • → point: Falling in love with the world doesn't ignore suffering: it is to feel your mind swim before the beauty and distance of the stars, to hold your crying children, to watch sycamores leaf out in June. (00:14:20)
  • 2021-05-25 · John: It has taken John all his life to fall in love with the world, but he has started to feel it in the last couple of years. — The Anthropocene Reviewed, Animated 00:14:13
    • → point: Falling in love with the world doesn't ignore suffering: it is to feel your mind swim before the beauty and distance of the stars, to hold your crying children, to watch sycamores leaf out in June. (00:14:20)
  • 2021-07-27 · John: John watches the sun set on the western shores of Lake Michigan, which he says is known locally as America's third coast. — Savoring: The Sunset Series Returns 00:00:00
    • → point: Savoring takes practice and slow, thick time, the kind needed to see the good things that do not happen all at once. (00:00:58)
  • 2021-07-27 · John: John has had years when many wonderful things happened that he could not enjoy or take in, lacking the time or psychological well-being to savor them. — Savoring: The Sunset Series Returns 00:00:29
    • → point: Savoring takes practice and slow, thick time, the kind needed to see the good things that do not happen all at once. (00:00:58)
  • 2021-07-27 · John: John has spent much of his life thinking and writing about how we go on, especially with mental health challenges, and says how we go on is linked to why. — Savoring: The Sunset Series Returns 00:01:58
    • → point: We go on because despair may be powerful but is untrue: there is light in front of all of us. (00:01:58)
  • 2021-07-27 · John: John is often obsessed with what's next and with feeling busy and engaged with the right now; Twitter's box asks 'what's happening?', and he has wanted to be part of it. — Savoring: The Sunset Series Returns 00:02:31
    • → point: We go on because life is beautiful; it is also awful, painful and unjust, but none of that negates its beauty or the gifts of savoring it. (00:02:31)
  • 2021-07-27 · John: John wishes Hank were there to smell the pine trees and feel the wind, but notes the sun will set wherever Hank is and hopes he has a few moments to savor it. — Savoring: The Sunset Series Returns 00:03:18
    • → opinion: Much of what's happening isn't fast, news or new, and nobody tweets about it: water rolling in and out, the sun setting and rising, lives being lived. (00:03:18)
  • 2021-08-10 · John: Labyrinthitis is not a psychological illness, or so John is told; he went home from hospital with two medications, the central nervous depressant meclizine and the anti-anxiety drug diazepam, which also lessens vertigo. (hedged) — My Physicalmental Illness 00:01:47
    • → point: In a footnote John says mental illness is just a category, with uses and limitations; remembering that categories are often useful but almost always limited seems one of life's big challenges right now. (00:01:17)
  • 2021-11-02 · John: In a comment John says he quit smoking by chewing Nicorette, which gave him nicotine and something to do. — enough 00:00:00
    • → point: John tells the story of Vonnegut noting at a billionaire's party that the host earns more in a day than Heller made from Catch-22, and Heller replying he has what the host never will: enough. (00:00:00)
  • 2021-11-02 · John: For John it has always been about security: the feeling he constantly tries to avoid is precarity, being close to the edge with no say in whether he goes over it. — enough 00:00:56
    • → point: John says having adequate distance from precarity is, one, impossible and, two, insofar as it is possible, a pretty terrible idea. (00:01:05)
  • 2021-11-02 · John: When young, John thought he could solve death by writing books that would outlast him, but realized that is a fool's errand: books don't live forever either. — enough 00:01:30
    • → point: John says there is no getting around the big precarity: he and everyone he loves will die. (00:01:25)
  • 2021-11-02 · John: John's next idea was a legacy through philanthropy: a huge charitable trust that, once big, would donate about 5% a year to great charities so his impact would stretch through the years. — enough 00:01:55
    • → point: John says money donated now still grows, as more kids surviving to adulthood and more educational opportunities, growth far more transformational than stock appreciation. (00:02:16)
  • 2021-11-02 · John: John says he insulates himself from precarity as much as possible: he quit smoking 20 years ago, has insurance, and has financial security that eases stress and allows professional risks and support for his kids. — enough 00:02:36
    • → point: John says money donated now still grows, as more kids surviving to adulthood and more educational opportunities, growth far more transformational than stock appreciation. (00:02:16)
  • 2022-03-01 (said on 2022-02-27, implied) · John: John thanks everyone for an amazing Project for Awesome. — Hard Week 00:03:25
    • → point: John has been overwhelmed with grief because he was reminded nothing happens alone: all his life fellow travelers expressed real solidarity that made him feel less alone. (00:02:55)
  • 2022-03-22 · John: John says someone at AFC Wimbledon, the third-tier English club 'we sponsor', asked him for a video message to the struggling team; his pep talk did not magically turn things around. — Motivation in Hard Times 00:00:00
    • → point: John says the seasons go on changing anyway: the way things are is simply not the way they will always be. (00:00:29)
  • 2022-03-22 · John: John's eight-year-old daughter recently said that in winter she feels it will never be warm again, and in summer that it will never be cold again. — Motivation in Hard Times 00:00:00
    • → point: John says the seasons go on changing anyway: the way things are is simply not the way they will always be. (00:00:29)
  • 2022-03-22 · John: John says that early in his career he was motivated mainly by resentment, fear and some righteous indignation: he wanted to prove everyone wrong about him. — Motivation in Hard Times 00:00:58
    • → point: John says resentment and anger as fuel burn bright but burn dirty. (00:01:27)
  • 2022-03-22 · John: John wanted to prove his ex-girlfriend wrong for dumping him and his college creative writing professor wrong for saying he wasn't good enough to take his class. — Motivation in Hard Times 00:00:58
    • → point: John says resentment and anger as fuel burn bright but burn dirty. (00:01:27)
  • 2022-03-22 · John: John says that fuel worked: he wrote late at night after work and all weekend, and his book was published, won awards and sold its movie rights. — Motivation in Hard Times 00:00:58
    • → point: John says resentment and anger as fuel burn bright but burn dirty. (00:01:27)
  • 2022-03-22 · John: John says it also didn't work: he stayed full of resentment, anger and fear, thinking he needed them to work, and success raised the pressure as readers and others' jobs depended on his next book. — Motivation in Hard Times 00:01:27
    • → point: John says resentment and anger as fuel burn bright but burn dirty. (00:01:27)
  • 2022-03-22 · John: John says this fuel left a hole of insecurity and anger in him; when people said nasty things about him or his work online he often lashed out, hurting many people including himself. — Motivation in Hard Times 00:01:56
    • → point: John says resentment and anger as fuel burn bright but burn dirty. (00:01:27)
  • 2022-03-22 · John: When John writes now he tries to think with hope about what the story might mean for others rather than for him, and then the pressure and fear melt away. — Motivation in Hard Times 00:02:55
    • → point: John says what works for him now is love: for writing, for his readers and for the people he works with; love is the fuel that burns both bright and clean. (00:02:26)
  • 2022-04-01 · Hank: Oren shouted at every new ship, and they ran to the window to watch tugs push it and containers being moved around the port. — I Don't Have a Good Title for This Video. 00:00:27
    • → point: Hank says he can see the ships as hateful polluters or as lovable collaborative effort, ugly or beautiful, old and outdated or a very recent innovation. (00:00:56)
  • 2022-04-01 · Hank: Hank says he is not in crisis: he just had a lovely vacation and has lots of support. — I Don't Have a Good Title for This Video. 00:01:18
    • → opinion: At 41 in 2022, Hank says, middle age has not brought the clarity he expected; if anything things have grown less clear as he got older. (00:01:18)
  • 2022-04-15 · Hank: Hank shows an incomplete list of his current worries: too long, with nothing he'd remove and much that should be added. — Are You Stuck in The Sad Gap 00:01:57
    • → point: Beyond the gap you see people working to solve the problem and may become one, but in the sad gap you can't believe a problem is solvable or help solve it. (00:01:57)
  • 2022-07-15 · Hank: The description says Hank has been very grateful for these pictures this week (week of 11 July 2022) and can't stop thinking about them. — Thoughts From the Universe - Woah 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says that, strangely, he is not sure whether he feels very small right now or very big. (00:00:00)
  • 2022-07-15 · Hank: Agreeing that life on Earth has existed for a proportionally long time, Hank says in a comment he had not realized it either and just did the math this week (week of 11 July 2022). — Thoughts From the Universe - Woah 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says that, strangely, he is not sure whether he feels very small right now or very big. (00:00:00)
  • 2022-08-09 · John: John eats the chili with his family, including cousins from out of town; it tastes good and the beans seem better than store-bought. — How to Cook Beans and Resist Dread 00:03:15
    • → point: John reflects that maybe this is the point: being a fleshy worm with consciousness can feel like a lot, but it also lets him share food he worked on with people who love him. (00:03:44)
  • 2022-09-06 · John: John says the only meaningful record of his great-grandfather's existence is a 17-page memoir he wrote in the 1930s, and he is extremely grateful for it. — Some Advice 00:01:27
    • → opinion: As a reader of history and writer of nonfiction, John often wants memoirs that don't exist; many such people thought themselves unremarkable, but everyone is worthy of note. (00:01:27)
  • 2022-09-20 · John: John was recently asked to speak to a group of college students, and this video shares some of what he said. — Against Nihilism 00:00:00
    • → opinion: John says a strain of nihilism (everything's trash, nothing matters in the long run) has grown popular, and he is sympathetic because the world is profoundly unjust and shared challenges overwhelming. (00:00:00)
  • 2022-09-20 · John: John wrote The Anthropocene Reviewed to pay attention to where his attention was going: not focus, but consciousness itself, his soul stuff. — Against Nihilism 00:00:29
    • → point: John rejects nihilism, because like all straightforward answers to life's great questions it is inadequate, and because he thinks human life itself is imbued with meaning. (00:00:29)
  • 2022-09-20 · John: In three and a half years writing the book John learned about Staphylococcus aureus and grocery stores, but the biggest, surprising lesson was that he is broadly in favor of humans. — Against Nihilism 00:00:58
    • → point: John rejects nihilism, because like all straightforward answers to life's great questions it is inadequate, and because he thinks human life itself is imbued with meaning. (00:00:29)
  • 2022-12-27 · John: In public appearances Amy would ask audiences to sing the soldiers' recursive lament with her, transforming it without changing the tune or the words. — We're here because were here. 00:18:19
    • → point: Singing the nihilistic song with Amy, John always saw hope in it: we are together and not alone, we exist, and astonishing unlikelihoods made us possible. (00:18:43)
  • 2023-03-14 · John: John says pain is insistent and won't shut up: his back hurts, so he tries standing, then hides behind a plant, which he finds hurts less than regular sitting. — The Seduction of Despair 00:00:00
    • → point: John finds despair compelling first because it is simple: as a worldview it has a reassuring, if horrifying, consistency. (00:00:12)
  • 2023-03-14 · John: Last week (week of 6 March 2023) John's friend Chris called because he knew John was in pain, said he was sorry, listened and believed him; it didn't help the pain, but it helped. — The Seduction of Despair 00:03:33
    • → opinion: John says he keeps coming back to an old Philip Larkin poem whose closing lines urge care and kindness toward each other while there is still time. (00:03:52)
  • 2023-05-09 · John: John's pepper seeds in his bathtub have become full pepper plants, almost ready to be planted in the garden. — on hope 00:02:20
    • → point: John cites Margaret Atwood's line that very little in history is inevitable, and says he believes it. (00:02:28)
  • 2023-06-16 · Hank: The description says not all chemotherapy makes hair fall out but Hank's does, an opportunity to appreciate someone dumber than him who does not exist. — So, About This HAIR… 00:00:00
    • → point: With ten more years of wisdom Hank adds nuance: he is also just a story he tells himself about himself, which makes having no obligation to his former self tricky. (00:00:26)
  • 2023-06-16 · Hank: Hank writes the description from his chemo chair, feeling good: two weeks between treatments, the first pretty terrible, the second pretty normal. — So, About This HAIR… 00:00:00
    • → point: With ten more years of wisdom Hank adds nuance: he is also just a story he tells himself about himself, which makes having no obligation to his former self tricky. (00:00:26)
  • 2023-06-16 · Hank: Hank writes it is too early to tell how well treatment is going, but early signs indicate his cancer cells are responding well, meaning dying a bunch. (hedged) — So, About This HAIR… 00:00:00
    • → point: With ten more years of wisdom Hank adds nuance: he is also just a story he tells himself about himself, which makes having no obligation to his former self tricky. (00:00:26)
  • 2023-06-16 · Hank: Hank describes 17-year-old Hank as certain, passionate, scared, wild and often very kind: a good guy who became him. — So, About This HAIR… 00:03:05
    • → point: Hank says he is a story he tells himself and 17-year-old Hank is a vital part of it: he is not him, but he loves and cares about him. (00:03:05)
  • 2023-06-16 · Hank: Hank says this week (week of 12 June 2023) he was given an opportunity to honor his 17-year-old self, and here he is. — So, About This HAIR… 00:03:52
    • → point: Hank concludes he does not have no obligation to his former self: he has the amount of obligation he wants, and he wants some. (00:03:52)
  • 2023-09-29 · John: John says his 2007 self had no idea what it was like to have kids, to live in one town for 17 years, or to be part of an online community that convinced a multinational not to profit from TB tests in poor countries. — Like Apocalyptic Horsemen 00:03:33
    • → opinion: John says he has changed a ton in adulthood too, including since starting this project. (00:03:33)
  • 2023-09-29 · John: John says his 2007 self also could not know the terrible and hard things ahead, such as Hank getting cancer. — Like Apocalyptic Horsemen 00:03:33
    • → opinion: John says he has changed a ton in adulthood too, including since starting this project. (00:03:33)
  • 2023-12-19 · John: John tells Hank this has surely been the hardest year of Hank's life, brutal, and one of the hardest of John's own. — End of a Rough Year 00:04:25
    • → point: John says he ends the year feeling that two human capacities carried both brothers and the broader us this far: collaboration and hope. (00:04:35)
  • 2023-12-22 · Hank: Hank says he has been at the point of no longer wanting, which is the bad part. — Let's Talk About Death 00:03:21
    • → point: Hank says wanting is good, he wants to want, and much of consciousness's job is directing want toward the right wants. (00:03:21)
  • 2023-12-30 · John: In public appearances Amy would ask audiences to sing the soldiers' recursive lament with her, transforming it without changing the tune or the words. — John's Review of Auld Lang Syne 00:18:46
    • → point: Singing the nihilistic song with Amy, John always saw hope in it: we are together and not alone, we exist, and astonishing unlikelihoods made us possible. (00:19:10)
  • 2024-01-09 · John: Recording the words back home, John's view is an unmade bed, a Catherine Murphy painting and a window onto the gray Indiana winter; he always has a view. — Views 00:00:58
    • → point: John says great views mean being aware of having a view: seeing the world as new, vast or overwhelming, something great and a little scary. (00:01:10)
  • 2024-06-14 · Hank: Hank says hockey seemed fixed to him, but as a fan he has watched changes in it change the game, and people were mad about every one. — Some Reasons why People Suck 00:02:47
    • → point: Hank says changing our behavior and social technologies is so hard: we think we are individuals, but we are possessed by our societies. (00:02:47)
  • 2024-06-14 · Hank: Hank says he still eats meat less because he likes it than because he is too aligned to cultural norms: deviating from what his culture calls normal is too unpleasant. — Some Reasons why People Suck 00:02:47
    • → point: Hank says changing our behavior and social technologies is so hard: we think we are individuals, but we are possessed by our societies. (00:02:47)
  • 2024-06-25 · John: Depression convinces John that he is worthless and his work worse than worthless; he speaks from the bottom of the well. — taking a break 00:03:05
    • → point: As his goodbye for now, John says despair is a lie and hopelessness is a lie. (00:03:05)
  • 2024-06-25 · John: John says he struggles to tell himself this, and in July he will work on telling himself what he has told viewers all along: that hope sings the tune without the words and never stops at all. — taking a break 00:03:05
    • → point: As his goodbye for now, John says despair is a lie and hopelessness is a lie. (00:03:05)
  • 2024-10-02 · Hank: In 2008, when the downstairs neighbor moved out, Hank and his household asked to move into that apartment because it had a washer and dryer; going to their laundromat, Sparkle Temptations, despite its soft serve and hot dogs, was a problem. — What I learned from the weirdest day of my life 00:01:56
    • → point: Hank says something sets some of these goals apart, which John hit on at the end of his video: something that answers the question of what exactly the point is. (00:01:56)
  • 2024-11-01 · John: John says tuberculosis has been the great gift of his life for the last four years, giving him something to think about at night instead of his worries and fears. — Working Through a Crisis with My Brother 00:07:18
    • → point: John says each of us can only care about so many important things; attending to one problem means ignoring another, which he struggles with. (00:07:47)
  • 2024-11-01 · John: Surrounded by signed sheets, John says about 19,000 are out there and 81,000 more remain; he is actually past 20,000. — Working Through a Crisis with My Brother 00:08:16
    • → point: John recalls Hank's advice from years ago to pick something and go deep; Hank adds that you must trust others to go deep elsewhere, since being surface everywhere, knowing only the problems, is the saddest place, which John calls the despair place. (00:08:16)
  • 2024-11-29 · Hank: Hank worries about the community, his health, the DFTBA, Good Store and Complexly teams, meeting obligations to Partners In Health, and how all this relies on their reputations. — I am Grateful for My Worry 00:02:09
    • → point: Hank says he is grateful for his worry: he has many worry spirals, but realized that if he is going to care he is going to worry, and worry serves something. (00:02:09)
  • 2024-12-06 · Hank: Hank is in Milwaukee, where he has just given a talk at the university. — One of the Most Important Images On Earth 00:00:02
    • → opinion: Hank realized the image is very likely religious in a context he cannot know, so posting it with his non-religious take would be almost disrespectful. (00:00:23)
  • 2024-12-13 · Hank: Hank says he does experience words when he starts thinking about how to write his thoughts down or say them, and that converting thoughts into words is work for him. — TIL Some People Have an 'Inner Monologue' 00:01:20
    • → point: Hank says he thinks in thoughts: when a thought is needed it floats into his consciousness, bumps around with other thoughts and may combine with them into new thoughts. (00:00:29)
  • 2024-12-13 · Hank: Hank says he remembers having an internal monologue in high school and college, with strings of words running through his head all the time. — TIL Some People Have an 'Inner Monologue' 00:01:57
    • → point: Hank finds it bizarre that it is not only that different people think differently: he himself thinks differently than he used to; minds are so strange that he is obsessed. (00:02:12)
  • 2024-12-20 · Hank: Hank says people send him weird internet videos and helping them understand their world is one of his jobs, which he loves. — Fine, I'll Talk About the Drones… 00:14:36
    • → point: Hank says answering 'I don't know' with something that could answer any question, as aliens can, stops the search and prevents new knowledge. (00:15:05)
  • 2025-01-03 · Hank: Hank says he had tummy hurt for a long time this year (2025), which turned out to be acid reflux, for which there is medicine, and suggests seeing a doctor about it. — My 2025 Bingo Card 00:02:28
    • → opinion: Hank says history gives him hope: humans keep messing things up and fixing them, making terrible decisions and then correcting them. (00:02:28)
  • 2025-02-18 · John: John says he is never far from despair and lately has been consumed by fear, making it hard to get out of bed and promote his new book Everything Is Tuberculosis, out a month from today. — Gastrointestinal Hypermotility in Tuatara 00:01:57
    • → opinion: John says despair is unproductive: it wants him to sleep and feel hollow anger, and tells him there is nothing to do, like bringing a little bucket of water to a fire. (00:01:57)
  • 2025-04-04 · Hank: Hank says that growing up morality was a kind of dirty word to him: not kindness, honesty or fairness, but rules about hair length, forbidden words and judging whom you love or which god you believe in. — Morality 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says the video was first more involved in current discourse, prompted by Hank's sense that morality as control has become more powerful than morality helping people order their lives. (video description)
  • 2025-06-17 · John: John says he constantly misses the mark, hoarding wealth though he knows it is a sin and not treating neighbours as he would wish, so he constantly needs forgiveness. — My Religion 00:02:26
    • → point: Forgiveness available to all people at all times, even beyond death, is radical hope, John's ground of being and the backbone of his theology: hope is not always rewarded but always justified. (00:01:56)
  • 2025-06-17 · John: John calls himself a worshipful creature who will always worship, so he wants to be constructive about what and how he worships. — My Religion 00:06:19
    • → point: John and Hank disagree on where the voice comes from but agree it calls humans to a more equitable, less hierarchical, less unjust world; fighting over its source wastes time. (00:06:49)
  • 2025-08-05 · Hank: Hank says his oncologist was younger than him; Hank thinks the doctor regarded him as young. — ONE TAKE JOHNNY 00:11:36
    • → point: Answering John's tease that he wants to live to a thousand, Hank says at that age you would see there is no one continuous you, only a series of selves. (00:12:05)
  • 2025-10-09 · John: John says alleviating suffering, being with the kids and writing make him like being alive, but he doesn't do much of what he knows does, like walking in the woods. — I Like Being Alive 00:01:59
    • → point: John says these questions shape real choices: stay home with family or go to a conference; raise the most money for PIH through Pizzamas, or do good by lobbying Congress or talking about what he cares about. (00:01:59)
  • 2025-10-09 · John: John says he likes being alive, at least today, and is grateful to all the past versions of himself who fought and scraped so that today he could. — I Like Being Alive 00:03:36
    • → point: John calls the felled trees' regrowth a metaphor for hope: they won't look as they did, yet they survive; hope sprouts different but undiminished from the wounds we inflict and survives the unsurvivable. (00:03:36)
  • 2025-11-21 · Hank: Hank recalls another creator envying his knack for finding interesting video topics; he replied that they do it too, just in line with their audience and career. — I Wasn't Always Like This!! 00:00:44
    • → point: Hank says he was not always like this: he was a nerd who liked having learned things, but years of making videos and podcasts trained his curiosity like a muscle and changed how his brain notices oddities. (00:00:00)
  • 2026-03-03 · John: John has every email he wrote in college, mostly to his parents but also to his college girlfriend after their breakup, desperate to reunite; he was clingier then than now. — The Best Fan Mail I Ever Received 00:05:33
    • → point: John says we think of the self as continuous, but the self is a story we tell ourselves, and much that feels immutable about it is not. (00:06:11)
  • 2026-05-08 · Hank: As John said in his Tuesday video, Hank had scarlet fever as a child: another potential death day behind him that he never thinks about. — My Deathday 00:04:52
    • → point: Hank says many death days sit in people's pasts, and we almost never look at them. (00:04:52)
  • 2026-05-12 · John: John says the Giamatti episode made him a little less nervous giving the commencement address at Rice University this weekend. — Lies, Damn Lies, and Bart Giamatti 00:02:44
    • → point: John says the episode reminds him to hold his memories less tightly, as fallible impressions rather than an unchanging record: memory is not like a recording device. (00:02:55)
  • 2026-05-12 · John: John reminds Hank that he does not reread his books and dislikes thinking of them as present-tense things rather than his past. — Lies, Damn Lies, and Bart Giamatti 00:04:05
    • → point: John quotes a line he wrote 21 years ago that has been on his mind: you don't remember what happened; what you remember becomes what happened. (00:04:22)
  • 2026-07-17 · Hank: Many Open Sauce presenters are young; Hank talked to teenagers who made things he could not, from a stuffed memory game to a 3D-printed phone cleaner and an agricultural drone. — The Terrors of Middle Age 00:02:20
    • → point: Hank argues 46-year-olds can remember being 18, but 18-year-olds cannot know being 46, so the two perceptions mismatch. (00:03:18)
  • 2026-07-17 · Hank: What lands for Hank is that the young makers look at him as a middle-aged man, which he is. — The Terrors of Middle Age 00:02:49
    • → point: Hank argues 46-year-olds can remember being 18, but 18-year-olds cannot know being 46, so the two perceptions mismatch. (00:03:18)
  • 2026-07-17 · Hank: Hank remembers how he perceived 46-year-olds when young, and he did not see them then the way he sees himself now. — The Terrors of Middle Age 00:03:47
    • → point: Hank argues 46-year-olds can remember being 18, but 18-year-olds cannot know being 46, so the two perceptions mismatch. (00:03:18)
  • 2026-07-21 · John: John has been signing his name 85,000 times over the past couple of months, with his arthritic shoulder, for his new book Hollywood, Ending. — One Must Imagine Sisyphus Happy 00:01:27
    • → point: John retells the myth: Sisyphus, a king who angered the gods, was punished to roll a rock up a hill forever, only for it to roll back down, which seems meaningless. (00:00:58)
  • 2026-07-21 · John: John says he has given so much of his life to loudness, sensation and extremity that he forgets to feed the part of him that needs quiet routine and finds something like happiness there. — One Must Imagine Sisyphus Happy 00:02:26
    • → point: John has found that with repetition, on the other side of boredom, lies a kind of sublime: a flow state in which thought becomes quiet and careful. (00:02:26)
  • 2026-07-21 · John: John says the signing will take about 160 hours, so there is no need to rush or think about finishing; there is only the work before him. — One Must Imagine Sisyphus Happy 00:02:55
    • → point: John has found that with repetition, on the other side of boredom, lies a kind of sublime: a flow state in which thought becomes quiet and careful. (00:02:26)
  • 2026-08-03 · John: At his wedding, at his kids' births, or watching a sunset, John has thought how unfair it is that a friend who died in high school never gets such days. — Esther Day 2026: Some Thoughts on Loss 00:00:29
    • → point: John says grief over early death eases with time in some ways, but for him it intensifies, because you learn more about what the dead missed. (00:00:29)
  • 2026-08-03 · John: John calls Amy Krouse Rosenthal another friend who died too soon; he misses her and finds it unjust that she can no longer see her kids or the sunset. — Esther Day 2026: Some Thoughts on Loss 00:00:58
    • → point: John says grief over early death eases with time in some ways, but for him it intensifies, because you learn more about what the dead missed. (00:00:29)
  • 2026-08-03 · John: John cannot reconcile himself to his friend Henry having almost died of TB and living with its scars. — Esther Day 2026: Some Thoughts on Loss 00:02:13
    • → point: John says he still has not reconciled himself to the fundamental injustice of death; he understands that life isn't fair in the abstract but not in day-to-day life. (00:02:13)
  • 2026-08-03 · John: Nor can John reconcile himself to the deaths of Esther, Amy, or the kids he met in the hospital over half his life ago. — Esther Day 2026: Some Thoughts on Loss 00:02:13
    • → point: John says he still has not reconciled himself to the fundamental injustice of death; he understands that life isn't fair in the abstract but not in day-to-day life. (00:02:13)
  • 2026-08-21 · Hank: Hank says he too thinks the value of his life is not his life but his outputs; he often escapes that frame but also often gets stuck in it. — Not (Just) Dunking on Jeff Bezos 00:07:48
    • → point: Hank's good news: optimizing for thriving, a world that provides for people's wants and needs and is more equal and just, will produce more thriving and more creation. (00:08:47)
  • 2026-09-01 · John: John tried to return to the smell by walking through the same part of the department store again and again, but it did not work. — You Can't Go Home Again, but I Tried 00:00:29
    • → point: John says you can't go home again, but through scent he has brief moments where he can get there again. (00:00:50)
  • 2026-09-01 · John: John asked the soap makers to come close to his dorm smell; after he described it they sent several soaps, and one, Memory, smelled very nearly right. — You Can't Go Home Again, but I Tried 00:03:41
    • → point: John says that if he lives another 30 years and Good Store still makes the soap the same way, he will be able to smell his present. (00:04:20)
  • 2026-09-01 · John: John has not been in that dorm room for 30 years and never will be again, because it was torn down long ago. — You Can't Go Home Again, but I Tried 00:04:15
    • → point: John says that if he lives another 30 years and Good Store still makes the soap the same way, he will be able to smell his present. (00:04:20)
  • 2026-09-30 · John: A joy of John's tour was sharing a New York stage with his lifelong friend Daniel Alarcón, with whom he has talked about books since he was 14, 35 years on. — The Point of Life 00:01:05
    • → point: Prompted by Hank's video yesterday, John says that as he has gotten older he has started to think the meaning of life may be to commit to bits. (00:00:40)
  • 2026-09-30 · John: The further John has fallen down the tuberculosis rabbit hole over seven years, the more fulfilling it is: TB fighting gives him meaning and connections to TB fighters worldwide, a sense of community. — The Point of Life 00:01:40
    • → point: John says bits get better the more you commit to them. (00:01:37)
  • 2026-10-06 · John: John says he will miss Mikey T's voice and his brilliant and beautiful memory. — Make Your Art. 00:03:12
    • → point: John does not care whether your art is sweaters, YouTube videos, home-cooked meals, soccer commentary or Tumblr fanfiction, only that you make it and share it despite the costs. (00:02:42)
  • 2026-10-08 · John: John admits this has not been a particularly funny Pizzamas or an easy one on the road, but it has been quite joyful; he wishes Happy Pizzamas one last time. — The Test of a First Rate Intelligence 00:04:23
    • → point: Meeting so many nerdfighters on tour reminded John the internet is not merely bad; thinking it is fails to hold opposed truths, since the truth resists simplicity. (00:04:23)
  • 2026-10-16 · Hank: Hank says there is very little misery in his life: some, but not a lot. — Is Happiness the Goal? 00:02:58
    • → point: After a week of thinking about making what he produces matter to him, Hank says what he has been missing is not joy but something like existence in his heart: being outside of flow, feeling his actual emotions, joy or sadness. (00:03:48)
  • 2026-10-16 · Hank: This morning Orin brought Hank to the couch to rate silly faces he had drawn on a scale of 1 to 10. — Is Happiness the Goal? 00:03:48
    • → point: After a week of thinking about making what he produces matter to him, Hank says what he has been missing is not joy but something like existence in his heart: being outside of flow, feeling his actual emotions, joy or sadness. (00:03:48)
  • 2026-10-16 · Hank: Last week (week of 5 October 2026) Hank got to sing We're Here Because We're Here with a thousand other people. — Is Happiness the Goal? 00:03:48
    • → point: After a week of thinking about making what he produces matter to him, Hank says what he has been missing is not joy but something like existence in his heart: being outside of flow, feeling his actual emotions, joy or sadness. (00:03:48)
  • 2026-10-16 · Hank: In between, Hank got some bad news about a friend of his. — Is Happiness the Goal? 00:03:48
    • → point: After a week of thinking about making what he produces matter to him, Hank says what he has been missing is not joy but something like existence in his heart: being outside of flow, feeling his actual emotions, joy or sadness. (00:03:48)
  • 2026-10-16 · Hank: Hank thanks viewers for letting him be vulnerable and John for an amazing show. — Is Happiness the Goal? 00:04:36
    • → point: Hank says he needs not just to be where he is needed or do what he is good at, but to create space in his life to feel: not just to feel joy, but to feel. (00:04:36)

Health

  • 2010-04-12 · John: John says becoming a parent made him obsessed with normal: he called the pediatrician because Henry seemed to be peeing a lot; with babies everything is either normal or scary. — On the Separation of Conjoined Twins 00:02:21
    • → point: John reports Dreger concludes that even when separation at birth is medically easy, we should wait until twins can decide for themselves; the problem is our failure to accept unusual anatomies. (00:02:21)
  • 2011-01-24 · Hank: Hank has ulcerative colitis, a chronic illness with no known cure, and has taken the medicine Asacol for about five years. — The 1200% Increase in my Prescription Drug Costs 00:00:11
    • → point: Hank says Asacol's maker then created Asacol HD just as Asacol was about to go generic: basically the same drug under a name different enough to extend its patent. (00:00:37)
  • 2011-01-24 · Hank: Calling the card's 1-800 number, Hank got a long-wait message and then a mailbox that was full. — The 1200% Increase in my Prescription Drug Costs 00:01:50
    • → point: Hank can afford it and has medication left over, but asks what people who can't afford it will do; there is no reason the price of medication should go up. (00:02:13)
  • 2011-01-24 · Hank: Hank spent much of the weekend finding ways to contact Warner Chilcott, the drug's maker; he found its CEO's phone number to call him, and emailed CEO Roger Boissonneault. — The 1200% Increase in my Prescription Drug Costs 00:02:39
    • → opinion: Companies will only stop doing 'BS like this' if people stand up to it and say it is not okay, Hank says. (00:03:20)
  • 2011-10-24 · John: John says he knows many Nerdfighters, himself included, have struggled or are struggling with mental illness. — Signing Psychosis Takes Over 00:03:04
    • → opinion: Though he is using words like 'crazy' and 'psychosis', John says he does not want to make fun of mental illness but of himself. (00:03:09)
  • 2015-05-19 · John: John says the surgery was needed because a metal rod had erupted from his gum and pressed against his lip, the best he can do to describe the pain. — Pain Destroys Language: John after the Dentist 00:01:01
    • → point: John says language cannot make others understand your physical pain, because it is always only yours. (00:00:55)
  • 2015-11-20 · John: Following Hank's personal video, John says he has obsessive-compulsive disorder, which is often associated with anxiety and depression. — On Mental Illness (and the end of Pizzamas) 00:00:57
    • → point: John argues the usual image of sickness as something to conquer and put behind us doesn't fit chronic illness: it often isn't a question of getting well soon. (00:01:12)
  • 2016-05-10 · John: John's six-year-old son, bitten by an ant, said it hurt like this and pinched him, trying to shrink the space between his pain and John's understanding. — On Pain 00:01:26
    • → point: John says that besides the pain itself, which he finds literally maddening, a problem of physical pain is that it is essentially unshareable. (00:01:18)
  • 2016-05-10 · John: John finds this horror-movie terrifying and says that is how he feels when pain turns him inward in an ever-tightening spiral. — On Pain 00:02:35
    • → point: John says pain reminds you that you are alone inside your body, that no one can access your consciousness, and that the self is in some ways a prison with no earthly escape. (00:02:22)
  • 2016-07-08 · Hank: Hank says normal advice this past week (get rest, take it easy, sleep more) annoyed him surprisingly, not because it is bad advice but because it taps into his colitis experience. — Your Illness is Not Your Fault 00:00:42
    • → point: Hank says we want illness to be something's fault because otherwise it is random chance — which chronic illness is: it happens to good and bad people, champion athletes and heavy drinkers. (00:01:54)
  • 2016-07-08 · Hank: Hank says he has dealt with his illness by accepting it: his life and body are different now, and he lives in a body that sometimes hurts itself. — Your Illness is Not Your Fault 00:02:08
    • → opinion: Hank says science will keep advancing and maybe someday a medicine will control his disease without making him sick in other ways. (00:02:20)
  • 2016-07-08 · Hank: Hank says his brain has repeatedly told him his illness is his fault and he has searched for ways he caused it; each 'simple fix' suggestion re-emphasises that feeling. — Your Illness is Not Your Fault 00:02:55
    • → point: Hank says that even when sick people objectively know it is untrue, saying there is an easy way out when there isn't makes them feel their illness is their fault. (00:03:44)
  • 2016-07-08 · Hank: Hank says he is doing fine, not angry at his friends or viewers, has a loving, supportive group of people, and tries to accept support for what it is. — Your Illness is Not Your Fault 00:03:13
    • → point: Hank says that even when sick people objectively know it is untrue, saying there is an easy way out when there isn't makes them feel their illness is their fault. (00:03:44)
  • 2017-03-10 · Hank: Hank says that as a little kid he was diagnosed with a learning disability, a sensory dysfunction. — Do I Have ADHD? 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank says part of him always wants to believe he is strong and smart enough to handle any curve ball without letting anyone down, which he thinks might be destructive, so he is glad he has let himself get support from friends, family and professionals over the years. (video description)
  • 2017-03-10 · Hank: Hank adds something he didn't say in the video: he has struggled with worrying that if he gets diagnosed he will blame the disorder instead of himself and let it excuse his behaviour. — Do I Have ADHD? 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank says part of him always wants to believe he is strong and smart enough to handle any curve ball without letting anyone down, which he thinks might be destructive, so he is glad he has let himself get support from friends, family and professionals over the years. (video description)
  • 2017-03-10 · Hank: Hank says he had symptoms outside the attention-deficit box but sometimes overlapping, like mild dyslexia and motor control problems. — Do I Have ADHD? 00:00:37
    • → opinion: Hank says that had he been born ten years later he probably would have been additionally or alternately diagnosed with ADHD, though he can't say for sure. (00:00:20)
  • 2017-03-10 · Hank: Hank says his parents took him to a handwriting therapist who told them to get him a computer so he could learn to type. — Do I Have ADHD? 00:02:05
    • → point: Hank says he has also gotten himself into situations where the different way his brain works is maybe an advantage rather than a hindrance. (00:01:54)
  • 2017-03-10 · Hank: Hank says his advantages let him succeed at changing his environment, so maybe he never had a hard enough time to look into the second part. (hedged) — Do I Have ADHD? 00:02:43
    • → point: Hank says there are two parts to minimising the negative effects of a brain that doesn't work normally: changing the environment to suit it, and improving its function through medication, mindfulness or exercise. (00:02:27)
  • 2017-03-10 · Hank: Asked whether he has ADHD, Hank answers maybe. — Do I Have ADHD? 00:02:51
    • → point: Hank thinks it took hard work but also a lot of help, which he got in spades through economic advantages, early diagnosis and great tutors: he has been very lucky. (00:03:24)
  • 2017-03-10 · Hank: Hank says he is dedicated to understanding his shortcomings and building habits to deal with them, learned partly from his own body and partly from people with ADHD who talk openly about it and people who work with them. — Do I Have ADHD? 00:02:53
    • → point: Hank thinks it took hard work but also a lot of help, which he got in spades through economic advantages, early diagnosis and great tutors: he has been very lucky. (00:03:24)
  • 2017-07-21 · Hank: As far as Hank can tell, that per-act figure has never been taught in sex ed; he calculated it himself from somewhat incomplete raw data. (hedged) — On Condom Failure 00:01:49
    • → opinion: Per-year rates are less useful to Hank because one sexually active person may have ten times more sex than another, and is then more likely to get pregnant using only condoms. (00:01:15)
  • 2017-07-25 · John: John says he has obsessive-compulsive disorder. — What OCD Is Like (for Me) 00:00:37
    • → opinion: John says OCD is seen in the popular imagination as excessive hand washing or neatness because those behaviours are visible and filmable, but for him the obsessive comes before the compulsive. (00:00:39)
  • 2017-07-25 · John: John experiences obsessive thought spirals in which intrusive thoughts he does not want, which seem to come from outside him, hijack his consciousness. — What OCD Is Like (for Me) 00:00:56
    • → opinion: John says OCD is seen in the popular imagination as excessive hand washing or neatness because those behaviours are visible and filmable, but for him the obsessive comes before the compulsive. (00:00:39)
  • 2017-07-25 · John: For John the obsessive thought spirals happen all the time and can take over for days, weeks or months, for example a sudden worry that his food is contaminated or poisoned. — What OCD Is Like (for Me) 00:01:19
    • → opinion: John finds this exhausting and terrifying: he cannot stop being scared, and if he cannot choose his thoughts and is partly made of them, he wonders whether he is the captain of himself. (00:01:44)
  • 2017-07-25 · John: When it gets bad, John can lose all control over his thoughts for a long time, unable to follow a TV show or read a book. — What OCD Is Like (for Me) 00:01:35
    • → opinion: John finds this exhausting and terrifying: he cannot stop being scared, and if he cannot choose his thoughts and is partly made of them, he wonders whether he is the captain of himself. (00:01:44)
  • 2017-07-25 · John: John says his compulsions, such as repeatedly checking food for contamination or googling for hours what happens if he eats moldy bread, are ways to comfort and calm himself. — What OCD Is Like (for Me) 00:02:02
    • → opinion: John finds this exhausting and terrifying: he cannot stop being scared, and if he cannot choose his thoughts and is partly made of them, he wonders whether he is the captain of himself. (00:01:44)
  • 2017-09-15 · Hank: Hank says a single bad toilet paper experience can ruin days of his life, making walking something he doesn't want to do. — My Butt Has Some Complaints About Australia 00:02:03
    • → point: Hank says many people have butt problems, such as hemorrhoids, anal fissures and IBD, and they should not be ashamed of them. (00:01:25)
  • 2017-12-01 · Hank: A week ago Hank got a run of unrelated bad news at his desk and spent half an hour distracting himself and running away from it. — Let's Talk About Stress! 00:02:17
    • → point: Hank says flight is reading about linguistics or going on Twitter or Facebook, and asks what fighting is, since he can't punch his email inbox. (00:02:08)
  • 2017-12-01 · Hank: After sending a bunch of emails Hank had dealt with it, was no longer stressed and could play with his baby and be happy. — Let's Talk About Stress! 00:02:53
    • → point: Hank says it didn't get better until he engaged with it: thinking about it, writing an email or talking to someone, letting it be in his life, is the fight. (00:02:36)
  • 2018-02-27 · John: John says nobody can take seriously his fear that some terrible thing 'X' is about to happen, because they don't find his obsessive reasoning compelling though he does; he avoids even naming X for fear that talking about it will make it happen. — Ode to a Dog 00:02:31
    • → point: In that spiral you feel very alone: people can love and listen but cannot share the feeling because they know it is irrational; Willy doesn't know, and only knows John is scared. (00:02:43)
  • 2018-04-27 · Hank: Hank says he is okay but has been looking for things that give him respite, which he looks up: a short period of rest or relief from something difficult. — Finding Respite in 2018 00:01:35
    • → point: Hank argues these problems need to be faced, but without respite from the stress we make worse decisions and are less healthy and productive. (00:01:23)
  • 2018-04-27 · Hank: Hank asked Twitter and Facebook for great things he might be missing and offers a list of sources of respite from other people and his own brain. — Finding Respite in 2018 00:01:51
    • → point: Hank argues these problems need to be faced, but without respite from the stress we make worse decisions and are less healthy and productive. (00:01:23)
  • 2018-10-09 · John: John says this matters to him personally: he couldn't function without his daily medication, which lets him live with his thoughts rather than be controlled by them. — How Big a Problem is Mental Illness? 00:02:55
    • → point: John says everyone should understand that mental illness is common everywhere and serious, one of the world's leading health problems. (00:02:55)
  • 2018-10-09 · John: John says that, like many people with chronic health problems, he has lost time to his illness but has a good and fulfilling life. — How Big a Problem is Mental Illness? 00:03:24
    • → point: John says everyone should understand that mental illness is common everywhere and serious, one of the world's leading health problems. (00:02:55)
  • 2019-01-11 · Hank: Hank talked with Mark Rober that morning about the neurotransmitters that make life feel rewarding and that are ultimately responsible for us doing anything. — What is Burnout? 00:00:29
    • → point: The description sums up: ask whether burnout is a fuel or an opportunity problem; fuel can be fixed with a new story, opportunity is slower and sometimes can't be fixed because of deep inequality. (video description)
  • 2019-01-11 · Hank: Hank's worst burnouts came when he still had fuel but ran out of hours in the day because one too many things went wrong: fuel, but no more car. — What is Burnout? 00:01:59
    • → point: Hank says we are more than machines: what triggers dopamine is shaped by values and worldview, which we can intentionally change; without diversified fuels we need ever more input for the same work. (00:02:28)
  • 2019-01-18 · Hank: Hank has at times not shied away from burning unhealthy fuels. — Should You Burn Dirty Fuel? 00:02:55
    • → point: Hank says the key is to recognize unhealthy fuels while using them and their possible long-term cost, like taking on cognitive debt: do it for really good reasons. (00:02:55)
  • 2019-01-18 · Hank: Hank has to go do PodCon stuff now. — Should You Burn Dirty Fuel? 00:03:24
    • → point: Hank says the key is to recognize unhealthy fuels while using them and their possible long-term cost, like taking on cognitive debt: do it for really good reasons. (00:02:55)
  • 2019-03-22 · Hank: Hank says he has ulcerative colitis. — How to Get a Colonoscopy 00:00:00
    • → point: The description says Hank talks about his routine procedure to remove stigma, give advice and make clear that preventative medicine is important. (video description)
  • 2019-03-22 · Hank: The description says the procedure went great, Katherine filmed him being a dork, and he still has moderate inflammation in his distal colon, normal for him but worth treating. — How to Get a Colonoscopy 00:00:00
    • → point: The description says Hank talks about his routine procedure to remove stigma, give advice and make clear that preventative medicine is important. (video description)
  • 2019-03-22 · Hank: For other people with IBD, Hank says he currently takes mesalamine, an anti-inflammatory, and allopurinol, an immunomodulator. — How to Get a Colonoscopy 00:00:00
    • → point: The description says Hank talks about his routine procedure to remove stigma, give advice and make clear that preventative medicine is important. (video description)
  • 2019-03-22 · Hank: Hank says he was diagnosed in 2005 and, after first getting it under control, has had mild, moderate or no symptoms on and off since. — How to Get a Colonoscopy 00:00:00
    • → point: The description says Hank talks about his routine procedure to remove stigma, give advice and make clear that preventative medicine is important. (video description)
  • 2019-03-22 · Hank: Hank says this is maybe his third or fourth colonoscopy; not remembering suggests it is no longer a big deal for him. (hedged) — How to Get a Colonoscopy 00:01:25
    • → point: Hank says that with luck everybody gets several colonoscopies, so it is worth knowing about the process before a doctor brings it up. (00:01:25)
  • 2019-06-04 · John: John had a great weekend and is probably experiencing peak happiness; his voice is hoarse from four days of screaming. (hedged) — On Sharing the Walk 00:00:01
    • → opinion: John doesn't believe in listening to his gut: living with an illness of disordered thinking, he has had to learn not to trust his intuition because it constantly lies to him. (00:00:06)
  • 2019-06-04 · John: As a minor example, John's intuition tells him many times a day that he didn't lock the car door, though he always does. — On Sharing the Walk 00:00:22
    • → opinion: John doesn't believe in listening to his gut: living with an illness of disordered thinking, he has had to learn not to trust his intuition because it constantly lies to him. (00:00:06)
  • 2019-09-17 · John: In a comment John says his sabbatical lasts four more weeks, until October 15th, and he hopes to extend it a bit. — 'end the stigma' 00:00:00
    • → point: Amid talk of ending the stigma of mental and other illnesses, Dr. Bailor Barrie told John in Sierra Leone that we can't know how to end stigma until we grapple with its causes. (00:00:00)
  • 2019-09-17 · John: John says it is easier for him to live openly with a mental illness because he doesn't have to apply for jobs where an employer might be concerned by it. — 'end the stigma' 00:00:58
    • → point: In an inserted 'John from the future' aside, John says biology doesn't work that way: viruses have no moral compass, and we pretend they do because we want life to be a story that makes sense. (00:01:56)
  • 2019-10-15 · John: Ten years ago John mostly saw his anxiety as an embarrassing character weakness and talked about it only to mock it and himself. — I'm Having a Lot of Feelings 00:02:26
    • → point: John says that has not been his experience of adulthood: he sees the world very differently than five, ten or fifteen years ago, though an adult all along. (00:02:26)
  • 2019-12-10 · John: In his mid-20s John went through intense loneliness and isolation that was correlated with serious depression. — On Loneliness 00:00:22
    • → point: The more isolated he felt, the less able to escape; overwhelmed by sadness, he couldn't listen or engage when he did talk to people: one of loneliness's many vicious cycles. (00:00:54)
  • 2019-12-10 · John: Though he heard neighbors through thin walls, saw caring people at work daily and could instant-message anyone, John lacked not connective opportunities but connection. — On Loneliness 00:00:28
    • → point: The more isolated he felt, the less able to escape; overwhelmed by sadness, he couldn't listen or engage when he did talk to people: one of loneliness's many vicious cycles. (00:00:54)
  • 2019-12-10 · John: Other cycles: isolation made him feel unworthy of love, dread of calling long-neglected people made him call less, and despair made him feel useless, deepening the despair. — On Loneliness 00:01:11
    • → point: The more isolated he felt, the less able to escape; overwhelmed by sadness, he couldn't listen or engage when he did talk to people: one of loneliness's many vicious cycles. (00:00:54)
  • 2019-12-10 · John: When really lonely, John feels his consciousness serves no shared or greater purpose, and his life seems to circle its own misery like a vulture over a carcass. — On Loneliness 00:01:43
    • → point: The more isolated he felt, the less able to escape; overwhelmed by sadness, he couldn't listen or engage when he did talk to people: one of loneliness's many vicious cycles. (00:00:54)
  • 2019-12-10 · John: That pain makes him want to withdraw further from the 'stupid world', which worsens the meaninglessness and furthers his isolation. — On Loneliness 00:01:58
    • → point: The more isolated he felt, the less able to escape; overwhelmed by sadness, he couldn't listen or engage when he did talk to people: one of loneliness's many vicious cycles. (00:00:54)
  • 2019-12-10 · John: Though he set the story 20 years ago, a similar isolation pulled John under much more recently: he felt separate from the world and adrift from friends and family who loved him. — On Loneliness 00:02:11
    • → point: It also means treating loneliness as a problem to address actively by intentionally finding or refinding community; hard at first, but easier later and always worth it. (00:02:42)
  • 2019-12-10 · John: Both times the cycles were broken by treating his chronic health problem like a chronic health problem: for John, medication and regular therapy. — On Loneliness 00:02:31
    • → point: It also means treating loneliness as a problem to address actively by intentionally finding or refinding community; hard at first, but easier later and always worth it. (00:02:42)
  • 2019-12-10 · John: John's communities include ones built around a shared enthusiasm such as Liverpool Football Club, around activism, and around his physical neighborhood. — On Loneliness 00:02:59
    • → point: It also means treating loneliness as a problem to address actively by intentionally finding or refinding community; hard at first, but easier later and always worth it. (00:02:42)
  • 2020-02-11 · John: John's mental health is probably the best it's ever been: still mentally ill and on daily medication, but his rolling 90-day average is much better than 5, 10 or 15 years ago. (hedged) — 1,100 Days: A Mental and Physical Health Update 00:01:27
    • → point: John says he has had such vicious cycles in the last three years, but recognizing the pattern makes them much easier to break. (00:01:27)
  • 2020-02-11 · John: John describes a helpful shift in how he imagines himself: he never thought of himself as fit or healthy and defined himself against fitness, a nerd, not a jock; a mind person, not a body person. — 1,100 Days: A Mental and Physical Health Update 00:01:56
    • → point: John is now much less inclined to imagine his mind as separate from his body: his brain is meat like his muscles, and treating the body as a sack carrying the mind was bad for both. (00:01:56)
  • 2020-03-17 · John: John's family is self-isolating, a phrase that, like social distancing, he did not know a month ago but is now everywhere. — together. 00:01:27
    • → point: John says that while we must isolate, we must also find ways to stay together and connected, to keep humanity's superpower. (00:01:56)
  • 2020-03-24 · John: John says this is a struggle for him and his friends, some of whom love jobs they now lack or cannot do as they love. — Mental Health Tips from People Who've Been There 00:02:26
    • → opinion: Because of his obsessive thinking disorder, too much news makes John panicked rather than better informed, making it harder to be a father, friend and concerned citizen. (00:03:24)
  • 2020-06-30 · John: In a comment John says he has sponsored AFC Wimbledon since about 2012 or 2013 and follows them avidly, but has long been a Liverpool fan: a bit of divided loyalty. — i like it 00:00:00
    • → point: In fact, John says, the world is complex and contains multitudes even amid everything, so he will tell Hank two things from the week he really liked. (00:00:31)
  • 2020-06-30 · John: In a comment John says another very common cognitive distortion, one he is intimately familiar with, is catastrophizing. — i like it 00:00:00
    • → point: In fact, John says, the world is complex and contains multitudes even amid everything, so he will tell Hank two things from the week he really liked. (00:00:31)
  • 2020-06-30 · John: John says he sometimes experiences the cognitive distortion of negative filtering, filtering out positive information and seeing only bad stuff. — i like it 00:00:09
    • → point: In fact, John says, the world is complex and contains multitudes even amid everything, so he will tell Hank two things from the week he really liked. (00:00:31)
  • 2020-11-20 · Hank: Health-care workers have shown Hank tremendous kindness every time he went to the hospital, with a broken bone or for his ulcerative colitis. — Would I Take a COVID Vaccine? 00:02:58
    • → point: Everyone needs to help frontline health-care workers, who are having a year unlike any before. (00:02:28)
  • 2021-02-02 · John: John recalls predicting the pandemic: in mid-2019 on Dear Hank and John he said everyone must prepare for the coming global disease pandemic, and a year earlier he listed one among his chief fears. — I Predicted the Pandemic (over and over and over again) 00:00:00
    • → point: From the Great Dying in the Americas to the Black Death in Eurasia, infectious disease has long been a central force in human history, and not only ancient history. (00:00:29)
  • 2021-04-06 · John: Living with severe anxiety most of his life, John has learned that shame isn't effective for him: being told to stop worrying or that he's an idiot doesn't help. — How Do You Do, Fellow Kids? 00:01:27
    • → point: Likewise John doesn't know vaccine hesitancy from inside, but he sympathizes with viewers who feel it or find getting vaccinated against COVID stressful. (00:00:58)
  • 2021-04-23 · Hank: Hank felt pretty crummy the day after his second dose. — Young People and the COVID Vaccine 00:00:40
    • → point: As with all procrastination there is no better time than now: the trade-off is scheduled mild inconvenience versus unscheduled major inconvenience and maybe worse. (00:00:40)
  • 2021-05-25 · John: The universe didn't give John labyrinthitis to teach him about balance; he was mostly better within six weeks but still has terrifying bouts of vertigo, and now viscerally knows consciousness is temporary and precarious. — The Anthropocene Reviewed, Animated 00:06:35
    • → opinion: Tempting as it is to make labyrinthitis a metaphor for a life lacking balance, John wrote against such symbolization of disease in his novels: OCD and cancer are illnesses to live with as well as one can, not battles or character flaws. (00:05:41)
  • 2021-06-11 · Hank: Hank, who usually keeps his frustrations off the internet, says he is discouraged by the vaccine misinformation he has seen; people are unvaccinated for multiple reasons. — My Greatest Tool Against Vaccine Misinformation 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says not to engage professional misinformers who tie their identity and livelihood to it: it only gives them light, and they keep moving the goalposts. (video description)
  • 2021-06-11 · Hank: Hank is grateful to have some immunity from COVID without having had its symptoms or becoming a carrier who could sicken someone more vulnerable. — My Greatest Tool Against Vaccine Misinformation 00:02:43
    • → point: Hank says the first thing that helps is answering good-faith questions from confused or conflicted people: it is not about winning but helping. (00:02:21)
  • 2021-07-13 · John: A few years ago John wrote a video on how a symptom of both panic attacks and heart attacks is a 'sense of impending doom', and how hard it is to know how to respond to that feeling. — The Vlogbrothers Videos I Didn't Make 00:01:08
    • → point: John's lesson: he can't really make a video about something he doesn't understand, and he doesn't understand nations. (00:01:01)
  • 2021-07-13 · John: John says his sense of impending doom has at times been so powerful that it is difficult to sense anything else. — The Vlogbrothers Videos I Didn't Make 00:01:38
    • → point: John's lesson: he can't really make a video about something he doesn't understand, and he doesn't understand nations. (00:01:01)
  • 2021-08-10 · John: In hospital his vertigo was first thought possibly psychosomatic, caused by his chronic anxiety; when an ostensibly physiological cause was found he was a little relieved, as everyone, himself included, began treating the illness as really real. — My Physicalmental Illness 00:00:29
    • → point: John says we profoundly stigmatize mental illness. (00:00:27)
  • 2021-08-10 · John: With lasting vestibular problems after the virus was gone, John was sent to a balance institute to retrain his brain; when the therapist said they were rewiring his brain, he realized it was just like his other therapy. — My Physicalmental Illness 00:02:26
    • → opinion: In regular therapy John teaches his brain to respond differently to unreliable anxious thoughts, in balance therapy to unreliable inner-ear information; OCD and labyrinthitis treatments differ, but the idea, medication and therapy, is similar. (00:02:26)
  • 2021-10-08 · John: In a comment John says the script was much longer, with much about the upcoming tour; Rosianna suggested just saying they would tour if safe, and he eventually agreed. — On February 3rd, 2020, I Wrote a Video I Didn't Make. Here It Is. 00:00:00
    • → opinion: John says rereading the script shows what he knew, what he didn't, and what he thought he knew but didn't. (00:00:16)
  • 2021-10-08 · John: In early February 2020 John wrote a video script, 'A Feeling of Impending Doom', that was never made; he often writes unmade videos and is grateful this one wasn't made. — On February 3rd, 2020, I Wrote a Video I Didn't Make. Here It Is. 00:00:05
    • → opinion: John says rereading the script shows what he knew, what he didn't, and what he thought he knew but didn't. (00:00:16)
  • 2021-10-08 · John: In the script John says that, with a serious mental health disorder, he often has a feeling of impending doom and cannot tell whether it is a heart attack, a panic attack or actual doom. — On February 3rd, 2020, I Wrote a Video I Didn't Make. Here It Is. 00:00:50
    • → opinion: In the 2020 script John notes that one listed symptom of a heart attack is a feeling of impending doom, a perfectly evocative phrase from a medical profession that often struggles with language. (00:00:36)
  • 2021-10-13 · Hank: A young, vaccinated friend of Hank's got COVID; she will be fine but feels awful and frustrated that two years of being careful were for nothing. — The Web of Care 00:00:54
    • → point: The episode made Hank think how big the world is and that no one can care about everything, which is okay: everything is a lot of things. (00:00:54)
  • 2022-01-11 · John: Diseases are still often cast as divine retribution: John remembers people on TV, when he was a kid, saying HIV was sent by God to punish gay people. — The Fault in Our Stars - Ten Years Later 00:01:56
    • → point: Such ways of imagining illness are tremendously harmful, a double horror: the sick suffer the illness and also a social order that marginalizes or dehumanizes them for being ill. (00:01:56)
  • 2022-01-11 · John: John's dad had cancer twice when John was a kid, so he saw people keep their distance though it wasn't contagious, and invent reasons for his dad's cancer to reassure themselves. — The Fault in Our Stars - Ten Years Later 00:02:26
    • → point: John continued the theme in Turtles All the Way Down, writing about what happens when we misunderstand mental illness. (00:02:55)
  • 2022-06-21 · John: John lists the itises he has or has had: orbital cellulitis, eosinophilic esophagitis and viral meningitis, besides ordinary ones like sinusitis and gastritis. — On Disease 00:00:29
    • → point: John says historical narratives focus on kings, wars and political philosophies, but disease is a terribly important historical force, maybe the most important. (00:00:58)
  • 2022-06-21 · John: John says he got orbital cellulitis because bacteria invaded the soft tissue between his eye and brain, but the name means his own white blood cells caused swelling behind his eye. — On Disease 00:02:26
    • → point: John argues we describe illness as failures of the body rather than inevitable side effects of having one, and so imagine disease as a failure of one's self, biology, circumstances or moral choices. (00:02:55)
  • 2022-09-16 · Hank: Hank is getting over shingles: it was very, very bad, but he feels much better and it now only itches. — Here's Why Younger People are Getting Shingles 00:01:56
    • → opinion: Hank guesses the shingles vaccine will eventually be available to younger people. (00:03:13)
  • 2022-09-16 · Hank: Hank says the risk is higher with immunosuppressant medication and stress, both of which he has. — Here's Why Younger People are Getting Shingles 00:02:43
    • → opinion: Hank guesses the shingles vaccine will eventually be available to younger people. (00:03:13)
  • 2022-12-16 · Hank: Hank got food poisoning last night. — What I Would Have Tweeted 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says Hank feels much better and good about not being on Twitter, which seems messy and increasingly unimportant, though that is probably how it felt to everyone not on it. (video description)
  • 2023-02-07 · John: John recently came across an 1833 book, The Infirmities of Genius, which says authors have a personality that makes them unusually susceptible to tuberculosis. — Mid-Morning Existential Crisis: The Format Returns 00:00:00
    • → point: John says 19th-century tuberculosis, like some mental health conditions today, was both heavily stigmatized and heavily romanticized, and these are not opposites. (00:00:33)
  • 2023-02-28 · John: John says he has just read a bunch of 19th-century invalids' memoirs. — Empathy and its Limits 00:02:47
    • → point: John says he can't know what it's like to be a bird or to have someone else's pain, but he can listen to people when they tell him of their pain and believe them. (00:02:47)
  • 2023-02-28 · John: John recalls that when he had meningitis he was rarely alone, except in his fear and pain, where he was always alone. — Empathy and its Limits 00:02:47
    • → point: John says he can't know what it's like to be a bird or to have someone else's pain, but he can listen to people when they tell him of their pain and believe them. (00:02:47)
  • 2023-06-23 · Hank: Hank writes that his Hodgkin lymphoma has not so far become stubborn, but he is very aware that it could. — Understanding Cancer Survival Rates 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says that since his diagnosis he has noticed people's main concern is whether cancer kills; survival rate is a top autocomplete, but survival rates are complicated. (00:00:00)
  • 2023-06-23 · Hank: Hank says his Hodgkin lymphoma is stage 2A with no bulky disease (no X), which is great. — Understanding Cancer Survival Rates 00:06:50
    • → point: Hank says the survival rate is only one piece of a prognosis, alongside treatment, response to it, living through it and the support needed. (00:06:50)
  • 2023-06-23 · Hank: Hank says he talked to several oncologists and found them very different; which one he vibed with was about his needs, not their quality. — Understanding Cancer Survival Rates 00:09:36
    • → point: Hank says that with, say, a 50% chance of not living five years, a patient ends up on one side or the other: one data point, not a population study. (00:08:17)
  • 2023-06-27 · Hank: Hank says his chemo is the cheapest part of his treatment, cheaper than the scans; switching to a newer drug over a lung problem would raise it from $300 to, he thinks, $15,000. (hedged) — Alone on the Cancer Boat: A Vlogbrothers Reunion 00:06:13
    • → point: Hank says cancer is not one disease like strep throat but many; calling it one disease is like calling viruses one disease. (00:05:07)
  • 2023-07-07 · Hank: Hank says that, as someone people now want to help, he asked on Twitter, and thousands of people told him what they had and had not appreciated while sick. — What to Get for a Cancer Patient 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says cancer treatment is very hard physically and psychologically, and knowing he is doing what needs to be done, even if it really sucks, is extremely valuable. (video description)
  • 2023-07-07 · Hank: Hank says he wants to hear advice from people who have had Hodgkin's lymphoma and ABVD, his chemo regimen; talking with people who have been through cancer has been very helpful. — What to Get for a Cancer Patient 00:06:05
    • → opinion: Hank says friendships do not happen unless they are invested in, so support for a sick friend should go on the calendar. (00:06:05)
  • 2023-07-28 · Hank: Hank says he is a good candidate for radiation therapy partly because his cancer's location lets the beams miss his heart, hitting a little of his lung at low dose. — Let's Try Radiation Therapy! 00:03:02
    • → point: Hank says treating cancer is not about maximizing the chance of cure but about maximizing it while minimizing the chance of severe side effects. (00:03:33)
  • 2023-07-28 · Hank: Hank says being 43 also helps: a seven-year-old would have 80 years to develop a secondary cancer from radiation, he only about half that, so his chances are lower. — Let's Try Radiation Therapy! 00:03:25
    • → point: Hank says treating cancer is not about maximizing the chance of cure but about maximizing it while minimizing the chance of severe side effects. (00:03:33)
  • 2023-08-08 · John: John says they have both seen comments blaming Hank's cancer on a vaccination, on working too hard, or on his ulcerative colitis. — TAKE IT UP A NOTCH 00:01:56
    • → opinion: John says such comments are designed to make the commenter feel safe from cancer; hunting for the cause when you are not Hank's physician is about wanting to feel better yourself, not about Hank. (00:01:56)
  • 2023-08-08 · John: John stresses that such comments have been very rare for Hank and that almost everyone has been extraordinarily supportive. — TAKE IT UP A NOTCH 00:02:26
    • → opinion: John says Hank's experience is not typical: with HIV, cancer, tuberculosis or another highly stigmatized disease, the social response is part of what makes the illness so difficult. (00:02:26)
  • 2023-08-25 · Hank: The description says having had almost only good news leaves Hank waffling between expecting something terrible and feeling he shouldn't be so harmed when others had it worse: cancer imposter syndrome. — Remission 00:00:00
    • → point: In Dungeons & Dragons a constitution saving throw decides once whether you are affected by a disease or poison; Hank says life is not like that. (00:01:05)
  • 2023-08-25 · Hank: The description says Hank is still taking time away to rest and recuperate because treatment has done a number on him physically. — Remission 00:00:00
    • → point: In Dungeons & Dragons a constitution saving throw decides once whether you are affected by a disease or poison; Hank says life is not like that. (00:01:05)
  • 2023-08-25 · Hank: Hank says John has traditionally thought more about death; Hank thinks about it only in fun, silly ways, not wrestling with its implications. — Remission 00:00:12
    • → point: In Dungeons & Dragons a constitution saving throw decides once whether you are affected by a disease or poison; Hank says life is not like that. (00:01:05)
  • 2023-08-25 · Hank: After staging showed the cancer was only in one part of his body, Hank's chance of being dead in five years was more like 5%. — Remission 00:00:44
    • → point: In Dungeons & Dragons a constitution saving throw decides once whether you are affected by a disease or poison; Hank says life is not like that. (00:01:05)
  • 2023-08-25 · Hank: Hank announces that this week (week of 21 August 2023) his doctor told him he is in complete remission from his cancer. — Remission 00:01:14
    • → point: In Dungeons & Dragons a constitution saving throw decides once whether you are affected by a disease or poison; Hank says life is not like that. (00:01:05)
  • 2023-09-05 · John: John says his Cheyenne, Wyoming has been figuring out how tuberculosis's change happened and how to tell its story. — I Ain't Even Here, Sergeant. I'm in Cheyenne, Wyoming. 00:01:40
    • → point: John says that in the 21st century the deadliest infectious disease is curable, which is unprecedented: the deadliest diseases of the 20th, 19th and 18th centuries were not. (00:01:45)
  • 2023-09-15 · Hank: Hank says a couple of years ago he would probably have guessed malaria, then AIDS, as the deadliest infectious disease, and needed a hint to reach tuberculosis. (hedged) — The Worst Disease in Human History 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description calls Danaher and the campaigners allies in the fight against TB who do not always agree on how best to fight it. (video description)
  • 2023-10-20 · Hank: Hank says a friend, on hearing of his cancer, started to treat him as if he were already dead, thinking cancer is cancer. — My 'Injury' 00:02:33
    • → point: Hank says second, it breeds the belief that despite huge money and effort we have failed to cure cancer; that is wrong, because cancer is not a disease but a kind of disease. (00:02:40)
  • 2023-11-21 · John: John says Casey McIntyre, a young woman he knew a little, has just died of cancer; she was married to his friend Andrew Rose Gregory and worked for years at John's publishing house. — Minus Its Charms 00:02:33
    • → opinion: John calls it one of the many insanities of the US health care system that so many people are bankrupted just for being sick. (00:02:53)
  • 2023-11-21 · John: John says that instead of flowers at a memorial, Casey wanted to erase people's medical debts in a debt jubilee. — Minus Its Charms 00:02:46
    • → opinion: John calls it one of the many insanities of the US health care system that so many people are bankrupted just for being sick. (00:02:53)
  • 2023-12-08 · Hank: The description says Hank is so happy to be cancer free, at the moment anyway, because chemotherapy exploded the cancer cells. (hedged) — Did Natural Cancer Treatments Save My Life? 00:00:00
    • → opinion: In a comment Hank says his treatment was partly discovered through traditional medicine, and studying what worked in the past or works for indigenous groups is worthwhile. (creator comment)
  • 2023-12-08 · Hank: The description says Hank gets to have curly hair now, at least for a little while; in a comment he says it was not curly before. — Did Natural Cancer Treatments Save My Life? 00:00:00
    • → opinion: In a comment Hank says his treatment was partly discovered through traditional medicine, and studying what worked in the past or works for indigenous groups is worthwhile. (creator comment)
  • 2023-12-08 · Hank: Hank says that while publicly living with cancer he received almost universally good vibes: people were amazing. — Did Natural Cancer Treatments Save My Life? 00:02:39
    • → point: Hank asks what critics mean by more natural treatment, when most of his cancer treatments came from nature. (00:03:27)
  • 2023-12-08 · Hank: Hank says some people told him he would do better and be healthier taking a more natural route, meaning not doing chemotherapy. — Did Natural Cancer Treatments Save My Life? 00:02:48
    • → point: Hank asks what critics mean by more natural treatment, when most of his cancer treatments came from nature. (00:03:27)
  • 2023-12-08 · Hank: Hank says others moved his words into their social media feeds and, less politely, made content saying his decisions were bad and people with cancer should do otherwise. — Did Natural Cancer Treatments Save My Life? 00:03:00
    • → point: Hank asks what critics mean by more natural treatment, when most of his cancer treatments came from nature. (00:03:27)
  • 2023-12-08 · Hank: Hank took Epsom salt baths; he doesn't know if they helped, but they let him take a long bath and feel he was doing something for himself. — Did Natural Cancer Treatments Save My Life? 00:03:48
    • → point: Hank says 'natural cancer treatment' only ever means something not known to work, known not to work, or known to do more harm than good; otherwise it would include his three natural chemo compounds. (00:04:25)
  • 2023-12-08 · Hank: Hank took fish oil, vitamin D and magnesium; he thinks the magnesium especially helped, as his muscle cramps cleared up. (hedged) — Did Natural Cancer Treatments Save My Life? 00:03:58
    • → point: Hank says 'natural cancer treatment' only ever means something not known to work, known not to work, or known to do more harm than good; otherwise it would include his three natural chemo compounds. (00:04:25)
  • 2024-03-12 · John: John's great-uncle Stokes died of tuberculosis in 1930, when TB was still one of the leading causes of death in the United States. — How We End TB 00:00:29
    • → point: John says we know how to end TB as a society because we have done it before. (00:00:29)
  • 2024-03-15 · Hank: Hank says in Missoula he was extremely well taken care of during treatment: he saw his doctor at least twice a month and was getting scans, chemo and radiation. — The Worst Things About Not Having Cancer 00:00:58
    • → point: Hank's first and worst point: during treatment, hard-working, high-status people fretting over you makes you feel valued; after remission, being plopped back into normality feels like being ignored. (00:00:58)
  • 2024-03-15 · Hank: Hank says each time he has called, the cancer center said it didn't seem like cancer but he was right to call; he waffles between overreacting and certainty the cancer is back. — The Worst Things About Not Having Cancer 00:02:26
    • → point: Hank's second point: he expected remission to mean being done, but it isn't; he might have cancer again at any moment. (00:01:57)
  • 2024-03-15 · Hank: Hank says he doesn't want to die, and every couple of weeks he has anxiety spikes in which he becomes certain the cancer is back. — The Worst Things About Not Having Cancer 00:02:55
    • → point: Hank says the only thing that helps is accepting that fairness is a human idea and the universe doesn't care about it. (00:03:27)
  • 2024-03-15 · Hank: Hank says he made many cancer friends during treatment: some have relapsed, some are terminal, and some have died. — The Worst Things About Not Having Cancer 00:02:55
    • → point: Hank says the only thing that helps is accepting that fairness is a human idea and the universe doesn't care about it. (00:03:27)
  • 2024-04-05 · Hank: Hank says he is travelling for the eclipse and is really excited: it will be his first total solar eclipse. — Two Reasons Why This Eclipse is So Dangerous 00:03:00
    • → opinion: Hank says you may be a good driver but others are not, and any inattention raises the chance of something very bad happening to you or those around you. (00:03:00)
  • 2024-10-08 · Hank: Asked by John when his cancer can go in the past tense, Hank answers: after 60 months. — Hank Steals John's Cells 00:01:59
    • → point: Hank says in many blood cancers patients cannot get their own marrow back and need someone else's, so a very large registry of people is needed. (00:01:59)
  • 2024-10-08 · Hank: Hank says that because he had cancer, the registry does not want his bone marrow. — Hank Steals John's Cells 00:05:03
    • → point: Hank says the broader the group of potential donors the better, because matching is not a binary thing. (00:03:27)
  • 2024-10-25 · Hank: Hank recalls getting strep a lot as a kid and clearly remembers having his throat swabbed to test him. — I Don't Want them to Get Away With It… 00:00:12
    • → opinion: The description says Hank didn't call for action against Danaher now partly because so much is happening in US national politics that it is hard to ask viewers to take on more. (video description)
  • 2025-02-25 · John: The description thanks everyone who supported John and this work over the last four years; he is excited to finally share the book. — EVERYTHING IS TUBERCULOSIS 00:00:00
    • → opinion: In a comment, John says a better TB vaccine is needed and the main reason there is none is lack of investment in illnesses that mostly affect the poor. (creator comment)
  • 2025-02-25 · John: John's great-uncle Stokes Goodrich was born in 1900 in rural Tennessee, raised in a house built by John's great-grandfather Charles, a country doctor in Franklin County. — EVERYTHING IS TUBERCULOSIS 00:01:57
    • → opinion: John says it was common then, and perhaps still is, to tie illness to some deficiency, failure or past mistake, like a German doctor blaming a barking dog. (00:01:57)
  • 2025-02-25 · John: Stokes was a sickly child; coffee and sweets from a family friend were blamed, after which he had the worst case of typhoid his great-grandfather saw recover. — EVERYTHING IS TUBERCULOSIS 00:01:57
    • → opinion: John says it was common then, and perhaps still is, to tie illness to some deficiency, failure or past mistake, like a German doctor blaming a barking dog. (00:01:57)
  • 2025-02-25 · John: At 18 in 1918 Stokes nearly died in the influenza pandemic while working at a munitions factory, then in 1920 became a lineman for Alabama Power and Light. — EVERYTHING IS TUBERCULOSIS 00:02:43
    • → opinion: John says it was common then, and perhaps still is, to tie illness to some deficiency, failure or past mistake, like a German doctor blaming a barking dog. (00:01:57)
  • 2025-02-25 · John: After coughing up blood, Stokes was X-rayed in Gadsden and found to have miliary TB; the technician said he had never seen such a case live over two months. Stokes entered an Asheville sanatorium. — EVERYTHING IS TUBERCULOSIS 00:03:13
    • → opinion: John often wonders what it was like for his great-grandfather, a trained doctor, to be unable to save his own son. (00:03:50)
  • 2025-02-25 · John: Despite the best care, Stokes grew steadily worse and died on May 18, 1930, aged 29. — EVERYTHING IS TUBERCULOSIS 00:03:50
    • → opinion: John often wonders what it was like for his great-grandfather, a trained doctor, to be unable to save his own son. (00:03:50)
  • 2025-02-28 · Hank: Hank says he need not worry about Orin getting measles, since he is a healthy kid who has had both doses. — We Will Eradicate Measles 00:05:02
    • → point: Hank says the biggest advantage measles has now that it lacked then is that we forgot. (00:03:09)
  • 2025-05-16 · Hank: Hank says he got a cancer, a disease often fatal, got medicine for it, and now seems likely to die of something else, so he knows he didn't die. (hedged) — No One Knows When They Don't Die 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says it has occurred to him that people mostly never know it when they don't die. (00:00:00)
  • 2025-05-16 · Hank: Hank says he and everyone around him got the measles vaccine when young, so he has never had measles and probably never will. (hedged) — No One Knows When They Don't Die 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says it has occurred to him that people mostly never know it when they don't die. (00:00:00)
  • 2025-05-30 · Hank: Hank is not diagnosed and feels he is handling it well, but is pretty sure he has delayed sleep-wake phase disorder. (hedged) — My Rare 'Disorder' 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says he had the disorder for many years, then didn't, and now has it again, though nothing about him changed: the world around him changed. (00:00:00)
  • 2025-05-30 · Hank: Hank naturally falls asleep around 2 a.m. and wakes around 10 whenever left to his own devices; it is not staying up late, which is different from scrolling TikTok. — My Rare 'Disorder' 00:02:26
    • → opinion: Hank says we tend to treat being an early bird or night owl as personal preference, with a tinge of morality: driven people and CEOs get up early, lazy slackers stay up late. (00:00:58)
  • 2025-05-30 · Hank: Hank says he has no disordered sleep or insomnia and good sleep hygiene, just a sleep phase on the later edge of the bell curve. — My Rare 'Disorder' 00:02:26
    • → opinion: Hank says we tend to treat being an early bird or night owl as personal preference, with a tinge of morality: driven people and CEOs get up early, lazy slackers stay up late. (00:00:58)
  • 2025-05-30 · Hank: Hank's late sleep phase was very hard for him during school, a significant challenge to his social and academic life. — My Rare 'Disorder' 00:02:26
    • → opinion: Hank says we tend to treat being an early bird or night owl as personal preference, with a tinge of morality: driven people and CEOs get up early, lazy slackers stay up late. (00:00:58)
  • 2025-06-27 · Hank: Hank was raised on Pop-Tarts; he still wants them but has not had one in a long time. — You’re Not Addicted to Content, You’re Starving for Information 00:06:39
    • → point: Hank says we long wrongly thought calorie information, like the calories in Doritos, would make people healthier; nutrition is complex, nobody knows their calories, and tracking them is a full-time hobby. (00:05:12)
  • 2025-08-01 · Hank: Hank says he has a much higher risk of someday needing a bone marrow transplant himself, but many people need one right now. — We Stole a Man's Blood 00:03:10
    • → point: Hank says bigger registries give a better chance of a really good match, since matching is a sliding scale rather than match or no match. (00:03:10)
  • 2025-08-01 · Hank: Hank says he is not allowed to donate: they do not want his bone marrow anymore. — We Stole a Man's Blood 00:03:39
    • → point: Hank says bigger registries give a better chance of a really good match, since matching is a sliding scale rather than match or no match. (00:03:10)
  • 2025-08-12 · John: John recalls that on a Monday afternoon in 2017, while rummaging through a drawer, his sense of balance suddenly failed; he fell to the floor and started vomiting. — On Balance 00:00:00
    • → point: John says you don't notice your sense of balance when it works: he can describe what he smells, sees, hears, tastes and touches, but not his balance, because it is functioning. (00:00:24)
  • 2025-08-12 · John: For John the defining experience of vertigo was not the dizziness but not knowing how long it would last, or whether his balance would ever be restored. — On Balance 00:00:58
    • → opinion: John says vertigo is almost impossible to explain to someone who has never had it; comparisons like a small boat on a heaving ocean or being spun around fall short because those feelings end. (00:00:43)
  • 2025-08-12 · John: John says he is making this video because his vertigo returned a couple of weeks ago (late July 2025). — On Balance 00:01:10
    • → opinion: John says vertigo is almost impossible to explain to someone who has never had it; comparisons like a small boat on a heaving ocean or being spun around fall short because those feelings end. (00:00:43)
  • 2025-08-12 · John: John says he cannot remember what having meningitis felt like, not in the acute way he remembers scents or sights. — On Balance 00:03:53
    • → point: John says that when he has his balance, or any sense, he needs to become aware of it by practising gratitude for it. (00:04:00)
  • 2025-09-23 · John: John says he has at various times stopped taking these pills entirely, though he understands they are literally life-saving for him. — Why Can't I Take My Meds? 00:00:29
    • → point: John says we often blame individuals for failures of human-built systems; if half of all patients struggle, individuals can't be blamed for what is clearly a broader problem. (00:00:58)
  • 2025-09-23 · John: John says the same happens with his statin: he feels fine and struggles to take it, though he can easily afford it and its side effects are basically non-existent. — Why Can't I Take My Meds? 00:02:55
    • → point: John says many major barriers to adherence are psychological: it is hard to take a pill when you feel fine, as with skipping the last days of an antibiotic course. (00:01:56)
  • 2025-09-23 · John: John says he has wrestled for years with needing psychiatric meds to be himself, when being himself supposedly means his natural, unmedicated state. — Why Can't I Take My Meds? 00:03:24
    • → point: John says stigma matters too: our culture says the healthiest people take no medicine, and being unmedicated is seen as a natural, more desirable state. (00:03:24)
  • 2025-09-23 · John: John says the pillbox works for him, but data is not the plural of anecdote. — Why Can't I Take My Meds? 00:05:21
    • → point: John's takeaway: taking these medicines isn't easy, but tying it to a habit makes it easier, and the work is worth doing regardless. (00:06:19)
  • 2025-09-23 · John: John says he sometimes judges himself for struggling, since he has fewer risk factors than almost anyone: he trusts his healthcare system and has good insurance. — Why Can't I Take My Meds? 00:05:50
    • → point: John's takeaway: taking these medicines isn't easy, but tying it to a habit makes it easier, and the work is worth doing regardless. (00:06:19)
  • 2025-11-10 · Hank: The description announces that Hank is home. — My Cancer Treatment was Not Cutting Edge 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says John's video this week (week of 10 November 2025) said he got cutting-edge curative cancer therapy, and hopes that is only half wrong. (00:00:00)
  • 2025-11-10 · Hank: Hank knows people who relapsed more than 10 years after treatment for Hodgkin's, so one can be called cured and not quite be. — My Cancer Treatment was Not Cutting Edge 00:00:29
    • → point: Hank says John's video this week (week of 10 November 2025) said he got cutting-edge curative cancer therapy, and hopes that is only half wrong. (00:00:00)
  • 2025-11-10 · Hank: Had he gotten sick maybe 20 years earlier, Hank would probably have had about six months of treatment; he had two months of chemo then targeted radiation, cutting his long-term risks. (hedged) — My Cancer Treatment was Not Cutting Edge 00:03:53
    • → point: Hank sums up: the drugs are old, but treatment kept improving, with cheap anti-nausea meds added and doses scaled back after research showed less chemo similarly curative for his stage. (00:04:21)
  • 2025-11-10 · Hank: Hank read those studies during treatment to check it was okay to take less; taking less is scary, but here it is better. — My Cancer Treatment was Not Cutting Edge 00:04:21
    • → point: Hank sums up: the drugs are old, but treatment kept improving, with cheap anti-nausea meds added and doses scaled back after research showed less chemo similarly curative for his stage. (00:04:21)
  • 2026-04-07 · John: After reading the book, John asked Dr. Pasricha onto his YouTube channel to talk about poop, and she agreed. — I've Been Pooping All Wrong 00:02:26
    • → opinion: John says poop's stigma makes sense but leads to delayed care and real health problems: like much health stigma, a social problem becomes a biomedical one. (00:02:26)
  • 2026-08-25 · John: John would not exist: he had childhood staph infections that would have killed him without antibiotics. — The Great Thing about Infectious Disease 00:02:26
    • → point: No one alive remembers 1890, and John worries we are collectively starting to forget life before vaccination, antibiotics and clean water. (00:01:56)
  • 2026-08-25 · John: Hank probably would not exist either: he had scarlet fever as a kid, easily cured, but a common cause of childhood death in the 19th century. (hedged) — The Great Thing about Infectious Disease 00:02:26
    • → point: No one alive remembers 1890, and John worries we are collectively starting to forget life before vaccination, antibiotics and clean water. (00:01:56)
  • 2026-08-25 · John: Researching Everything Is Tuberculosis, John read Gail Perkins's memoir The Baby's Cross: infected by raw milk at three, she spent over 13 years in a sanatorium and came home unaccustomed to touch. — The Great Thing about Infectious Disease 00:03:24
    • → point: No one alive remembers 1890, and John worries we are collectively starting to forget life before vaccination, antibiotics and clean water. (00:01:56)

Everyday life

  • 2007-04-03 · Hank: Hank apologizes to John and viewers: this morning he didn't want to make a video and wanted to stay in bed after a fun weekend and a stressful drive home over an icy pass. — April 3rd: Seattle! 00:02:05
    • → point: Hank says even with the best job in the world, some days you won't want to go to work; that's what work is, since no one would pay you to do what you'd do anyway. (00:02:05)
  • 2007-04-03 · Hank: Hank says the pass home was covered in about two inches of ice, which was very stressful even though he wasn't driving. (hedged) — April 3rd: Seattle! 00:02:34
    • → point: Hank says even with the best job in the world, some days you won't want to go to work; that's what work is, since no one would pay you to do what you'd do anyway. (00:02:05)
  • 2007-04-03 · Hank: After watching some TV, Hank got up and made the video anyway, and is glad he kicked himself out of bed, though it is now about 6 p.m. — April 3rd: Seattle! 00:02:59
    • → point: Hank says even with the best job in the world, some days you won't want to go to work; that's what work is, since no one would pay you to do what you'd do anyway. (00:02:05)
  • 2007-11-30 · John: John says he is buying some gifts this year (2007), but only for children he does not know who need clothes. — Nov. 30th: A CHRISTMAS RANT 00:02:07
    • → point: Saying he does not believe in a past golden era, John gives his basic rule: he likes everything about Christmas that was thought up before 1800. (00:02:07)
  • 2009-09-15 · Hank: Hank says long stretches without the internet leave him with colossal amounts of brain crack, since when not doing things he thinks about things to do. (hedged) — Internetless in Maine 00:00:45
    • → opinion: Brain crack idea one: build vending machines into buses (Greyhound or city) so riders can get a Coke or a sandwich, because he is always hungry and thirsty on buses. (00:00:45)
  • 2009-11-24 · Hank: Hank says he is very thankful for GPS, especially after his tour. — 50 THINGS!! That I'm Thankful For 00:02:20
    • → point: Instead, for Thanksgiving, Hank says he will list 50 things he is thankful for. (00:00:58)
  • 2010-07-24 (said on 2010-07-23, implied) · John: After Hank's video on Wednesday about meeting Snooki, a reality TV star John only half knew, John checked her Twitter, and what he found troubled him. — Grammar School with Snooki 00:00:19
    • → point: John grants that the importance of grammar and spelling can be exaggerated, but says they exist to make communication as clear and transparent as possible. (00:00:35)
  • 2010-10-15 · Hank: Hank's description says he slept in and missed his speaking slot at an event in Missoula, felt like a failure, and read about history's worst fails to feel better. — TOP 7 FAILS OF HISTORY 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank admits he sometimes feels like a huge failure, says everyone is petrified of failure, and says knowing others made far bigger failures keeps him trying new projects. (00:00:00)
  • 2011-05-16 · Hank: Hank says he majored in chemistry, now makes videos for nerds as an entrepreneur, and taught himself 90% of what he has learned. — Grab It By The Testicle 00:01:11
    • → point: Hank tells graduates they don't know jack: the best they can hope is to have been taught to learn, and they are ending one structure, not learning. (00:00:46)
  • 2011-05-18 · John: John says reading Brotherhood 2.0's resident mathematician Daniel Biss makes him feel illiterate. — The Education Continuum WARNER CHILCOTTED 00:01:12
    • → point: John says math’s second purpose is understanding the universe: knowing the square root of four is two helps us build cathedrals and think about space. (00:01:17)
  • 2011-07-25 · Hank: Hank addresses his video to the guy who, last week (July 2011), called him a pussy while Hank rode his bike down a fairly busy street. — I Am Not a P#$$Y - this video contains mild swear words. 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank (description) says bullies bully because they are weak, and that the true bike-taunting story is also a metaphor for bullying. (video description)
  • 2011-07-25 · Hank: Hank says that when he was bullied he dealt with it by crying and hating himself and his life: he survived it but never dealt with it. — I Am Not a P#$$Y - this video contains mild swear words. 00:03:18
    • → opinion: Hank says the shouts of 'it gets better', 'stay strong' and 'we love you' would not have helped him while he was bullied; it does get better, but the moment is hard to see past. (00:03:18)
  • 2012-02-28 · John: John says that, like Ahab chasing the whale, he kept pursuing popularity through school even when it was clear it would destroy him. — On Cuties and Cooties 00:01:27
    • → point: John says there is nothing wrong with being popular, but there is something wrong with sacrificing everything that matters to you to attain popularity. (00:01:27)
  • 2012-03-16 (said on 2012-03-17, implied) · Hank: Hank says that when he did this, the person did not respect him: he gave all his attention and everything asked for, never what they needed, and wasn't even a good friend. — Exiting the FRIENDZONE 00:02:00
    • → point: Hank says all he wanted was to get the person to love him, which is a really horrible way to get someone to love you. (00:02:30)
  • 2012-04-17 · John: John says that when he first saw the Yeti she was in eighth grade, and he did not think he was going to marry her. — Thoughts on Romance and Sex in an Airport 00:01:38
    • → opinion: John doesn't think there is one 'one'. (00:01:11)
  • 2012-06-15 · Hank: Following the book's first homework assignment, meant to help identify the flinch feeling, Hank turns his shower cold and gets in on camera. — Flinching in the Shower 00:01:15
    • → point: Per the book, humans evolved in a world that never changed within a lifetime and was far more dangerous, so we are programmed to stick with comfortable ways, though almost anything we do carries a very low chance of dying. (00:00:49)
  • 2012-08-13 · John: John recalls being dumped at about 22 and devastated; when he asked why it hurt so much, someone he cared about told him it hurts because it mattered. — John and Rainn Wilson Talk Romance 00:02:15
    • → point: John says this taught him that some things in life hurt because they were important, and, as Rainn says, a breakup is a real loss that needs to be grieved. (00:02:49)
  • 2012-08-21 · John: Long ago John worked the graveyard shift at Steak 'n Shake for about $14 an hour on average, a great job with good benefits and a stock program; he still owns 15 shares. — Is College Worth It? 00:02:14
    • → point: John's objection: the calculation assumes human life is a purely economic phenomenon, which it isn't. (00:02:07)
  • 2012-08-21 · John: After college John earned about $1 an hour less as an assistant at Booklist, but the job was better in every way: books, people who loved them, advancement, and in six years no vomit. — Is College Worth It? 00:02:45
    • → point: John's objection: the calculation assumes human life is a purely economic phenomenon, which it isn't. (00:02:07)
  • 2012-08-21 · John: In college John feared adulthood would bring more existential dread than frat parties did; instead he now feels much less aimlessness and nihilism. — Is College Worth It? 00:03:09
    • → point: John credits that partly to the job opportunities education gave him, but mostly to the perspective and context it gave him. (00:03:22)
  • 2013-01-25 · Hank: Hank says that without good friends it can be really hard to find them, adding 'I know about that.' — How to Make Friends 00:01:27
    • → opinion: Replying to John's last video, Hank would not belittle the difference between the emotional intimacy of friendship and the emotional and physical intimacy of romantic relationships. (00:00:58)
  • 2013-01-25 · Hank: Hank tells John they are both very lucky to be married to their best friends. — How to Make Friends 00:03:24
    • → opinion: Hank says not to marry a romantic partner if you don't appreciate each other's 'bizarre broken sculpture within': it probably won't work unless you are very good friends. (00:03:24)
  • 2013-02-12 · John: On tour the brothers met more than 6,000 Nerdfighters in ten days; many were nervous and embarrassed though, John says with authority, none had any reason to be, and John felt embarrassed too. — Talking to the President 00:02:20
    • → point: John: meeting people you admire, or whose work you like, will never feel normal, because you are hyper-conscious of everything that could go wrong. (00:02:38)
  • 2013-04-19 · Hank: Hank writes that growing up, the cultural stigma around homosexuality (not at home) was so severe that he feared he was gay over tiny signs like enjoying Village People music. — On Sexual Orientation, with Hannah, Ze, Tyler, and Meg 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank writes that the confusion terrified him because it was not talked about culturally, though his parents were super-supportive; because it was hard for him, he assumes it is hard for many others. (video description)
  • 2013-08-02 · Hank: The description says Hank has been getting on planes 'once every four months' for four years, which makes his carbon footprint far above average and embarrasses him. — 17 Air Travel Tips 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank doesn't like flying (bathroom rules, nosebleeds, airsickness, no internet, the smell) but flies a lot and feels he is getting good at it. (00:00:11)
  • 2013-08-02 · Hank: Hank is in Anaheim, California for VidCon, late at night, but will not talk about VidCon as a favour to those not there. — 17 Air Travel Tips 00:00:01
    • → opinion: Hank doesn't like flying (bathroom rules, nosebleeds, airsickness, no internet, the smell) but flies a lot and feels he is getting good at it. (00:00:11)
  • 2013-11-19 · John: John says he often fantasized about hurting his bullies or holding a gun to their heads to make them apologize and feel as scared and powerless as he did, but that is not the way forward. — On Middle School Misery 00:01:17
    • → point: John now sees his bullies were not evil but kids with their own fear and pain, some facing trauma and abuse; that doesn't justify it but shows it wasn't about him. (00:01:31)
  • 2013-11-19 · John: At the Carnegie Hall soundcheck John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats told his sixteen-year-old self over the mic that he had survived and was playing piano at Carnegie Hall. — On Middle School Misery 00:02:41
    • → point: John says not everyone with a tough childhood ends up at Carnegie Hall, but the idea that those years have to be the best of your life is ridiculous. (00:02:52)
  • 2014-07-01 · John: John probably won't wear makeup daily: partly laziness, partly being 'tragically un-immune to social conventions', partly being spoiled by professionals like Bridget. (hedged) — Why I Love Makeup 00:02:07
    • → point: Fourth, John likes the way he looks in makeup; he gets no pleasure from imagining how TV viewers see him or being more attractive - it simply makes him happy. (00:01:50)
  • 2015-02-24 · John: John says he was a much better student in college than in high school. — Who I Was in High School 00:02:51
    • → point: John says college, your 20s and your 30s are not destiny either; destiny does not happen all at once but only in retrospect. (00:02:50)
  • 2015-05-22 · Hank: Hank, wanting to make John feel better, asked Twitter whether to make a rant video or a joke video; the answer was overwhelmingly rants. — 15 Rants in Four Minutes 00:00:01
    • → opinion: In the description Hank says he doesn't think rants are particularly healthy but finds them entertaining, and wants to avoid getting angry at individual people unless they endanger others or break a social contract. (video description)
  • 2015-06-26 · Hank: Hank says talking is a skill that took them both a long time to master, and he has got better at it since becoming a professional speaker to camera. — How to Get Good at Everything 00:02:25
    • → point: Hank says the growth mindset is correct, a truer reflection of reality: no one is born good at math or a good writer, or even capable of abstract thought or communication. (00:01:58)
  • 2015-12-25 · Hank: For Hank this time of year means friends, video games, Christmas trees, Ella Fitzgerald, Buddy the Elf's enthusiasm and cats on Christmas trees. — On Hating Christmas 00:01:54
    • → point: Hank says the season draws on diverse traditions because our culture is made of diverse people, and what shines through is giving, a bit of culture he can hardly object to. (00:02:04)
  • 2016-01-29 · Hank: A few weeks ago Hank sat on a plane next to a young woman, maybe 23, who had taken the same flight 150 times in two years for her job. (hedged) — Why the Word "Millennial" Makes me Cringe 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says talking about young people's behaviour without their challenges is dumb, and blaming slight generational differences on a new parenting technique such as helicopter parenting is awful sociology. (video description)
  • 2016-01-29 · Hank: Hank says he was born in 1980, the cutoff between Generation X and Millennials, and spends a lot of time with and thinking about young people, so it is unsurprising that he is sympathetic. — Why the Word "Millennial" Makes me Cringe 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says talking about young people's behaviour without their challenges is dumb, and blaming slight generational differences on a new parenting technique such as helicopter parenting is awful sociology. (video description)
  • 2016-01-29 · Hank: Hank says she disliked the flying and her job but got a degree to get a good job, needs five years' experience to advance, and was happy working hard and waiting for a good life. — Why the Word "Millennial" Makes me Cringe 00:00:13
    • → point: Hank says talking about young people's behaviour without their challenges is dumb, and blaming slight generational differences on a new parenting technique such as helicopter parenting is awful sociology. (video description)
  • 2016-01-29 · Hank: During this week's (week of 25 January 2016) Dear Hank and John recording John told Hank about his World Economic Forum article 'Why the Word Millennial Makes Me Cringe', which Hank read right afterwards. — Why the Word "Millennial" Makes me Cringe 00:00:53
    • → point: Hank sums up: one group created a term for another and used it to call them scary, belittle and mock them, which is going to make people cringe. (00:01:35)
  • 2016-02-12 · Hank: The walks have noticeably improved Hank's life (less stress, great sunrises), yet every frigid pre-dawn Montana morning he wants nothing more than to get back into bed. — Doing the Hard(er) Thing (and some very bad news) 00:00:44
    • → point: Though staying in bed doesn't make him happier, Hank finds it remarkably hard to choose what will make him happier just 20 minutes later, because his present self doesn't care about his future self. (00:01:29)
  • 2017-01-24 · John: John ran nine miles yesterday and around mile four caught himself thinking 'you don't have to get ready if you stay ready': he has become a fan of motivational quotes. — On Motivation 00:01:33
    • → point: John feels his whole adult life has been a series of circumstances forcing him to reckon seriously with things he once easily dismissed. (00:01:44)
  • 2017-01-24 · John: Living in New York in 2007, John railed against 'sheeple' buying houses in the Midwest; now he owns a home in Indianapolis and quite likes it. — On Motivation 00:01:50
    • → point: John feels his whole adult life has been a series of circumstances forcing him to reckon seriously with things he once easily dismissed. (00:01:44)
  • 2017-01-24 · John: John used to think bestselling books were by definition crap, then quickly backtracked when he unexpectedly wrote one. — On Motivation 00:01:59
    • → point: John feels his whole adult life has been a series of circumstances forcing him to reckon seriously with things he once easily dismissed. (00:01:44)
  • 2017-01-24 · John: John ridiculed parents for focusing on their own kids instead of the world's kids, until he became a parent and understood the impulse. — On Motivation 00:02:06
    • → point: John says he still hasn't learned that when he wants to roll his eyes, he should be alive to the possibility that the object of his disdain is more complex than he imagines. (00:02:17)
  • 2017-05-26 · Hank: Hank loved science and got a science job after graduating, but it was miserable because he was the only person in the lab; after six months it got lonely. — Some Rough Advice for the "Real World" 00:00:39
    • → point: Hank thinks most graduates, like him at their age, have done what others told them their whole lives and now don't know what to do. (00:00:06)
  • 2017-08-11 · Hank: Hank asked on Twitter what people wanted him to talk about on Vlogbrothers; many asked about college, so he collected college questions. — Life is not a Job Training Program 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says college is, on average, very worth it, but as it gets more expensive it becomes less likely to be worth it every year. (video description)
  • 2017-08-11 · Hank: Hank says his school's tuition in 1998, his first year, was $22,000 a year; with scholarships he paid about $10,000 a year, around $14,000 in today's dollars. — Life is not a Job Training Program 00:02:19
    • → opinion: Asked whether journalism is dying, Hank says no: journalism is suddenly having a revival, with people paying for it again. (00:02:42)
  • 2017-08-29 · John: John says he just turned 40, which has led to some existential navel-gazing, but not with the conclusions one might expect. — 40 00:00:00
    • → point: John says that, for the record, he loves being in a place that's hard to leave, having roots and friends he has known for 25 years. (00:01:21)
  • 2017-10-20 · Hank: When reading books Hank puts real places into the books' settings, and this parking lot and walkway down to the school is where that happens most for him. — Places Made of People: Thoughts from My Old High School 00:01:35
    • → opinion: Finding a door ajar, Hank finds the empty school uncanny, like the husk of an enormous insect that dies every night and is refilled with life every weekday at 7 a.m. (00:01:50)
  • 2018-01-02 · John: John is going back to writing about the astonishing history of Diet Dr Pepper. — BRING IT IN 2018 00:03:46
    • → opinion: John finds it nerve-wracking to talk about goals not yet accomplished, but thinks it can increase accountability. (00:03:27)
  • 2018-04-03 · John: John usually uploads on time because he is a punctual person: he joins conference calls exactly one minute before they begin. — On Punctuality 00:00:15
    • → point: To John, being punctual tells others he values their time enough to show up when agreed, or slightly earlier. (00:01:13)
  • 2018-04-03 · John: John arrives at the doctor exactly 15 minutes early and must reach the airport at least 90 minutes before a flight, or there is a five-alarm fire in his brain. — On Punctuality 00:00:23
    • → point: To John, being punctual tells others he values their time enough to show up when agreed, or slightly earlier. (00:01:13)
  • 2018-04-03 · John: John has never missed a train or a flight, but until reading White it never occurred to him that an escaping train carries nothing vital to his health. — On Punctuality 00:02:42
    • → point: John still values punctuality, but lately he has been thinking that, as with so many things, extreme punctuality can become a vice. (00:02:53)
  • 2018-04-06 · Hank: Hank has been late for many things and calls himself chronically late: finishing one last thing, forgetting the thing existed, always underestimating how long things take. — How to Stop Being Late Forever (advice for myself and other chronically late people) 00:00:19
    • → opinion: Hank dislikes this about himself: lateness is seen as disrespect and is disrespectful; he feels terrible, since he respects and values the people he works with but isn't showing it. (00:00:35)
  • 2018-04-06 · Hank: His lateness has worsened with the book's deadlines, meetings and signing, and since Orin was born he has had to apply better the strategies built over 20 years of chronic lateness. — How to Stop Being Late Forever (advice for myself and other chronically late people) 00:00:46
    • → opinion: Hank dislikes this about himself: lateness is seen as disrespect and is disrespectful; he feels terrible, since he respects and values the people he works with but isn't showing it. (00:00:35)
  • 2018-05-08 · John: If John is quiet on Twitter or elsewhere, viewers should know he is probably in his garden and quite content. (hedged) — Old Man Yells at Cloud 00:03:30
    • → point: John says the urge to make grand pronouncements about what's good for other people is probably a developmentally appropriate symptom of middle age, but one worth fighting against. (00:03:18)
  • 2018-07-17 · John: Picking the tomatoes took John 34 minutes and left him drenched in sweat. — How to Eat 213 Tomatoes 00:00:34
    • → opinion: John says tomatoes are one of very few foods whose good version is essentially a different thing from the bad version, like real versus knockoff Lucky Charms. (00:01:55)
  • 2018-07-17 · John: John thought he hated tomatoes until his late twenties, but he had just never had a good one. — How to Eat 213 Tomatoes 00:01:50
    • → opinion: John says tomatoes are one of very few foods whose good version is essentially a different thing from the bad version, like real versus knockoff Lucky Charms. (00:01:55)
  • 2018-08-03 · Hank: Hank's cute Orin story: in the morning Orin says 'Papa Da Nana', meaning pick me up, take me downstairs and feed me a banana. — How Do Adults Make Friends? 00:00:41
    • → opinion: Hank says relationships are work, and tells viewers to do the work. (00:01:33)
  • 2018-08-03 · Hank: Hank says all through college he let the person who wanted to talk more guilt or nag him into calling, which creates resentment. — How Do Adults Make Friends? 00:01:18
    • → opinion: Hank says relationships are work, and tells viewers to do the work. (00:01:33)
  • 2018-08-03 · Hank: Hank thanks all his friends and family for helping make that labor joyful. — How Do Adults Make Friends? 00:03:47
    • → point: Hank says valuing others is what friendship and love are, and the one thing he knows: love is not free; it takes a devotion of time and energy; it takes work. (00:03:41)
  • 2018-08-07 · John: John says he likes to spend time by himself: most of his hobbies (reading, writing, gardening, listening to podcasts) are things generally done alone. — How I Made Friends 00:00:07
    • → point: John says he loves the warmth of deep connections with close friends and family, but without them already it is hard to find them without putting yourself in nervous situations where you struggle to engage. (00:00:41)
  • 2018-08-07 · John: John says he gets anxious in situations with lots of new people, not primarily because of his mental illness but because many people find social engagements nervous-making, especially alone. (hedged) — How I Made Friends 00:00:18
    • → point: John says he loves the warmth of deep connections with close friends and family, but without them already it is hard to find them without putting yourself in nervous situations where you struggle to engage. (00:00:41)
  • 2018-08-07 · John: John says in such situations he is often not his best self, self-conscious about how much he talks or sweats, which makes it hard to be in the conversation. — How I Made Friends 00:00:31
    • → point: John says he loves the warmth of deep connections with close friends and family, but without them already it is hard to find them without putting yourself in nervous situations where you struggle to engage. (00:00:41)
  • 2018-08-07 · John: John says he and Sarah moved to Indianapolis in 2007 for Sarah's job, making him a 'trailing spouse'; he knew almost no one and, working alone in his basement, struggled to make friends at work. — How I Made Friends 00:01:09
    • → opinion: John says the friendship didn't happen all at once, it wasn't love at first sight, but as they spent more time with Chris and Marina he began to hate Indianapolis less. (00:02:47)
  • 2018-08-07 · John: John says he volunteered, attended events and accepted every invitation, as the internet advised, but none of it worked; drained and discouraged, he felt Indianapolis wasn't the place for him. — How I Made Friends 00:01:25
    • → point: John says he eventually wanted to stay in Indianapolis for good, because towns are made out of people in the end, and he has come to love many people there. (00:03:23)
  • 2018-08-07 · John: A few months after moving, at the street's annual neighborhood get-together John didn't want to attend, Chris introduced himself; with Chris's fiancée Marina they talked, and John asked for Chris's number. — How I Made Friends 00:01:46
    • → point: John says he eventually wanted to stay in Indianapolis for good, because towns are made out of people in the end, and he has come to love many people there. (00:03:23)
  • 2018-08-07 · John: At the party they talked about Chris's time in the Peace Corps and John's time as a hospital chaplain, and about living on a street full of old people. — How I Made Friends 00:02:34
    • → point: John says he eventually wanted to stay in Indianapolis for good, because towns are made out of people in the end, and he has come to love many people there. (00:03:23)
  • 2018-08-07 · John: Chris and Marina both worked from home then, and they often went to lunch together, so John astonishingly sort of had work friends. — How I Made Friends 00:02:56
    • → point: John says he eventually wanted to stay in Indianapolis for good, because towns are made out of people in the end, and he has come to love many people there. (00:03:23)
  • 2018-08-07 · John: Knowing John was lonely, Chris invited him into his IndyCar fantasy league and over to watch TV, and through Chris John made more friends. — How I Made Friends 00:03:13
    • → point: John says he eventually wanted to stay in Indianapolis for good, because towns are made out of people in the end, and he has come to love many people there. (00:03:23)
  • 2018-08-07 · John: This week (week of 6 August 2018) Chris, Marina, Sarah and John celebrate 11 years of friendship; now they are the old people with kids at the neighborhood party, and John couldn't be more grateful. — How I Made Friends 00:03:43
    • → point: John says he didn't want to go to the party because he had tried and thought he had failed at making friends; in fact he just hadn't succeeded yet. (00:03:34)
  • 2018-08-17 · Hank: Right out of college, Hank applied for a job at the nonprofit where Katherine, now his wife, was working, and did not get an interview. — My Worst Job Search Fail 00:00:04
    • → opinion: Hank writes that job hunting is a huge power imbalance, efficient hirers versus unpaid applicants who must work to convince, but sees no other way for it to work. (video description)
  • 2018-08-17 · Hank: Visiting Katherine at the job, Hank overheard an older staffer describe in detail the worst cover letter he had received, and realized it was Hank's. — My Worst Job Search Fail 00:00:20
    • → opinion: Hank writes that job hunting is a huge power imbalance, efficient hirers versus unpaid applicants who must work to convince, but sees no other way for it to work. (video description)
  • 2018-08-17 · Hank: Hank stood and listened without revealing himself, feeling as if he were in the interview he had hoped for, only hearing why they didn't want to talk to him. — My Worst Job Search Fail 00:00:44
    • → opinion: Hank calls it one of the finest humiliations of his life, but not a cruelty, since the man had no way of knowing it was him. (00:00:59)
  • 2018-08-17 · Hank: Hank asked on Twitter, and in an AskReddit post, for unexpected ways candidates had disqualified themselves, and got many good replies. — My Worst Job Search Fail 00:02:13
    • → opinion: Hank suggests we may not talk enough about why people don't get jobs and should talk about it more. (00:02:08)
  • 2018-09-04 · John: John is a little stressed at the moment and so has been thinking about the Eisenhower Matrix. — The Eisenhower Matrix 00:00:00
    • → point: Urgent problems are so numerous and immediate that John finds it really hard to find time for things that are important but not urgent. (00:00:20)
  • 2018-09-04 · John: John's biggest important but not urgent task is writing a novel, his top sanity strategy and his job, yet he forsakes it for the urgent until it becomes late-night dread. — The Eisenhower Matrix 00:00:35
    • → point: Urgent problems are so numerous and immediate that John finds it really hard to find time for things that are important but not urgent. (00:00:20)
  • 2018-09-04 · John: John wrote his first novel with self-set deadlines and scheduled nights and weekends, and will write his next that way, if there is a next one. (hedged) — The Eisenhower Matrix 00:03:08
    • → point: A much busier friend told John 'I've got nothing but time', and he realized how true that is. (00:03:30)
  • 2018-09-04 · John: John's parents introduced him to the strategy as a kid; he has found it very helpful though hard to implement minute by minute, and will keep trying. — The Eisenhower Matrix 00:03:18
    • → point: A much busier friend told John 'I've got nothing but time', and he realized how true that is. (00:03:30)
  • 2018-11-13 · John: John says he can't see burnout coming; when it arrived recently he was gobsmacked by how much there was to do, though he had scheduled it that way. — HAIRMERGENCY! 00:02:33
    • → point: John thinks this happens to many people: current you imagines future you will be slightly more productive and energetic than you are now. (00:02:45)
  • 2018-11-20 · John: John names big causes for celebration, like his daughter going to kindergarten. — Cause for Celebration 00:00:58
    • → point: John thinks anyone who looks hard at the last several months of their life will find causes for celebration. (00:00:58)
  • 2018-11-20 · John: When Turtles All the Way Down hit 52 consecutive weeks on the NYT bestseller list, John felt happy briefly, then anxious again; weeks later a quiet champagne toast with Sarah brought overwhelming joy and gratitude. — Cause for Celebration 00:01:56
    • → point: In John's experience, accomplishments and developments one is grateful for bring little joy unless one pauses to celebrate them. (00:01:27)
  • 2018-11-20 · John: John has been doing this lately, and it has brought him so much joy. — Cause for Celebration 00:02:26
    • → opinion: John toasts to building rituals and traditions that help people come together and celebrate. (00:02:55)
  • 2019-01-01 · John: John would like to spend more time with his family this year (2019), but that means doing less of other things and disappointing people, so he must be ready to make a trade-off. — How to Make Goals, Not Resolutions 00:00:36
    • → point: Like Congress's resolutions, New Year's resolutions don't require doing anything; they never last for John because they are more like dreams than goals. (00:00:29)
  • 2019-01-01 · John: Instead of resolutions, John writes himself a yearly letter looking back and ahead, about the trade-offs and changes he would like to make. — How to Make Goals, Not Resolutions 00:01:13
    • → point: Life is a series of trade-offs and compromises; unmade consciously, they get made in a panic or denied until the system, a body or a federal government, shuts down. (00:00:58)
  • 2019-02-08 · Hank: Hank says on his first assignment he was on sound and sensed the audio wasn't right but said nothing; the camera operator later found it on the onboard mic, so the early footage was useless. — Screwing Up: Two Stories From When I Worked at a TV Station 00:00:31
    • → opinion: Hank says the camera operator didn't blow up but told him that if something seems wrong, he should tell someone, which Hank calls good advice. (00:00:31)
  • 2019-02-08 · Hank: Hank admits he didn't know what a master sergeant was or even which branch the jacket came from, and as a young lefty a little looked down on that career while wearing the jacket because it looked cool. — Screwing Up: Two Stories From When I Worked at a TV Station 00:02:45
    • → point: Hank says the producer opened his eyes to symbols on his body that he knew nothing about, part of other people's identity, work and pride, when all he knew was that they looked cool. (00:02:45)
  • 2019-02-12 · John: John says he got a C- in 10th grade geometry and was embarrassed about math; at 41 he worked through Mathigon's geometry courses with a real math teacher's help and finally understood tessellations. — Are Textbooks Obsolete? 00:03:24
    • → opinion: John says understanding tessellations makes him optimistic in spite of it all. (00:03:53)
  • 2019-12-06 · Hank: In channel comments Hank names Charles Wysocki for the puzzle images and says he has done many more puzzles over the years than the ones recorded. — It is Much Easier to Destroy than Create 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Puzzles trick Hank's mind into feeling they matter without the responsibility of mattering, which lets him relax and spend time with friends and family. (00:00:36)
  • 2019-12-06 · Hank: Hank is a little shocked by how much he likes jigsaw puzzles. — It is Much Easier to Destroy than Create 00:00:01
    • → opinion: Puzzles trick Hank's mind into feeling they matter without the responsibility of mattering, which lets him relax and spend time with friends and family. (00:00:36)
  • 2019-12-06 · Hank: Hank admits he is obsessed with productivity, sometimes unhealthily: he ties his self-worth to his output, and his output to audience validation, money or other imperfect surrogates for 'impact'. — It is Much Easier to Destroy than Create 00:00:05
    • → opinion: Puzzles trick Hank's mind into feeling they matter without the responsibility of mattering, which lets him relax and spend time with friends and family. (00:00:36)
  • 2019-12-06 · Hank: Unlike many puzzle people he knows, Hank's favorite part is taking the puzzle apart, watching complete order revert almost instantly to complete disorder. — It is Much Easier to Destroy than Create 00:01:23
    • → point: Hank loves seeing how hard it is to build and how easy to destroy, and says it is mathematically true that destroying is much easier than building. (00:01:43)
  • 2020-01-21 · John: John says his wife Sarah has solved the problem: every Christmas she gets him a Liverpool jersey, exactly what he wants. — Gifts That Changed My Life 00:00:29
    • → point: John argues that cold calculations of economic efficiency ignore much of the value of gifts. (00:00:29)
  • 2020-01-21 · John: John tells Hank that the Aero Fighters video game machine Hank gave him meant much more to him than a check for its cost would have. — Gifts That Changed My Life 00:00:29
    • → point: John argues that cold calculations of economic efficiency ignore much of the value of gifts. (00:00:29)
  • 2020-01-21 · John: John shows the world on a turtle that his parents gave him, which means a lot to him because of its symbolic resonances. — Gifts That Changed My Life 00:00:58
    • → point: Another upside of gifts: occasionally, not usually, you get something you didn't know you needed that changes your life for the better. (00:00:58)
  • 2020-01-21 · John: A few years ago Mike Rugnetta gave John Elaine Scarry's The Body in Pain, which he would never otherwise have read and which totally changed how he thinks about pain and language. — Gifts That Changed My Life 00:00:58
    • → point: Another upside of gifts: occasionally, not usually, you get something you didn't know you needed that changes your life for the better. (00:00:58)
  • 2020-01-21 · John: John says that without that gift he might not have written Turtles All the Way Down. (hedged) — Gifts That Changed My Life 00:00:58
    • → point: Another upside of gifts: occasionally, not usually, you get something you didn't know you needed that changes your life for the better. (00:00:58)
  • 2020-02-14 · Hank: Hank says Dear Hank and John has received 49 emails about airplane seats: armrests, plugs, talkers and, above all, whether to recline. — Ending The Great Airplane Seat Debate 00:00:00
    • → point: The description says many imperfect situations are caused by others; like storms or illness, differences of understanding should be seen as unavoidable imperfections, not flaws. (video description)
  • 2020-02-14 · Hank: A channel comment says Hank mispronounced Carmel, Indiana (it is CARmel); Hank replies thanks to a viewer's correction. — Ending The Great Airplane Seat Debate 00:00:00
    • → point: The description says many imperfect situations are caused by others; like storms or illness, differences of understanding should be seen as unavoidable imperfections, not flaws. (video description)
  • 2020-05-12 · John: John's kids keep gratitude journals with him in 30-cent notebooks, which also work. — We Could All Use a Little Change 00:00:58
    • → point: John says the idea is simple, writing down every day what you are grateful for; doing it these last months has changed how he feels about human life. (00:01:27)
  • 2020-05-12 · John: John and Alice spotted a great horned owl in the backyard, researched its yellow eyes and watched videos; he wrote gratitude for the owl-enthusiast internet, the owl and the backyard. — We Could All Use a Little Change 00:01:27
    • → point: John says the idea is simple, writing down every day what you are grateful for; doing it these last months has changed how he feels about human life. (00:01:27)
  • 2020-06-09 · John: John still has Professor Rogan's diploma and has no idea where his actual college diploma is. — i could use a little fuel myself 00:01:27
    • → point: For John the fake diploma symbolizes how great teachers really can change the lives of their students. (00:01:27)
  • 2020-08-28 · Hank: Hank says most days he walks fairly well-trod paths, likes the comfort of a known direction and is grateful for that stability at this point in his life. — Break the Mold 00:03:08
    • → point: Hank says that with things tumultuous and the clear paths full, there may be many useful, valuable paths not yet blazed, and that this applies to 2020, not just TikTok. (00:02:55)
  • 2020-11-13 · Hank: The description says luck, for Hank, was writing a Harry Potter song that got him invited to a Harry Potter convention, where he met a conference organizer who helped him build VidCon. — How We Teach: Individualist Stories 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank picks up John's point that great accomplishments are told as stories of individual genius rather than collective progress, a theme the brothers have discussed a lot and Hank wrote a couple of books about. (00:00:00)
  • 2021-03-19 · Hank: Hank has just gotten his first vaccine shot, is feeling good, and wonders what pandemic behaviors to keep. — How Will Post Pandemic Behavior Change? 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank's point: our behavior is sticky; we are creatures of habit. (00:00:00)
  • 2021-03-19 · Hank: Hank recalls his boss at Walmart saying it is 10 or 100 times easier to keep someone coming to the same store than to attract them to a new one. — How Will Post Pandemic Behavior Change? 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank's point: our behavior is sticky; we are creatures of habit. (00:00:00)
  • 2021-03-26 · Hank: Hank once witnessed two women saying they can't help judging moms who take their kids to McDonald's, which made him kind of mad. — Why I'm Worried about 2021 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Not every mom has the same money and free time, and people understand the world differently: some see fast food as simple and tasty, others as cruel garbage. (00:00:00)
  • 2021-08-24 · John: As a kid John looked at his dad's shoes and marvelled that they were ten years old and still fit. — It's My Birthday. I Gave Myself This Video. 00:03:06
    • → point: A change in shoe size is not the most important change humans go through, and ten-year-old shoes bring a comfort and pleasure unimaginable to people whose shoe size changes yearly. (00:03:06)
  • 2021-08-24 · John: Personalities change too: at 30 John hated gardening, exercise and being outside and did not care about third-tier English football, and now he loves all of it. — It's My Birthday. I Gave Myself This Video. 00:03:35
    • → point: A change in shoe size is not the most important change humans go through, and ten-year-old shoes bring a comfort and pleasure unimaginable to people whose shoe size changes yearly. (00:03:06)
  • 2021-09-10 · Hank: Neither the dancer nor the girl remembers the moment; they may know Hank now from Crash Course without knowing they met him in 1991. — The Most Important 10 Words a Stranger Ever Said to Me 00:02:44
    • → point: Hank says if you go bigger and try harder, some people will probably think it is cringe, but some might wish they could dance like you too. (00:02:33)
  • 2021-09-10 · Hank: Putting himself out there is not natural for Hank: it is his extreme sport, liked the way some people like jumping out of planes. — The Most Important 10 Words a Stranger Ever Said to Me 00:03:09
    • → point: Hank had plenty of agency in how he used the moment, but a few words had a tremendous impact on him, which makes him happy. (00:03:20)
  • 2021-09-21 · John: In a comment John says he can't go to London tomorrow because COVID protocols at his kids' school would keep them out of school for two weeks. — how we spend our days 00:00:00
    • → point: John separates a day's work from a life's work, but they are inseparable because lives are made of days: today's meetings, haircut and plumber call are his life's work too. (00:00:00)
  • 2021-09-21 · John: Yesterday John's most economically productive work was making a much-listened podcast and writing a bit of a book, but his most productive hour was driving his kid home from school, running errands and talking. — how we spend our days 00:02:26
    • → point: John often finds that what is economically or even socially productive is not what is deeply personally productive. (00:02:26)
  • 2021-10-06 · John: In high school John saw Kurt Vonnegut lecture; mostly he remembers Vonnegut smoking in the auditorium and, told he couldn't, replying in effect that he had already been paid. — Searching for Betsy in Brazil 00:01:34
    • → point: As a teenager John objected that life is joy, love, loss, yearning, pain and hunger; he still thinks life is those things, but it is also farting around. (00:02:03)
  • 2022-02-01 · John: John recalls a Kenneth Koch poem, introduced to him over 20 years ago by his late friend Amy Krouse Rosenthal, saying that of a social life, love and hard work you may have only two. — This Video Is Actually Three Videos 00:00:00
    • → opinion: John used to think considering such trade-offs was laziness, but time with family is time not spent working; for the fortunate, these choices are not laziness but a fact of being alive. (00:00:00)
  • 2022-02-11 · Hank: Hank remembers being told the proper structure of an essay without ever learning why it is a good structure or what an essay is for; essays have many purposes. — Knowing is not Understanding - Pluto and the P4A 00:00:58
    • → point: Hank reveals he is performing an essay written earlier that day; he wrote the introduction not as a required part but to hook viewers and give context. (00:00:58)
  • 2022-03-25 · Hank: Hank says that ten years ago, starting Crash Course, he thought students mainly needed better learning tools; they do, and he is proud of Crash Course's work there. — US College Students Need Help 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank's first impulse is that this is a learning problem, which is part of it, but arguably the larger part is understanding a tremendously complex system: admissions, aid, credit transfer, degree paths. (00:00:29)
  • 2022-05-20 · Hank: Hank often walks a stretch of sidewalk near a convenience store, where he thinks people buy chips or a drink and drop the wrapper on the ground on their way home. (hedged) — It's My Fault Too 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank calls it one of the best tools he was taught: minds imagine set quantities, but quantities are inputs and outputs; a street without litter is one where trash is picked up faster than it is dropped. (00:00:29)
  • 2022-11-08 · John: After second-guessing himself, John correctly identifies Diet Dr Pepper and then Dr Pepper. — Dr Pepper Enthusiast John Green Taste Tests Dr Pepper and Its Misbegotten Pretenders 00:04:14
    • → opinion: John says that in his experience store-brand knockoffs are better than the knockoffs made by Coke or Pepsi. (00:04:58)
  • 2022-11-08 · John: John correctly guesses that the worst sample, tasting almost like cough syrup, is the Whole Foods Dr Pepper. — Dr Pepper Enthusiast John Green Taste Tests Dr Pepper and Its Misbegotten Pretenders 00:04:36
    • → opinion: John says that in his experience store-brand knockoffs are better than the knockoffs made by Coke or Pepsi. (00:04:58)
  • 2022-11-22 · John: Sarah made John a portrait of himself in the form of a color palette of his favorite things, which he loves. — John's 2022 Gift Guide 00:03:24
    • → opinion: John says the best gifts are often not bought but made, such as a crossword puzzle for someone you care about, or art. (00:03:24)
  • 2023-01-03 · John: Last year (2022) John several times got into angry internet debates with strangers, such as whether access to life-saving medication is a human right, making him late to dinner without helping anyone. — TAKE IT DOWN A NOTCH 00:01:27
    • → point: John says sometimes you need to take it down a notch, and that is his only goal for 2023. (00:01:27)
  • 2023-01-03 · John: John recalls that many years ago he worked as a student chaplain at a children's hospital. — TAKE IT DOWN A NOTCH 00:01:56
    • → point: John says sometimes you need to take it down a notch, and that is his only goal for 2023. (00:01:27)
  • 2023-01-03 · John: After the chaplaincy John took a temp job typing numbers into a database at Booklist, and though very anxious, he became known there for staying calm under pressure: it was just a magazine. — TAKE IT DOWN A NOTCH 00:01:56
    • → point: John says sometimes you need to take it down a notch, and that is his only goal for 2023. (00:01:27)
  • 2023-01-31 · John: John had the best weekend ever watching football in London and then Wales; now he is home, jet-lagged and going back to college. — I'm Going Back to College? 00:00:00
    • → opinion: John says that is how he imagines going back to college: he has less free time than at 19 but is far more capable and prepared. (00:00:29)
  • 2023-01-31 · John: John says he was never a good student: school felt like the price of living life, which was about friendships, obsessive crushes and binge drinking. — I'm Going Back to College? 00:00:29
    • → opinion: John says that is how he imagines going back to college: he has less free time than at 19 but is far more capable and prepared. (00:00:29)
  • 2023-01-31 · John: John's other class is math: he favours math and feels math lovers' wonder, but it is very hard for him; he barely passed high school math with Cs and Ds. — I'm Going Back to College? 00:03:28
    • → opinion: John does not know whether he can pass college math; they will find out starting in March. (00:03:28)
  • 2023-07-07 · Hank: Hank says being sick is stressful, time-consuming, or boring and isolated; sometimes he feels awful and wants to lie around, sometimes he feels good and wants a call. — What to Get for a Cancer Patient 00:04:02
    • → point: Hank was shocked that by far the most requested thing from others during illness was people, just hanging out, a feeling he shared but had thought made him a weirdo. (00:04:02)
  • 2023-07-07 · Hank: Hank says he treats everything in his life as a project, including his relationships with his son, his wife and his brother: things to invest in and schedule. — What to Get for a Cancer Patient 00:05:36
    • → point: Hank reports that respondents said over and over that they do not want surprise drop-ins but do want visits, by phone, in hospital or at home. (00:04:59)
  • 2024-04-23 · John: When John feels overwhelmed he wants to make more stuff, until he eventually hits a hard wall. — Full Hank 00:00:58
    • → point: John's second reason for making stuff when overwhelmed is that he likes making stuff: being creative doesn't exactly make him happy, it makes him feel conscious of being alive. (00:00:58)
  • 2024-08-07 · John: Asked how to decide where to live, John says he was the trailing spouse, moving where his wife got a job. — Dear Hank and John Livestream! 00:30:35
    • → opinion: John stayed in Indianapolis for the people, affordability and its being a regular place with regular jobs; friends outside his profession help him. (00:31:17)
  • 2024-08-07 · Hank: Hank says he never decided to move anywhere, being a coaster, but has decided many times not to leave Missoula, despite its terrible weather. — Dear Hank and John Livestream! 00:31:17
    • → opinion: Hank says being a small part of Missoula's comedy scene is cool: people who come to see him discover other comedians, which is good for the town. (00:32:44)
  • 2024-08-07 · Hank: Their dad chose where to move from Florida with a spreadsheet scoring places, including Obama vote share; he picked Asheville, North Carolina, but now lives in Indianapolis. — Dear Hank and John Livestream! 00:33:12
    • → opinion: Hank says being a small part of Missoula's comedy scene is cool: people who come to see him discover other comedians, which is good for the town. (00:32:44)
  • 2025-01-03 · Hank: Hank says he almost never plays video games; he would like to play the new Civilization, which takes a lot of time, and the only game he plays is Connections. — My 2025 Bingo Card 00:01:14
    • → opinion: Hank says he never enjoys video games or music anymore because he has put so much on his plate; he loves them when he makes time but denies himself them for supposedly important work, a big current struggle. (00:01:52)
  • 2025-01-03 · Hank: Hank's New Year's resolution is to spend more time with his friends: he does not invest enough in those relationships, for reasons partly internal and partly external that he can't tease apart. — My 2025 Bingo Card 00:05:06
    • → opinion: Hank says spending more time with friends should be everyone's goal: it is achievable, fun, and something to check in with when deciding how to spend his time. (00:05:44)
  • 2025-01-03 · Hank: Hank tells John he is pretty much his best friend and so on that list, hopes his wrist is doing okay, and is excited for his book to come out. — My 2025 Bingo Card 00:06:13
    • → opinion: Hank says he will now say yes to friends' invitations and no to whatever made him decline, because he needs those relationships and is not healthy without them. (00:06:13)
  • 2025-06-06 · Hank: Asked what is giving them hope, most graduates answered entirely about people: friends, family, peers, people who care and fix problems. — The Secret Inside my MIT Commencement Speech 00:13:16
    • → point: Hank says curiosity is not out of your control: you decide how to orient it, and that orientation will shape your life and may be the most important factor in your career. (00:14:06)
  • 2026-01-23 · Hank: Hank was just in Boston and is now in London, a big change from small-town life. — Two Unrelated Destroyers of Trust 00:01:16
    • → point: Hank says being a stranger talker is valuable because it shows the world works because of people. (00:02:03)
  • 2026-01-23 · Hank: Hank says, apologetically, that he has become a stranger talker, and everyone he talks to is doing interesting things that seem valuable in the world. — Two Unrelated Destroyers of Trust 00:02:03
    • → point: Hank says being a stranger talker is valuable because it shows the world works because of people. (00:02:03)
  • 2026-06-26 · Hank: Hank does not jump into the mini golf course, because they are Americans in a small town in France and he doesn't know the rules. — No Video Today!! 00:00:29
    • → opinion: Hank has never seen a public mini golf course before and now asks, "why don't we?"; he finds it very cute. (00:00:58)
  • 2026-06-26 · Hank: The brothers are in France to celebrate their parents' 50th anniversary, a trip planned for about two years. — No Video Today!! 00:00:58
    • → opinion: Hank has never seen a public mini golf course before and now asks, "why don't we?"; he finds it very cute. (00:00:58)
  • 2026-10-09 · Hank: Hank made two full weeks of pizza-themed 4x3 puzzles for Pizzamas and hopes people enjoyed them; today's was hard. — The Productivity Lie 00:01:34
    • → point: Hank says brains and society tell a lie: how much someone produces doesn't show how hard it was to make themselves work; his output comes mostly from opportunities to work on things that matter. (00:01:57)
  • 2026-10-09 · Hank: Hank uses Kanban boards not to be productive but because he'd rather make videos than manage them; such tools mostly cut time on the parts he dislikes. — The Productivity Lie 00:02:43
    • → point: As a famously overproductive person, Hank says what mattered most to his productivity is the opportunity to work on things that matter; then he finds ways to get the work done, even unpleasantly. (00:02:59)
  • 2026-10-09 · Hank: Hank has been lucky to have relationships that make things matter (a brother, a boss, employees, a teacher, a mentor, a community of internet nerds), building skills, tools and connections. — The Productivity Lie 00:05:18
    • → point: Hank says increasing opportunity is harder: it means building skills, which is hard when things don't matter, which is why a video game is easier to get good at than an instrument. (00:04:56)
  • 2026-10-09 · Hank: Hank says money also matters: one costly project (name unclear) would otherwise have needed investors he didn't want, but he had the money. — The Productivity Lie 00:05:36
    • → point: Hank says increasing opportunity is harder: it means building skills, which is hard when things don't matter, which is why a video game is easier to get good at than an instrument. (00:04:56)
  • 2026-10-09 · Hank: When Hank was sick and thought he might be nearer the end of his life, one of his few big regrets was not having done more of that supporting work. — The Productivity Lie 00:06:25
    • → point: Hank says increasing opportunity is harder: it means building skills, which is hard when things don't matter, which is why a video game is easier to get good at than an instrument. (00:04:56)
  • 2026-10-09 · Hank: After Hank got a D on his first midterm as a chemistry major, his teacher Dr. Grove sat him down for 15 minutes, went through the test and told him what to work on rather than suggest changing majors. — The Productivity Lie 00:06:54
    • → point: Hank says mutual obligation, not more grit, brought him and those he tutored up into working harder. (00:08:00)
  • 2026-10-09 · Hank: Hank's first chemistry tutoring went terribly; feeling obligated to Christina, Ethan and Connor, whose grades mattered more to him than his own, he learned chemistry like never before. — The Productivity Lie 00:07:24
    • → point: Hank says mutual obligation, not more grit, brought him and those he tutored up into working harder. (00:08:00)
  • 2026-10-09 · Hank: Hank has worked many easy hours while quite lazy: scrolling Tumblr was once his job, and editing video is an easy flow state that relaxes and recharges him, more than TV. — The Productivity Lie 00:10:26
    • → point: The biggest lie about productivity or laziness, Hank says: you can tell nothing about a person's self-control, grit or fortitude from how much work they got done. (00:10:16)

US politics & society

  • 2008-04-28 · John: John says Hank had to go to the hospital and pay for it himself because, to save money, his doctor had given him a drug John calls known to be unsafe. — Ranting and Giving Stuff Away 00:02:45
    • → point: John argues that although much in life is arbitrarily unfair and can't be helped, we still have to act on the unfairness we can fix, such as health care. (00:02:16)
  • 2008-08-29 · John: John says he briefly lived in Alaska. — Sarah Palin: An Introduction 00:00:57
    • → opinion: John calls Palin a very Alaska-centric governor who, unlike governors such as Kathleen Sebelius or Rod Blagojevich, has not led on national issues. (00:02:02)
  • 2008-10-28 (said on 2008-10-27, implied) · Hank: Hank says he could not have voted on November 4th anyway because he will be in Indianapolis. — Early Voting with Hank 00:02:49
    • → point: Hank argues early voting needs no excuse anymore and removes the risk that something on November 4th keeps you from the polling place. (00:02:49)
  • 2008-11-04 · John: John, in Indianapolis after a Nerdfighter event, watches election returns and says it is too early to say anything. — Election Night In Indianapolis! 00:00:00
    • → opinion: John says he hates election night and would like to be able to sleep. (00:00:00)
  • 2009-09-20 (said on 2009-09-21, implied) · John: John says that despite a successful business, Hank could not get health insurance for many years because insurers avoid covering ulcerative colitis, which is very expensive. — Health Care Reform: The Hank Factor 00:01:06
    • → opinion: John says insurers are not evil; they simply, and correctly, see Hank as a bad investment. (00:01:06)
  • 2009-09-20 (said on 2009-09-21, implied) · John: John says Hank must take a medicine costing $20 a day and has a greater risk of colon cancer, an incredibly expensive disease. — Health Care Reform: The Hank Factor 00:01:06
    • → opinion: John says insurers are not evil; they simply, and correctly, see Hank as a bad investment. (00:01:06)
  • 2009-09-20 (said on 2009-09-21, implied) · John: John says Hank now has insurance through that plan, though without drug coverage he still pays $20 a day; worrying less about cancer and bankruptcy, he invests more in EcoGeek, which employs more people. — Health Care Reform: The Hank Factor 00:02:04
    • → point: John calls this the real conservative economic argument for a public health-insurance option across America. (00:02:33)
  • 2010-03-22 · Hank: Hank says he is self-employed and has chronic pre-existing conditions. — Top 10 Weirdest Diseases 00:00:01
    • → opinion: Hank calls health-care reform good news for self-employed people with chronic pre-existing conditions like him: insurers soon can't be biased against them. (00:00:01)
  • 2011-04-27 · Hank: Hank just paid about $16,000 in federal taxes; most of it, he says, goes to decreasing suck: unemployment help, education and healthcare for people who could not afford them. — NASA: Increasing Awesome 00:00:15
    • → point: Hank, in a line jokingly credited to his grandfather, says using government only to decrease suck, never to increase awesome, is like using the Starship Enterprise as a shipping barge. (00:00:44)
  • 2011-09-09 · Hank: Hank says he is ten years older and can't believe some people watching weren't alive when the attacks happened. — 10 Years after September 11th, and Diablo III 00:00:17
    • → opinion: Hank says the news is bombarding everyone with stories about the world ten years after September 11, 2001; he didn't want a whole video on it but starts there. (00:00:00)
  • 2011-10-12 · Hank: By puberty Hank knew being gay was tied, at least theoretically, to social cues (flamboyance, loving ice skating and stuffed animals, hanging out with girls non-romantically), so he thought he might be gay, which scared him because he didn't want to be different. — Coming Out and Sperm Spikes 00:01:53
    • → point: Hank says sexual orientation is very complicated and rarely 100% in either direction (he is 'like a Kinsey one or two heterosexual'), which is hard to accept because it upsets assumptions about gender roles and orientation. (00:02:56)
  • 2011-10-12 · Hank: Hank remembers, at 12, ice skating to the Village People and worrying that liking it so much was a problem. — Coming Out and Sperm Spikes 00:02:22
    • → point: Hank says sexual orientation is very complicated and rarely 100% in either direction (he is 'like a Kinsey one or two heterosexual'), which is hard to accept because it upsets assumptions about gender roles and orientation. (00:02:56)
  • 2011-10-12 · Hank: Hank says it turns out he is not gay; he is kind of effeminate, a less guyish kind of guy. — Coming Out and Sperm Spikes 00:02:49
    • → point: Hank says sexual orientation is very complicated and rarely 100% in either direction (he is 'like a Kinsey one or two heterosexual'), which is hard to accept because it upsets assumptions about gender roles and orientation. (00:02:56)
  • 2012-05-15 · John: John notes that Hank and Katherine married in a field, while John married in a church. — Religion and Gay Marriage 00:02:27
    • → point: John argues that limiting marriage's legal benefits to covenant marriages creates a huge problem: Hank and Katherine, wed in a field, might lose hospital visits, custody or joint taxes, and which churches would count? (00:02:19)
  • 2012-10-12 · Hank: The description says Hank takes on a topic he has been afraid to cover for a while. — Human Sexuality is Complicated… 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank acknowledges he is not a sociologist and is a straight white man spared much of the hate others face; his goal is understanding, which he thinks will reduce hate and self-hate. (00:00:04)
  • 2012-10-12 · Hank: On a graph of gender against intensity of identification, Hank places himself as identifying as a man while recognising some 'woman-y parts' of himself. — Human Sexuality is Complicated… 00:01:40
    • → point: Hank says the brain decides which gender you identify with (man, woman, neither or both), and since this is an infinite continuum, no labels can cover every point. (00:01:13)
  • 2012-12-04 · John: John says he visited his alma mater Kenyon College, where he became a writer and an adult, a couple of weeks ago and made a Thoughts from Places video for Kenyon's channel. — Time for AWESOME 00:00:29
    • → opinion: John says at Kenyon he kept thinking how privileged he is: his race, gender, sex and orientation are privileged by the social order, and he was outrageously privileged to attend a college with small classes and attentive professors. (00:00:29)
  • 2013-04-16 · John: John learned of the Boston Marathon attacks from a post on his Tumblr dashboard the day before and knew immediately something was very wrong. — Flags and Helpers 00:00:00
    • → opinion: John says he does not know what to say about the attack, but calling it cowardly is an insult to cowards. (00:00:00)
  • 2013-09-03 · John: John says Hank has ulcerative colitis, a chronic, very serious and extremely expensive illness, so no insurance company will ever choose to insure him. — Bigger Pizzas: A Capitalist Case for Health Care Reform 00:02:26
    • → point: John: freed from saving every dollar against bankruptcy, Hank could invest in DFTBA Records, VidCon, the Lizzie Bennet Diaries, Crash Course, SciShow, the Foundation to Decrease World Suck and more; none could have happened without publicly subsidized health insurance. (00:02:55)
  • 2013-10-08 · John: At 4:13 p.m. John considers his medical history finished after 2 hours 16 minutes, skipping the information-practices fine print he doesn't understand. — Applying for Health Insurance: Then and Now 00:04:55
    • → point: John sums up: he got insurance in neither case, but even with the server errors, applying through the ACA exchanges was more than twice as fast as the old way. (00:04:55)
  • 2014-10-31 · Hank: Hank has just done his absentee ballot and often felt he was voting for the greater of two goods. — Ten Terrible Reason to not Vote (and two good ones) 00:00:33
    • → opinion: Hank calls not caring a completely acceptable reason not to vote: if you don't care, don't vote. (00:01:18)
  • 2014-10-31 · Hank: As an example of an item one can skip, Hank cites a measure on his own ballot to rename the State Auditor as Commissioner of Securities and Insurance. — Ten Terrible Reason to not Vote (and two good ones) 00:00:57
    • → opinion: Hank calls not caring a completely acceptable reason not to vote: if you don't care, don't vote. (00:01:18)
  • 2014-11-04 · John: Commenting on Hank's video, John says that as a young person he missed several elections important to American history, mostly because he was nervous and didn't know how to vote. — Mustaches and Movies: Day One of Paper Towns 00:01:38
    • → opinion: To anyone nervous about voting for the first time, John says he understands it is a little scary, but once you do it you will feel awesome. (00:01:53)
  • 2015-03-24 · John: John recalls that trying to sign up for exchange insurance in the early months was truly awful; now it is easy, and he is among those insured through the exchanges. — Is Obamacare Working? The Affordable Care Act Five Years Later 00:03:53
    • → point: John's verdict: the ACA has worked insofar as things are better than before, and not insofar as the US is nowhere near sustainable health care spending. (00:03:20)
  • 2015-09-18 · Hank: In the description Hank says that googling 'Muslims Aren't Dangerous' turned up article after article about how dangerous Muslims are, which he found sad, discouraging and angering. — Muslims Aren't Dangerous 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank writes that the vast majority of people are good, that the debate rests wholly on the idea that this is not true of Muslims, and that many in America have come to believe it, which terrifies him because it rests only on fear and prejudice. (video description)
  • 2015-10-20 · John: John says Daniel believed government service was noble; in 2008 Nerdfighteria helped raise money for his campaign and he lost, but he won in 2010 and was elected to the Illinois State Senate in 2012. — Nerdfighteria's Resident Comptroller? 00:01:03
    • → opinion: John says Daniel is a Democrat but widely respected; a Republican member of the Illinois House once called him one of the smartest people (in cruder words) he had met. (00:01:16)
  • 2016-03-04 · Hank: Hank says he asked his Twitter followers how many government employees there are at each level, after being surprised by the figures himself; nearly everyone, him included, guessed federal and state/local numbers were about equal. — Startling Facts About the Government that Made Me Feel Good 00:00:44
    • → opinion: Hank argues that with a growing budget, economy and population but no more federal employees, it is no wonder the federal government seems hard to deal with: more to manage, same staff. (00:01:46)
  • 2016-03-22 · John: John thanks Rosianna for the illustrations and Stan Muller for the video's title and for helping him understand US political parties. — Understanding the Primaries: Delegates, Democracy, and America's Nonstop Political Party 00:00:00
    • → point: John says Hank's video on Brazil's political situation made him think about the long, Kafka-esque process by which the two major US parties choose presidential nominees; he looks at one state, Missouri. (00:00:04)
  • 2016-04-22 · Hank: Hank says that as an employer he pays a bunch of taxes per employee: for someone making $40,000 a year he actually pays $46,000. — Clinton vs. Sanders: POLICY IS EXCITING! 00:02:47
    • → opinion: Hank says payroll taxes are weirdly invisible: withheld before the paycheck arrives, or paid by the employer without the worker knowing. (00:02:36)
  • 2016-05-17 · John: John says he first heard the term while reading All the President's Men, about the Watergate cover-up. — A Brief History of the Non-Denial Denial 00:00:08
    • → point: John says the so-called non-denial denial has perhaps been the most prominent form of deception in American politics for the past several decades. (00:00:01)
  • 2016-06-14 · John: John says he doesn't really want to make a video today, but it's Tuesday. — Orlando 00:00:01
    • → opinion: John says believing no one could feel at home in Orlando because he didn't was narcissism; in the 24 years since he left, Orlando has become a great city. (00:00:19)
  • 2016-06-14 · John: John says growing up in Orlando always felt like everyone was just visiting for the theme parks, and he still says he is from Alabama though he moved there at 14. — Orlando 00:00:04
    • → opinion: John says believing no one could feel at home in Orlando because he didn't was narcissism; in the 24 years since he left, Orlando has become a great city. (00:00:19)
  • 2016-06-14 · John: John was moved by the partner of victim Leroy Valentin Fernandez, who wrote 'You will always be my baby, and I will always love you.' — Orlando 00:01:00
    • → opinion: John cites the brother of victim Amanda Alvear: she wouldn't want anyone to spread hate for her, but more love. (00:01:06)
  • 2016-06-17 · Hank: Hank sent basically the same letter to Senator Steve Daines and Representative Ryan Zinke, who hold very similar positions. — Hey, Let's Change Some Things 00:00:00
    • → opinion: To Steve Daines, Hank writes that guns are part of Montana's history and culture and he has no wish to end his neighbors' access to firearms, but there is a problem that needs action. (video description)
  • 2016-06-17 · Hank: Hank writes in the wake of the Orlando attacks, noting that the night before, his colleague Christina Grimmie was killed by a man with a violent history who had bought two guns the week before. — Hey, Let's Change Some Things 00:00:00
    • → opinion: To Steve Daines, Hank writes that guns are part of Montana's history and culture and he has no wish to end his neighbors' access to firearms, but there is a problem that needs action. (video description)
  • 2016-06-17 · Hank: Hank wrote three letters, one to each of his senators and one to his representative, and put their text in the description for viewers to draw on. — Hey, Let's Change Some Things 00:02:15
    • → opinion: Hank also asks Congress to let the CDC study, and fund study of, the public health effects of guns. (00:01:51)
  • 2016-06-17 · Hank: Hank says that after watching Hannah's video this week (week of 13 June 2016) he could not not do this. — Hey, Let's Change Some Things 00:02:40
    • → point: Hank says confining our shouting to the internet and to people who agree with us may make us feel better and righteous, but is not the path that creates the most change. (00:02:53)
  • 2016-06-21 · John: Asked what he liked most about the US, Nada's nephew, there almost a year, said 'the law', which had not existed in Syria and had kept him from working in Jordan. — Syrian Refugees in the United States: One Family's Story 00:02:42
    • → point: John says the nephew's family did not come to change the law but to be protected by it. (00:03:01)
  • 2016-08-09 · John: After seeing it, John asked eligible American voters on Twitter who don't intend to vote for their reasons, and answers the six concerns he heard most. — Why I Didn't Vote (And Six Reasons You Might Not) 00:00:05
    • → opinion: John thanks Hank for the brilliant, astonishingly comprehensive youtube.com/howtovoteineverystate. (00:00:01)
  • 2016-08-09 · John: In August 2000 John had just moved to Chicago, slept in a walk-in closet of an apartment not in his name, had a Florida license, didn't know how to register, and missed the deadline. — Why I Didn't Vote (And Six Reasons You Might Not) 00:02:41
    • → point: John says his single vote wouldn't have changed any outcome, but the combined votes of even 10% of the thousands of people like him would have. (00:03:15)
  • 2016-10-18 · John: John says that before the ACA many people not working for big companies, including himself, literally could not buy health insurance at any price, because insurers could deny pre-existing conditions. — Understanding Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton's Health Care Reform Proposals 00:00:38
    • → point: John says the US health care system in 2008 had three huge problems: many uninsured people, costs that were too high, and outcomes that were not particularly good. (00:00:32)
  • 2016-11-09 · John: John thanks Rosianna Halse Rojas, Hank, Sarah Green, Ilene Cooper and his old friend Marie for thoughts that went into the video, and says any mistakes or errors in fact or judgment are his alone. — My Post-Election Thoughts 00:00:00
    • → opinion: John says most, not all, of his viewers wanted Hillary Clinton to win, as he did, and for many the result is devastating. (00:00:16)
  • 2016-11-09 · John: John says he spoke with hundreds of undecided voters before the election and was struck that, with shared concerns (environment, health care, taxes), they worked from completely different data sets. — My Post-Election Thoughts 00:01:03
    • → opinion: John apologizes that we let political discourse become so hateful and echo chambers so sealed that each side finds the other's choice of candidate unfathomable. (00:00:47)
  • 2016-11-09 · John: John says he honestly feels lost and is looking to the community for guidance and clarity, as he has for almost a decade. — My Post-Election Thoughts 00:01:38
    • → point: John holds that the nation must be bigger than its leaders, who must answer to the people, so citizens must make sure government gives all equal protection, protects rights and keeps policy sound. (00:02:05)
  • 2017-04-04 · John: John recalls Brotherhood 2.0's resident mathematician Daniel Biss, his friend, a successful University of Chicago math professor who left to run for office and became a successful state senator. — Why I Won't Run for Office 00:00:00
    • → opinion: John finds this surprising because Daniel is the smartest person he knows and governor of Illinois seems like a terrible job. (00:00:19)
  • 2017-04-28 · Hank: Hank says Dear Hank and John gets a dozen questions a week from people who feel they must get to the bottom of every story themselves because no one can be trusted. — Can You Trust Mainstream Media? 00:00:13
    • → point: Hank says if no one can be trusted we are screwed: no one can get to the bottom of everything, which is what experts (journalists, international organizations, scientists, government) are tasked by society to do. (00:00:21)
  • 2017-05-05 · Hank: It is Hank's birthday. — Sick and Tired 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank worries that more and more labor is moved out of sight: where he once talked to a person to buy a USB cable, he now clicks on Amazon while unseen workers deliver it; maybe economically good, but not good for human satisfaction and happiness. (video description)
  • 2017-05-05 · Hank: In the description Hank says he was getting over a cold, felt his mind at half speed, and edited the video non-linearly. — Sick and Tired 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank worries that more and more labor is moved out of sight: where he once talked to a person to buy a USB cable, he now clicks on Amazon while unseen workers deliver it; maybe economically good, but not good for human satisfaction and happiness. (video description)
  • 2017-05-05 · Hank: Calling, Hank has thought about John's 'Life-Changing Magic of Thumbs Up' video, since call-takers hearing from many sick and tired people may not be having the best days. — Sick and Tired 00:00:58
    • → opinion: Hank reads the runner's thumbs up as a small break from the norm that says 'I see you and I think you're doing a positive thing'. (00:01:13)
  • 2017-08-04 · Hank: Hank says their dad was the Florida state director of the Nature Conservancy, which is how he knows about an obscure law. — Why Bullets are Good for the Environment 00:00:36
    • → opinion: Hank says conservative people in the US are very much into land conservation, which they use for hunting, fishing and other recreation. (00:00:28)
  • 2017-08-18 · Hank: Hank says Mom told him a story a couple of months ago; as context, she grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, during segregation. — What I've Been Thinking About 00:00:00
    • → point: The description says having racist thoughts does not make you a Nazi: everyone has bias, fear and sometimes hate, and what matters is whether we give in to them or work to keep hate from creeping in. (video description)
  • 2017-08-18 · Hank: The description says watching the situation in Charlottesville unfold was a horror that has stayed terribly present in Hank's mind. — What I've Been Thinking About 00:00:00
    • → point: The description says having racist thoughts does not make you a Nazi: everyone has bias, fear and sometimes hate, and what matters is whether we give in to them or work to keep hate from creeping in. (video description)
  • 2017-08-18 · Hank: Hank says a lot changed for Mom in the 1970s as the civil rights movement happened and she went to college. — What I've Been Thinking About 00:00:17
    • → point: The description says having racist thoughts does not make you a Nazi: everyone has bias, fear and sometimes hate, and what matters is whether we give in to them or work to keep hate from creeping in. (video description)
  • 2017-08-18 · Hank: After the family moved to Orlando, Mom was surprised that her sons would have black teachers and worried, like others in her friend group, that they couldn't teach as well as white teachers. — What I've Been Thinking About 00:00:23
    • → point: The description says having racist thoughts does not make you a Nazi: everyone has bias, fear and sometimes hate, and what matters is whether we give in to them or work to keep hate from creeping in. (video description)
  • 2017-08-18 · Hank: Hank thinks it says a lot about Mom that she let him share the story, which does not make her look good and which she hadn't brought up for about 25 years. (hedged) — What I've Been Thinking About 00:00:46
    • → opinion: Hank says it is hard to talk about race and we need to do it more; Mom wanted to help them talk about it. (00:00:57)
  • 2017-08-18 · Hank: Hank says that ultimately, unlike some of his classmates, Mom kept them in the classes they were assigned to. — What I've Been Thinking About 00:01:45
    • → point: Hank says her decision wasn't heroic and her thoughts don't make her a monster: she was neither hero nor monster, and he can still be proud of her. (00:01:49)
  • 2018-02-20 · John: At Daniel's campaign announcement, John saw his eloquence and intelligence but thought, driving home, that Daniel might eventually return to abstract mathematics. (hedged) — When Your Friend Runs for Governor 00:01:23
    • → opinion: John says that over eight years Daniel has become a brilliant politician and an extraordinarily effective legislator in a state where it is famously hard to get anything done. (00:01:48)
  • 2018-04-20 · Hank: Hank doesn't smoke pot; he has tried it and doesn't really like it. — This Video is About Marijuana 00:00:05
    • → point: Hank says marijuana is very hard even to study because it is illegal: another reason to decriminalize, to ease research, and a reason it is complicated, since we don't know for sure how many of its negative effects have been teased out. (video description)
  • 2018-10-05 · Hank: The description says Hank is on the last leg of his tour, stressed but very happy, having met many cool people and had great conversations about the book. — We've Got Some Weird Voting Laws… 00:00:00
    • → opinion: A weakness of state-run elections is that some things might be done poorly or even in bad faith to manipulate outcomes. (00:00:00)
  • 2018-10-26 · Hank: In 2000 Hank lived in Florida and voted in his very first presidential election. — The Rigged Election 00:00:00
    • → point: Neither Al Gore, the Democratic leadership nor even Ralph Nader claimed fraud; everyone accepted the new president, having done democracy, flaws and all, and moved forward together. (00:01:09)
  • 2018-10-26 · Hank: Many in Hank's ultra-lefty college friend group went on assuming the Republican Party had defrauded democracy and Bush was an illegitimate president. — The Rigged Election 00:00:58
    • → point: Neither Al Gore, the Democratic leadership nor even Ralph Nader claimed fraud; everyone accepted the new president, having done democracy, flaws and all, and moved forward together. (00:01:09)
  • 2018-12-21 · Hank: Hank researched the topic, including talking to package thieves, and presents their words in the voices of actors. — The Psychology of Package Thieves 00:00:29
    • → opinion: Hank doesn't know what he expected thieves to look like, perhaps because he had dehumanized what a thief was in his head. (00:00:29)
  • 2018-12-21 · Hank: Feeling out of his depth, Hank called psychologist Dr. Robert Tyminski, author of The Psychology of Theft and Loss. — The Psychology of Package Thieves 00:01:47
    • → point: Hank says these perspectives helped him understand how theft happens without the need for theft: not excusing it, but understanding it better. (00:01:47)
  • 2019-03-01 · Hank: About a year ago Hank tweeted that any legislator who wants to get elected should do something about robocalls, since everyone agrees it should be fixed. — I Get a Robocall While Making a Video About Robocalls 00:01:27
    • → point: Hank assumed robocalls went unfixed because of money in politics, evil telecoms or Washington's incapability, but finds scammers are good at hiding from the law and technology lets them. (00:02:11)
  • 2019-03-29 · Hank: Hank says he knows wage theft first-hand: he got a wage theft settlement after working at Walmart for a summer. — The Largest Theft of All Time 00:03:26
    • → point: Hank concludes the biggest theft of all time is ongoing and widely known, hits the disadvantaged hardest, has victimized most people, and almost no one has gone to jail for it. (00:03:32)
  • 2019-08-06 · John: John tells viewers not to worry about him: he is fine. — Uncertain and Afraid 00:02:26
    • → opinion: John sometimes feels waves of anger and fear wash over him so forcefully that he is powerless, like an actor in a play he cannot rewrite, whether over a friend's death, climate change or mass murder. (00:02:26)
  • 2020-06-02 · John: The description says John and Sarah focus on supporting underfunded public libraries serving large African American communities and on criminal justice reform, including bail misuse (The Bail Project). — --- 00:00:00
    • → opinion: John worries his talking about the US protests may sound like, and could be, virtue signaling: making a statement is easy, long-term work toward justice is hard. (00:00:00)
  • 2020-06-02 · John: The description says Hank has been fundraising for the National Police Accountability Project. — --- 00:00:00
    • → opinion: John worries his talking about the US protests may sound like, and could be, virtue signaling: making a statement is easy, long-term work toward justice is hard. (00:00:00)
  • 2020-06-02 · John: John admits he didn't know much about the Red Summer until recently. — --- 00:01:57
    • → point: John says he must listen better to Black Americans and marginalized people, believing that listening with openness and empathy moves us toward generosity, advocacy and justice. (00:02:26)
  • 2020-09-11 · Hank: Hank recalls that as a first-time voter in college he wondered whether to register at college or at his parents' house; he chose his parents' house. — If you don't go… 00:01:56
    • → opinion: Hank says voting is an opportunity that people in many places don't get, a responsibility, and maybe a little stressful. (00:02:55)
  • 2020-10-27 · John: A while back John was asked to host a book event with Joe Biden. — The time I met Joe Biden 00:00:00
    • → opinion: John generally dislikes political memoirs but was moved by Biden's book, about grief and what serving the public means: sad, human and openly conflicted. (00:00:00)
  • 2020-10-27 · John: John says he had no particularly strong opinion about Joe Biden then; he just liked the book. — The time I met Joe Biden 00:00:00
    • → opinion: John generally dislikes political memoirs but was moved by Biden's book, about grief and what serving the public means: sad, human and openly conflicted. (00:00:00)
  • 2020-10-27 · John: The description corrects the video: on reflection the Biden event was not in St. Louis. — The time I met Joe Biden 00:00:00
    • → opinion: John generally dislikes political memoirs but was moved by Biden's book, about grief and what serving the public means: sad, human and openly conflicted. (00:00:00)
  • 2020-10-27 · John: John flew to somewhere like St. Louis for the Q&A and was editing a Crash Course script backstage when someone asked if he'd like to meet Vice President Biden. (hedged) — The time I met Joe Biden 00:00:29
    • → opinion: John says he had become used to people saying kind things they didn't mean, because even modest fame works as a filter distorting how people look at you. (00:00:29)
  • 2020-10-27 · John: Biden told John his family loved The Fault in Our Stars and it helped them process his son's cancer diagnosis; he asked about Esther, with tears in his eyes as John talked. — The time I met Joe Biden 00:00:58
    • → opinion: John says he had become used to people saying kind things they didn't mean, because even modest fame works as a filter distorting how people look at you. (00:00:29)
  • 2020-10-27 · John: On the way to the stage a stagehand, Tim, asked Biden for an autograph and they fell into intense conversation; Biden asked Tim to wait and resumed talking with him after the hour-long Q&A. — The time I met Joe Biden 00:01:27
    • → opinion: John was struck that Biden wanted to talk about Esther more than about the success of the book or the movie. (00:01:27)
  • 2020-10-30 · Hank: His son was born in the days before the 2016 election, which Hank was very worried about, so many searches are about Donald Trump. — Four Years Ago 00:01:27
    • → point: Like Orin's head size, the laptop story had little data: the story was really our anxiety, and worry about the worry was legitimate, since it could lead people to faulty judgments lived with for years. (00:01:56)
  • 2020-10-30 · Hank: Hank also searched about Huma Abedin's laptop, a story about Hillary Clinton's assistant that felt very big then and that he no longer remembers. — Four Years Ago 00:01:27
    • → point: Like Orin's head size, the laptop story had little data: the story was really our anxiety, and worry about the worry was legitimate, since it could lead people to faulty judgments lived with for years. (00:01:56)
  • 2020-10-30 · Hank: One search was simply 'Orin', Katherine's granddad's name: they had not yet named their son and were searching baby names. — Four Years Ago 00:02:36
    • → point: Hank says the world is better for having his son in it, and better for having his worry in it: worry for his son's and everyone else's health and happiness. (00:03:05)
  • 2020-10-30 · Hank: Hank says he looked up these searches because he doesn't know how to handle this moment; this will be a rough weekend for him. — Four Years Ago 00:03:05
    • → point: Hank says the world is better for having his son in it, and better for having his worry in it: worry for his son's and everyone else's health and happiness. (00:03:05)
  • 2020-11-06 (said on 2020-11-05, implied) · Hank: A few weeks after his second book came out Hank started a new project, then stopped, feeling he could not write it until after the election because the world would differ so much depending on the result. — Just Some Election Thoughts… 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description apologises that the video is more somber and less hopeful than it should be, because Montana's elections did not go well. (video description)
  • 2020-11-06 (said on 2020-11-05, implied) · Hank: On the evening of November 3, 2020, as Florida turned red, it made sense to Hank for the first time that Trump is president; for four years it had seemed surreal to him. — Just Some Election Thoughts… 00:01:27
    • → opinion: Hank says the rift, crafted over decades and deeper than many of its crafters hoped, was never going to be filled in one election; his hope that it would was faulty. (00:01:27)
  • 2021-10-13 · Hank: Hank says John has cared for years about a person he would have had no connection with but for a peculiar, specific moment in his life. — The Web of Care 00:02:07
    • → point: Hank's real point: we think of ourselves as individuals, but the world acts on us as a collective. (00:02:07)
  • 2022-03-18 · Hank: Hank was frustrated this week (week of 14 March 2022) by the clock change: putting his son to bed an hour before the boy thought it was bedtime, and hearing he wasn't sleepy. — How to Fix Daylight Saving Time 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says we only talk about the drawbacks of what we are doing, so we rarely think about the drawbacks of the alternatives. (video description)
  • 2022-05-27 · Hank: Hank recalls that about ten years ago he was due to make a video on 14 December 2012 and had an idea for it, but the Sandy Hook attack happened, so he made a short, honest video instead; he has just rewatched it. — The Time for Politics 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says universal background checks are opposed for very small, unimportant reasons, which makes Hank believe this is more about playing politics than policy-making. (video description)
  • 2022-05-27 · Hank: The description says saying these things into a camera overwhelmed Hank, so he said them into his microphone instead. — The Time for Politics 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says universal background checks are opposed for very small, unimportant reasons, which makes Hank believe this is more about playing politics than policy-making. (video description)
  • 2022-08-12 · Hank: Finding coverage thin on detail, Hank researched the bill himself: nonpartisan analyses, CBO reports, their authors, the EPA administrator and the 700-page bill text. — The Biggest Climate Bill of Your Life - But What does it DO!? 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says the bill will have a huge, mostly unnoticed impact for years, as good legislation does, though some parts won't work and will make news. (video description)
  • 2022-08-19 · Hank: Hank's friend John Engen, mayor of Hank's town for the last 15 years, has died. — What if a lot of the Cynicism is Unjustified??? 00:01:37
    • → opinion: Hank says city government workers have very hard jobs: they must listen to many people, represent everyone and often do things that make no one happy, since only disagreements reach their desk. (00:01:37)
  • 2022-10-28 · Hank: Hank first met Monica Tranel, who is running for Congress, when he emailed her and she helped him make Hanklerfish art for Project for Awesome donors. — I'm Changing the Way I Think About Politics 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says many people are really trying to make the country better, and democracy only happens when we do it. (video description)
  • 2022-10-28 · Hank: Hank has met Tranel a few more times since, mostly because he asked to rent out rooms and interview her in them publicly. — I'm Changing the Way I Think About Politics 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says many people are really trying to make the country better, and democracy only happens when we do it. (video description)
  • 2022-10-28 · Hank: Hank recalls celebrating Barack Obama's first election with John, he thinks while they were on tour. (hedged) — I'm Changing the Way I Think About Politics 00:00:29
    • → point: Hank has started to feel that the relentless focus on the biggest possible scope of every conversation, always the national one, isn't good. (00:01:06)
  • 2022-10-28 · Hank: When Joe Biden's team invited Hank to the White House to hang out with the president, he wanted to go, but he has limited time this year (2022) and is focusing on his community. — I'm Changing the Way I Think About Politics 00:01:36
    • → point: Hank says we tell ourselves simple stories by not letting in much data; he understands why, since it is complicated and simple stories persuade, but these stories are starting to rend. (00:01:36)
  • 2024-02-27 · John: John says he recently fell down a rabbit hole trying to learn what he could establish about the median resident of the United States. — I Was Wrong about the Average American 00:00:00
    • → opinion: In a comment John agrees with surprise that Jessica supports the death penalty, saying she needs to make some progress there. (creator comment)
  • 2024-02-27 · John: John was surprised by much of this; like Jessica he drinks too much coffee, but he differs from her in other ways. — I Was Wrong about the Average American 00:04:22
    • → point: John says the US has relatively high economic inequality, so people are more likely than elsewhere to be much richer or much poorer than Jessica. (00:03:53)
  • 2024-05-10 · Hank: The description says Hank made the video in a weird way that Pete's team had not agreed to, and hopes they don't mind. — Three Whole Onions with Secretary Pete Buttigieg 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says Hank quite liked Pete: a big nerd focused on understanding people's problems and systems to help them, not on rhetoric. (video description)
  • 2024-05-10 · Hank: Hank says he had a 'cheap cancer', scans being the costliest part, plus flexible work, support systems and money, so he didn't have to worry. — Three Whole Onions with Secretary Pete Buttigieg 00:11:44
    • → opinion: Hank says Pete's 'Medicare for all who want it' plan from his presidential run sounds great, since private insurance seems unlikely to go away in the US. (00:11:44)
  • 2024-07-05 · Hank: Hank says people sometimes tell public internet people to run for president, and he occasionally gets the impression people would actually vote for him. — Should I Run for President?? 00:00:00
    • → opinion: In the description Hank finds it important that a 'generic Democrat' polls better against Trump than any actual Democrat. (video description)
  • 2024-07-05 · Hank: Hank writes he has no interest in running: he is too busy with things he is excited about, and it sounds miserable. — Should I Run for President?? 00:00:00
    • → opinion: In the description Hank finds it important that a 'generic Democrat' polls better against Trump than any actual Democrat. (video description)
  • 2024-07-05 · Hank: Hank says people from the Montana Democratic Party have asked him whether he would be interested in running for a local office; he didn't want that and said no. — Should I Run for President?? 00:00:29
    • → opinion: So instead of saying he can't run for office, Hank has to admit the real reason: he doesn't want to. (00:00:29)
  • 2024-08-09 · Hank: Hank tried the VPN trick with this subscription, but the company apparently has no California page. — Why isn't This Illegal? 00:03:20
    • → opinion: Hank cheers that this FTC board also created a rule banning non-compete agreements. (00:03:49)
  • 2024-10-18 · Hank: Hank's mail-in ballot made him angry: in all three federal races (five presidential, four Senate, three House candidates) the Democrat, including Kamala Harris and Monica Tranel, is listed last. — My Ballot Made Me Angry 00:00:00
    • → point: The description notes that getting a ballot with Democrats all at the bottom was both unlikely and guaranteed: unlikely for Hank, but certain that someone would. (video description)
  • 2024-11-08 · Hank: Hank says he is very discouraged and made a map video because he felt he had to reference the moment but cannot go deeper than that. — These Maps are Lying (if you let them) 00:04:58
    • → point: Hank says these maps and graphs are super useful tools meant to simplify, but that can increase the risk of learning the wrong things from them. (00:04:40)
  • 2025-02-28 · Hank: Hank says his elected representatives are all Republicans, none of whom are pushing back against this. — We Will Eradicate Measles 00:06:56
    • → opinion: Hank says he is trying to stay calm but feels we are whiny babies who have forgotten how miraculous a world with exoplanets, electric cars and measles vaccines is. (00:06:56)
  • 2025-06-10 · John: John says a Republican member of Congress told him in a recent meeting that he didn't disagree, but his constituents don't care about this. — 90,000,000 Lives for $20 00:02:55
    • → point: John says he long thought contacting elected representatives was a waste of time, but knows it isn't: even in this political climate he has seen programs reinstated. (00:02:55)
  • 2025-06-13 · Hank: Hank says that earlier this week (week of 9 June 2025), seeing images of deportation raids in Los Angeles and then protests, pushback against ICE, violence and vandalism, he got mad. — Moving to Hope from Hopelessness (3 ways) 00:00:00
    • → point: Paraphrasing his hankschannel video, Hank says the Trump team widens rifts and capitalizes on chaos: infringing rights faster than courts can act makes people try to stop them, creating conflict. (00:00:29)
  • 2025-06-13 · Hank: Hank felt hopeless, frustrated and angry, as if nothing could stop the inevitable: Trump's insistence that process does not matter, against Americans' insistence that it does, would create conflict and deliver him more power. — Moving to Hope from Hopelessness (3 ways) 00:00:29
    • → point: Paraphrasing his hankschannel video, Hank says the Trump team widens rifts and capitalizes on chaos: infringing rights faster than courts can act makes people try to stop them, creating conflict. (00:00:29)
  • 2025-06-13 · Hank: Hank says reacting to the news made him lose sight of what he cares about: his frustration was less worry for people than anger that a guy he dislikes runs a strategy likely to win him more power. — Moving to Hope from Hopelessness (3 ways) 00:04:23
    • → point: Hank cites a TikTok's phrase 'humanize before they can militarize': militarization is easy once dehumanization occurs, and since dehumanization is a natural reaction we must build against it. (00:05:51)
  • 2025-07-04 · Hank: Hank says that around five years ago he saw a graph that changed his life, and he shows it hoping it changes viewers' lives too. — This Graph Changed My Life 00:02:27
    • → opinion: Hank says that although many Americans accept global warming, we are not doing a great job of adapting to that reality. (00:02:56)
  • 2025-07-04 · Hank: The graph changed Hank because it clashed with his perception: before, he would have said about half of Americans thought climate change a scam or hoax. — This Graph Changed My Life 00:03:20
    • → point: Hank says it is easy to share the Fox News comments without context as proof of how crazy 'these people' are, and many would take 'these people' to mean half the country. (00:03:20)
  • 2025-09-26 · Hank: Hank says he felt incapable of not making the video: once he spotted the oddity he had to see it through, frustrating as he has other things to do. — I've Not Been Doing Well 00:00:59
    • → opinion: Hank finds it horrifying that Americans' tax dollars are now being spent to intentionally mislead and misinform the American people. (00:00:59)
  • 2025-11-14 · Hank: Hank recalls that when John interviewed Obama on a Google+ Hangout about the penny, Obama said many small things that should be done are blocked by entrenched structures or the interests of a few. — The End of The Penny (and of Congress??) 00:00:56
    • → opinion: Hank notes that Obama said he would need Congress to abolish the penny, and reminds viewers that presidents don't make laws. (00:01:25)
  • 2026-03-10 · John: John's congressman signed on to the dear colleague letters after John reached out. — Is Hank Green Running for Congress? 00:06:01
    • → point: John says to run for office if you can, but running is not the only form of public service: Tofu's website is a public service too. (00:06:01)
  • 2026-04-24 · Hank: Hank says John is in Sierra Leone visiting the Maternal Center of Excellence; they were just texting, and Hank can't wait to see more of it. — The AI Question that No AI Person Asks 00:00:00
    • → point: When someone says AI will change everything and solve all problems, Hank checks it against a benchmark he created, Shelter Bench: how will AI help solve the housing crisis? (00:00:00)
  • 2026-10-05 · Hank: Hank says he waffled on making this video because Pizzamas is a time for good times, but the brothers have always made things they think are helpful and care about. — Why Are We So Bad at Executing People? 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says Hank understands that many see killing a killer as honouring life, but thinks that has always been an ugly lie, and the incompetence shows society no longer believes it. (video description)

Science & nature

  • 2007-05-30 · Hank: Hank reacts to John already packing to leave New York: it is scary, he is sorry, and he hopes he won't have to move soon. — May 30th: Ranavalona and Clean Coal 00:02:38
    • → point: Hank says everyone knows coal is bad though we need it for power, but the worst thing would be finding more ways to use coal. (00:02:38)
  • 2007-12-06 · John: Peer pressure be damned, they are letting large parts of their property become native Indiana grasses that need no watering. — Dec. 6th: Peer Pressure and the Green Green Manifesto 00:03:34
    • → point: John concludes that sometimes you listen to the peer pressure of society and sometimes to the peer pressure of your brother, and calls Hank a great brother in that respect. (00:03:34)
  • 2010-06-30 · John: John says he wrote a book about this (title not given). — Poopy Nintendo Mystery SOLVED WITH SCIENCE 00:01:58
    • → point: There is very little correlation between how well you remember something and whether it happened: the brain stores narrative memories, not accurate ones. (00:01:58)
  • 2010-06-30 · John: John has an extremely vivid flashbulb memory of discovering Red Green's poop in the Nintendo, but research suggests he was the only one who physically saw it. (hedged) — Poopy Nintendo Mystery SOLVED WITH SCIENCE 00:01:58
    • → point: There is very little correlation between how well you remember something and whether it happened: the brain stores narrative memories, not accurate ones. (00:01:58)
  • 2010-09-03 · Hank: Hank says he is something of an environmental activist, so many people were surprised he did not talk about the Deepwater Horizon disaster. — ANOTHER Oil Rig Explosion?! REALLY?! 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank explains his silence: he knew the disaster was inevitable, was very angry, and did not want to focus on blaming people, which gets political and divisive fast. (00:00:00)
  • 2011-06-03 · Hank: Hank admits he still eats meat, knowing it is bad, because he likes it. — I AM A BAD PERSON! 00:01:21
    • → point: Hank says eating meat is still objectively bad, as he argued on this same dock a couple of years ago. (00:01:01)
  • 2011-06-03 · Hank: GOOD magazine challenges readers to skip meat in June; Hank thinks he'll try, though not fully, since he must eat what his in-laws serve. (hedged) — I AM A BAD PERSON! 00:01:27
    • → point: Hank says eating meat is still objectively bad, as he argued on this same dock a couple of years ago. (00:01:01)
  • 2011-07-11 · Hank: In the description Hank says he grew up in Orlando regularly watching the shuttle take off, and it had a huge effect on him. — Hank Talks to NASA About the Space Shuttle 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank says NASA has clearly embraced the spirit of Nerdfighteria, which means a great deal to him; he thanks NASA for understanding the community and Nerdfighteria for being awesome, noting that Charlie Bolden's boss is Barack Obama. (video description)
  • 2011-07-11 · Hank: Hank says he got to ask questions via video of people at NASA, including administrator Charlie Bolden. — Hank Talks to NASA About the Space Shuttle 00:00:29
    • → opinion: Hank says that as new sitcoms such as 30 Rock, The Office and Parks and Rec replaced Seinfeld, the shuttle's time is done; the question is what replaces it ('what is our 30 Rock'). (00:00:29)
  • 2011-07-22 · John: John admits he too tends his grass so his neighbors don't get mad at him. — Your Yard Is EVIL 00:01:20
    • → point: John argues the American front lawn is the best possible example of how status quo bias can lead to complete insanity. (00:00:33)
  • 2011-08-22 (said on 2011-08-23, implied) · Hank: Hank says that this weekend (20–21 August 2011) he and Katherine went hiking in the Bitterroot Valley and came across a hatch of butterflies, which John, having left Missoula, missed. — Thoughts from a Butterfly Hatch 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank says Lepidoptera is probably the most beloved insect order: people think of insects as creepy and gross, yet beg to be covered in butterflies. (00:00:00)
  • 2011-08-22 (said on 2011-08-23, implied) · Hank: Hank says the very tame butterfly in his close-ups puzzled him, so he asked Twitter; the consensus is 'probably an eastern comma', but anglewings look so alike that they would probably need to examine its genitalia to be sure. (hedged) — Thoughts from a Butterfly Hatch 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank says Lepidoptera is probably the most beloved insect order: people think of insects as creepy and gross, yet beg to be covered in butterflies. (00:00:00)
  • 2011-08-22 (said on 2011-08-23, implied) · Hank: Hank noticed what looked like rose petals on the water and realised they were butterflies. — Thoughts from a Butterfly Hatch 00:01:57
    • → opinion: Hank wonders whether people can still care about nature if they lack his opportunities to go out, experience it and see how amazing it is. (00:01:57)
  • 2011-08-22 (said on 2011-08-23, implied) · Hank: Hank saw bees attack butterflies, chew off their wings and fly off with the bodies, which he hadn't known they did; some carried off whole butterflies. — Thoughts from a Butterfly Hatch 00:02:43
    • → point: Seeing dead butterflies everywhere, Hank thought about the energy behind it all: sunlight passing into plants, caterpillars, butterflies, bees, spiders and birds, until it is free to dissipate again. (00:03:22)
  • 2011-10-03 · Hank: Hank interviewed Joe Incandela, one of the top scientists at the Large Hadron Collider, for half an hour that morning, calling it the coolest thing that has happened to him. — The LHC and Alex's Survey 00:02:07
    • → opinion: Hank says he talked with Joe about the neutrino that supposedly went faster than light; he hasn't discussed it, though asked on Twitter, because he is reserving judgment and finds faster-than-light matter hard to accept. (00:03:05)
  • 2011-11-04 · Hank: Hank learned about physiognomy while searching the website of Kim McGuire, who played Hatchet-Face in Cry-Baby and with whom he is 'kind of obsessed'. (hedged) — You CAN Judge a Book by its Cover! 00:00:36
    • → point: Hank says physiognomy is wrong and people should not judge others by their looks, but that in some cases you kind of can. (00:01:04)
  • 2011-12-28 · John: The day before, John walked the creek with Henry and explained how fallen leaves become dirt that feeds the still-living trees. — Goats Mating 00:00:30
    • → point: John recalls Rudolf Virchow's observation that all cells come from other cells: life begets life, the realization behind modern biology and disease treatment. (00:00:30)
  • 2011-12-28 · John: John watched a long courtship (beard-rubbing, tail-wagging), hid so as not to discourage the goats, and after misplaced humping saw them mate; he was glad Henry didn't see. — Goats Mating 00:01:27
    • → point: John reflects that, some ways more palatable than others, life finds a way to make life from life and from that which was once alive. (00:02:07)
  • 2011-12-28 · John: Lost in thought, John got very lost in the woods; following water downhill, he found his trail by the skid marks from his fall, 'another life saved by dead leaves'. — Goats Mating 00:02:07
    • → point: John reflects that, some ways more palatable than others, life finds a way to make life from life and from that which was once alive. (00:02:07)
  • 2012-04-06 · Hank: Hank's video about the Webb telescope about a year ago apparently delighted NASA, which tweeted at him; it circulated in the offices of NASA and its contractors. (hedged) — Can I be Space President? 00:00:33
    • → opinion: Hank believes the James Webb Space Telescope is one of his generation's greatest contributions, not just to science but to the world. (00:00:33)
  • 2012-04-06 · Hank: Someone at Lockheed Martin showed the video to Jeff Grant, vice president of space systems at Northrop Grumman, who emailed Hank inviting him to meet people working on the project. — Can I be Space President? 00:00:33
    • → opinion: Hank believes the James Webb Space Telescope is one of his generation's greatest contributions, not just to science but to the world. (00:00:33)
  • 2012-05-05 · John: For Hank's birthday John wrote an email to his congressman, Andre Carson, asking him to make sure NASA gets the funding it needs. — It's HANKO DE MAYO!!!!! 00:01:13
    • → point: John recalls Hank saying Webb is like our pyramids, a monument for everyone who comes after us, and that besides decreasing suck it is important to increase awesome. (00:01:13)
  • 2013-06-14 · Hank: Hank says he supposes he should still be making these videos for John, even though John is not making them for him. (hedged) — What is the Strongest Force on Earth? 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank found on Tumblr a science quiz asking 'What is the strongest force on Earth?'; the student wrote 'love' and the teacher crossed it out. He sets out to find the real answer and what the teacher meant. (00:00:04)
  • 2015-01-30 · Hank: Hank says his graduate degree is in environmental science, so he often sees his experiences through the lens of ecology. — Thoughts from the Edge 00:00:25
    • → point: Hank says the land-sea edge, biologically productive, has also produced great cultural and economic productivity, so the edge effect seems to exist outside ecology too. (00:01:05)
  • 2015-06-02 · John: John says while he looks for coyotes and herons, his son points out moss; his son and daughter remind him that with the right level of attentiveness, everything is amazing. — Let's Go Outside 00:01:55
    • → opinion: John says contemporary flowers are like a collaboration among humans, plants and bees, and that humans need to collaborate better with plants and bees. (00:01:13)
  • 2016-08-12 · Hank: Hank spent last weekend in Glacier National Park, full of scenic beauty and without cell phone signal, maybe because of the cliffs and not wanting towers on scenic mountains. (hedged) — AMERICA, DAMMIT! - Thoughts from Glacier National Park 00:00:01
    • → opinion: In the description Hank says his country seems to exist in two universes: the wonderful one he experiences directly and the decaying one he hears about on television. (video description)
  • 2017-03-24 · Hank: Hank recalls that a couple of weeks ago he and John spent time kayaking around a huge lake in the middle of a desert. — I Disagree with Me (Thoughts from Lake Powell) 00:00:01
    • → point: Hank says the fight that led to Lake Powell in some ways created the modern environmental movement and some aspects of it he doesn't love; the lake is one of his greatest internal debates made real. (00:00:29)
  • 2017-07-04 · John: Sunsets in Michigan are so ostentatiously beautiful that they are ordinary there, unlike back home in Indiana, where the light just gets grayer until dark. — Civil Twilight 00:00:31
    • → point: A good sunset is universally beautiful: our ancestors lived very differently, but every human who has lived a few years has paused at a beautiful sunset, grateful and overwhelmed. (00:01:16)
  • 2017-07-04 · John: The science still doesn't convey how it felt to see an ordinary but beautiful civil twilight; John tried to photograph it, but the camera, and his voiceover, could not capture it. — Civil Twilight 00:02:14
    • → point: Sometimes the world stops John cold and he feels his smallness, which does not make him sad but grateful. (00:02:36)
  • 2017-07-04 · John: So John turned off his camera, and it was enough. — Civil Twilight 00:02:55
    • → point: Citing Toni Morrison, John says that at some point in life the world's beauty becomes enough: you need not photograph, paint or even remember it. (00:02:45)
  • 2017-08-25 · Hank: Hank says watching the beautiful and terrible smoke plumes over his town made him grateful to those who study these things for a living so he doesn't have to. — Trust and Fire - Thoughts from the Smoke 00:03:08
    • → point: Hank says this isn't trusting that experts are right but accepting that professionals are far likelier to be right than someone who just wants to argue: not an appeal to authority but to sanity. (00:02:18)
  • 2017-09-29 · Hank: Hank shows an unopened, never-leaked Dr Pepper can that is thin and floppy with no pressure in it, and opening it confirms it is flat. — What's This Video About? 00:00:01
    • → opinion: Apart from character development and backstory, Hank says TNG episodes can be watched in any order, unlike later series: Deep Space Nine was part of the push toward serialized TV where you must watch every episode. (video description)
  • 2017-10-06 · Hank: Hank will see John on Sunday, when he flies to New York City on the day of the European Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off. — The World's Largest Fruits 00:03:38
    • → opinion: Hank tells John to be at peace: he will be fine, his book is great and people will love it. (00:03:34)
  • 2018-10-19 · Hank: The description says that despite Hank's master's degree in environmental studies, this graph, once explained to him, completely changed how he felt about human impacts on the planet. — This is the scariest graph I've ever seen 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says being scared by the graph depends on caring about human life beyond one's own lifespan, which seems easy to Hank but maybe not to many others. (video description)
  • 2019-05-10 · Hank: Hank has the very DVD used in the Technology Connections video: he DM'd its maker, who sent it so Hank could do an experiment. — The Worst Product Ever 00:00:29
    • → point: Hank says the FlexPlay backlash was actually fine, but the product gives great insight into how we imagine waste and why we do a bad job of it. (00:00:29)
  • 2019-05-31 · Hank: Hank recently had a tweet go viral: a quote tweet of a tweet citing an infographic of UK coal use over the last eight years, responding, more vulgarly, 'we can do this'. — Uncomfortable Nuance: Natural Gas Edition 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says Hank almost titled the video 'Is fracking good?' but the answer is obviously no: anything that increases the fossil fuels we can extract is bad. (video description)
  • 2019-06-28 · Hank: Hank watches many YouTube videos of microscopic life and got so obsessed that he asked one of his favorite creators, James in Poland, to make a YouTube channel with him. — My New Obsession 00:01:55
    • → opinion: Hank can't quite explain why microscopic life astounds him; maybe because it was invisible and unknown for almost all of human history. (00:01:15)
  • 2020-01-31 · Hank: Hank says as a kid he was frustrated that, though we knew the galaxy's size and our place in it, no one could tell him how many stars are in the sky. — How Many Stars are in the Sky? 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says the image maps candidates for other telescopes, especially the infrared James Webb Space Telescope, which will launch, fingers crossed, in March 2021. (video description)
  • 2020-02-18 · John: For years John has wanted to review wintry mix for The Anthropocene Reviewed as a thoroughly Midwestern precipitation: practical, unlovely and unpretentious. — wintry mix 00:01:13
    • → opinion: John contrasts beautiful snow with wintry mix, which is radically unromantic and feels like the sky spitting on you. (00:01:13)
  • 2020-03-31 · John: Down the creek, a swampy floodplain has early flowers in bloom, including Glory of the Snow. — Let's take a walk. 00:02:22
    • → opinion: John recalls Wordsworth's Lines Written in Early Spring, believing as an article of faith that every flower enjoys the air it breathes; if you must have a faith, and he does, that seems a good one. (00:02:34)
  • 2020-06-16 (said on 2020-06-07, implied) · John: From the White River in Indianapolis, John kayaks to a cool place almost nobody knows about, to show it to Hank. — a cool place 00:00:00
    • → opinion: River islands fascinate John: they don't really belong to anyone and have little human use, being land only part of the time. (00:00:00)
  • 2020-06-16 (said on 2020-06-07, implied) · John: In a comment John says the river is where he got some Turtles All the Way Down ideas: north of Wallet Island Aza and Daisy visit Davis Pickett's property, and their river island is one he calls Aza Island. — a cool place 00:00:00
    • → opinion: River islands fascinate John: they don't really belong to anyone and have little human use, being land only part of the time. (00:00:00)
  • 2020-06-16 (said on 2020-06-07, implied) · John: In a comment John says his contamination anxieties are very specific and don't include river water; he follows experts' advice calmly, isn't afraid of flying thanks to exposure therapy, and calls pathological thinking definitionally irrational. — a cool place 00:00:00
    • → opinion: River islands fascinate John: they don't really belong to anyone and have little human use, being land only part of the time. (00:00:00)
  • 2020-06-16 (said on 2020-06-07, implied) · John: John named it Wallet Island because he once found a wallet there; it is not its official name, and he doesn't know if it has one. — a cool place 00:01:21
    • → point: John calls Wallet Island a place of contradictions but also of beauty. (00:01:50)
  • 2020-06-16 (said on 2020-06-07, implied) · John: Each visit John feels he is discovering a new place; he can sit there for hours and write on his computer, but critically can't get online. — a cool place 00:01:50
    • → point: John calls Wallet Island a place of contradictions but also of beauty. (00:01:50)
  • 2020-06-23 · John: John liked Hank's shooting-star video; streaks of light at night reminded him it is firefly season in Indiana, so he will tell of his complicated relationship with fireflies. — You'll Never Shine if You Don't Glow 00:00:00
    • → opinion: To a commenter missing childhood innocence, John says he hopes and thinks they will get it back by being patient and working toward joy and broad curiosity, though it may take decades. (creator comment)
  • 2020-06-23 · John: Once in high school a friend called the fireflies lovely; John replied that they were a little lame, and she asked what was wrong with him. — You'll Never Shine if You Don't Glow 00:01:27
    • → point: What was wrong, John says, was fear of unironized emotion: that giving in to fireflies' beauty would make him seem childish, naive, or worst, innocent and vulnerable. (00:01:56)
  • 2020-06-26 · Hank: Hank reminds John that as kids at the beach he stepped on a dead Portuguese man o' war and was in pain for a full day. — You Might as Well Swim! 00:00:29
    • → opinion: Hank had assumed these common, weird animals were well understood; the gaps are not for lack of curiosity but because they are just very confusing. (00:00:29)
  • 2021-01-08 · Hank: Hank recently went to freezing Flathead Lake, where waves of ice chunks crashed ashore, and dipped his bare hand in to collect water and vegetation. — In Which Hank Worries for a Little Bit and then Looks at Microbes 00:00:54
    • → opinion: Hank says the people suggesting there may be a civil war want us to think so because they want one, because they are idiots. (00:00:54)
  • 2021-01-08 · Hank: Hank finds a large organism he did not mean to grab, big enough to see on the slide. — In Which Hank Worries for a Little Bit and then Looks at Microbes 00:02:22
    • → opinion: Hank marvels that the sample he pulled out of what was basically ice is teeming with life. (00:03:00)
  • 2021-01-08 · Hank: Hank gets a live shrimpy creature with little arms under the cover slip but still cannot tell what it is. — In Which Hank Worries for a Little Bit and then Looks at Microbes 00:02:22
    • → opinion: Hank marvels that the sample he pulled out of what was basically ice is teeming with life. (00:03:00)
  • 2021-01-22 · Hank: Under the microscope Hank sees individual dots of grease, a skin cell, a hair coated in sebaceous matter and scratches on his lens. — I Didn't Clean My Glasses for a Week and then I Put them Under a Microscope 00:00:58
    • → opinion: Hank guesses the debris is mostly skin cells or flakes of skin, plus hairs. (00:00:58)
  • 2021-01-22 · Hank: With a slide cover on one lens, Hank finds lots of flakes of skin, a tiny thread from his clothes or a bed sheet, and a huge hair. — I Didn't Clean My Glasses for a Week and then I Put them Under a Microscope 00:01:24
    • → opinion: Hank guesses the debris is mostly skin cells or flakes of skin, plus hairs. (00:00:58)
  • 2021-04-16 · Hank: Hank, who would have had a very different life without computers, has sensory processing disorder and ADHD and reads slower than the average ninth grader; luck in timing, the right tools and support turned possible liabilities into assets. — Gene Editing and Intelligence: A Bad 00:02:26
    • → point: Most importantly, environment varies not only across a society and across cultures but across time. (00:02:26)
  • 2021-08-27 · Hank: Hank saw a New York Times tweet being shouted about on Twitter and quote-tweeted the article, saying he didn't know why people were upset: would you rather not know at all? — Is it Better Not to Know? 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says we are asked to care about everything, which Hank cannot and should not do; different people should care deeply about different things rather than many caring superficially. (video description)
  • 2021-08-27 · Hank: Hank once got shoes in a box inside a cotton bag. — Is it Better Not to Know? 00:00:51
    • → point: Being made of cotton, or organic cotton, does not make something good for the environment: growing crops is resource-intensive. (00:00:51)
  • 2021-10-29 · Hank: Hank told Katherine about the crystal caves and on their walk home she exclaimed that the Earth is an alien planet, which he calls such a good line. — The Earth is an Alien Planet 00:03:03
    • → point: Hank says nothing is less alien than the planet we evolved on, have barely left, and that sustains us every day. (00:03:12)
  • 2021-12-17 · Hank: The description says the question has been bugging Hank for about 20 years and still bugs him. — What State of Matter is Fire 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank says he has talked about science professionally for years and loves almost every question, but dislikes two kinds: ones he has answered many times, and ones that seem easy but are not. (00:00:00)
  • 2021-12-24 · Hank: Hank made a video on this channel ten years ago about how amazing the James Webb Space Telescope would be, and now it is headed to space. — 29 Days of Astronomical Terror 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says the launch is only the start: with a terrifyingly complex deployment, no one will breathe easy for at least two weeks after launch. (video description)
  • 2022-02-18 · Hank: On half a cup of coffee, Hank makes an unscripted video, something he almost never does, about a thing he cares passionately about. — You Don't Want a Gas Stovetop 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank tells viewers they need to not want a gas stove, because gas stoves suck. (00:00:00)
  • 2022-07-19 · John: John addresses the video to Hank's son, who recently asked why things exist, and calls it a really good and really big question. — Why Do Things Exist? 00:00:00
    • → point: We don't need to know why zinc exists for Hot Wheels to be fun or to survive, but we still want to know; John thinks this urge to know is kind of the human superpower. (00:00:35)
  • 2022-09-29 · Hank: In a comment, Hank says he worked on this script for about four months. — The Kony 2012 of Roads - Solar Freakin' Roadways 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says solutions mostly come from many individuals doing small things, and Hank is very skeptical of big simple solutions and thinks viewers should be too. (video description)
  • 2022-10-07 · John: John recalls a favourite memory: discussing ejected planets, Hank said there would be no light and so no life, then paused and added 'unless they made their own light'. — Planets Don't Exist 00:07:47
    • → opinion: John says making our own light, as fireflies and anglerfish do, is one of the coolest things because the idea is so beautiful. (00:08:14)
  • 2022-10-21 · Hank: Hank says the idea that easy opinions form when questions are wrongly stated, making arguments easier, is new to him. — This 'Math Test' Changed How I See Humanity 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank shows a very low-stakes math problem that changed the way he sees the social internet. (00:00:00)
  • 2023-01-20 · Hank: Hank says an aquarium is more complicated than pumping in seawater and adding fish, and that he made a whole video about it three years ago. — Behind the Scenes in the Deep Sea 00:00:34
    • → point: Hank says that before the exhibit opened he saw that the seemingly effortless cohabitation of humans and deep-sea animals is actually extremely complicated and fairly precarious. (00:01:32)
  • 2023-01-20 · Hank: Hank says he has not yet been able to visit the finished exhibit. — Behind the Scenes in the Deep Sea 00:01:03
    • → point: Hank says that before the exhibit opened he saw that the seemingly effortless cohabitation of humans and deep-sea animals is actually extremely complicated and fairly precarious. (00:01:32)
  • 2023-03-10 · Hank: Answering a viewer in the comments, Hank says the airport is in Austin. — Is it Good or Bad that we Haven't Met Aliens? 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank poses the question of whether it is a good or a bad thing that we have not yet seen aliens. (00:00:02)
  • 2023-03-10 · Hank: Hank has upgraded his airport filming to a small booth he pays for, where he can change the lighting; he sticks with aqua. — Is it Good or Bad that we Haven't Met Aliens? 00:00:02
    • → point: Hank poses the question of whether it is a good or a bad thing that we have not yet seen aliens. (00:00:02)
  • 2023-03-24 · Hank: Hank tells John he is sure this didn't help his pain at all, but it is pretty much all he knows how to do in a situation like this. — The Two Reasons Why Humans Have Such Bad Backs 00:03:50
    • → point: Hank concludes that maybe humans are not optimized for bipedalism, or bipedalism is just very hard to optimize for in our body type. (00:03:36)
  • 2023-04-14 · Hank: Hank uses a jeweler's loupe to show that ordinary tree parts and rocks are studded with a bizarre crusting of life. — The Organism that Broke Biology 00:00:23
    • → point: Hank says lichen was the first organism that did not seem to be only itself: neither fungus nor alga could live apart, and together they formed an entirely new kind of organism. (00:01:36)
  • 2023-04-14 · Hank: Hank says most days on a forest path he barely looks at the trees, thinking about work, worry about the planet or people, or a song in his head. — The Organism that Broke Biology 00:02:30
    • → point: Hank says we are surrounded by 'infant knowledge' that we think has been around forever. (00:02:26)
  • 2023-07-21 · Hank: Hank says the first new way, gravitational waves, got good press, which he was part of, talking about it a lot. — The Biggest Weirdest Telescope We've Ever Built 00:01:56
    • → point: Hank says that in the last decade, especially the last couple of months, we gained two new ways to observe the universe, a huge deal, like Galileo first seeing Jupiter's moons twice. (00:01:56)
  • 2023-08-04 · Hank: Hank thanks John for his lovely Esther Day video and tells him he loves him too. — The Biggest Science Story of the Week 00:00:29
    • → point: Hank defines geoengineering as the controversial idea of intentionally changing the planet's climate, unlike the accidental change of the last hundred years. (00:00:29)
  • 2023-08-04 · Hank: Hank says it has been quite a year, though he is happy with the current trajectory. — The Biggest Science Story of the Week 00:00:29
    • → point: Hank defines geoengineering as the controversial idea of intentionally changing the planet's climate, unlike the accidental change of the last hundred years. (00:00:29)
  • 2023-09-08 · Hank: To prepare, Hank emailed with a giraffe scientist currently researching giraffes in Tanzania. — Giraffes are Way More Complicated Than We Thought 00:00:58
    • → opinion: Hank says we still don't know how many giraffe species there are, and in a way can't, because species is a human idea rather than something nature does. (00:00:58)
  • 2023-10-03 · John: John admits he is anxious and goes outside, because touching grass and being among trees actually helps him. — Nourished by Leaving 00:00:19
    • → point: John recalls Hank's TikTok: humans live briefly and our species is young, but seen as part of one continuous biological phenomenon called life, things look quite different. (00:00:35)
  • 2023-10-03 · John: John starts to breathe easier: he is part of a continuous process of life stretching a quarter of the way back to the beginning of time; it is a good place to be. — Nourished by Leaving 00:02:12
    • → opinion: John says his friend Henry in Sierra Leone is encouraged when he sees beauty or goodness in the world, and John now feels encouraged too. (00:02:26)
  • 2023-10-04 · Hank: Hank recalls last month's (September 2023) Twitter thread and Vlogbrothers video arguing that low-sulfur ship fuel helped warm the North Atlantic, so we had been accidentally geoengineering and could learn to do it intentionally. — A Messy and Unhinged Introduction to Geoengineering 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank says geoengineering is by far the most controversial idea in climate science: some think it criminal not to be doing it now, others want to ban even research. (00:00:29)
  • 2023-10-04 · Hank: Hank says some people got pretty mad, some for good reasons; he expected anger but not how much, and some felt betrayed by him. — A Messy and Unhinged Introduction to Geoengineering 00:00:29
    • → opinion: Hank says geoengineering is by far the most controversial idea in climate science: some think it criminal not to be doing it now, others want to ban even research. (00:00:29)
  • 2024-02-09 · Hank: Hank recently visited a test facility for a passive air-capture technology called a mechanical tree. — My Favorite Climate Graph 00:02:33
    • → point: Hank says there is a lot of good to do right now at a $0 or $50 premium, so we should focus on those things. (00:02:25)
  • 2024-03-01 · Hank: Hank says he now has an electric car that shows how much charge goes to climate control, which is a lot in winter. — Flyana Boss Asks Hank Anything 00:02:26
    • → opinion: Asked whether electric cars are the future, Hank says they are. (00:02:26)
  • 2024-06-11 · John: John says he used quite a lot of tobacco when he was younger, though he understood the serious health risks, because smoking was cool. — BEEF DAYS 00:01:56
    • → point: John says bigger, more energy-intensive cars and houses are a social-norm problem, not a technological one: limiting climate change needs new technologies and changed social norms. (00:01:56)
  • 2024-06-14 · Hank: The description says the video was cut down significantly from its original length; in a comment Hank adds that the unedited version had a screamed, cruder version of the firehose-of-despair line. — Some Reasons why People Suck 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says Hank is frustrated that we are good at forgiving friends, bad at forgiving strangers and worst at forgiving humanity, partly because modern society points a firehose of despair at our faces. (video description)
  • 2024-06-14 · Hank: Hank says he wants a time to put on a nice shirt and sit down with his family, craves ritual, and wants to tell his son it is a day to think how well we are provided for. — Some Reasons why People Suck 00:05:24
    • → point: Hank says sacred days are an important cultural technology that we have not found ways to rebuild in secular traditions. (00:05:24)
  • 2024-10-04 · Hank: The same week, a flood ravaged a part of the US Hank loves dearly, where friends are now trying to put their lives back together. — Trees are Destroying the Earth (Again) 00:03:55
    • → point: Hank says the flood happened because our warmer atmosphere carries more water, which happened because we have been digging up old trees and burning them. (00:04:09)
  • 2024-11-15 · Hank: Hank recently made a video on how earthworms procreate, which blew his mind; watching them, he was astounded how much their mating looked like sex. — Whales are Fish (and Everything Else is Beetles) with Lindsay Nikole 00:04:16
    • → opinion: Hank says worms are like fish, a group of animals not related to each other, only more so. (00:04:16)
  • 2025-07-22 · John: John says his dad was the state director of the Nature Conservancy when they were kids, and critics derided him as a tree hugger, as if he thought trees mattered more than people. — At Least There Are Trees 00:00:28
    • → point: John says that when younger he thought trees a big waste of space apart from providing oxygen, but now, when he is sad and on the edge of something worse than sad, he thinks: at least there are trees. (00:00:00)
  • 2025-07-22 · John: John says he has become a tree nerd in middle age: apps identify trees for him, and he notes in his gratitude journal seeing a northern red oak or a sugar maple. — At Least There Are Trees 00:01:39
    • → opinion: John says he doesn't know what it is like to be a tree and can't really imagine it; trying does trees a disservice by anthropomorphizing them, so he must let them be. (00:01:54)
  • 2025-07-22 · John: John says this winter his neighbor tapped sugar maples in the forest and made delicious maple syrup, and the trees didn't seem to mind. — At Least There Are Trees 00:01:47
    • → opinion: John says he doesn't know what it is like to be a tree and can't really imagine it; trying does trees a disservice by anthropomorphizing them, so he must let them be. (00:01:54)
  • 2025-09-12 · Hank: Hank says he doesn't feel up to the moment, one where everything seems possible and there are no good answers, so instead he wants to talk about life on Mars. — This Might Actually be Happening 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank reports that NASA and a paper announced that after a year of work Perseverance found things on Mars that we do not know how to explain without past life there. (00:00:30)
  • 2025-09-12 · Hank: Hank recalls that in 1996, at 16, he was at summer camp when the Mars meteorite news broke, and was frustrated that he had no computer to blog about it. — This Might Actually be Happening 00:03:02
    • → point: Hank says Viking was set up as one big experiment to decide everything, which is rarely how science works: it is drips that get interrogated, through measurements, countermeasurements, arguments and revisions. (00:02:03)
  • 2025-10-02 · Hank: In a channel comment Hank shares a favourite Goodall story: her PhD review committee changed every 'he' or 'she' to 'it', and she changed them all back. — You are Probably Underestimating Jane Goodall’s Impact 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says a lifelong obsession of his is whether we are alone in the universe: first whether there is life elsewhere, then whether anything thinks and builds culture like us. (00:00:00)
  • 2025-11-21 · Hank: Hank says that when he did science in labs he thought science was the pile of known things plus techniques like spectroscopy, replication and the scientific method. — I Wasn't Always Like This!! 00:01:43
    • → point: Hank says his job taught him that science is asking the universe questions in a way structured to get good answers back: people having conversations with the universe, something everyone, even babies, does. (00:02:12)
  • 2026-02-27 · Hank: Hank says he lacks the expertise to get the data or turn it into a publishable paper, and is not sure he has time to review proposals but will try. — Can We Do a Science Together?? 00:03:09
    • → point: Hank says the hard part is building a deep database of notable, fictional and historical people with data to segment them by how famous they are, plus many study participants. (00:02:40)
  • 2026-04-03 · Hank: Hank suddenly felt he was walking through nature, a forest of animals in which one species happens to build extraordinarily useful, exquisitely complex, long-lasting nests. — I Had a Hallucination This Week 00:00:21
    • → point: Hank argues a plant making rocket propellant so four people can photograph the whole planet on the way to the moon is clearly different; if that is natural, we need a word for what humans are inside nature. (00:00:21)
  • 2026-04-03 · Hank: When Orin was little, Hank talked with him about three kinds of things: made by the universe (Mars, stars, mountains), by life (birds, pine cones, butterfly eggs) and by people (houses, TV shows, jokes). — I Had a Hallucination This Week 00:01:20
    • → point: Hank says the perspective flip really happened: beavers and birds build their little worlds, and humans do too. (00:01:20)
  • 2026-04-10 · Hank: Hank says the moon, a place without a news cycle, notifications or governments, has been a lovely distraction for many people this week (week of 6 April 2026), including him. — Moon Joy 00:00:21
    • → opinion: Hank says the moon seems peaceful, beautiful, unchanging and solid, unlike Earth with its messes: wars, AI, software and actual viruses, back pain. (00:00:00)
  • 2026-04-10 · Hank: Hank welcomes the Artemis II astronauts home, says he waited until they were safely back on Earth to publish because it is terrifying, and thanks them for their work and their want. — Moon Joy 00:04:15
    • → point: Hank closes that life does something nothing else in the universe can: it makes things matter. (00:04:15)
  • 2026-07-24 · Hank: When Hank asked the question, a frequent answer on social media and from Eons host Kallie Moore was the Chicxulub asteroid impact. — One Must Imagine Sisyphus Important 00:00:29
    • → point: Hank says the question also asks: important how, and important to whom? (00:00:29)

History & curiosities

  • 2007-03-19 (said on 2007-03-17, implied) · John: John felt a mix of anxiety and reverence he had not felt since working at the hospital, and kept calling the theatre 'the cathedral'. — Brotherhood 2.0: March 19th: Urban Exploration 00:02:24
    • → point: John reports that to Anderson the ruins also speak of inevitability: one day every building will be ruins. (00:02:24)
  • 2007-09-26 · John: John first learned of Norbert Wiener while researching his second book, An Abundance of Katherines. — September 26th: Norbert Wiener 00:01:08
    • → point: John says child prodigies often fail to continue their intellectual growth into adulthood, and many famous ones become miserable, solipsistic adults. (00:01:08)
  • 2007-10-22 · John: John spent the weekend reading about James Ussher and his chronology, besides working a lot. — October 22nd: The Anniversary of Young Earth Creationism 00:01:02
    • → opinion: John says young-earth creationism, frankly, strikes him as ludicrous. (00:01:02)
  • 2007-10-22 · John: John's editor at Dutton, Julie Strauss-Gabel, has sent back her edits for Paper Towns, with colour-coded post-its throughout the manuscript. — October 22nd: The Anniversary of Young Earth Creationism 00:01:02
    • → opinion: John says young-earth creationism, frankly, strikes him as ludicrous. (00:01:02)
  • 2010-04-16 · John: Though not Catholic himself, John says he is completely obsessed with Catholic patron saints. — The Patron Saint of Youtube 00:00:00
    • → opinion: John thanks Hank for his video reminding them that nerdfighting is important but needs to be fun; it inspired him to make a fun video, about saints. (00:00:00)
  • 2010-09-22 · Hank: Hank says that while reading the vlogbrothers comments he saw a reference to nerds dying virgins, a common statement among trolls. — Non-VIrgin...a Lexical Gap? 00:00:20
    • → point: Hank says there is really no word for the opposite of virgin, and there should be a word for when there is no word for something. (00:00:57)
  • 2010-09-22 · Hank: Hank tweeted, as a joke rather than a serious question, asking for the word for when there should be a word for something but there isn't. — Non-VIrgin...a Lexical Gap? 00:01:09
    • → point: Hank says there is really no word for the opposite of virgin, and there should be a word for when there is no word for something. (00:00:57)
  • 2010-11-19 · John: Forgetting he had been awake for 30 hours, John kept walking, grateful to be 'a little boat full of water still floating'. — I'm Not Going Down: Thoughts from Amsterdam 00:01:46
    • → point: John says Amsterdam's contradictions (an ancient city always under construction, boats that both keep out and contain water) are in all of us, or at least in him. (00:01:46)
  • 2010-12-07 · Hank: Hank says commenters often call him a fast talker, which he credits to a lot of practice; the outtakes video shows how often the brothers screw up. — Tongue Twisters 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says another secret of fast talking is cadence, fricatives, plosives and stops, which led to his obsession with tongue twisters. (00:00:11)
  • 2011-02-18 · John: Downtown, among '57 Chevys, ice cream joints and a closed bookstore, John buys something at Bittersweet Memories for Henry's room, calling it the best advice for a child and an adult. — Thoughts from Places: Small Town America 00:01:18
    • → point: It is easy to feel nostalgic in Knightstown, John says, but it has a present and a future as well as a past, which people forget about small towns in America. (00:01:38)
  • 2011-12-02 · Hank: Having said the F word in front of little kids at the mall, as told in his last video, Hank felt terrible and began wondering what swear words are. — F#*%? An Explanation of Curse Words 00:00:00
    • → point: Finding existing definitions lacking, Hank defines a swear word as one you know how to say and what it means, but know not to say in front of your mom. (00:00:00)
  • 2013-02-05 · John: After studying an object for a long time, John read its label: the piece was on loan to the Royal Ontario Museum, so he had been looking at a well-made photograph of it. — Headless Statues and Elton John's Piano: Seeing Sights in London (Thoughts from Places) 00:01:27
    • → opinion: John says the photograph illusion calls into question the relevance of looking at actual things when virtual experiences are so compelling. (00:01:56)
  • 2013-02-05 · John: John met up with Hank, Katherine and CGP Grey, who took them to a crypt that is also a cafe. — Headless Statues and Elton John's Piano: Seeing Sights in London (Thoughts from Places) 00:01:56
    • → opinion: John says the photograph illusion calls into question the relevance of looking at actual things when virtual experiences are so compelling. (00:01:56)
  • 2013-02-08 · Hank: Hank says that on the trip he also got to see Charles Darwin's grave, the man who figured out that life, like an individual, is a continuum of inter-related species. — The Space Time Continuum: Thoughts from Dublin 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank adds that a city, like a human life, all life, culture and technology, is a series of events; being where those continuums are obvious makes him feel part of the human endeavor. (video description)
  • 2013-09-20 · Hank: Hank thanks Katherine for being his research assistant on this video. — 42 Amazing Maps 00:00:00
    • → opinion: In the description Hank says the map is an extremely important innovation that vastly increased humankind's capabilities. (video description)
  • 2015-11-16 · John: John spent much of the weekend in New York's Central Park and kept thinking of his favourite photograph. — On Our Way to the Dance (Pizzamas Day 6) 00:00:01
    • → point: John says the German photographer August Sander is famous for his massive, never-finished series People of the 20th Century, picturing everyone from bricklayers to circus performers to composers. (00:00:06)
  • 2016-06-28 · John: John congratulates Hank on a great VidCon. — New Iceland 00:03:33
    • → opinion: John expects Icelanders to refuse, liking their country where it is; maybe that says something about Icelanders, or about change, which he calls a dangerous and beautiful force. (00:03:13)
  • 2017-02-17 · Hank: The description says Hank met Luzu, a Spanish YouTuber, at VidCon a few years ago, and made a video with him because he was in town. — As Cold as The Milk: Learning Spanish with Luzu 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says Hank sometimes forgets there are whole worlds of YouTube in other languages that he never sees, and he likes seeing a bit of them. (video description)
  • 2017-08-08 · John: John says they are in Venice to film the Venice Biennale, a huge art show, for The Art Assignment, Sarah's PBS show; filming starts tomorrow. — What You Make of It: Thoughts from Venice, Italy 00:00:25
    • → opinion: John says Venice is so picturesque it often doesn't seem real, and in some ways it isn't. (00:00:55)
  • 2018-02-09 · Hank: Outside a friend's house Hank had an intense sidewalk moment: he followed a two- or three-year-old's footprints in the concrete to a maker's mark reading Miracle and Tripp, 1909. — This is Going to Seem Dumb, but Stick with Me 00:01:37
    • → point: 109 years later, Frank Miracle and Henry Tripp are no longer around. (00:02:28)
  • 2018-06-29 · Hank: Last week (week of 18 June 2018), after VidCon, Hank went to Disneyland. — Why is the Disney "D" So Weird? 00:00:00
    • → point: Like most children of the '80s and '90s, Hank grew up knowing the logo read 'Disney' without understanding why: its D is not a D and its Y is not really a Y. (00:00:06)
  • 2018-07-24 · John: After John implied in a Mental Floss article that Bigfoot didn't exist, the Bigfoot researcher wrote in to say he had besmirched the good name of John Greens everywhere. — Other John Greens 00:00:46
    • → opinion: After a mock ranking of the cinematographer's films, John insists that Rookie of the Year really is a phenomenal movie. (00:02:38)
  • 2019-03-05 · John: John is a little sick and apologises for his voice; he ends by going to drink tea with honey. — Way, Way Down the Rabbit Hole 00:00:00
    • → opinion: John says one of the great pleasures of research for him is being consumed by it; he loves the feeling of being lost in a world of research. (00:00:29)
  • 2019-03-05 · John: John has thought about the picture for over half his life: a favourite book of his is about it, he made a Vlogbrothers video about it, and he owns a recent print. — Way, Way Down the Rabbit Hole 00:00:00
    • → opinion: John says one of the great pleasures of research for him is being consumed by it; he loves the feeling of being lost in a world of research. (00:00:29)
  • 2019-03-05 · John: John learned of two pictures apparently never publicly seen, one a Sander photo taken three years earlier of one of the boys, Otto Krieger, with his family. (hedged) — Way, Way Down the Rabbit Hole 00:00:58
    • → opinion: John says the boys are the subject of one of the most important photographs of the 20th century, and more pictures could show their lives before and after late spring 1914. (00:01:27)
  • 2019-03-05 · John: At a dead end, John asked Tuataria, the sleuthing community born of his and Rosianna's scavenger hunt before Turtles All the Way Down, to verify his findings and find the pictures. — Way, Way Down the Rabbit Hole 00:01:56
    • → opinion: John says the boys are the subject of one of the most important photographs of the 20th century, and more pictures could show their lives before and after late spring 1914. (00:01:27)
  • 2019-03-05 · John: Through correspondence with reporter Reinhard Pabst, John and Tuataria found both pictures and secured the rights to share them. — Way, Way Down the Rabbit Hole 00:02:26
    • → opinion: Showing Otto and August after war broke out, John notes the distance between their expressions in the famous photo and in this one, taken only a few months later. (00:02:26)
  • 2020-02-21 · Hank: Hank says he is in London for VidCon and it is hard not to feel the context of history there. — The Muck of Millennia 00:02:42
    • → point: Hank says it is good to think about what we will leave and are leaving behind, how much more we create, and what pieces will be found and mean to future finders. (00:02:42)
  • 2020-05-01 · Hank: Hank's route passed an attraction John had shared with him and that Hank had wanted to visit for about a decade. — I Need to Get Myself Away from this Place 00:00:29
    • → opinion: Hank says the ball is not anywhere in particular: driving to it feels like heading from nowhere to nowhere, and he stopped believing it would exist. (00:00:29)
  • 2020-12-31 · John: The video shows the White River, whose water reaches the Mississippi, where it meets water from the Chicago River near Amy's neighborhood; John thinks of this when he feels very lonely. — Auld Lang Syne: The Anthropocene Reviewed 00:00:00
    • → opinion: John finds it fascinating that in a world where so much is new we welcome new years by singing a very old song. (00:00:26)
  • 2021-08-31 · John: John first learned about Steiff while researching the history of teddy bears for an Anthropocene Reviewed essay, which he links. — The Woman Who Invented Stuffed Animals 00:00:00
    • → point: Important inventions are almost always created by broad collaborations of many people building knowledge and systems, not by individuals: Thomas Edison did not invent the light bulb. (00:00:00)
  • 2021-08-31 · John: John thanks his son Henry for suggesting the video idea and Rosianna for help with images. — The Woman Who Invented Stuffed Animals 00:00:00
    • → point: Important inventions are almost always created by broad collaborations of many people building knowledge and systems, not by individuals: Thomas Edison did not invent the light bulb. (00:00:00)
  • 2021-12-03 · Hank: Hank explains the plan: go epitaph hunting, then reconvene and share the best epitaphs. — John and Hank at the Cemetery 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank says that if you can afford a few extra words on your tombstone, they add a lot. (00:00:00)
  • 2022-07-12 · John: In a comment John says they spent a year and a half sourcing the coffee because it is really hard to do well, and certifications only tell you so much. — Nauseous Puddle Water 00:00:00
    • → opinion: In a comment John wryly calls England impressive for keeping a semblance of hereditary rule, then wonders whether inherited power and property, like nepotism and land inheritance, are also problems. (creator comment)
  • 2022-11-04 · Hank: His oldest sign photos are from a power station behind the lab where Hank worked in 2004, possibly the start of his obsession. (hedged) — My Secret Obsession 00:00:58
    • → opinion: Hank loves signs that become more beautiful as they age, such as a railway marker whose coating fractured differently around its letters and numbers. (00:00:58)
  • 2022-11-04 · Hank: Hank has photographed a trail-end sign marker at the National Bison Range so often that he has a catalog of its deterioration. — My Secret Obsession 00:01:34
    • → opinion: Hank loves signs that become more beautiful as they age, such as a railway marker whose coating fractured differently around its letters and numbers. (00:00:58)
  • 2022-12-27 · John: Amy wrote back asking if John was a writer; he said he was trying to be, and she asked for anything two minutes long for the radio. — We're here because were here. 00:02:04
    • → opinion: The song's eternality makes its lines hard to date: drinking together and remembering old times could have been written 500, 1,000 or 3,000 years ago. (00:03:22)
  • 2023-05-16 · John: John's son came home from school and told him tuberculosis partly caused World War I; John was proud, and the story turned out to be true. — Did TB Cause World War I? 00:00:00
    • → point: John asks whether tuberculosis, which gave us the stethoscope, the Adirondack chair and New Mexico, also partly gave us World War I; his answer is 'kinda'. (00:00:00)
  • 2023-08-22 · John: John's current favorite tuberculosis fact comes from rereading the book Living in the Shadow of Death; he admits it can seem he only thinks about tuberculosis. — The Panera Phenomenon 00:00:58
    • → point: John says this was not ancient history but two human lifetimes ago: the idea that anyone is insulated from tuberculosis is very recent. (00:01:27)
  • 2023-12-15 · Hank: The description says making the video was really fun and thanks viewers for helping Hank live his dream of making dumb little videos. — Cat...I Farted. 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank explains that language lets two animals exchange a huge amount of information quickly: sounds are mashed into words with meanings, and words into sentences that hold whole thoughts. (00:00:00)
  • 2024-03-01 · Hank: Hank tells the guest, who thought he and John were twins, that John is three years older than him. — Flyana Boss Asks Hank Anything 00:05:40
    • → opinion: Hank thinks more things are unknown than known, even to all humans together. (00:06:54)
  • 2025-03-21 · Hank: Hank stands outside the Old Library at Trinity College Dublin, where he recently gave a talk. — The Second Most Important Book in Dublin 00:00:00
    • → opinion: Hank calls the Book of Kells one of the masterworks of humanity. (00:00:00)
  • 2025-04-25 · Hank: Hank recently went to the basement of the Royal Society to see the original logbook of inoculations kept by Lady Mary's physician. — How We Form Opinions 00:01:27
    • → opinion: The description says Hank hates when conversation is driven where people feel they must protect their identities and stay safe in their communities, especially about things obviously true or needing open minds. (video description)
  • 2026-06-19 · Hank: Hank congratulates John on his new book and its beautiful new cover. — You Have to Poop in the Eiffel Tower 00:03:37
    • → point: Hank says hidden in the beauty of human creation is a beauty only known: everything is maintenance, new abilities layered on old ones, and without constant maintenance everything would fall apart. (00:03:10)

Economics

  • 2007-09-06 · John: John has just finished Deep Economy by Bill McKibben, the book Hank assigned him back around February, and really liked it. — September 6th: The Book Club Returns 00:01:01
    • → point: John says Deep Economy argues that more is no longer equivalent to good and that economic growth, as we've constructed it, has stopped giving us what we want. (00:01:01)
  • 2008-07-27 · Hank: Hank plans to buy frames online and have a friend at a cheap family-owned store in downtown Missoula make the lenses and adjust the glasses for free. — How to Buy Glasses Cheap...and Help Hank Pick Frames! 00:01:38
    • → opinion: Hank says glasses are very expensive and doubts they are worth it, since they are mostly hunks of plastic. (00:00:40)
  • 2011-12-30 · Hank: Hank lives in a very small town where his server is probably a friend of a friend, and he doesn't want to be known as a jerkface. — How to Tip Properly 00:01:45
    • → point: Hank thinks his number one reason for tipping is simply that it's 'the thing to do'. (00:01:52)
  • 2013-03-22 · Hank: In the description, Hank recalls that at about ten, looking at a school auditorium's fire exits, he realised there must be a calculus for how much trouble or money a human life was worth. — How Much is a Human Life Worth? 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank asks what dollar amount a human life is worth; the easy answer is that pricing it is immoral and incalculable, but he says we do it. (00:00:01)
  • 2014-01-21 · John: John says the Brazilian edition of The Fault in Our Stars, whose title he butchers in Portuguese, has sold hundreds of thousands of copies in Brazil, more than in Germany or the UK. — Are Poor Countries Doomed? 00:03:16
    • → point: Countering the news, John argues wealthier countries benefit when poor countries become less poor: more people able to make wonderful things and to buy what others make. (00:02:52)
  • 2015-07-03 · Hank: Hank went to France last week (week of 22 June 2015) to present at a very fancy advertising industry convention, and spent the week alternating between enjoying how pleasant it was and being disturbed by ostentatious wealth. — Thoughts from Yachts 00:00:01
    • → opinion: In the description Hank adds that, to many people, his own house, computer, dog and air conditioner are monstrous displays of wealth. (video description)
  • 2017-05-05 · Hank: Hank now ends every call thanking the person for their work and wishing them a lovely day, and feels much better, less like he is imposing on them. — Sick and Tired 00:01:32
    • → point: Hank states his 'appreciation deficit theory': by making all transactions quantifiable in money, we have lost the sense that unmeasured value can be transferred. (00:01:45)
  • 2017-05-05 · Hank: Hank congratulates John on working hard on his run and getting his first half marathon. — Sick and Tired 00:02:31
    • → point: Hank says it is nice to break a little out of the meaningless norms of daily exchanges (grocery-line talk, thank yous, have-a-nice-days) to show real gratitude and real good wishes. (00:02:31)
  • 2017-09-15 · Hank: Hank orders the cheapest thing at restaurants but buys the most expensive toilet paper, assuming the makers have done something. (hedged) — My Butt Has Some Complaints About Australia 00:02:51
    • → point: Hank argues a business buying lots of toilet paper sees that premium as a big expense to eliminate, at the cost of people with butt problems having a good day. (00:03:41)
  • 2018-01-19 · Hank: The Bitcoin cost Sean $100 and became worth $15,000; Hank asks where that value, that actual money, came from. — Many Years Ago, Someone Gave Me a Whole Bitcoin...then I lost it. 00:01:14
    • → point: Hank's Bitcoin, and everyone's, became worth $15,000 the moment someone else bought one on the open market for that price; each buyer sets the price of every Bitcoin. (00:01:43)
  • 2018-06-01 · Hank: Hank recently switched his house over to Google Wifi, which he finds really well done. — Destroying My Router with a Hammer (and etc.) 00:00:45
    • → point: But people worked hard to make the router; there is still value inside it, and Hank should honor their hard work. (00:01:37)
  • 2018-06-01 · Hank: Needing only two, Hank ended up with an extra router, a $100-plus device he is a little mad about, which would just sit in a closet until obsolete enough to recycle at Staples. — Destroying My Router with a Hammer (and etc.) 00:00:54
    • → point: But people worked hard to make the router; there is still value inside it, and Hank should honor their hard work. (00:01:37)
  • 2019-04-26 · Hank: Hank says that after starting out 'being dumb with a camcorder' in 2007 he became, over years, CEO of four different companies, not counting 2D Glasses, without really knowing how. — It's Time to Care About "Business" 00:01:27
    • → opinion: Hank says the hole offers a quick mini biography and a glimpse of what might have been, but does it poorly because it is the most simplified version possible. (00:01:27)
  • 2019-04-26 · Hank: Hank lists past jobs: research assistant, quality control chemist, Walmart associate, production assistant. — It's Time to Care About "Business" 00:01:27
    • → opinion: Hank says the hole offers a quick mini biography and a glimpse of what might have been, but does it poorly because it is the most simplified version possible. (00:01:27)
  • 2019-04-26 · Hank: Hank's first office job was boss; he had no idea what he was doing, and each day chose among the audience, the financials and the team as his priority, based on nothing. — It's Time to Care About "Business" 00:01:57
    • → opinion: Hank says he had no time for business school and doesn't know how applicable it would have been, but understanding business is still important. (00:01:57)
  • 2019-04-26 · Hank: Hank, a CEO, learns from every episode, which is a little embarrassing but something he is proud of: whatever your job, there is a lot to learn. — It's Time to Care About "Business" 00:02:55
    • → point: Hank argues it is important to understand business, a weird, imaginary structure that is nonetheless the foundation of much of how humans create value today. (00:02:26)
  • 2020-02-14 · Hank: Hank says he likes to recline sometimes, so he asks the person behind him first, and if they say no, that's okay. — Ending The Great Airplane Seat Debate 00:00:58
    • → point: Hank calls it an effect of the commodification of the airplane seat without regard for its quality, the fault of airlines, Priceline.com, himself and all of us. (00:01:38)
  • 2024-03-26 · John: John reveals that the only person who benefits from Danaher's price gouging is, for lack of a better term, him: Danaher is publicly traded and he is a shareholder. — I Own Danaher 00:02:08
    • → opinion: As far as John understands Danaher's position, it feels it cannot make decisions that would harm shareholders even when they would benefit all of humanity. (00:02:08)
  • 2024-03-26 · John: John recently bought a tiny slice of Danaher, partly to thank it for lowering the standard TB cartridge price, mostly so he can attend certain meetings and talk with other shareholders about how they profit from price gouging the world's poorest. — I Own Danaher 00:02:37
    • → opinion: As far as John understands Danaher's position, it feels it cannot make decisions that would harm shareholders even when they would benefit all of humanity. (00:02:08)
  • 2024-08-09 · Hank: Hank got a letter saying a subscription he rarely uses would rise from $25 to $35 a month, $420 a year, which seemed like a lot. — Why isn't This Illegal? 00:00:00
    • → opinion: In a channel comment Hank confirms a viewer-suggested requirement is in the FTC rule; as a business owner he dislikes losing the chance to ask why people leave, but understands. (creator comment)
  • 2024-08-09 · Hank: The letter said he could manage the subscription online, but the website's cancel button just told him to call by phone. — Why isn't This Illegal? 00:00:29
    • → opinion: Hank says a company he subscribed to online can surely let him unsubscribe online; it makes cancelling as hard as possible because it wants his monthly money. (00:00:29)
  • 2024-08-09 · Hank: It worked: more than a month after the letter Hank still hadn't cancelled and had paid his first $35. — Why isn't This Illegal? 00:00:58
    • → point: Hank argues a business wants to keep customers happy only until they decide to cancel; then its economic incentive switches to stopping them, since it has already lost their business. (00:00:58)
  • 2024-08-09 · Hank: Hank decides to make the cancellation call as part of this video, to give himself another reason to do it. — Why isn't This Illegal? 00:01:57
    • → point: Hank argues a business wants to keep customers happy only until they decide to cancel; then its economic incentive switches to stopping them, since it has already lost their business. (00:00:58)
  • 2025-04-11 (said on 2025-04-10, implied) · Hank: Hank says his couple of businesses (about 100 employees), even the one not import-sensitive, now hesitate to invest in new product lines or shows because the economy is unclear. — How Actually Crazy is This Mess? 00:11:37
    • → point: Hank says economies thrive on stability, and intentionally introducing instability for no apparent gain is S-tier crazy. (00:12:07)
  • 2026-02-13 · Hank: Hank says the conversion made him think hard about what a nonprofit is, and at one point he asked himself why everybody doesn't do this. — Why Isn't Everybody a Nonprofit?! 00:01:40
    • → point: Hank explains that in the US, organizations meeting all requirements of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code pay no federal income tax on the profit they generate. (00:02:05)
  • 2026-02-13 · Hank: Hank says few lawyers had experience converting a for-profit to a nonprofit, and once they found one it was much easier. — Why Isn't Everybody a Nonprofit?! 00:09:24
    • → point: Hank says a reason he has never heard stated is that the world is built for what exists: far more lawyers work in for-profit, and America's infrastructure, tax code included, is set up for businesses. (00:08:36)
  • 2026-02-13 · John: John notes that his son Henry has proudly never read a John Green book. — Project for Awesome 2026 Kickoff! 02:34:29
    • → opinion: Asked about pressed nickels, John muses that cash could be rounded to the dollar: quarters still somewhat facilitate exchange, but he is not sure dimes do. (02:35:23)
  • 2026-02-13 · John: John believes he released Zombicorns under a Creative Commons license, so it belongs to the public, but having it emailed is possible only during a P4A. (hedged) — Project for Awesome 2026 Kickoff! 02:36:09
    • → opinion: Asked about pressed nickels, John muses that cash could be rounded to the dollar: quarters still somewhat facilitate exchange, but he is not sure dimes do. (02:35:23)
  • 2026-02-24 · John: John says the brothers could start YouTube videos in 2007, an expensive hobby with no prospect of paying off, because they had professional flexibility. — Risk Is a Privilege 00:00:29
    • → point: John says those risks were only possible because of good educations, professional stability, low debt and other things uncommon in the world. (00:00:58)
  • 2026-02-24 · John: John says that flexibility came from earlier risks: in his early 20s Hank started the blog EcoGeek, which became profitable. — Risk Is a Privilege 00:00:58
    • → point: John says those risks were only possible because of good educations, professional stability, low debt and other things uncommon in the world. (00:00:58)
  • 2026-02-24 · John: John says in his early 20s he wrote a novel at night and on weekends that was eventually published and won awards. — Risk Is a Privilege 00:00:58
    • → point: John says those risks were only possible because of good educations, professional stability, low debt and other things uncommon in the world. (00:00:58)
  • 2026-02-24 · John: On luck, John says a different Printz committee in 2005 might have chosen another book over Looking for Alaska, and his career would look very different. (hedged) — Risk Is a Privilege 00:01:27
    • → point: John says risk-taking is a privilege, luck only sometimes its byproduct, and the brothers have been exceptionally lucky. (00:01:27)
  • 2026-02-24 · John: John says if YouTube had not featured a song Hank wrote in 2007, the channel might not have survived to 2008. (hedged) — Risk Is a Privilege 00:01:27
    • → point: John says risk-taking is a privilege, luck only sometimes its byproduct, and the brothers have been exceptionally lucky. (00:01:27)
  • 2026-02-24 · John: John says he could only take risks because he had a safety net, which became more secure as he got older. — Risk Is a Privilege 00:01:56
    • → point: John says risk-taking is a privilege, luck only sometimes its byproduct, and the brothers have been exceptionally lucky. (00:01:27)
  • 2026-02-24 · John: John says success is not just hard work: he worked exactly as hard on unread novels in metaphorical drawers as on ones that sold millions. — Risk Is a Privilege 00:01:56
    • → point: John says risk-taking is a privilege, luck only sometimes its byproduct, and the brothers have been exceptionally lucky. (00:01:27)

World affairs

  • 2009-03-18 · Hank: Hank says two days ago he spoke by phone with a woman from Rwanda whose entire family died in those 100 days; she had recently gone to Canada for school and followed events daily. — Lighting Candles for Rwanda 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank relays the woman's point that worse than knowing friends were dying was the complete feeling of abandonment, as if no one cared, which he says was the case. (00:00:57)
  • 2010-12-17 · John: John recalls watching news just after the invasion of Iraq with his friend Hassan: the newsman read Arabic graffiti on a bombed house as anger, but Hassan laughed because it said 'happy birthday, sir, despite the circumstances'. — PROJECT FOR AWESOME 2010: Save the Children and Partners in Health 00:00:47
    • → point: John says he and the newsman fell into the same trap of assuming the graffiti was political and angry: as humans we habitually imagine people far away or in different circumstances as fundamentally other. (00:01:08)
  • 2011-03-07 · Hank: Hank recalls that long ago he and John went to the Dominican Republic and toured with a microfinance organization; that video is deep in the Brotherhood 2.0 archives. — Why is Haiti Poor? 00:00:51
    • → point: Hank says there are three schools of thought on the gap: the environment, colonialism and bad government. (00:01:10)
  • 2013-04-09 · John: John recalls being hospitalised in March 2007 with a not-dangerous infection behind his eye and thinking, at 2:30 one morning, that he was ready for death. — Inside North Korea 00:02:10
    • → point: John says he never believed the human spirit can't be broken; what makes Shin's story amazing is the fragility of the human will, not its strength. (00:02:37)
  • 2015-11-13 · Hank: In the description Hank reports he has heard from his friend, who is safe with his family: a relief, though it does not make him feel less awful. — Feeling About Paris 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says he can think of nothing else and feel nothing but feelings: there is a time for analysis of why people are the way they are, but this is not it; it is sadness, fear, anger. (00:00:08)
  • 2015-11-13 · Hank: Hank has a friend in Paris right now who has not tweeted or posted on social media, which is terrifying. — Feeling About Paris 00:00:40
    • → point: Hank says he can think of nothing else and feel nothing but feelings: there is a time for analysis of why people are the way they are, but this is not it; it is sadness, fear, anger. (00:00:08)
  • 2016-01-26 · John: John spent last week (week of 18 January 2016) in Davos, Switzerland, which most of the time is a fairly standard alpine ski village with souvenir shops and babies in sleds. — Billionaires and Radical Hope: Thoughts from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland 00:00:01
    • → opinion: John describes the town as a fevered pitch for investment, growth and change, urging visitors to think India, Mexico, Kazakhstan, Salesforce, Microsoft, Accenture and Bank of America. (00:00:31)
  • 2016-03-18 · Hank: Hank says Brazilians answered his Twitter question mostly with gifs, and a diplomat told him Brazilians have a saying: 'Brazil is not for beginners'. — Brazil's Government is Falling Apart...and it's Good News? 00:00:12
    • → opinion: Hank's description says Brazil has corruption but actually rather little for a developing country; Brazilians have come to expect more and have been let down. (video description)
  • 2022-01-21 · Hank: Hank says that yesterday he took part in the unveiling of the 75th annual Doomsday Clock, basically a subjective measure of how close to doom we are. — How to Be Hopeful About Doomsday 00:00:00
    • → opinion: The description says none of these challenges will be fixed overnight: science may be fast, but scaling and implementing are slow, and human culture slowest of all. (video description)

Books & writing

  • 2007-06-25 · Hank: Hank says the book he is finishing was, he is fairly sure, written for kids, and that it is really good (title not given). (hedged) — June 25: Dum De Dum De Dum De Readn' a Book 00:00:35
    • → point: Hank asks whether it is normal for adults to read books for kids; John can call it research, but Hank reads books for young people because he likes them. (00:00:35)
  • 2008-10-17 · John: John reports from the Paper Towns release party with Liane from the Five Awesome Girls, his agent Jodi, Hank's wife Katherine, and Alex and Charlie from London. — Vital Status Report from NYC 00:00:00
    • → point: John says Paper Towns is about people who constantly misimagine each other because they think of one another as something other than a person. (00:00:00)
  • 2008-10-17 · John: John says Charlie came to the party instead of meeting the Queen of England. — Vital Status Report from NYC 00:00:00
    • → point: John says Paper Towns is about people who constantly misimagine each other because they think of one another as something other than a person. (00:00:00)
  • 2008-11-05 · John: Afterwards John read from the part of Paper Towns that inspired the song and ranted about the importance of imagining the other with more complexity. — On Loving One Another or Dying 00:00:58
    • → point: John says the problem with finding Margo, for Q and the other characters, is not the mystery: they don't see Margo, only a funhouse-mirror reflection of themselves. (00:00:58)
  • 2009-02-10 · John: John does not know whether Paper Towns will be a movie; he is writing the screenplay, so it is up to him whether it is good enough. (hedged) — Paper Towns Tastic Question Tuesday 00:00:46
    • → point: Margo is the book's mirror maker: people looking at her see a funhouse-mirror reflection of themselves, not what is true of her, hence the two different, equally inaccurate covers. (00:00:46)
  • 2009-02-10 · John: Asked by a 20-year-old whether they are too old for the book, John says no: that day an 82-year-old woman emailed that she liked it. — Paper Towns Tastic Question Tuesday 00:00:46
    • → point: Margo is the book's mirror maker: people looking at her see a funhouse-mirror reflection of themselves, not what is true of her, hence the two different, equally inaccurate covers. (00:00:46)
  • 2009-11-01 · John: John says that for all three of his novels he deleted more than 90% of the first draft, and everything people like in them emerged in later drafts. — NaNoWriMo!!! 00:01:29
    • → point: John's examples from revision: Miles' obsession with famous last words in Looking for Alaska, the feral-hog hunt in An Abundance of Katherines, and the cartography in Paper Towns. (00:01:29)
  • 2010-01-29 (said on 2010-01-30, implied) · Hank: Hank says he is an early adopter of e-readers and has used them for about five years. — The iPad and Dolphin Murder 00:00:45
    • → point: Hank argues books will always beat e-readers: a book takes handling you would not give an iPad (shown on screen) and can be flipped back through, especially nonfiction; e-books still have a place. (00:00:45)
  • 2010-03-29 · John: Googling himself, John found that a line he wrote years ago in An Abundance of Katherines has gone viral on Twitter, tweeted more than 10,000 times. — Quotations (And Holden Hats) 00:01:03
    • → point: John says the line ('what is the point of being alive if you don't at least try to do something remarkable') was meant as a joke: it is what Colin Singleton believes at the start and spends the book learning is bull. (00:01:17)
  • 2010-08-06 (said on 2010-08-04, implied) · John: John points out real places from the book, from the interstate exit and local shops to the swan, the cafeteria and the swing where Alaska tells Miles Bolívar's last words. — Looking for Alaska at My High School 00:00:49
    • → point: John says the novel is fiction but its setting is not: Culver Creek is almost inch for inch Indian Springs School as it was in 1995. (00:00:39)
  • 2010-08-06 (said on 2010-08-04, implied) · John: In a field where a barn once stood, John first told a girl he loved her and pulled his first all-nighter studying world history while drinking bad wine. — Looking for Alaska at My High School 00:03:05
    • → point: Echoing Dickinson's line that success is counted sweetest by those who never succeed, John says youth is counted sweetest by those no longer young. (00:03:17)
  • 2011-01-21 · John: The most important moment of John's professional life came five years ago, almost to the day: the call saying Looking for Alaska, his first novel, had won the Printz Award. — Looking for Alaska Five Years After the Printz Award 00:00:16
    • → point: The 'good narrative' is a young data-entry temp writing alone at night, rejected until a publisher takes a chance, then winning the award whose speeches he typed; the real story is different and more complicated. (00:00:39)
  • 2011-01-21 · John: It meant more because John's first job after college was as a temp at Booklist, where on his first day he retyped the speeches from the first Printz Award reception. — Looking for Alaska Five Years After the Printz Award 00:00:24
    • → point: The 'good narrative' is a young data-entry temp writing alone at night, rejected until a publisher takes a chance, then winning the award whose speeches he typed; the real story is different and more complicated. (00:00:39)
  • 2011-01-21 · John: John wrote the book at night and on weekends for three years with constant help from his friend Ilene Cooper, one of his bosses at Booklist and an author, who read about a dozen drafts. — Looking for Alaska Five Years After the Printz Award 00:01:07
    • → point: About four years in, John had a finished manuscript, but it would be wrong to say he wrote the book: Ilene, his editor Julie Strauss-Gabel, his wife and others all wrote parts of it. (00:01:52)
  • 2011-01-21 · John: Ilene and John sent the manuscript to Penguin, which agreed to publish it provided he revised extensively, more extensively than he imagined. — Looking for Alaska Five Years After the Printz Award 00:01:22
    • → point: About four years in, John had a finished manuscript, but it would be wrong to say he wrote the book: Ilene, his editor Julie Strauss-Gabel, his wife and others all wrote parts of it. (00:01:52)
  • 2011-01-21 · John: When Penguin bought it, the book wasn't about a boy who memorizes famous last words; much of what readers like, from the Great Perhaps to the labyrinth, came out of the revisions. — Looking for Alaska Five Years After the Printz Award 00:01:34
    • → point: About four years in, John had a finished manuscript, but it would be wrong to say he wrote the book: Ilene, his editor Julie Strauss-Gabel, his wife and others all wrote parts of it. (00:01:52)
  • 2011-01-21 · John: After the book came out and twelve people in a room chose it for the award, John was really happy, but part of him thought 'so what?'. — Looking for Alaska Five Years After the Printz Award 00:02:24
    • → point: The real business of books is not done by award committees, papermakers, editors, agents or even writers, who are all facilitators, but by readers. (00:02:32)
  • 2011-05-13 · John: John woke early on Thursday (12 May 2011) with nothing to do but write, and took the slow train from Amsterdam Central Station to Antwerp for time away from the internet to write. — Winkels to the Left, Winkels to the Right: Thoughts from Places, Antwerp 00:00:01
    • → point: John says writing, for him, involves little typing but requires a lot of concentration, and to concentrate you must face the specter of boredom without fear. (00:00:14)
  • 2011-10-28 · John: Showing the TFIOS-ometer, John says he is very nearly up to 135,000 signatures, with roughly 15,000 to 20,000 to go; he has not counted recently. (hedged) — Reading Chapter One of The Fault in Our Stars 00:27:42
    • → point: John says the book is the story of Hazel and Augustus trying to come to terms with Hazel's opening soliloquy that everything will end in oblivion, and of their life together. (00:27:15)
  • 2011-11-21 · John: Before Chicago, John was at Brilliance Audio, his audiobook publisher, narrating The Fault in Our Stars. — Old Man Narrates Young Girl 00:00:35
    • → point: Two audiobooks are possible because Brilliance shared the audio rights with him innovatively; John says that is how copyright law works when it works. (00:01:09)
  • 2011-11-21 · John: In 2004 Penguin's lawyers decided the character Alaska quoted too much of an Edna St. Vincent Millay poem; fair use allowed only two lines and John couldn't afford to pay the estate. — Old Man Narrates Young Girl 00:02:06
    • → point: John offers the Looking for Alaska cut as an example of the complexity of fair use and its chilling effect on discourse. (00:02:00)
  • 2011-12-05 · John: Gaiman's Law held again: John found what he thinks is the book's only typo, in the author's note, immediately. (hedged) — 5 Worst Typos of History 00:00:29
    • → point: John explains Gaiman's Law, named for Neil Gaiman: an author who opens a book they wrote will inevitably find a typo. (00:00:29)
  • 2012-01-10 (said on 2012-01-09, implied) · John: John is a bit stressed: he has to leave his family for a month, which is a bummer, but he is excited to go on tour. — The Fault in Our Stars 00:00:12
    • → point: John says TFIOS grew from his work almost twelve years ago as a student chaplain at a children's hospital; he has been trying ever since to write a funny, honest story about it. (00:00:28)
  • 2012-01-17 · John: At the show John reads and talks about The Fault in Our Stars, Hank sings, John answers questions, Hank wears a tutu, and in joint questions whoever is talking when the timer goes off is shocked with Charlie McDonnell's 'patented shocker'. — Thoughts from Places: The Tour 00:01:37
    • → point: John says it feels magical and otherworldly to be in a room full of people who feel unembarrassed of their enthusiasm and intellect. (00:01:57)
  • 2012-01-31 · John: John says the Tour de Nerdfighting is coming to an end after three weeks; last night (30 January 2012) they were signing in Seattle. — How It Felt 00:00:01
    • → point: John says the three weeks were like the internet became IRL: fun, clever, crowded, good to be a nerd, with talk of Sherlock and Doctor Who and singing of songs about particle physics. (00:00:01)
  • 2012-01-31 · John: John, Hank and Katherine talked yesterday (30 January 2012) about how they hardly remember the 2008 Tour de Nerdfighting, what it was like or how it felt. — How It Felt 00:00:30
    • → point: Like the internet, the tour went by very fast, like pressing the down key on Tumblr; John says a problem with the internet is that things pass too fast to really experience them. (00:00:30)
  • 2012-02-28 · John: John says he is reading Moby-Dick and finds it hard (unknown words, tangents, confusing sentences, his slow reading): about a hundred pages in three days. — On Cuties and Cooties 00:01:56
    • → point: John says he hates the idea that, in books and learning, hard is seen as the opposite of fun. (00:01:56)
  • 2012-03-27 · John: John woke on Saturday in Amsterdam extravagantly jet-lagged, then walked with Henry's old babysitter to the apartment where he lived while finishing The Fault in Our Stars. — Wrong but Right: Thoughts from Places Amsterdam 00:00:00
    • → point: John corrects what he said in the video: Hazel wrongly concludes that the set of numbers (not whole numbers) between 0 and 1 is smaller than the set between 0 and 2; in fact they are the same size, and he points to Wikipedia's article on infinite cardinality for proofs. (video description)
  • 2012-03-27 · John: John visits a restaurant (name unclear, heard 'Blossom') that inspired the restaurant Gus and Hazel visit, then gets lost walking around the city. — Wrong but Right: Thoughts from Places Amsterdam 00:02:01
    • → point: John says Hazel is wrong about infinite cardinality, but right that some infinities are larger than others. (00:02:01)
  • 2012-03-27 · John: Recalling the months he lived in Amsterdam, much of the time sick and crippled with anxiety, John now thinks only of how much one can love and miss made-up people. — Wrong but Right: Thoughts from Places Amsterdam 00:02:01
    • → point: John says Hazel is wrong about infinite cardinality, but right that some infinities are larger than others. (00:02:01)
  • 2012-03-27 · John: At the theater event, Lidevi and Lotta sang John a song about homoerotic Sherlock watercolors and gave him 'Hulock' artwork. — Wrong but Right: Thoughts from Places Amsterdam 00:02:01
    • → point: John says Hazel is wrong about infinite cardinality, but right that some infinities are larger than others. (00:02:01)
  • 2012-06-12 · John: After dinner John ended up at a skyscraper-top party with Chris Colfer, Tony Danza, John Hodgman, SNL cast members, reality-TV housewives, a mob wife, and writer Darin Strauss. — Chris Colfer, John Green, Mob Wives, and Jeffrey Eugenides: Thoughts from Places Book Expo 00:01:56
    • → point: Geeking out with Strauss, John realized he had not felt nervous around Chris Colfer, who was just a guy, but was shaking around Eugenides and Strauss. (00:01:56)
  • 2012-06-12 · John: John says Darin Strauss wrote Chang and Eng, the book that introduced him to conjoined-twins literature. — Chris Colfer, John Green, Mob Wives, and Jeffrey Eugenides: Thoughts from Places Book Expo 00:01:56
    • → point: Geeking out with Strauss, John realized he had not felt nervous around Chris Colfer, who was just a guy, but was shaking around Eugenides and Strauss. (00:01:56)
  • 2012-09-18 (said on 2012-09-16, implied) · John: John records on a Sunday in an airport that, he says, attacks visitors with an astonishing number of televisions, while waiting for a delayed flight. — Existential Airport Anxiety 00:00:00
    • → point: John still loves the novel because, as Faber says of another book, it can go under the microscope; such stories fill us up and make us feel more alive. (00:00:32)
  • 2013-01-15 · John: John says none of those books addressed what he saw at the hospital, which left him feeling only nihilism; then he became friends with Esther Earl and became a father. — An Evening of Awesome at Carnegie Hall 00:53:28
    • → point: John says Esther, a Nerdfighter reader very sick with cancer when they met in 2009, taught him what Augustus learns: the real hero's journey goes from strength to weakness. (00:54:11)
  • 2013-01-15 · John: John says he and Hank missed the easy collaborations of their teens, which is why they started Brotherhood 2.0 in 2007, wanting collaborators again; they never imagined this many. — An Evening of Awesome at Carnegie Hall 00:56:49
    • → point: John says he may have concluded he doesn't care whether meaning is constructed or inherent, only what we find, and most meaning in his life came through collaboration. (00:56:04)
  • 2013-01-15 · John: John thanks the audience: this collaboration has been the great joy of his professional life and helped him, in Maurice Sendak's phrase, to fall in love with the world. — An Evening of Awesome at Carnegie Hall 01:00:55
    • → point: John argues that daily collaborations, silly or serious, are what Nerdfighteria is: people working together to build meaning, which like a good book helps them feel unalone. (00:59:26)
  • 2014-12-23 · John: John recalls telling a college professor that constructed things aren't really real; the professor replied that a chair is constructed but would hurt if he hit John with it. — Agloe, New York 00:01:30
    • → point: John says the story of Agloe is the story of a fiction that became real, and argues this happens to fictions and constructions all the time. (00:01:23)
  • 2014-12-23 · John: John says that back in 2008 he published a story about how the merely imagined can become really real. (hedged) — Agloe, New York 00:01:59
    • → point: John says the truth is that the way we imagine the world ends up shaping reality. (00:01:40)
  • 2015-07-28 · John: John thought about this while seeing two-dimensional images of his friends, or possibly his characters, plastered all over New York City. — Paper Towns, Agloe, and Touring: Thoughts from (Many) Places 00:00:49
    • → point: John says Paper Towns is about the challenge of understanding that others are as complex as you, which is especially hard inside the publicity machine, since it commodifies everyone it touches. (00:00:37)
  • 2016-08-02 · John: In 2002, while John worked at Booklist, Amy emailed him; they corresponded, she asked for a two-minute piece for WBEZ, and he wrote an essay that night and recorded it. — Beckoning Lovely 00:00:17
    • → point: John says Amy's real gift to him was not radio but teaching him that for stories to work, readers and writers must both be generous. (00:00:52)
  • 2016-08-02 · John: John recorded dozens of essays for WBEZ and a few for NPR's All Things Considered over the next years, which helped him get into publishing and sell Looking for Alaska. — Beckoning Lovely 00:00:40
    • → point: John says Amy's real gift to him was not radio but teaching him that for stories to work, readers and writers must both be generous. (00:00:52)
  • 2016-09-20 · John: John recalls his best friend Chris saying it must be weird getting all this money for something he did at Starbucks a couple of years ago; it was weird. — Failing to Follow Up The Fault in Our Stars 00:01:31
    • → point: John says his job stopped being 'person who writes books', a present-tense title, and became 'person who wrote that one book', a past-tense one. (00:01:21)
  • 2016-09-20 · John: John says he was elated and grateful that The Fault in Our Stars reached so many readers, but terrified that he could never follow it up. — Failing to Follow Up The Fault in Our Stars 00:01:37
    • → point: John says his job stopped being 'person who writes books', a present-tense title, and became 'person who wrote that one book', a past-tense one. (00:01:21)
  • 2016-09-20 · John: By the time the movie started shooting in fall 2013, John was failing to write a book about teenage con artists; he spent almost a year on it before giving up. — Failing to Follow Up The Fault in Our Stars 00:01:46
    • → point: John says his job stopped being 'person who writes books', a present-tense title, and became 'person who wrote that one book', a past-tense one. (00:01:21)
  • 2016-09-20 · John: John remembers sobbing in a hotel room right after the movie came out, looking at hundreds of pages he realized would never be a book. — Failing to Follow Up The Fault in Our Stars 00:01:55
    • → point: John says his job stopped being 'person who writes books', a present-tense title, and became 'person who wrote that one book', a past-tense one. (00:01:21)
  • 2017-04-14 · Hank: Since no review captured his experience, Hank left his own review of the bench. — ★★★★ Review: The TFiOS Bench - Amsterdam 00:02:23
    • → point: Hank says it is a fine bench, special only because of what people bring to it, as with most important things and people: we aren't much unless you know our story. (00:02:45)
  • 2017-04-14 · Hank: Hank sat by the bench a long time watching visitors: some just killing time between events, others clearly excited to meet a place important to them or their relationships; it made him happy. — ★★★★ Review: The TFiOS Bench - Amsterdam 00:02:57
    • → point: Hank says it is a fine bench, special only because of what people bring to it, as with most important things and people: we aren't much unless you know our story. (00:02:45)
  • 2017-06-13 · John: John says this doesn't mean working all day: he wrote his first two books at night after work, quicker than any book since. — Cheyenne, Wyoming 00:02:20
    • → point: John says part of your intellectual and emotional self is absent for a while; you make what you can of it and then, most importantly, come home to your body, the sensate world and the people you love. (00:02:27)
  • 2017-06-13 · John: John tells Hank he is sorry if he hasn't been around enough lately, that he will come home at some point, and that he misses him. — Cheyenne, Wyoming 00:02:50
    • → point: John says part of your intellectual and emotional self is absent for a while; you make what you can of it and then, most importantly, come home to your body, the sensate world and the people you love. (00:02:27)
  • 2017-09-12 · John: John feels that something he finished isn't good enough every Tuesday evening, and every three to six years when he publishes a book. — How Will the World End? Why Even Get Out of Bed? It's Question Tuesday. 00:02:57
    • → point: John says writing aims to create an experience inside someone else's mind, and there will always be failures, from the limits of the writer's talent and of language itself. (00:03:02)
  • 2018-08-31 · Hank: Somewhat embarrassingly, the seed of the book was a literal dream that Hank found interesting. — Beautiful if Damp: Answering Questions in Melbourne 00:03:08
    • → point: Hank wrote the book because he wanted to talk about things he hadn't found good ways to, and it was a good way to tell a story he was excited about. (00:02:54)
  • 2019-01-15 · John: From just after his 24th birthday John spent most nights and weekends on the novel that became Looking for Alaska: Booklist by day, review reading after work, then writing until 11 or midnight. — On Burning Resentment 00:00:00
    • → point: John says this was possible because he was burning an extremely efficient but dirty fuel: resentment. (00:00:00)
  • 2019-01-15 · John: Despite many privileges, John imagined himself a plucky underdog wronged by grave injustices: being dumped by a girl he loved, not being handsome enough, and no breaks in publishing. — On Burning Resentment 00:00:29
    • → point: John says this was possible because he was burning an extremely efficient but dirty fuel: resentment. (00:00:00)
  • 2019-01-15 · John: In fact John had many breaks: his Booklist editor Ilene Cooper mentored him through the writing, and Booklist paid him, modestly, to read and write about books. — On Burning Resentment 00:00:29
    • → point: John says this was possible because he was burning an extremely efficient but dirty fuel: resentment. (00:00:00)
  • 2019-01-15 · John: At 24 resentment let John work almost constantly and get a lot done, some of it good or at least impressive, which is what he wanted: to show how clever he could be. — On Burning Resentment 00:01:27
    • → point: John says the problem with resentment as fuel is that it makes your work entirely about you. (00:01:27)
  • 2019-01-22 · John: John says that while writing the book he secretly hoped it would become a movie, a hope so unrealistic he was embarrassed by it. — Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle's Let It Snow 00:01:02
    • → point: John insists Let It Snow is exactly as much Lauren's and Maureen's book as his. (00:00:58)
  • 2019-03-12 · John: Looking for Alaska was different: like Miles, John was a Florida kid at an Alabama boarding school; the story is fictional, but he began it at 23 and saw himself in Miles and others. — Going Home with Alaska and Miles 00:00:58
    • → point: John says he wrote the book because he wanted to go home to the fall of 1993, smoking under the bridge with people he loved, loving peers ferociously and without fear. (00:01:27)
  • 2019-03-12 · John: John says Alaska's self-destructive impulses and the Colonel's fits of rage were his, and he has often worried he left too much exposed. — Going Home with Alaska and Miles 00:01:27
    • → point: John says he wrote the book because he wanted to go home to the fall of 1993, smoking under the bridge with people he loved, loving peers ferociously and without fear. (00:01:27)
  • 2019-03-12 · John: Having failed at letting go of the book, John has felt he carried Miles and Alaska with him for 15 years, at times lovely, at times very difficult. — Going Home with Alaska and Miles 00:02:28
    • → point: John learned that novels do not solve problems or heal wounds; when a story works it is because, as Emily Dickinson put it, it tells all the truth but tells it slant. (00:02:28)
  • 2019-03-12 · John: Watching Kristine and Charlie walk off to explore the campus, John felt Miles and Alaska walking away too, and felt himself letting go at last. — Going Home with Alaska and Miles 00:02:28
    • → point: John learned that novels do not solve problems or heal wounds; when a story works it is because, as Emily Dickinson put it, it tells all the truth but tells it slant. (00:02:28)
  • 2019-06-11 · John: John says he partly hasn't written a novel because of other work (Crash Course European History, the Partners In Health project, TV and movie adaptations), though he has had some kind of day job for most of his writing life. — Why I Haven't Written a New Book 00:00:29
    • → point: John says that with a lot of success it can feel like everyone has to develop an opinion of your work, even people not familiar with or interested in it. (00:01:14)
  • 2019-06-11 · John: John says publishing the book was very difficult for him, 'champagne problems' aside: he was overwhelmed with fear about whether people would like it and whether it was good, useful and the best it could be. — Why I Haven't Written a New Book 00:00:59
    • → point: John says that with a lot of success it can feel like everyone has to develop an opinion of your work, even people not familiar with or interested in it. (00:01:14)
  • 2019-06-11 · John: John says for about a decade writing has also meant touring, publicity and movie rights, which he is lucky to stress about but finds stressful. — Why I Haven't Written a New Book 00:02:08
    • → point: John says publishing is something else: a mess of wanting to be liked and successful, hoping his stories are useful, and passing on gifts other people's stories gave him. (00:01:53)
  • 2019-06-11 · John: John says that, for the moment, all this leaves him unable to write much fiction, but he hasn't stopped writing. — Why I Haven't Written a New Book 00:02:22
    • → point: John says publishing is something else: a mess of wanting to be liked and successful, hoping his stories are useful, and passing on gifts other people's stories gave him. (00:01:53)
  • 2019-06-11 · John: John started writing in a quieter, safer place: The Anthropocene Reviewed podcast, reviewing facets of the human-centered planet on a five-star scale, from scratch-and-sniff stickers to Taco Bell breakfast. — Why I Haven't Written a New Book 00:02:28
    • → point: John says the pleasures of unexpected discovery are similar whether writing fiction or nonfiction. (00:03:14)
  • 2019-06-11 · John: John was way too into scratch-and-sniff stickers as a kid, an early sign of his fascination with virtualized experience, but only understood their chemistry by writing about them. — Why I Haven't Written a New Book 00:03:01
    • → point: John says the pleasures of unexpected discovery are similar whether writing fiction or nonfiction. (00:03:14)
  • 2019-08-13 · John: John nearly failed 11th grade English: he and his teacher disagreed about class attendance, and he wasn't a great reader, struggling with critical and abstract thinking. — How I (barely) Passed 11th Grade English 00:00:00
    • → point: Metaphor exists not to torture high school English students but to make the dull bright, the old new and the distant close. (00:00:29)
  • 2019-08-13 · John: High school John thought all that was BS and dissecting a novel torture; he missed a lot of class and never turned anything in on time, so his teacher wrote he could no longer mail it in. — How I (barely) Passed 11th Grade English 00:00:58
    • → point: John tells the story partly to show how many chances he had: without extraordinary teachers who believed in him and schools that supported them, he might never have graduated high school or college. (00:00:58)
  • 2019-08-13 · John: With an incomplete in 11th grade English, John had to read two books over the summer and write papers on them: Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and Toni Morrison's first novel, The Bluest Eye. — How I (barely) Passed 11th Grade English 00:01:27
    • → point: Writing the paper, John came to understand that 'mailing it in' was itself a privilege: skipping class wasn't cool or clever but wasted opportunities many people are never given. (00:02:26)
  • 2019-08-13 · John: The class had read Morrison's Song of Solomon that year; John liked the parts he read, so his teacher assigned him The Bluest Eye. — How I (barely) Passed 11th Grade English 00:01:27
    • → point: Writing the paper, John came to understand that 'mailing it in' was itself a privilege: skipping class wasn't cool or clever but wasted opportunities many people are never given. (00:02:26)
  • 2019-08-13 · John: Reading The Bluest Eye wrecked John: he cried finishing it, and while he had known the world was unjust, now he felt it. — How I (barely) Passed 11th Grade English 00:01:56
    • → point: Writing the paper, John came to understand that 'mailing it in' was itself a privilege: skipping class wasn't cool or clever but wasted opportunities many people are never given. (00:02:26)
  • 2019-08-13 · John: Later that summer John read Morrison's Beloved unassigned and reread all of Song of Solomon; he didn't understand all their nuances but loved them, and they made him an enthusiastic reader. — How I (barely) Passed 11th Grade English 00:02:26
    • → point: Writing the paper, John came to understand that 'mailing it in' was itself a privilege: skipping class wasn't cool or clever but wasted opportunities many people are never given. (00:02:26)
  • 2019-09-10 · John: John says seeing some imagined maps inspired much of his novel Paper Towns. — Another Contender in the Room 00:01:56
    • → point: John says other people's creative work fuels yours and vice versa, something he learned from Sarah. (00:01:56)
  • 2019-09-10 · John: John notes it isn't Sarah's first book: as a museum curator she co-wrote Andy Warhol Enterprises and edited a book about graphite; this one is for a much broader audience. — Another Contender in the Room 00:01:56
    • → point: John says other people's creative work fuels yours and vice versa, something he learned from Sarah. (00:01:56)
  • 2019-09-24 · John: In a comment John says his uncut vlogbrothers videos run 45-60 minutes and are boring and repetitive; without jump cuts he would have quit long ago. — I, Too, Dislike It 00:00:00
    • → point: It turns out John loves poetry: as Moore writes, one discovers in it a place for the genuine, and he is desperate for places for the genuine. (00:00:37)
  • 2019-09-24 · John: Poetry seemed dead to John because all the poets he could name were dead, so it had no present tense. — I, Too, Dislike It 00:00:13
    • → point: It turns out John loves poetry: as Moore writes, one discovers in it a place for the genuine, and he is desperate for places for the genuine. (00:00:37)
  • 2019-09-24 · John: John never felt smart enough for poetry: he thought reading well meant decoding symbols (the howling wolf as the poet's dead father), so he judged himself bad and mostly quit. — I, Too, Dislike It 00:00:22
    • → point: It turns out John loves poetry: as Moore writes, one discovers in it a place for the genuine, and he is desperate for places for the genuine. (00:00:37)
  • 2019-10-31 · Hank: Asked whether he will cry, Hank says he cried in the Chipotle as he was finishing writing the book. — Book News! 00:00:58
    • → point: Hank says internet discourse did change his perspective: the first book was about the internet as it is, the sequel imagines the social internet far in the future, though the book isn't set far ahead. (00:02:31)
  • 2019-10-31 · Hank: Hank's deadline was October 2nd and he missed it, then set himself an artificial deadline of Pizzamas. — Book News! 00:01:48
    • → point: Hank says internet discourse did change his perspective: the first book was about the internet as it is, the sequel imagines the social internet far in the future, though the book isn't set far ahead. (00:02:31)
  • 2019-10-31 · Hank: The hardest part: several previous characters are now point-of-view characters writing the book themselves, and holding four or five voices in his head is hard; he has had to learn a lot. — Book News! 00:03:00
    • → point: Hank says internet discourse did change his perspective: the first book was about the internet as it is, the sequel imagines the social internet far in the future, though the book isn't set far ahead. (00:02:31)
  • 2019-10-31 · Hank: Hank feels really good: it was often stressful with many late nights, but he got better at things and enjoys reading it as a revisionist. — Book News! 00:03:30
    • → point: Hank says internet discourse did change his perspective: the first book was about the internet as it is, the sequel imagines the social internet far in the future, though the book isn't set far ahead. (00:02:31)
  • 2019-11-01 · John: John says Hank has just finished a sequel to his first novel, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing. — On Looking Up to Your Little Brother 00:02:39
    • → point: John says he is used to looking up to Hank as a philanthropist, a YouTuber and his boss at Complexly, and now gets to look up to him as a novelist too. (00:03:09)
  • 2019-11-15 · Hank: Hank will never read many books a year: he is very mildly dyslexic and, per a staples.com reading test, reads slower than the average eighth grader. — Are audiobooks worse? 00:02:19
    • → point: Hank says the difference between reading and listening is not a judgement of better or worse: they are marginally, somewhat different. (00:01:29)
  • 2020-01-10 · Hank: Hank says the big revision basically rewrites the book: 50,000 words come out and 40,000 new ones go in. — The Thing I would Like to End 00:01:21
    • → point: Hank explains line edits: the editor goes line by line asking why, usually about simple things like a repeated word, occasionally asking to rewrite a chapter. (00:01:31)
  • 2020-01-10 · Hank: During the line edit Hank reads the whole book out loud, which is particularly slow since he is a slow reader. — The Thing I would Like to End 00:01:51
    • → point: Hank explains the copy edit: someone reads the whole manuscript and flags the little mistakes, usually much less troublesome. (00:01:58)
  • 2020-01-10 · Hank: Last time Hank's copy editor was Mary Beth Constant, the valedictorian of his high school class, maybe the weirdest coincidence of his life; he hopes to get her again. — The Thing I would Like to End 00:01:58
    • → point: Hank explains the copy edit: someone reads the whole manuscript and flags the little mistakes, usually much less troublesome. (00:01:58)
  • 2020-01-10 · Hank: Hank says there was literally a single typo in the whole book when it came out, which is amazing. — The Thing I would Like to End 00:02:30
    • → point: Hank explains the copy edit: someone reads the whole manuscript and flags the little mistakes, usually much less troublesome. (00:01:58)
  • 2020-01-10 · Hank: Hank, not a high-stress person, finds that too much: it is the biggest ending he is working toward in 2020, and he is kind of terrified of it. — The Thing I would Like to End 00:03:04
    • → point: Hank says a great thing about creative work is that you are forced to an end; he is lucky to have a job with many little 'I did it' moments, from books to videos. (00:03:25)
  • 2020-01-10 · Hank: Hank says he'll see John right now, because they are on tour together. — The Thing I would Like to End 00:03:36
    • → point: Hank says a great thing about creative work is that you are forced to an end; he is lucky to have a job with many little 'I did it' moments, from books to videos. (00:03:25)
  • 2020-02-04 · John: John says it has been years since he turned on the camera without knowing what he was going to talk about, and maybe he'll talk about that. — practice 00:00:00
    • → point: John says what is true in Bradbury's advice is that you have to practice. (00:00:30)
  • 2020-02-04 · John: In a comment, John reports viewers' consensus that there were 171 to 173 words between his two 'Madame Pomfrey's, so his 175-word clock was pretty close. — practice 00:00:00
    • → point: John says what is true in Bradbury's advice is that you have to practice. (00:00:30)
  • 2020-02-04 · John: In a comment, John says the video was partly scripted: he started unscripted, wrote notes, recorded the rest and redid some parts, using about 40 minutes of tape. — practice 00:00:00
    • → point: John says what is true in Bradbury's advice is that you have to practice. (00:00:30)
  • 2020-02-04 · John: John began his writing career writing 175-word book reviews for Booklist, which made him read a lot and broadly: picture books, YA, romance, Islamic history, boxing, poetry and many books about conjoined twins. — practice 00:00:59
    • → point: John says reviewing gave him practice in reading with an eye to what experience a book offered and to whom he might recommend it. (00:01:29)
  • 2020-02-04 · John: Practicing the 175-word form taught John to put nuance into plot summary and choose details or quotations, and gave him an internal clock for how 175 words feels. — practice 00:01:29
    • → point: John says reviewing gave him practice in reading with an eye to what experience a book offered and to whom he might recommend it. (00:01:29)
  • 2020-02-04 · John: Early on, John often finished books with no idea what to say about them, and often hit vlogbrothers deadlines without ideas for videos. — practice 00:02:27
    • → point: John says he is messy, undisciplined and loves to procrastinate, but has learned to love practice because it works, though not immediately. (00:02:27)
  • 2020-02-04 · John: After over 13 years of making videos consistently, John's brain knows that from Saturday it must find an idea, works on it, and almost always has one by Monday (10 February 2020) night. — practice 00:02:56
    • → point: John says he is messy, undisciplined and loves to procrastinate, but has learned to love practice because it works, though not immediately. (00:02:27)
  • 2020-02-18 · John: Driving through Indianapolis with Sarah last week (week of 10 February 2020) to a poetry reading, John found the weather adventurous, even hopeful; on another night it would have felt threatening. — wintry mix 00:02:54
    • → point: John says the pathetic fallacy works first because many of us really are affected by weather, especially in dim winter: weather lacks emotions but literally causes them. (00:02:54)
  • 2020-07-07 · John: For John despair is not just unpleasant but dangerous, and flimsy or simplistic hope does little to counteract it. — You're a Rock Star 00:00:29
    • → point: It really is a hopeful novel, John says, and he needs hope not abstractly but to get out of bed in the morning. (00:00:29)
  • 2020-08-07 · Hank: Hank says a review he saw today found his book's ending unexciting; he disagrees but won't try to convince the reviewer, since that is how they experienced it. — Her Finger and Her Thumb in the Shape of an 'L' on Her Forehead 00:01:34
    • → point: Hank's second type: criticism that might be or is right, harder to read but the useful kind, because understanding weaknesses lets us work around or strengthen them. (00:01:34)
  • 2020-08-07 · Hank: Hank says when he feels he is not doing something well, he looks for people who are and examines the tools they use; that is how growth happens. — Her Finger and Her Thumb in the Shape of an 'L' on Her Forehead 00:01:34
    • → point: Hank's second type: criticism that might be or is right, harder to read but the useful kind, because understanding weaknesses lets us work around or strengthen them. (00:01:34)
  • 2020-08-11 · John: John says making this list has made him feel better. — never get bored 00:03:04
    • → point: Making the list, John realises documentaries, reading in community and practicing the Rubik's Cube are all ways of learning and listening, where he now finds meaning and comfort. (00:03:33)
  • 2020-10-20 · John: John recalls that in 2011, signing the first printing of The Fault in Our Stars, he listened to Moby Dick. — How to Sign Your Name 150,000 Times 00:00:53
    • → point: John says signing is a way of thanking readers, for buying the book but also for their attention, the hours they will give his work. (00:01:10)
  • 2020-10-20 · John: John says he is now enjoying Hilary Mantel's trilogy about Thomas Cromwell while he signs. — How to Sign Your Name 150,000 Times 00:00:53
    • → point: John says signing is a way of thanking readers, for buying the book but also for their attention, the hours they will give his work. (00:01:10)
  • 2020-11-03 · John: Writing Alaska, John was obsessed with symmetry: the first part of the book had to have exactly as many days as the second. — Alaska for Looking 00:01:56
    • → point: Reading a book alphabetically shows its preoccupations but not its narrative: John can't tell who anyone is, but sees it is about school, before and after, and labyrinths. (00:02:26)
  • 2020-11-03 · John: To serve that symmetry he made 'remembered' appear exactly one more time than 'forgotten'. — Alaska for Looking 00:02:26
    • → point: Reading a book alphabetically shows its preoccupations but not its narrative: John can't tell who anyone is, but sees it is about school, before and after, and labyrinths. (00:02:26)
  • 2021-02-23 · John: In a comment John says the challenge he set himself this week (week of 22 February 2021) was to make a video about the pandemic that is not about the pandemic. — A Little Joy and Color in an Otherwise Unbearably Bland Life 00:00:00
    • → point: John recalls a five-star review of a 12-pack of purple Sharpies: in monotonous work, the reviewer found purple ones brought a little joy and color to an otherwise unbearably bland life. (00:00:00)
  • 2021-02-23 · John: Now signing has become harder: John still has 300 hours of signing left, his hand hurts a little, and this is where even a silly test of endurance actually becomes a test. — A Little Joy and Color in an Otherwise Unbearably Bland Life 00:02:40
    • → point: John concludes that sometimes a bit of color and joy is enough. (00:03:20)
  • 2021-02-23 · John: John recalls signing 150,000 times for The Fault in Our Stars: at the end he signed 12 or 14 hours a day and doubted he could do it, until the purple Sharpie reminded him he had made this promise and would keep it. — A Little Joy and Color in an Otherwise Unbearably Bland Life 00:03:05
    • → point: John concludes that sometimes a bit of color and joy is enough. (00:03:20)
  • 2021-03-16 · John: The Anthropocene Reviewed is John's sixth book, but with reprints and foreign editions he has had over a hundred covers, some he disliked and some he adores. — How a Book Cover Gets Designed 00:00:00
    • → point: John says cover design is often fraught and complex for authors: the cover is the first part of the book readers see and often the first artistic response to the book. (00:00:29)
  • 2021-03-16 · John: The cover comes when John feels exceptionally exposed and nervous; the cover designer is often the first person he doesn't know to read the book. — How a Book Cover Gets Designed 00:00:29
    • → point: John says cover design is often fraught and complex for authors: the cover is the first part of the book readers see and often the first artistic response to the book. (00:00:29)
  • 2021-03-16 · John: John has always had a voice in his US covers thanks to Julie Strauss-Gabel, his editor since his first book was published 16 years ago. — How a Book Cover Gets Designed 00:00:29
    • → point: John says cover design is often fraught and complex for authors: the cover is the first part of the book readers see and often the first artistic response to the book. (00:00:29)
  • 2021-03-16 · John: The cover began with John and Julie talking about Hiroyuki Doi's artwork, John's circle drawings, road trips, microorganisms, the Bonneville Salt Flats, sunsets and their favorite book designers. — How a Book Cover Gets Designed 00:00:58
    • → point: Grace's paths of shifting color felt to John like a visual expression of the book's subject: how perspective shapes so-called reality and how forces shape the paths we share. (00:01:56)
  • 2021-03-16 · John: Julie asked Grace, who read the book and developed a few possible covers; John was immediately drawn to one showing interweaving bands of color. — How a Book Cover Gets Designed 00:01:27
    • → point: Grace's paths of shifting color felt to John like a visual expression of the book's subject: how perspective shapes so-called reality and how forces shape the paths we share. (00:01:56)
  • 2021-03-30 · John: At times the signing hours passed in a flow-state contentment John needed; at others, with a cramping hand and looming deadlines, he felt frustrated and overwhelmed. — I did it! 00:00:58
    • → point: Most copies will go to places John has never seen and never will, and he finds it lovely: a book going on adventures its author can't imagine. (00:01:27)
  • 2021-03-30 · John: John says he is absurdly lucky to sign 250,000 times but it was stressful, and he distracted himself by daydreaming about where each book might end up. — I did it! 00:00:58
    • → point: Most copies will go to places John has never seen and never will, and he finds it lovely: a book going on adventures its author can't imagine. (00:01:27)
  • 2021-03-30 · John: John imagines a copy going to Ocala, Florida, where he saw Halley's Comet with his dad in 1986. — I did it! 00:00:58
    • → point: Most copies will go to places John has never seen and never will, and he finds it lovely: a book going on adventures its author can't imagine. (00:01:27)
  • 2021-03-30 · John: John imagines copies going to his old high school campus and to Alliance, Nebraska, home of Carhenge, a replica of Stonehenge made of junked cars; he writes about these in the book. — I did it! 00:01:27
    • → point: Most copies will go to places John has never seen and never will, and he finds it lovely: a book going on adventures its author can't imagine. (00:01:27)
  • 2021-05-07 · Hank: Hank got John's book in the mail, leafed through it for Easter eggs, then started reading and read a lot of it in an hour, surprised how easily it sucked him in. — Are We The Same Person? 00:01:47
    • → point: When you are connected enough to someone, you experience their success simply, while they weigh it in complicated ways and diminish their own accomplishments. (00:02:12)
  • 2021-05-25 · John: As he recovered from labyrinthitis, John realized he didn't want to write in code anymore. — The Anthropocene Reviewed, Animated 00:03:21
    • → point: The five-star scale exists for data aggregation systems, not humans, which is why it became standard only in the internet era: star ratings are ideal for artificial intelligences, 175-word reviews hard for them. (00:05:17)
  • 2021-05-25 · John: In 2000 John worked for a few months as a student chaplain at a children's hospital while at divinity school planning to become an Episcopal minister; the devastation he saw ended those plans, and he still can't handle it. — The Anthropocene Reviewed, Animated 00:03:26
    • → point: The five-star scale exists for data aggregation systems, not humans, which is why it became standard only in the internet era: star ratings are ideal for artificial intelligences, 175-word reviews hard for them. (00:05:17)
  • 2021-05-25 · John: John moved to Chicago, typed for temp agencies, then did data entry at Booklist; an editor asked if he liked romance novels, he said he loved them, and got his first review: a novel set in 17th-century London. — The Anthropocene Reviewed, Animated 00:03:49
    • → point: The five-star scale exists for data aggregation systems, not humans, which is why it became standard only in the internet era: star ratings are ideal for artificial intelligences, 175-word reviews hard for them. (00:05:17)
  • 2021-05-25 · John: Over five years John reviewed hundreds of books for Booklist, from picture books about the Buddha to poetry collections, and became fascinated by the format of the review. — The Anthropocene Reviewed, Animated 00:04:14
    • → point: The five-star scale exists for data aggregation systems, not humans, which is why it became standard only in the internet era: star ratings are ideal for artificial intelligences, 175-word reviews hard for them. (00:05:17)
  • 2021-05-25 · John: Recovering, John reread his friend and mentor Amy Krouse Rosenthal, who had died months earlier, who wrote that anyone discerning what to do with their life should pay attention to what they pay attention to. — The Anthropocene Reviewed, Animated 00:11:23
    • → point: The book started as a podcast charting contradictions of human life as John experiences it: how we can be so compassionate and so cruel, so persistent and so quick to despair. (00:12:08)
  • 2021-07-20 · John: Responding to Adele's review that the book reminds us what it means to be alive, John says he wrote it to remind himself what it means to be alive. — Reviewing Reviews of My Reviews 00:02:30
    • → point: John says almost all the reviews are so open-hearted and thoughtful that he can't riff on them; they show the generosity of spirit he tried to bring to the book. (00:02:59)
  • 2021-07-20 · John: Melissa, a COVID nurse, wrote that the collection helped her find her white-knuckled way through the pandemic. — Reviewing Reviews of My Reviews 00:02:59
    • → point: John says almost all the reviews are so open-hearted and thoughtful that he can't riff on them; they show the generosity of spirit he tried to bring to the book. (00:02:59)
  • 2021-12-14 · John: John deleted about 95% of the draft he wrote in 2003 on the way to writing Looking for Alaska. — MAKE. BELIEVE. 00:00:29
    • → point: John says all writing is rewriting first because most of what is good in a story emerges in revision: he has never written a paragraph, let alone a novel, that didn't need extensive revision. (00:00:29)
  • 2021-12-14 · John: When his thoughts race at bedtime, John is less likely to get stuck on obsessive fears because he can think about what might happen in the story. — MAKE. BELIEVE. 00:01:56
    • → point: A gift writing stories gives John, more than nonfiction does, is the joy of pure imagination, what his childhood called make-believe. (00:02:55)
  • 2021-12-14 · John: Driving along, John doesn't need podcasts to distract him; he wants to be alone with his thoughts and let his mind drift. — MAKE. BELIEVE. 00:01:56
    • → point: A gift writing stories gives John, more than nonfiction does, is the joy of pure imagination, what his childhood called make-believe. (00:02:55)
  • 2021-12-14 · John: Over the six weeks John had a lot of family stuff and work, and rehabbed his foot, now in a normal shoe instead of a boot, though not totally recovered. — MAKE. BELIEVE. 00:02:55
    • → point: A gift writing stories gives John, more than nonfiction does, is the joy of pure imagination, what his childhood called make-believe. (00:02:55)
  • 2022-01-11 · John: Left without a theme, John wrote about 60,000 words of two novels that never worked: not bad, but without a reason to be. — The Fault in Our Stars - Ten Years Later 00:01:27
    • → point: Returning to something he began writing in 2000, John found a new theme: how we make sense of what happens to us that we don't control, and the consequences of misimagining it. (00:01:27)
  • 2022-02-15 · John: John's most financially valuable book is probably a first edition of Slaughterhouse-Five, a gift from Sarah years ago, now worth about $2,000 and stressful to touch. (hedged) — My Most Valuable Books 00:00:29
    • → point: John says all the most valuable books in their library are not financially valuable but irreplaceable. (00:01:27)
  • 2022-02-15 · John: The book is close to John's heart because he ended up living and working in Vonnegut's hometown, in his long shadow, and because reading it in 11th-grade English brought him to life as a reader. — My Most Valuable Books 00:00:29
    • → point: John says all the most valuable books in their library are not financially valuable but irreplaceable. (00:01:27)
  • 2022-02-15 · John: John has a first edition of Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower, bought for $65 and now worth quite a bit more; he loves its cover design. — My Most Valuable Books 00:00:29
    • → point: John says all the most valuable books in their library are not financially valuable but irreplaceable. (00:01:27)
  • 2022-02-15 · John: John thinks about his first edition of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek almost every day; its endpapers are beautiful, and its poor condition makes it cheap enough to be his reading copy. — My Most Valuable Books 00:00:58
    • → point: John says all the most valuable books in their library are not financially valuable but irreplaceable. (00:01:27)
  • 2022-02-15 · John: Twain's late book Christian Science eviscerates religion and Mary Baker Eddy; John's complicated feelings led to his college thesis on it, and his parents gave him a first edition (worth about $60) at graduation. — My Most Valuable Books 00:01:27
    • → point: John says all the most valuable books in their library are not financially valuable but irreplaceable. (00:01:27)
  • 2022-04-26 · John: John says he is very glad he lived through some hard days so that he could have this one. — An Amazing Day 00:03:10
    • → point: John says everyone is committed to a film expressing the book's ideas: people's pain is real and deserves attention and validation, and there is hope even when your brain says it isn't. (00:03:10)
  • 2022-12-06 · John: John reveals that the opening script, a vlogbrothers video in King James Bible style about whether AI can write novels, was written by ChatGPT. — AI tells me if AI will write novels. 00:01:27
    • → point: John says to be more specific and compelling AI will need less cliche and more unusual sentences, and the easiest way is to plagiarize or rely on particular human brains. (00:02:26)
  • 2022-12-23 · Hank: Hank thanks John for sharing thoughts about Hank's books. — You Cannot Trust Yourself (Hank's End of the Year Worries) 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank thinks fiction, writing and reading are a good place for insight: Elon Musk and Twitter bury him in details, but his character Peter and Altus he understands. (00:00:00)
  • 2022-12-23 · Hank: The description says Hank cut a section complaining about people who ignore their impact and are surprised by anger, realizing it was exactly what he means to stop doing. — You Cannot Trust Yourself (Hank's End of the Year Worries) 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank thinks fiction, writing and reading are a good place for insight: Elon Musk and Twitter bury him in details, but his character Peter and Altus he understands. (00:00:00)
  • 2023-03-07 · John: In 2005 John's whole goal for Looking for Alaska was to sell enough copies to reach paperback, which would keep it in print a couple more years. — What's the Deal with Paperback Publishing? 00:01:27
    • → point: John says hardcover-first makes sense for publishers and bookstores: more money in a book's first year, and a test of which books have enough audience for a profitable paperback. (00:00:58)
  • 2023-03-07 · John: Looking for Alaska sold about 6,000 copies in its first year, made it to paperback, and 18 years later is still in print. — What's the Deal with Paperback Publishing? 00:01:56
    • → point: John says people want to read how they want to read, and he wants people to read in their preferred format. (00:01:56)
  • 2023-09-05 · John: John discloses that he is currently not really here but in Cheyenne, Wyoming, deep in a writing project. — I Ain't Even Here, Sergeant. I'm in Cheyenne, Wyoming. 00:00:22
    • → point: John says a soldier's line in Rushmore, 'I ain't even here, Sergeant, I'm in Cheyenne, Wyoming', became his family's metaphor for deep immersion in writing or art: creative expression is escaping the prison of the self. (00:00:00)
  • 2023-10-17 · John: Retirement didn't stop John writing, only writing what people expect: he wrote the weird, personal nonfiction book The Anthropocene Reviewed, which found a broad audience, though not as broad as his novels. — My Next Book 00:01:56
    • → point: For John, retirement means not obsessing over becoming richer, more famous or more viewed, and defining work by passion and impact. (00:01:27)
  • 2023-10-17 · John: John is still writing fiction and sometimes reads stories he is working on in semi-secret livestreams. — My Next Book 00:02:47
    • → point: For John, writing about tuberculosis is a way to understand historical and contemporary inequities: the toll of a disease the rich world ignores resulted from historical forces and TB's own quirks. (00:02:47)
  • 2023-10-17 · John: Over the last couple of years John has mostly been writing, somewhat obsessively, about tuberculosis, which is exactly what he wants to write about. — My Next Book 00:02:47
    • → point: For John, writing about tuberculosis is a way to understand historical and contemporary inequities: the toll of a disease the rich world ignores resulted from historical forces and TB's own quirks. (00:02:47)
  • 2023-10-17 · John: This takes John back to 2001 and 2002, when at 23 he wrote exactly what he wanted, which became Looking for Alaska. — My Next Book 00:03:16
    • → point: For John, writing about tuberculosis is a way to understand historical and contemporary inequities: the toll of a disease the rich world ignores resulted from historical forces and TB's own quirks. (00:02:47)
  • 2023-11-07 · John: Three years later John has still not finished the tuberculosis writing. — NaFaDoYBIMSCoM 00:00:58
    • → point: John describes how he writes: writing and deleting over and over builds layers that eventually become something he is happy with, so writing and revising are inextricable for him. (00:00:58)
  • 2023-11-07 · John: A couple of years ago John wrote 2,000 words of a new story on November 1 and thought 30 straight days of that would give him a 60,000-word novel, but by the fifth day he saw many problems in what he had written on the first two days. — NaFaDoYBIMSCoM 00:00:58
    • → point: John describes how he writes: writing and deleting over and over builds layers that eventually become something he is happy with, so writing and revising are inextricable for him. (00:00:58)
  • 2023-11-07 · John: John completed a draft of The Fault in Our Stars in mid-December 2010 after attempting NaFaDoYBIMSCoM. — NaFaDoYBIMSCoM 00:02:14
    • → point: John says even the initial act of writing is a kind of rewriting for him, because he turns ideas that exist in nebulous forms in his head into language. (00:01:45)
  • 2023-11-07 · John: John completed a draft of Paper Towns in November 2007 during his first NaFaDoYBIMSCoM. — NaFaDoYBIMSCoM 00:02:14
    • → point: John says even the initial act of writing is a kind of rewriting for him, because he turns ideas that exist in nebulous forms in his head into language. (00:01:45)
  • 2023-11-07 · John: John says the writing is going terribly so far because he is a smidge depressed and anxious at the moment. — NaFaDoYBIMSCoM 00:03:13
    • → point: John says that over 20 years of writing stories, setting artificial deadlines and pretending they are real has been extremely helpful to him. (00:03:13)
  • 2023-11-07 · John: John says he needs to convince himself that his revision is due at the end of November 2023. — NaFaDoYBIMSCoM 00:03:42
    • → point: John says that over 20 years of writing stories, setting artificial deadlines and pretending they are real has been extremely helpful to him. (00:03:13)
  • 2024-02-06 · John: John says that the day after Turtles All the Way Down came out, a movie studio offered to option it. — The Truth of How Books Become Movies 00:00:00
    • → point: John explains that an option gives a studio the right to develop a book into a film for a set period, say 24 months. (00:00:00)
  • 2024-02-06 · John: John says a movie executive once pulled a film twelve days before shooting because he felt a cast member looked unsettling, and literally told John so. — The Truth of How Books Become Movies 00:00:58
    • → point: John says most optioned books never become movies: An Abundance of Katherines was optioned and never made, and Paper Towns was optioned three times first. (00:00:29)
  • 2024-02-06 · John: John says that had The Fault in Our Stars not become a movie he thinks he would have been paid $60,000: a lot of money, but not Hollywood fantasy money. (hedged) — The Truth of How Books Become Movies 00:01:27
    • → point: John says if a movie falls through, the only money the author gets is the option money. (00:01:27)
  • 2024-02-06 · John: John says The Fault in Our Stars movie sold a ton of books. — The Truth of How Books Become Movies 00:03:24
    • → point: John admits a financial incentive: a successful movie sells many books, which pay him, though this varies with how people respond and whether they know it's an adaptation. (00:02:55)
  • 2024-04-16 · John: John asks viewers to keep in mind in the coming weeks that he already got paid for the Turtles All the Way Down film, so financially he does not care whether they see it. — I Already Got Paid 00:00:00
    • → point: John's problem with profit-share deals: if the movie is bad, even one furthering stereotypes he wrote against, he is still incentivized to like it or pretend to. (00:00:29)
  • 2024-04-16 · John: John wishes he could show the film to his younger self to tell him he is not alone in what he feels. — I Already Got Paid 00:02:45
    • → point: John says one point of art is to help us feel less alone, especially in abstract parts of us hard to understand or share, and the Turtles film does that. (00:02:45)
  • 2024-04-19 · Hank: For a character with visible facial trauma in his second book, Hank talked to Phyllida Swift, whose appearance changed after a car accident and who is CEO of Face Equality International. — I Closed My Boob in a Door 00:04:09
    • → point: Hank says that writing a woman's perspective without having been one, you will get things wrong, so it is great to have people read the book before publication and give feedback. (00:03:47)
  • 2024-05-03 · Hank: Hank says he watched the whole film without picking up his phone, which is not normal for him. — Everything Wrong with Turtles All the Way Down 00:02:39
    • → point: Hank tells John the film is beautiful, amazing and remarkable, with many beautiful, intense and touching moments. (00:02:39)
  • 2024-05-07 · John: On his first day on set, talking with the makeup department about Aza's callus, John realized they had read the book and considered how to show it without sensationalizing it. — A Secret about Art 00:01:38
    • → point: Writing a book only he must do that, but a movie asks about a hundred people to: directors and actors, also producers, writers, production designers and makeup artists. (00:01:26)
  • 2024-09-03 · John: John is highly inclined toward em dashes: by last count his most recent manuscript contained 313 of them. — Which is Correct? — or – ? 00:01:27
    • → point: John explains there are two major dashes, em and en; the em dash can replace a colon, semicolon or parenthesis, serve poetry as for Emily Dickinson, or mark interruptions as Shakespeare's printers used it. (00:00:29)
  • 2024-10-22 · John: John says he began writing about TB because writing is how he thinks and he wanted to remember what survivors and experts taught him; eventually he set aside the novel he'd been working on. — My New Book: Everything Is Tuberculosis 00:01:40
    • → point: John says we in turn have shaped TB, because the disease follows the trails of injustice that we blazed for it. (00:02:15)
  • 2024-12-10 · John: John says he was very ambitious and thought one should write in pursuit of forever: he wanted his books to last a very long time and be read critically and in schools. — On Writing 00:01:00
    • → point: John tells his younger self his books will not last forever, since forever is an incorrect concept, and calls that great news: someday The Fault in Our Stars will be read for the last time and humanity will go on. (00:01:18)
  • 2024-12-10 · John: John says that dream has largely come true: 20 years after first publication Looking for Alaska is still in print, and many of his books are read in schools. — On Writing 00:01:11
    • → point: John tells his younger self his books will not last forever, since forever is an incorrect concept, and calls that great news: someday The Fault in Our Stars will be read for the last time and humanity will go on. (00:01:18)
  • 2024-12-10 · John: John says it is time to let the book go, saying for the seventh time in twenty years that this story is yours now, and hopes readers like it. — On Writing 00:04:06
    • → point: Rereading showed John that though he is not writing fiction now, he pursues the goal that started him writing: speaking from his deepest self to someone else's deepest self. (00:03:40)
  • 2024-12-17 · John: John says he and his work have been accused of all kinds of horrible things, including grooming children, which is hard not to take personally. — About THAT Scene in Looking for Alaska 00:00:00
    • → point: John says the novel's teenagers smoke, drink and behave self-destructively because books exist not as moral screeds but as tellers of truths. (00:00:29)
  • 2024-12-17 · John: John says the radical hope at the center of the book is a Christian idea he wrote about because of his own Christian faith. — About THAT Scene in Looking for Alaska 00:04:52
    • → point: John says there is no way to appease book banners: even sharing their professed values, any attempt to portray the world as it is will lead to censorship. (00:04:52)
  • 2024-12-31 · John: In the first three years of his writing career no more than six people came to John's events; at hour-long signings two or three came and he chatted with a bookseller losing money on him. — I Just Can't Do It Anymore 00:02:25
    • → point: John says one reason he has signed so much over 13 years is to express gratitude that more than four people want his signature. (00:02:54)
  • 2025-01-21 · John: John says The Anthropocene Reviewed audiobook has sold almost as well as the paperback. — Do Audiobooks Count As Reading? 00:03:56
    • → point: John says the idea that reading with your eyes makes you a superior reader is a legacy of a narrow understanding of how we acquire knowledge and tell stories. (00:03:31)
  • 2025-06-03 · John: Since finishing Everything Is Tuberculosis John has been writing fiction; it may never come to anything and he will not promise it becomes a book, but the process has been thrilling. — My Lies 00:02:49
    • → point: John says trying to shrink the empathy gap through imagination turns out to be a worthwhile endeavor, even in 2025. (00:03:18)
  • 2025-07-01 · John: John says Everything Is Tuberculosis is a #1 bestseller because for its first couple of weeks it was the best-selling nonfiction book in the US by the Times' count. — What #1 New York Times Bestseller Actually Means 00:00:29
    • → point: John says being a #1 New York Times bestseller tells you little about sales, only sales relative to the book's category. (00:01:27)
  • 2025-07-01 · John: John says his book was almost guaranteed a #1 because he signed over 100,000 copies of the first printing and about 50,000 people pre-ordered it. — What #1 New York Times Bestseller Actually Means 00:00:29
    • → point: John says being a #1 New York Times bestseller tells you little about sales, only sales relative to the book's category. (00:01:27)
  • 2025-07-01 · John: John says his widely reviewed, award-winning first novel Looking for Alaska never came close to the list until the success of The Fault in Our Stars years later. — What #1 New York Times Bestseller Actually Means 00:01:56
    • → point: John stresses that the vast majority of books from major publishers never become New York Times bestsellers. (00:01:56)
  • 2025-07-01 · John: John first reached the list with his third novel, Paper Towns, which spent three weeks on the young adult hardcover list, selling about 20,000 copies in that time. — What #1 New York Times Bestseller Actually Means 00:02:26
    • → point: John stresses that the vast majority of books from major publishers never become New York Times bestsellers. (00:01:56)
  • 2025-07-01 · John: John says the Paper Towns hardcover made around $105,000 in total, but the book took three years to write: about $35,000 a year, a modest living from writing. — What #1 New York Times Bestseller Actually Means 00:02:26
    • → point: John stresses that the vast majority of books from major publishers never become New York Times bestsellers. (00:01:56)
  • 2025-07-01 · John: John says Everything Is Tuberculosis is number two on the Independent Booksellers bestseller list, and thanks independent bookstores. — What #1 New York Times Bestseller Actually Means 00:03:53
    • → point: John says that if you only read New York Times bestsellers, you miss much of the breadth and quality of today's books. (00:03:53)
  • 2025-07-01 · John: John found Paul Beatty's Tuff and Maureen Johnson's early books not as bestsellers but through recommendations from librarians and booksellers. — What #1 New York Times Bestseller Actually Means 00:04:22
    • → point: John says that if you only read New York Times bestsellers, you miss much of the breadth and quality of today's books. (00:03:53)
  • 2025-08-29 · Hank: Hank apologizes to John for his crappy birthday text. — Does Anyone Else Have This? 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank guesses, admitting he is talking out of his butt, that his trouble with poetry has to do with the very hard work his brain did early on to understand spoken and written words. (00:00:00)
  • 2025-08-29 · Hank: Hank says that in the episode John read him a poem and Hank confided that he cannot hear poetry. — Does Anyone Else Have This? 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank guesses, admitting he is talking out of his butt, that his trouble with poetry has to do with the very hard work his brain did early on to understand spoken and written words. (00:00:00)
  • 2025-08-29 · Hank: Replying to a viewer who struggles to parse sung lyrics, Hank says in a comment that he is the other way: sometimes lyrics are the only thing he can pay attention to. — Does Anyone Else Have This? 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank guesses, admitting he is talking out of his butt, that his trouble with poetry has to do with the very hard work his brain did early on to understand spoken and written words. (00:00:00)
  • 2025-08-29 · Hank: Hank says he will never improvise a virtuosic guitar part but can brute-force a strum pattern onto the 12 chords he drilled through thousands of repetitions, which feels analogous to his language. — Does Anyone Else Have This? 00:00:29
    • → point: Hank says it feels to him like there is a muscle memory to language processing, and he is a strongly muscle-memory guy. (00:00:29)
  • 2025-08-29 · Hank: Hank says that as a little kid he had to focus extremely hard on understanding spoken and written language, until his brain developed the pathways and it became normal; he wonders whether everything was like poetry at first. — Does Anyone Else Have This? 00:01:27
    • → point: Hank says he practised understanding meaning in typical spoken syntax and book-style written punctuation, so when people talk differently or break up that syntax, he cannot parse it without a lot of effort. (00:00:58)
  • 2025-08-29 · Hank: Hank says graphic novels affect him similarly though less badly, making immersion more labor, and he is perplexed watching John parse poetry cleanly or Orin absorbed in a comic book. — Does Anyone Else Have This? 00:01:56
    • → point: Hank says he practised understanding meaning in typical spoken syntax and book-style written punctuation, so when people talk differently or break up that syntax, he cannot parse it without a lot of effort. (00:00:58)
  • 2025-08-29 · Hank: Hank recalls going to poetry readings when he was in a writing program and having no idea what happened. — Does Anyone Else Have This? 00:02:26
    • → point: Hank says this reminds him that we all move through subtly different worlds: two people in the same circumstance have different experiences, which is obvious but hard to remember. (00:02:26)
  • 2025-10-07 · John: John says nobody knows about his failures: two novels he has written and discarded in the eight years since he last published a novel, and his rejections. — Luck vs. Work vs. Skill vs. Privilege 00:01:56
    • → point: John says people see only the work that survives into success, a tiny fraction of his overall writing. (00:01:56)
  • 2025-10-07 · John: John makes himself write by telling himself it doesn't matter if nothing he writes today is good; over 90% of the words he types don't end up in a book. — Luck vs. Work vs. Skill vs. Privilege 00:02:26
    • → point: Asked how much of his success is luck, John answers: all of it. (00:02:26)
  • 2025-10-07 · John: John was lucky to start writing YA novels when there was lots of support for new authors and paths forged by independent booksellers, librarians and other authors. — Luck vs. Work vs. Skill vs. Privilege 00:02:26
    • → point: Asked how much of his success is luck, John answers: all of it. (00:02:26)
  • 2025-10-07 · John: John was lucky to get a job at Booklist magazine, where he met his mentor Ilene Cooper. — Luck vs. Work vs. Skill vs. Privilege 00:02:26
    • → point: Asked how much of his success is luck, John answers: all of it. (00:02:26)
  • 2025-10-07 · John: John's first two books won prizes but were not particularly successful, each selling fewer than 10,000 copies in its first year. — Luck vs. Work vs. Skill vs. Privilege 00:02:26
    • → point: Asked how much of his success is luck, John answers: all of it. (00:02:26)
  • 2025-10-07 · John: John was especially lucky with The Fault in Our Stars: Nerdfighteria and his publisher backed it, adults were reading YA, Time called it the best book of the year, and the movie did well. — Luck vs. Work vs. Skill vs. Privilege 00:03:16
    • → point: Asked how much of his success is luck, John answers: all of it. (00:02:26)
  • 2025-10-07 · John: John did work hard: he spent most nights and weekends in his 20s reading and writing, trying to get better at what he loved. — Luck vs. Work vs. Skill vs. Privilege 00:03:45
    • → point: In creative work you work as hard on failures as on successes, so success can't all be hard work: his drawer novels took as much effort as those that sold tens of millions. (00:04:14)
  • 2025-10-21 · John: John says that while reading he often feels the siren call of his phone: he wonders if there's a Wikipedia page about something, and then he's off. — Is Book Publishing Dying? An Author's Perspective 00:02:53
    • → point: John says people don't read books out of charity or obligation but because books add more value to their lives than they cost. (00:02:28)
  • 2025-10-21 · John: John recalls making a Vlogbrothers video around 2007 or 2008 arguing a movie costs $10 for two hours of entertainment while a book costs $10 for 14 hours. (hedged) — Is Book Publishing Dying? An Author's Perspective 00:03:23
    • → point: John says books used to be, in his opinion, one of the best deals in all of entertainment, and that is no longer the case. (00:03:23)
  • 2025-10-24 · Hank: Hank is working on a book and sees some chapters as scripts he will almost definitely adapt for YouTube. — What Will Books Become? 00:03:34
    • → point: Hank predicts more mini cliffhangers, and nonfiction self-contained in chapters that can be read or listened to in five to ten minutes. (00:03:04)
  • 2025-10-24 · Hank: After his first book went well, Hank pitched his publisher a monthly serialized next book sold only in bookstores, with parts needing physical places, to create an event; he was told it couldn't work. — What Will Books Become? 00:04:32
    • → point: Hank thinks that if publishing is suffering it may need to break out of the boxes it built for simplicity, efficiency and tradition. (00:05:13)
  • 2026-01-13 · John: John hopes people eventually see the novel he is working on, but even if they don't, he has gotten a lot out of it. — why we make art 00:02:26
    • → point: More importantly, John says that view misses that there is pleasure and meaning in making art regardless of whether anyone experiences it: making art is fun, and that is part of why we do it. (00:01:56)
  • 2026-01-13 · John: John thinks he has made three videos about Cheyenne, Wyoming in the last ten years, about how often he has been able to get there; it took a few years to get back. (hedged) — why we make art 00:03:53
    • → point: These days John thinks writing is for him, and only also, hopefully, at some point for the reader. (00:03:24)
  • 2026-01-20 · John: John reads a passage from Zombicorns' first chapter, in which the narrator 'completes' a zombified kid who attacked his puppy. — Am I ... Good? 00:01:27
    • → point: Extending last week's (week of 12 January 2026) video, John says we make art not only to delight and instruct others, as Horace said 2,000 years ago, but also to delight and instruct ourselves. (00:02:40)
  • 2026-01-20 · John: John is writing fiction again, his first novel in almost ten years, and wonders whether anything he has to say will resonate with or be useful to anyone. — Am I ... Good? 00:03:09
    • → point: Since Zombicorns' flaws didn't bother him, John wonders whether his published work might also be good, or at least better than he remembers. (00:03:09)
  • 2026-01-20 · John: Though aware he is a rare success (35 million books sold, many languages), John has always been dismissive of his qualities as a writer, to pre-empt criticism. — Am I ... Good? 00:04:08
    • → point: Since Zombicorns' flaws didn't bother him, John wonders whether his published work might also be good, or at least better than he remembers. (00:03:09)
  • 2026-02-15 · John: John recently reread Zombicorns, the zombie apocalypse novella he wrote about 15 years ago for the Project for Awesome, the first time he had ever reread his own work, and found he liked it and was proud of himself. — Project for Awesome 2026 part 5! 02:36:45
    • → point: John says the last seven years of working on his novel taught him that writing, like art, is done for others but also for one's own clarity and fulfillment: it need not be read to be fulfilling. He used to think it was only for other people. (02:37:14)
  • 2026-02-15 · John: John says he has spent the last few months in "Cheyenne, Wyoming", his metaphor for working very hard on writing, and it has been incredibly fulfilling, whatever comes of it. — Project for Awesome 2026 part 5! 02:36:45
    • → point: John says the last seven years of working on his novel taught him that writing, like art, is done for others but also for one's own clarity and fulfillment: it need not be read to be fulfilling. He used to think it was only for other people. (02:37:14)
  • 2026-03-31 · John: Many times over the years John thought he could never publish the book, partly for personal reasons; now it is ready and he is very excited to share it. — I've Been Keeping a Secret… 00:00:58
    • → point: Trading one's frailties for public attention used to concern mainly movie stars; now everyone on the social internet trades experiences, traumas and personal lives, part of what the book is about. (00:01:27)
  • 2026-06-16 · John: Covers can take a long time, but this was basically the first design John saw, and he chose it at once. — My First Novel in Nine Years Has a Cover 00:02:26
    • → point: For the author, John says, a cover is the first work of art made in response to his work, the coolest thing that can happen to an author. (00:02:26)
  • 2026-07-07 · John: In 1992, after a hard high-school year, a friend recommended The Mysteries of Pittsburgh to John; it lit him up, his first book with a queer character, its people glimpses of his deepest self. — On the Death of the Author 00:00:29
    • → point: John says all he knew about that book's author was the About the Author page at the end of the book. (00:00:58)
  • 2026-07-07 · John: John began making YouTube videos only after becoming an author, partly to demystify authors as regular people rather than writers in ivory towers. — On the Death of the Author 00:01:27
    • → point: John says this meant an author couldn't make a book better by being a great person, or worse by being a terrible one. (00:01:27)
  • 2026-07-07 · John: John says The Death of the Author was probably the most important essay he read in college. (hedged) — On the Death of the Author 00:03:26
    • → point: John summarizes Barthes: the reader's job is not to understand the author's intention or biography but to bring their deepest self, creating a multi-dimensional space that belongs to every reader, not the 'mere scripter'. (00:02:57)
  • 2026-07-07 · John: In The Fault in Our Stars John invented Peter Van Houten, an author who meets a dying young reader, knowing readers knew the book was partly inspired by his meeting Esther Earl. — On the Death of the Author 00:04:25
    • → point: John says there is a lot of him in his videos and in his fiction; he cannot ask readers to separate the two when he doesn't know how to separate them himself. (00:04:52)
  • 2026-07-07 · John: In Turtles All the Way Down John tried to accept the problem and talked about his own OCD alongside the character's, which made him feel squeamish. — On the Death of the Author 00:04:25
    • → point: John says there is a lot of him in his videos and in his fiction; he cannot ask readers to separate the two when he doesn't know how to separate them himself. (00:04:52)
  • 2026-07-07 · John: John then tried writing nonfiction as himself, but missed writing fiction; he remains extremely flummoxed by the author problem. — On the Death of the Author 00:04:52
    • → point: John says there is a lot of him in his videos and in his fiction; he cannot ask readers to separate the two when he doesn't know how to separate them himself. (00:04:52)
  • 2026-07-07 · John: While writing Hollywood, Ending, John thought a lot about art, why we make it and what it means to commodify it. — On the Death of the Author 00:06:20
    • → point: Citing his friend Kaveh Akbar's line that art is where what we survive survives, John says he tried to write about what we survive and how art records our survival. (00:06:20)
  • 2026-09-15 · John: John says that over the last eight years he really tried to bring his deepest self to Hollywood, Ending, and is grateful to readers about to do the same. — YouTube Says This Video Has 683,183 Views, It Actually Has 312,584 00:04:52
    • → point: John says books are a co-creation of text and reader: writer and reader both bring their deepest selves, so the same book read at different times is different; the text doesn't change, you do. (00:04:22)
  • 2026-09-22 · John: Before writing novels John reviewed hundreds of books over six years at the American Library Association, trying to introduce and recommend them without spoiling the reading. — I Want You to Know Nothing About This 00:01:02
    • → point: John says the conversations around art matter more than the art, which hardly matters in a vacuum: it needs a reader or viewer to become real. (00:01:02)
  • 2026-09-22 · John: John recalls that when The Fault in Our Stars came out 14 years ago, a few hundred people got it a month early, and he was devastated, expecting the plot to leak online. — I Want You to Know Nothing About This 00:03:14
    • → point: John says there is no such thing as reading a book cold: readers are affected by the cover and by what they have heard, and even what they haven't. (00:02:44)
  • 2026-09-25 · Hank: A 1930s New Yorker piece on a Gertrude Stein signing described fans writing their names on slips, since people facing an author get timid. — Who Has Signed Their Name the Most Times? 00:07:18
    • → point: Hank is confident all the authors who have signed the most books ever are alive today, since mass signing is relatively new, and John is among them. (00:07:47)
  • 2026-10-08 · John: John calls time with readers among the most magical experiences of his life: on this incredible tour he has seen over 20,000 people, about 17,000 nerdfighters and 3,000 other readers. — The Test of a First Rate Intelligence 00:02:27
    • → point: John wants to lie in bed in Pizzamas loungewear for two days but also wants to perform tonight in Tucson: wanting competing things is a hallmark of human experience. (00:01:28)

Personal life

  • 2007-01-04 · John: As an example, John says he did not recycle until he watched An Inconvenient Truth and is still somewhat iffy on it. (hedged) — Brotherhood 2.0: Eating Toilet Paper 00:00:00
    • → point: Continuing Hank's list of differences, John says Hank is excellent at living in line with his values while John is not. (00:00:00)
  • 2007-04-19 · Hank: Hank talks with the man who runs the local bookstore about John's book, which he likes and keeps featured almost as a local author's because John's brother lives there. — April 19th: For Sale?! 00:02:29
    • → point: Very up in the air about the place and their future, Hank says where you live is extremely important and he is starting to like having roots and knowing the community. (00:02:29)
  • 2007-09-19 · Hank: The song says the luckiest day of Hank's life was the day one girl said she would be his wife. — September 19th: The Luck of my Life 00:02:17
    • → point: In the song Hank lists lucky breaks (found money, perfect parking spots, right test answers, surviving a fall) but says Katherine is the luck of his life. (00:00:29)
  • 2007-11-20 · Hank: When Hank moved to Missoula he had never seen an icicle, a snowflake or a frozen river, and found them all new and interesting. — November 20th: A White Thanksgiving 00:02:31
    • → point: Hank says he has a bizarre fondness for cold weather, surprising since he and John grew up in Florida. (00:02:31)
  • 2009-01-20 · Hank: Hank finds his songwriting is older than he thought: he wrote far more songs in high school than he realised. — Hank's Journal!!! 00:01:09
    • → point: Hank says contradiction is a big theme of the journal: he was trying to figure out God, girls, computers and biochemistry, all jumbled into angst. (00:02:04)
  • 2009-01-20 · Hank: His high-school songs range from rants against capitalism to lyrics raunchier than Eminem, which he won't share for fear of embarrassment or being flagged on YouTube. — Hank's Journal!!! 00:01:39
    • → point: Hank says contradiction is a big theme of the journal: he was trying to figure out God, girls, computers and biochemistry, all jumbled into angst. (00:02:04)
  • 2009-01-20 · Hank: Hank tells John he appears in the journal at least twice, though Hank was never in John's journal; one entry is about John and Marie, apparently discussing phenomenology or something. (hedged) — Hank's Journal!!! 00:02:52
    • → point: Hank concludes he is glad he wrote it all down, and that he pretended to know a lot about himself because he knew nothing and had to pretend to get somewhere. (00:02:52)
  • 2009-05-27 · Hank: Hank is in a hotel in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. — Open Letters 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank does the video as a series of open letters, which he defines as letters to someone or something that everyone gets to see. (00:00:00)
  • 2009-10-18 · John: John films from a room that will hopefully someday be his bathroom but is still another uninhabitable room in his house. (hedged) — The Balloon Boy Hoax 00:00:00
    • → point: John says Hank's last couple videos discussed why we think and behave as we do and how corporations sometimes incentivize us to act like jerks, and he continues that conversation. (00:00:00)
  • 2010-06-29 · Hank: Hank says he is a bit worn out on philosophical musings and in general, because planning conferences is hard. — Stabbed in the Brain: Phineas Gage 00:00:00
    • → point: Instead of thinking too much, Hank will just tell the fascinating tale of Phineas Gage. (00:00:07)
  • 2010-10-04 · John: At the party a 91-year-old woman got sick and was taken to hospital by ambulance; for maybe half an hour afterwards it was quiet. — The Terrible Burden of Destiny: Chicago and Waupaca 00:02:16
    • → point: Then the party grew louder and louder as everyone, under the terrible burden of destiny, found a way to keep laughing. (00:02:25)
  • 2010-10-11 · Hank: Hank says he walked away from the pool to film this because he didn't want his friends to hear him get sappy. — Like a Snake Swallowing an Egg: Thoughts from Florida 00:02:04
    • → point: Hank says most of the best reasons to love a place are people: he loves Florida for the people he loved there and will keep loving forever. (00:01:51)
  • 2010-12-29 · John: Recalling his younger years, John lists past road trips to the Grand Canyon, Alaska, San Francisco, and Arthur, Nebraska, home of the world's smallest courthouse. — Baby on the Road: Thoughts from Places 00:00:33
    • → point: John says he once could fit his whole life into a small sedan; now he needs a car-top carrier on his station wagon for a five-day trip. (00:00:24)
  • 2010-12-29 · John: John says he used to get distracted by roadside attractions, but this trip was all about speed: leftover barbecue for breakfast and no stop until lunch. — Baby on the Road: Thoughts from Places 00:00:45
    • → point: John says he once could fit his whole life into a small sedan; now he needs a car-top carrier on his station wagon for a five-day trip. (00:00:24)
  • 2011-03-14 · John: Watching turtles, Ransom quietly asked whether it would be sad if a child's pool were enough to imprison you. — Thoughts from Places: Los Angeles after the Earthquake 00:01:29
    • → point: Walking the Venice Canals with Ransom, John found it weird to stroll there on such a tragic day, but says all human life is lived in close proximity to tragedy. (00:01:11)
  • 2011-03-14 · John: Driving back to the hotel as the radio news got worse, John then put on a suit for a wedding reception at a home in Beverly Hills. — Thoughts from Places: Los Angeles after the Earthquake 00:01:37
    • → point: Walking the Venice Canals with Ransom, John found it weird to stroll there on such a tragic day, but says all human life is lived in close proximity to tragedy. (00:01:11)
  • 2011-05-25 · Hank: A couple of weeks ago Hank and Katherine took a mini-vacation at a hot spring in tiny Jackson, Montana, and on the drive home stopped at a big sign. — Thoughts from a Battlefield 00:00:08
    • → point: Hank opens by asking John whether he ever worries that the wonderful things in our lives are built on human suffering and misery. (00:00:01)
  • 2011-06-27 · Hank: Hank had his worst anxiety dream ever: he was piloting a commercial jet, crashed it, and had to attend the victims' funerals and talk to their families. — My Hairy Ball of Anxious Anxiety 00:00:10
    • → point: Granting that psychopaths rise in business by being smooth, ruthless and deceitful, Hank adds that, unafraid of letting others down, they take insane risks and immense responsibilities. (video description)
  • 2012-02-03 · Hank: Hank says his trouble remembering is probably partly due to all the NyQuil he has taken. (hedged) — An Awful Lot of Touring 00:01:35
    • → point: Hank wants to look back on the three weeks but can't: asked for a fun tour story he can't think of one; the tour feels like it lasted forever and took no time at all. (00:01:35)
  • 2012-02-21 · John: John says his friendship with Randy means road trips to the Grand Canyon with their friend Kathy, through Ohio snow and endless Texas, and, twelve years later, walking around Los Angeles together still taking pictures. — Life is Weird. Also beautiful. 00:02:42
    • → point: John says professional lives, with turns you can never imagine (lawyer to librarian, minister to vlogger), are important but not what life is about: human life is really about relationships and communities. (00:02:35)
  • 2012-11-23 · Hank: Hank is thankful for his supportive parents, his beautiful, intelligent and hilarious wife, his new Wii U, and his friends in Missoula and around the world. — Black Friday: An Accident of History 00:02:30
    • → point: Hank thinks it important not to scrub satisfaction and thankfulness from our minds once Thanksgiving is over, so on Black Friday he keeps being thankful. (00:02:20)
  • 2013-03-05 · John: John hopes his family time includes Hank and Katherine, but says they will have to come to him because he is not flying. (hedged) — The Gray Speckled Walls Encroach: The Perks and Liabilities of Frequent Flying 00:02:42
    • → point: John thinks a big part of being a parent is being around, so he is going to try that for a while. (00:03:17)
  • 2013-10-29 · John: Still, John woke the morning after watching Harvey feeling a little better, and has never since felt as hopeless as before. — Perspective 00:02:08
    • → point: With a million — or rather 365 million — seconds of perspective, John sees a life he is now grateful for beginning to happen; then he only knew he was a little less hopeless. (00:02:54)
  • 2013-10-29 · John: Two weeks later John went back to Booklist, and within six months handed his mentor Ilene Cooper 40 single-spaced pages of what became Looking for Alaska. — Perspective 00:02:38
    • → point: With a million — or rather 365 million — seconds of perspective, John sees a life he is now grateful for beginning to happen; then he only knew he was a little less hopeless. (00:02:54)
  • 2013-10-29 · John: It was not all rosy: John still missed his ex-girlfriend, was still really screwed up, and those 40 pages were pretty terrible. — Perspective 00:02:47
    • → point: With a million — or rather 365 million — seconds of perspective, John sees a life he is now grateful for beginning to happen; then he only knew he was a little less hopeless. (00:02:54)
  • 2014-02-25 (said on 2014-02-22, implied) · John: John says the brush was so thick that he would have given up if he didn't have to meet Chris, whom he didn't want to leave worrying. — John and Chris Meet in the Middle 00:02:00
    • → point: John says the assignment makes him think about public and private space: on one side of a fence the trees belong to someone, on the other side to everyone, which is odd. (00:01:19)
  • 2014-03-07 · Hank: Hank was on the ship for the fourth annual JoCo Cruise Crazy, a floating nerd adventure with semi-celebrity nerds including John Hodgman, Wil Wheaton, Hank himself and Jonathan Coulton. — Thoughts from a Cruise 00:01:18
    • → point: Hank says the cruise's biggest advantage was not the luxury amenities but being locked on a boat with cool people. (00:01:35)
  • 2014-03-07 · Hank: Hank says John Hodgman sat in a hot tub answering questions every day; Hank discovered new talents, met his idols and hung out with Nerdfighters, which is why everyone was there. — Thoughts from a Cruise 00:01:51
    • → point: Hank says the cruise's biggest advantage was not the luxury amenities but being locked on a boat with cool people. (00:01:35)
  • 2014-03-07 · Hank: Hank says they stopped at Caribbean islands, swam with stingrays, snorkelled, rode the longest zipline over water in the world and saw a goat on a grave in Jamaica. — Thoughts from a Cruise 00:02:03
    • → point: Hank argues the real value of the ship is giving people an ancient, simplified life: a small walkable community of the same people who share values, interests and passions. (00:02:11)
  • 2014-09-30 · John: John recalls his amazing trip to Ethiopia in the last couple of months, for which he is grateful, and then getting meningitis. — Keeping it EVEN REALER 00:00:27
    • → point: John says we are on Earth for a very brief time and have to use that time wisely. (00:00:55)
  • 2014-09-30 · John: John says that at some point in the last six months he started to have a kind of existential crisis. (hedged) — Keeping it EVEN REALER 00:00:36
    • → point: John says we are on Earth for a very brief time and have to use that time wisely. (00:00:55)
  • 2014-09-30 · John: John says he is trying to write a new book. — Keeping it EVEN REALER 00:01:29
    • → point: John says what he does know is that he likes writing books and making stuff for and with Nerdfighters. (00:01:09)
  • 2014-09-30 · John: John admits he spends time ruminating about the terrible things people say about him and his work on the internet, though he probably shouldn't. — Keeping it EVEN REALER 00:01:31
    • → point: John says what he does know is that he likes writing books and making stuff for and with Nerdfighters. (00:01:09)
  • 2015-10-13 · John: That night John kept replaying the race: doing exactly what he'd been told not to, the flames on his back, his panicked hands on the belts, the smoky relief of being pulled out. — John Green's Fiery Race Car Disaster 00:02:29
    • → point: John says there are smart risks and the proper line through life runs between extreme caution and extreme aggression, but this was not a smart risk. (00:02:43)
  • 2015-11-19 · Hank: Hank says this is his last Pizzamas video; the long couple of weeks had happy and sad times, reunion videos and charity galas. — Is Success a Bad Idea? (Pizzamas Day 9 of 10) 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank writes that basing a person's value on the unequal distribution of finite resources, whether money, control of others or the attention of others, is a bad idea, and that he does not want to be part of that system or of how people justify it. (video description)
  • 2015-11-19 · Hank: Hank is in New Hampshire visiting family, which he calls an unusual level of weird. — Is Success a Bad Idea? (Pizzamas Day 9 of 10) 00:00:09
    • → point: Hank writes that basing a person's value on the unequal distribution of finite resources, whether money, control of others or the attention of others, is a bad idea, and that he does not want to be part of that system or of how people justify it. (video description)
  • 2015-11-19 · Hank: Hank says his life has become weird, cool, wonderful and complicated over eight or nine years of Vlogbrothers; he is professionally respected and fairly well known, so one might call him a success. — Is Success a Bad Idea? (Pizzamas Day 9 of 10) 00:00:13
    • → point: Hank writes that basing a person's value on the unequal distribution of finite resources, whether money, control of others or the attention of others, is a bad idea, and that he does not want to be part of that system or of how people justify it. (video description)
  • 2016-02-16 · John: John tells Hank he is really sorry that Lemon is dying: just a dog, but a great dog. — Kindness 00:02:19
    • → point: We often imagine the world as zero-sum, but John believes kindness can change that arithmetic, citing the love Lemon's life brought to Hank and many others. (00:02:40)
  • 2016-02-16 · John: Lemon was a racing greyhound, often not the best dog life, but after retiring she came into Hank's life, and each made the other's life better. — Kindness 00:02:31
    • → point: We often imagine the world as zero-sum, but John believes kindness can change that arithmetic, citing the love Lemon's life brought to Hank and many others. (00:02:40)
  • 2016-02-19 · Hank: Lemon's life improved after adoption, having lived not abused but more as livestock than a pet, yet Hank's life must have improved more than hers. — Thanks, Lemon 00:03:13
    • → point: Valuing Lemon taught Hank that feeling valued and knowing you matter is much more about how you think of others than about how others think of you. (00:03:22)
  • 2016-02-19 · Hank: Hank calls this one of a thousand things that dumb dog taught him and is still teaching him, and thanks Lemon. (hedged) — Thanks, Lemon 00:03:38
    • → point: Valuing Lemon taught Hank that feeling valued and knowing you matter is much more about how you think of others than about how others think of you. (00:03:22)
  • 2016-07-05 · John: On vacation in Michigan, John reads, writes, spends time with family and stares at a Great Lake that looks like an ocean stretching to the horizon. — The Horizon Line 00:00:01
    • → point: Older, John realized you could chase the horizon forever and never reach it, which gave him a comfort he finds hard to describe. (00:00:25)
  • 2016-07-05 · John: Their dad grew up in Indianapolis when it was nicknamed Naptown because nothing happened there, a place for people wanting quiet lives in America's flat, unbeautiful middle. — The Horizon Line 00:01:09
    • → point: Now the horizon makes John think not of the world's edge but its edgelessness; he cites Terry Pratchett: the farther you sail, the closer to home you are. (00:00:58)
  • 2016-07-05 · John: Their dad worked hard to get out of Indianapolis; he and Mom left for good a few weeks after John was born and never looked back. — The Horizon Line 00:01:27
    • → point: Now the horizon makes John think not of the world's edge but its edgelessness; he cites Terry Pratchett: the farther you sail, the closer to home you are. (00:00:58)
  • 2016-07-05 · John: In 2007, living in New York, John called Dad to say Sarah had a job in Indianapolis; Dad said, 'You can't be serious.' — The Horizon Line 00:01:33
    • → point: Now the horizon makes John think not of the world's edge but its edgelessness; he cites Terry Pratchett: the farther you sail, the closer to home you are. (00:00:58)
  • 2016-07-05 · John: John sailed from a birthplace he never knew to Orlando, Birmingham, Chicago and New York, and ended up back where he started. — The Horizon Line 00:01:45
    • → point: Now the horizon makes John think not of the world's edge but its edgelessness; he cites Terry Pratchett: the farther you sail, the closer to home you are. (00:00:58)
  • 2016-07-15 · Hank: Hank says this is one of those videos he wrote 15 times and still isn't happy with. — On Lives and Mattering 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says the issue will never be simple, but very clear data show the criminal justice system values Black Americans differently than the average American - a problem that must be confronted. (video description)
  • 2016-07-15 · Hank: After Christina Grimmie was murdered, Hank ran away from home, camping with friends without cell service, avoiding the reality that someone who shared his passions was killed meeting fans after a show, as he had just been doing. — On Lives and Mattering 00:00:04
    • → point: Hank says the issue will never be simple, but very clear data show the criminal justice system values Black Americans differently than the average American - a problem that must be confronted. (video description)
  • 2016-07-15 · Hank: Hank says he spent that time crying and feeling the frailness of his own body as never before, understanding how easily it can all be taken away. — On Lives and Mattering 00:00:20
    • → point: Hank says the issue will never be simple, but very clear data show the criminal justice system values Black Americans differently than the average American - a problem that must be confronted. (video description)
  • 2016-08-30 · John: John says until recently he felt better than 10 or 20 years ago, largely because when younger he treated his body terribly, smoking and refusing to exercise. — My Body Is a Broken Temple 00:00:46
    • → point: John calls that view seductive but flawed, because there is no distinct line between body and mind. (00:01:38)
  • 2016-08-30 · John: John says that after he began treating his body better, quitting smoking in 2002 and running a mile in 2005, he got better at reading and writing. — My Body Is a Broken Temple 00:01:44
    • → point: John calls that view seductive but flawed, because there is no distinct line between body and mind. (00:01:38)
  • 2016-11-22 · John: John says Sarah got him tickets to see Hamilton in New York City; both are huge fans who have played the cast recording hundreds of times, and they planned galleries and old haunts. — On Not Seeing Hamilton 00:00:05
    • → point: John says layers of luck and privilege surround the misfortune: affording Broadway and travel, a loving spouse, and medical care that makes a blockage an inconvenience, not a catastrophe. (00:01:05)
  • 2016-11-22 · John: At an Indianapolis airport bar, as they debated messaging Lin-Manuel Miranda, John took a bite of a sandwich and knew they would not see Hamilton. — On Not Seeing Hamilton 00:00:24
    • → point: John says layers of luck and privilege surround the misfortune: affording Broadway and travel, a loving spouse, and medical care that makes a blockage an inconvenience, not a catastrophe. (00:01:05)
  • 2016-11-22 · John: John says he has eosinophilic esophagitis: mild-ish inflammation that occasionally lets food stick in his esophagus, so he vomits every two or three minutes for hours until a doctor clears it. — On Not Seeing Hamilton 00:00:42
    • → point: John says layers of luck and privilege surround the misfortune: affording Broadway and travel, a loving spouse, and medical care that makes a blockage an inconvenience, not a catastrophe. (00:01:05)
  • 2016-11-22 · John: They left the airport for the hospital; the Hamilton tickets found a happy home and Delta was amazingly cool about refunding the flights. — On Not Seeing Hamilton 00:01:22
    • → point: John says layers of luck and privilege surround the misfortune: affording Broadway and travel, a loving spouse, and medical care that makes a blockage an inconvenience, not a catastrophe. (00:01:05)
  • 2016-11-22 · John: A hospital worker, Carmen, wheeled John to endoscopy, asked about his wife, kids and job, and concluded "you've got the basics covered"; he woke thinking the same. — On Not Seeing Hamilton 00:01:44
    • → point: John says he has thought about that day and Carmen many times: he loves his friends and family and is loved by them; he has the basics covered. (00:02:17)
  • 2016-11-22 · John: Last Wednesday (16 November 2016) John woke at 5:10 a.m. for a spin class and found Carmen was the instructor; it was an excellent class. — On Not Seeing Hamilton 00:02:40
    • → point: John says this Thanksgiving he is grateful to Carmen: when you are kind to strangers you never know what it will mean to them, but sometimes it means a great deal. (00:02:58)
  • 2017-01-24 · John: John says he has become a person who revels in clichéd, usually misattributed quotes to motivate himself toward physical fitness. — On Motivation 00:02:26
    • → point: The past few weeks have taught John there is no hard line between body and brain: running can be good for his writing, and writing for his running. (00:02:41)
  • 2017-01-24 · John: Instead of abandoning his real work for 100 days as he expected, John is enjoying writing more than in years, has more time for it, and writes pretty much every day. — On Motivation 00:02:50
    • → point: The past few weeks have taught John there is no hard line between body and brain: running can be good for his writing, and writing for his running. (00:02:41)
  • 2017-03-31 · Hank: The description says the system stopping working mostly means Hank is behind on a lot (not the important stuff), and his email task list has become a source of significant dread. (hedged) — No Cut Confessional: Priorities 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank asks how you decide what to do at any given moment, a big, important question we maybe don't ask ourselves enough. (00:00:18)
  • 2017-03-31 · Hank: Hank says the election made him think many things need protecting and that he might not be doing a good job of making the world better in the best ways he can. (hedged) — No Cut Confessional: Priorities 00:02:42
    • → point: Hank concludes his old systems no longer fit his life, which is okay: he must build new ones, difficult and sometimes painful, but he is figuring it out and it is 100% worth it. (00:03:45)
  • 2017-03-31 · Hank: Hank says there is now a baby: for the rest of his life his child will be his prime obligation, which is new for him. — No Cut Confessional: Priorities 00:03:13
    • → point: Hank concludes his old systems no longer fit his life, which is okay: he must build new ones, difficult and sometimes painful, but he is figuring it out and it is 100% worth it. (00:03:45)
  • 2017-05-19 · Hank: Hank says he was never really opposed to or enthusiastic about having a kid. — Should I Have a Baby? 00:00:45
    • → point: Hank says that after six months of parenthood his pros and cons list turned out to be wrong. (00:00:50)
  • 2017-11-06 · Hank: Hank is glad to have shared the intense tour with John and many others, made people happy and thought out loud about being a person, but very happy to be home. — Banana Milk and Almond Orchards 00:03:38
    • → point: Hank says human brains are remarkably flexible: after big shifts like college, summer camp, moving or touring, his brain quickly accepts that the new life is his life now. (00:03:09)
  • 2017-11-09 · John: Not knowing what John was going through, the senders couldn't know he would dissolve into tears of gratitude when thousands of tuatara coins arrived from Megan. — The New Zealand Five Cent Coin 00:02:19
    • → point: John says that just as cruelty and mistrust can spread, so can kindness. (00:02:43)
  • 2017-11-09 · John: They gave many coins out on tour; John will try to give the rest over his life to those who need a physical reminder of how kind people can be. (hedged) — The New Zealand Five Cent Coin 00:02:36
    • → point: John says that just as cruelty and mistrust can spread, so can kindness. (00:02:43)
  • 2018-03-09 · Hank: Hank quote-tweeted it: his older brother thought it was a good idea to make video blogs, which Hank stresses is not an exaggeration. — John's Best Gift to Me 00:00:28
    • → point: Hank says something about the older-sibling relationship creates absolute confidence in the older child's taste-making, a remarkable responsibility he doesn't expect children to live up to. (00:00:38)
  • 2018-03-30 · Hank: Hank was in Amsterdam last week (week of 19 March 2018) and, as always away from home, noticed small differences: bikes, trains and trams, while in his town almost everybody drives. — The Stories We Tell Ourselves: Thoughts from Amsterdam 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says Amsterdam's transport is partly circumstance (dense, old narrow roads, flat, no Montana snow) but also choice: individuals establishing and following norms. (00:00:10)
  • 2018-05-22 · John: John dreamt that two ligers, the offspring of a male lion and a female tiger, were walking through his backyard. — The Liger Delusion 00:00:00
    • → point: John says the problem was that his investigation began with the conclusion that there were ligers and worked back to the story, instead of considering they were deer or that he was dreaming. (00:00:48)
  • 2018-09-14 · Hank: When Hank has changed how he imagines the world, his shape of success changed too; those moments were sometimes hard but always good. (hedged) — Our Rivalry 00:01:01
    • → point: Hank says we forget that success is a different shape for different people, who each imagine it differently, and that it also changes shape. (00:01:01)
  • 2018-09-14 · Hank: The Wall Street Journal reporter also asked whether John was planning projects to promote the book; Hank guessed probably. — Our Rivalry 00:02:23
    • → point: Like any shape, success only shows its size in relation to something: we compare it with our own past, and with other people's success, or our idea of it. (00:01:31)
  • 2019-01-25 · Hank: Hank recalls spending his first 22 years in Florida, where winter is the best season because you can move around without sweating. — A Floridian's Guide to Living Someplace Very Very Cold 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank, having moved from a warm climate to loving cold weather, offers the actual secrets of living somewhere cold. (00:00:41)
  • 2019-01-25 · Hank: Hank says that in 2003 he moved to Missoula, Montana, which was a shift. — A Floridian's Guide to Living Someplace Very Very Cold 00:00:10
    • → point: Hank, having moved from a warm climate to loving cold weather, offers the actual secrets of living somewhere cold. (00:00:41)
  • 2019-03-22 · Hank: With his IV in at the endoscopy clinic, Hank says he is a little nervous, as expected, and everyone is very nice. — How to Get a Colonoscopy 00:06:17
    • → point: Editing on the Friday of his colonoscopy, Hank says the video is at least educational and hopefully leads more people to screen for colon cancer, which is why it runs over four minutes. (00:06:55)
  • 2019-07-05 · Hank: VidCon is next week (week of 8 July 2019), so Hank is stressed and can't concentrate; being older, he knows the remedy: very weird animals. — You Need to Know About This Ridiculous Fish 00:00:00
    • → point: The description argues that silly-looking or not, evolution means things don't survive unless they are good at something. (video description)
  • 2019-07-05 · Hank: The description says Hank recently saw an ocean sunfish up close at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and fell in love. — You Need to Know About This Ridiculous Fish 00:00:00
    • → point: The description argues that silly-looking or not, evolution means things don't survive unless they are good at something. (video description)
  • 2020-02-11 · John: John's three years were not without challenge: bouts of vertigo, at times extremely destabilizing, make exercise hard, and he has had small injuries and aches, from age and from activity. — 1,100 Days: A Mental and Physical Health Update 00:02:55
    • → point: John values exercise because it is engrossing, 'a terrible word for a wonderful experience': it takes, uses and benefits all of him. (00:03:24)
  • 2020-02-11 · John: John doesn't love exercise: even after 1,100 days he doesn't know what a runner's high is or eagerly anticipate training. — 1,100 Days: A Mental and Physical Health Update 00:02:55
    • → point: John values exercise because it is engrossing, 'a terrible word for a wonderful experience': it takes, uses and benefits all of him. (00:03:24)
  • 2020-02-11 · John: John is going to run now, on the treadmill, because it is very cold and he wants to watch AFC Wimbledon. — 1,100 Days: A Mental and Physical Health Update 00:03:24
    • → point: John values exercise because it is engrossing, 'a terrible word for a wonderful experience': it takes, uses and benefits all of him. (00:03:24)
  • 2020-04-07 · John: For a year before they dated, John and Sarah wrote hundreds of pages of emails about art, books, movies and their days; the book Sarah made of those emails is the most important in their library. — I am an artist. 00:00:33
    • → point: John says art-making is neither optional for humans nor reserved for certain people: we made art in every crisis and deprivation, painted walls before building them, and made art before farming. (00:01:20)
  • 2020-04-07 · John: While revising the novel that became Looking for Alaska, John told Sarah he was trying to be a writer; she replied that he was writing, so he was a writer. — I am an artist. 00:01:05
    • → point: John says art-making is neither optional for humans nor reserved for certain people: we made art in every crisis and deprivation, painted walls before building them, and made art before farming. (00:01:20)
  • 2020-04-21 · John: John says he had to find the toy for Hank's 40th, but few exist and their owners really don't want to part with them. — hey now 00:01:56
    • → point: John says All Star and the internet's responses are the ultimate marriage of the sublime and the ridiculous, and much of their brotherhood has been about sharing places where silliness meets wonder. (00:01:56)
  • 2020-05-08 · Hank: Hank says he had a wonderful 40th birthday in isolation with his family, and thanks John and the community for being the online community he has long practice finding. — The years start coming and they don't stop coming! 00:00:29
    • → point: The description says the birthday drove home that the things Hank feels best about are the times he gave his time, skill and money to other people. (video description)
  • 2020-05-08 · Hank: Orin made Hank a rock sculpture of a ladybug on a leaf and a card with a spiral, which Hank thinks John would appreciate. — The years start coming and they don't stop coming! 00:03:26
    • → point: Hank thanks John for doing things for him and everyone for doing things for each other: that is the real stuff. (00:03:26)
  • 2020-08-03 · John: About ten years before the first Esther Day, the picture was taken on a trip to the Grand Canyon, when they were young and full of hope and strong opinions. — you're bundled up now? wait till you get older. 00:01:41
    • → point: John says his twenty-year-old self could not know his current joys or sorrows; old pictures remind him that he too cannot see the bad times or the light-soaked joy ahead. (00:01:50)
  • 2020-08-03 · John: John tells Hank he didn't know him well back then: he left for boarding school when Hank was 11 and didn't keep close to him. — you're bundled up now? wait till you get older. 00:02:20
    • → point: For John, seeing old pictures is a reminder that now feels permanent but isn't, and that mere despair never tells the whole story. (00:02:10)
  • 2020-10-30 · Hank: Four years ago today Hank was in the hospital, tired, a little anxious and very happy to have a healthy baby boy and a healthy wife who was now a mom. — Four Years Ago 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank's lesson: the things he worries about most when they are new and he has the least data are often the least worth worrying about. (00:00:58)
  • 2020-10-30 · Hank: That day Hank watched many YouTube videos on how to swaddle a newborn and googled the etymology of 'swaddle'. — Four Years Ago 00:00:29
    • → point: Hank's lesson: the things he worries about most when they are new and he has the least data are often the least worth worrying about. (00:00:58)
  • 2020-10-30 · Hank: Orin was around the 90th percentile in weight but 50th in head circumference, which worried Hank into much googling; within three days his head, squished by birth, was normal. — Four Years Ago 00:00:29
    • → point: Hank's lesson: the things he worries about most when they are new and he has the least data are often the least worth worrying about. (00:00:58)
  • 2021-05-07 · Hank: Hank searched Twitter for four words (Hank, John, Green and same) and found that a lot of people think he and John are the same person. — Are We The Same Person? 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank argues that being confused for one person isn't all bad, and that they might actually be a little bit the same person. (00:00:00)
  • 2021-05-18 · John: This book finally has a main character with a sibling: Hank is at its beginning, middle and end, telling John what he needs to hear with wit, empathy and love, as in real life. — Saying What I've Needed to Say to Hank for a While 00:03:28
    • → point: John tells Hank the book started with him: in sprawling conversations about our human moment and belly laughs on a tour bus during a cross-country road trip; so much of John's work and life starts with Hank. (00:02:50)
  • 2021-09-21 · John: Because he wants his hair to look less and people are counting on him at his meetings, John will get the haircut and attend them: that is his day, and so much of his life. — how we spend our days 00:01:27
    • → point: Most people have at least some choice: John need not get a haircut today and could instead drive to the World's Largest Ball of Paint or call an elementary-school friend. (00:01:27)
  • 2021-10-06 · John: John says his wife told him Betsy's workplace makes the best bread in Indiana, so he has to buy some. — Searching for Betsy in Brazil 00:02:58
    • → point: John had a much better day than planned: Betsy and her family reminded him people can be warm and generous, and the fountain that such kindness can span vast time and distance. (00:02:58)
  • 2021-12-21 · John: John says Hank has so many ideas that a website tracks days since he started a thing, and in a recent video John said Hank has an idea every 20 minutes and John's job is to say when they are bad. — NOW I AM THE SCIENCE ONE… 00:01:27
    • → point: John concludes that much of what he considers himself is not inevitable: people can change and keep changing, and the way things are, for us and the world, is not how they must be. (00:01:56)
  • 2021-12-21 · John: A longtime nerdfighter commented that 13 years ago John said the reverse: he had a crazy idea every 45 minutes and counted on Hank to call it terrible. — NOW I AM THE SCIENCE ONE… 00:01:27
    • → point: John concludes that much of what he considers himself is not inevitable: people can change and keep changing, and the way things are, for us and the world, is not how they must be. (00:01:56)
  • 2022-01-07 · Hank: Hank's day began with making Orin a bagel and shoveling the walk before Katherine took over the shoveling. — For Our 2000th Video: Just a Normal Snowy Day 00:00:27
    • → point: Vlogbrothers videos often reach an important point at the end, but often they don't: sometimes life is just about life, doing what you wanted or needed to do that day. (00:02:26)
  • 2022-01-07 · Hank: Hank and Orin play an hour of Junkyard Joust, Orin's favourite pastime: Hot Wheels race down a track and are eliminated if they land on their back or side, under Orin's very specific rules. — For Our 2000th Video: Just a Normal Snowy Day 00:00:27
    • → point: Vlogbrothers videos often reach an important point at the end, but often they don't: sometimes life is just about life, doing what you wanted or needed to do that day. (00:02:26)
  • 2022-01-25 · John: In retrospect, John says, the Parisian dentist was the first sign of a psychological storm that would eventually derail his life for a while; the fancy dentist did not save him from it. — My Least Relatable Story: The Parisian Dentist 00:02:55
    • → point: John says the story's moral is having a need capably met by a compassionate expert, which should not be an unrelatable story at all. (00:02:55)
  • 2022-02-01 · John: Several months ago John started a new medication for his OCD that has been very effective: he no longer loses hours to obsessive worry or compulsions or feels gripped by dread. — This Video Is Actually Three Videos 00:02:34
    • → point: John concludes that a cost does not negate a benefit: pennies are simple, life is complicated, and treating life like pennies doesn't work, for him personally and, he thinks, for society. (00:03:38)
  • 2022-02-01 · John: A downside: John, a lifelong crier for whom crying is part of who he is, has completely lost the ability to cry in recent months, which he dislikes because he values the full range of emotions. — This Video Is Actually Three Videos 00:03:09
    • → point: John concludes that a cost does not negate a benefit: pennies are simple, life is complicated, and treating life like pennies doesn't work, for him personally and, he thinks, for society. (00:03:38)
  • 2022-04-22 · Hank: Hank has made videos in his office for about eight years without ever showing anyone around, so he gives a tour today. — My Life is on My Walls 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says he is hyperactively focused on whatever current problem he is solving and rarely looks back, so he puts things on his walls that remind him of past moments he liked. (00:00:00)
  • 2022-04-22 · Hank: Hank shows a piece of art Emily Graslie made for him when she left Missoula. — My Life is on My Walls 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says he is hyperactively focused on whatever current problem he is solving and rarely looks back, so he puts things on his walls that remind him of past moments he liked. (00:00:00)
  • 2022-08-03 · Hank: Hank wishes John a happy Esther Day, tells him he loves him, and says that saying it is getting easier, and he has ideas why. — Why is it So Hard to Say 'I Love You'? 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says the simplest answer is that saying 'I love you' leaves you very vulnerable: it is like telling someone they have the power to hurt you very much. (00:00:29)
  • 2022-08-03 · Hank: Hank says brothers can have competitive, even antagonistic relationships, as he and John once did; their relationship has long not been zero-sum, but that history is in its foundation. — Why is it So Hard to Say 'I Love You'? 00:00:29
    • → point: Hank says the simplest answer is that saying 'I love you' leaves you very vulnerable: it is like telling someone they have the power to hurt you very much. (00:00:29)
  • 2023-03-24 · Hank: Hank is sorry to hear about John's back, hopes he feels better, and did a lot of research on herniated discs, since that's kind of his thing. — The Two Reasons Why Humans Have Such Bad Backs 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says the reason humans so often have bad backs may stretch all the way back to the advent of bipedalism. (00:00:00)
  • 2023-04-18 · John: Bill taught John to love mystery novels and old movies, and precision in writing: the second best word simply won't suffice. — goodbye to my friend 00:02:32
    • → point: John's biggest lesson from Bill: he loved his work, but the love of his life was people: his wife Ilene, his daughter and his grandson. (00:02:41)
  • 2023-04-18 · John: John is grateful for Bill's love, hopes Bill knew how much he admired him, and says he will desperately miss him. — goodbye to my friend 00:03:38
    • → point: John says the heartbreak and hope of human life is that everything goes except the love we pour into others and into the world. (00:03:38)
  • 2023-05-23 · John: John has seen illness and humor coexist many times: as a chaplain, as a child, and during his own serious health problems. — Rough Week 00:01:08
    • → point: John says serious illness is awful and terrifying and not usually funny, but it sometimes is when the laughs come from love and understanding. (00:01:17)
  • 2023-05-23 · John: John says their dad had cancer twice when the brothers were little. — Rough Week 00:01:08
    • → point: John says serious illness is awful and terrifying and not usually funny, but it sometimes is when the laughs come from love and understanding. (00:01:17)
  • 2023-05-23 · John: When John was hospitalized with meningitis, his best friend Chris greeted him by saying he thought John had already had all the itises; hilarious from Chris, less so from a doctor. — Rough Week 00:01:50
    • → point: John does not understand how grief, fear and uncertainty live alongside humor, but knows they must, because life in all its complexity and paradox is still life. (00:02:00)
  • 2023-06-27 · Hank: Hank says he is feeling okay right now but expects to feel worse in about four days. — Alone on the Cancer Boat: A Vlogbrothers Reunion 00:00:46
    • → point: Hank likens chemo to being seasick on a boat you don't want to be on, with nobody else aboard: you are alone on the boat. (00:01:36)
  • 2023-06-27 · John: John says he can count on two hands the times he has seen Hank take a nap, and many of them were when Hank was very seasick on a boat. — Alone on the Cancer Boat: A Vlogbrothers Reunion 00:01:36
    • → point: John says that although Hank is tolerating treatment brilliantly, without the 'but': this sucks, and Hank gets really sick. (00:01:36)
  • 2023-06-27 · John: Their dad is outside trying to save a tree that doesn't look well, but it is alive and worth his efforts. — Alone on the Cancer Boat: A Vlogbrothers Reunion 00:02:54
    • → point: John says that although Hank is tolerating treatment brilliantly, without the 'but': this sucks, and Hank gets really sick. (00:01:36)
  • 2023-08-03 · John: John tells Hank he doesn't just love him but deeply admires him; few gifts in his life stack up with the one he received on May 5th, 1980. — I love you, Hank. Happy Esther Day. 00:01:59
    • → point: John says this Esther Day hits different: Hank's cancer diagnosis reminded them life is fragile and that they are fortunate in the people they share life with. (00:01:27)
  • 2023-08-03 · John: John says their dad had cancer twice when they were little, which had a huge impact on his life and theirs. — I love you, Hank. Happy Esther Day. 00:01:59
    • → point: John says this Esther Day hits different: Hank's cancer diagnosis reminded them life is fragile and that they are fortunate in the people they share life with. (00:01:27)
  • 2023-08-25 · Hank: Hank says treatment was the hardest thing he has ever done, though not that hard compared to what many people go through. — Remission 00:04:30
    • → point: Hank says he most definitely did not roll a one, but cancer is not a binary saving throw: it is a process in which he rolls again every day for life without seeing the result. (00:03:45)
  • 2023-09-05 · John: John praises Hank's new beard: Hank looks different because he is different, moving through a profound, difficult experience and looking good; he might go full Tom Selleck. — I Ain't Even Here, Sergeant. I'm in Cheyenne, Wyoming. 00:03:38
    • → point: John concludes that Cheyenne, Wyoming is a metaphor, not a real place: go there whenever you can, but don't stay forever. (00:03:31)
  • 2023-10-17 · John: John has written several novels but has not published a new novel in six years and counting; he is still writing. — My Next Book 00:00:00
    • → point: John feels he worked himself into the misery of labyrinthitis for money and fame he didn't need and that wouldn't make his life better, so he decided to retire. (00:00:58)
  • 2023-10-17 · John: In November 2017, just after publishing Turtles All the Way Down and a grueling tour, John's balance failed at home; he was hospitalized and diagnosed with labyrinthitis. — My Next Book 00:00:00
    • → point: John feels he worked himself into the misery of labyrinthitis for money and fame he didn't need and that wouldn't make his life better, so he decided to retire. (00:00:58)
  • 2023-10-17 · John: John says that, technically, he has been retired since November 2017: lying ill in bed for weeks, unable to read or look at a screen, he decided to retire. — My Next Book 00:00:00
    • → point: John feels he worked himself into the misery of labyrinthitis for money and fame he didn't need and that wouldn't make his life better, so he decided to retire. (00:00:58)
  • 2023-10-17 · John: John says he had been absurdly fortunate, having sold over 30 million books with plenty of money and views, yet kept chasing more, like Smaug, 'demented with the mania of owning things' as Walt Whitman put it. — My Next Book 00:00:58
    • → point: John feels he worked himself into the misery of labyrinthitis for money and fame he didn't need and that wouldn't make his life better, so he decided to retire. (00:00:58)
  • 2023-11-21 · John: John says he has had a rough couple of months: his OCD and anxiety have been very high and he has had a lengthy bout of depression. — Minus Its Charms 00:00:05
    • → point: John says that even when he cannot feel it, he understands intellectually that this is temporary and does not tell the full story of being a person in the world. (00:01:05)
  • 2023-11-21 · John: John says the depression started about nine weeks ago amid that good news, yet when it came he felt nothing but dread, a terrible indescribable fear. — Minus Its Charms 00:00:28
    • → point: John says that even when he cannot feel it, he understands intellectually that this is temporary and does not tell the full story of being a person in the world. (00:01:05)
  • 2023-11-21 · John: John says in his 20s a naive part of him thought reaching middle age would put all this behind him, and that has not turned out to be the case. — Minus Its Charms 00:00:57
    • → point: John says that even when he cannot feel it, he understands intellectually that this is temporary and does not tell the full story of being a person in the world. (00:01:05)
  • 2023-11-21 · John: John thinks he may be starting to get better: the last week has been a little better, which is why he can make a video at all, though there have been many false dawns. (hedged) — Minus Its Charms 00:01:27
    • → point: John says that even when he cannot feel it, he understands intellectually that this is temporary and does not tell the full story of being a person in the world. (00:01:05)
  • 2024-01-09 · John: In college John drove across the country with friends Ransom and Kathy to the Grand Canyon; watching the sunrise there, at 20 and after 1,800 miles, he was underwhelmed. — Views 00:01:37
    • → point: John notes this is how Rudolf Otto described the sacred, the mysterium tremendum; a great view is supposed to evoke that tremendous mystery, but it never quite worked for him. (00:01:27)
  • 2024-03-15 · Hank: Hank says it has been more than four months since his last scan declared him in remission from Hodgkin lymphoma; that beats the alternative, but some things about it he doesn't like. — The Worst Things About Not Having Cancer 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says the transition out of cancer treatment is not discussed as much as it should be, and grows more relevant as treatments get more powerful. (00:00:29)
  • 2024-03-15 · Hank: Hank says his friend Grace, who has also been going through cancer treatment, just uploaded a video about this. — The Worst Things About Not Having Cancer 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says the transition out of cancer treatment is not discussed as much as it should be, and grows more relevant as treatments get more powerful. (00:00:29)
  • 2024-03-15 · Hank: The description says Hank feels weird about this video, happy but nervous: having googled 'probably isn't cancer' and then it was, every weird blood test or abdominal pain now carries that shadow. — The Worst Things About Not Having Cancer 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says the transition out of cancer treatment is not discussed as much as it should be, and grows more relevant as treatments get more powerful. (00:00:29)
  • 2024-04-26 · Hank: Hank says rereading his tweets from this time last year (2023) helps: some hinted at illness, but he also tweeted about hockey, Pluto and rereading the Mars trilogy, his first loved novel; he was still himself. — One Year Out. 00:01:58
    • → point: Hank says that as the anniversaries arrive, many things will remind him of the last year; that is scary and makes him wonder how he would deal with a relapse, online and in his body. (00:01:13)
  • 2024-04-30 · John: Flying to New York for press for the movie, which comes out Thursday, John says he is quite tired, physically and existentially, and a bit unwell. — Not Doing That Great 00:00:29
    • → point: John wants to be clear that people living with serious mental illness can also have full, wonderful lives. (00:00:58)
  • 2024-04-30 · John: John says it is really hard for him to talk so much about his mental health and living with OCD and depression. — Not Doing That Great 00:00:58
    • → point: John wants to be clear that people living with serious mental illness can also have full, wonderful lives. (00:00:58)
  • 2024-04-30 · John: John says he also feels quite exposed, as if all his nerve endings were on the outside of his body; he is extremely thin-skinned at the moment. — Not Doing That Great 00:01:27
    • → point: John wants to be clear that people living with serious mental illness can also have full, wonderful lives. (00:00:58)
  • 2024-04-30 · John: John will be home in Indianapolis in 72 hours, back to being a middle-aged dad and nerdfighter; for now he does the press because he wants people beyond nerdfighters to see the movie. — Not Doing That Great 00:02:26
    • → point: John says that although our whole social order worships fame, there is a reason so many people don't survive celebrity. (00:02:26)
  • 2024-04-30 · John: Talking to a reporter about living with intrusive thoughts while having to talk about them, John burst into tears when the reporter said it must be difficult and they were sorry. — Not Doing That Great 00:02:55
    • → point: John says if there is a villain it is a larger system that dehumanizes both of them to commodify art, though he willingly takes part in and greatly benefits from it. (00:03:24)
  • 2024-05-28 · John: John says his little brother getting cancer made him consider his life and work in an appropriately finite context. — A Midlife Crisis 00:00:29
    • → point: John says that for the last year or so, being statistically more than halfway home, he has had not a smidge of a midlife crisis but a smidge of an early-late life crisis. (00:00:29)
  • 2024-05-28 · John: John says his kids and his body are getting older and he has reached a strange inflection point in his life with big choices to make. — A Midlife Crisis 00:00:29
    • → point: John says that for the last year or so, being statistically more than halfway home, he has had not a smidge of a midlife crisis but a smidge of an early-late life crisis. (00:00:29)
  • 2024-06-14 · Hank: Hank says he is coming out of a few weeks of brain fog, fatigue and discomfort, maybe post-chemo, maybe normal depression; in survivorship you don't know what your body is telling you. (hedged) — Some Reasons why People Suck 00:07:24
    • → point: Hank wants to think about the billions before him who built an imperfect but better world, all of whom made mistakes, laughed and grieved, and that things only got better when people believed they could. (00:07:46)
  • 2024-08-03 · John: John used the month to reflect on what he wants from life, why his actual living has been so misaligned with it, and what long-term changes he needs to be happy and functional. (hedged) — I Love Hank. (Also I'm back.) 00:01:27
    • → point: The most important thing John learned this month (August 2024), and must hold on to: he deserves to be happy and functional, and so do viewers. (00:01:40)
  • 2024-08-06 · John: John says he had a low-to-mid-level nervous breakdown and took a break from the internet; now back-ish and feeling better-ish, he describes what helped through this serious depression. — What Helped Through Depression 00:00:00
    • → point: The second thing that helped was his communities; John gets unusual, unreplicable support from Nerdfighteria, for which he is very grateful. (00:00:29)
  • 2024-08-06 · John: For the first week or two John got a lot of counseling and sought a path forward, spending the rest of his days on something engrossing but undemanding: making pottery. — What Helped Through Depression 00:00:00
    • → point: The second thing that helped was his communities; John gets unusual, unreplicable support from Nerdfighteria, for which he is very grateful. (00:00:29)
  • 2024-08-06 · John: John promised the secret keepers as Project for Awesome perks about 18 months ago and never finished them; now he has, which is a relief. — What Helped Through Depression 00:00:29
    • → point: The second thing that helped was his communities; John gets unusual, unreplicable support from Nerdfighteria, for which he is very grateful. (00:00:29)
  • 2024-08-06 · John: Exercise and gardening also helped John. — What Helped Through Depression 00:00:29
    • → point: The second thing that helped was his communities; John gets unusual, unreplicable support from Nerdfighteria, for which he is very grateful. (00:00:29)
  • 2024-08-06 · John: What probably helped most was meeting his therapist and psychiatrist. (hedged) — What Helped Through Depression 00:02:26
    • → point: Asked his core belief about humans, John says we are here to love and be loved, and that is the one thing we all deserve. (00:02:26)
  • 2024-08-06 · John: John really did believe he was worthless, which he thinks he said in his last video. — What Helped Through Depression 00:03:14
    • → point: John is working hard to embrace his belief that every human being, including him, deserves love and compassion and a generous, empathetic welcome into the human fold. (00:03:43)
  • 2024-08-13 · John: After the man left warmly, John immediately called his father to say he thought he had just met a spy and told him the whole story. — The Time a Spy Visited Me Because of P*tin. 00:03:45
    • → point: John adopts his dad's conclusion as one of his central ambitions for the rest of his life: to be neither an asset nor a threat. (00:04:08)
  • 2024-09-06 · Hank: Hank has worked in unhealthy, unsustainable and unenjoyable ways, but has never felt he was thriving with no stress in his life. — I feel like I can't talk about this… 00:00:29
    • → point: Hank says stress sometimes feels like a hurricane that could uproot him, other times like a breeze that stretches him and brings fresh air. (00:00:29)
  • 2024-09-17 · John: While recovering, John went fishing: largely a randomized reward of mostly sitting, until catching and releasing a fish into the White River made him want to cast again. — My Consciousness. Their Capital. 00:00:58
    • → point: John says the surprise of his month away from algorithms was that the actual world is also in the business of deciding how and when you feel. (00:00:58)
  • 2024-09-17 · John: On a walk in the woods during his break, John felt sad but calm, having worked on spending time in nature, breathing outside air and noticing sensations. — My Consciousness. Their Capital. 00:01:27
    • → point: John says the surprise of his month away from algorithms was that the actual world is also in the business of deciding how and when you feel. (00:00:58)
  • 2024-09-17 · John: On that walk a coyote came out of the woods and stood in John's path staring at him, and he felt a surge of panic. — My Consciousness. Their Capital. 00:01:56
    • → point: John says the surprise of his month away from algorithms was that the actual world is also in the business of deciding how and when you feel. (00:00:58)
  • 2024-10-02 · Hank: On one of the weirdest days of his life, in New York in 2008, just after his first Nerdfighter gathering and wearing a fan-made Nerdfighteria shirt under his suit, Hank made a deal to sell EcoGeek to Scientific American for money and a job. — What I learned from the weirdest day of my life 00:00:29
    • → point: Hank asks what makes something look like a summit: social status, money, heroes' stories, family expectations, freedom from worry, or broader abilities and opportunities. (00:01:27)
  • 2024-10-02 · Hank: The same day, on crowded Madison Avenue, Hank ran into his high school ex-girlfriend from Orlando. — What I learned from the weirdest day of my life 00:00:58
    • → point: Hank asks what makes something look like a summit: social status, money, heroes' stories, family expectations, freedom from worry, or broader abilities and opportunities. (00:01:27)
  • 2024-10-02 · Hank: When Lehman Brothers collapsed and the economy crashed in September 2008, Scientific American's owner paused all deals indefinitely; Hank jokes that the deal is still on pause. — What I learned from the weirdest day of my life 00:00:58
    • → point: Hank asks what makes something look like a summit: social status, money, heroes' stories, family expectations, freedom from worry, or broader abilities and opportunities. (00:01:27)
  • 2024-10-02 · Hank: By 2009 Vlogbrothers was becoming Hank's full-time job, so he had no reason to mourn the lost opportunity and never thought of it as a false summit. — What I learned from the weirdest day of my life 00:01:27
    • → point: Hank asks what makes something look like a summit: social status, money, heroes' stories, family expectations, freedom from worry, or broader abilities and opportunities. (00:01:27)
  • 2024-11-29 · Hank: The description says Hank woke up worried this morning despite having made this video earlier in the week partly to prevent that. — I am Grateful for My Worry 00:00:00
    • → point: The description says recognizing that worry is trying to do something helps: it is not to be cast out but accepted, especially to do interesting and hard things. (video description)
  • 2024-11-29 · Hank: In a channel comment, Hank recalls that one year they did Hanklerfish on cut-up drop cloth and says it may be time for that again. — I am Grateful for My Worry 00:00:00
    • → point: The description says recognizing that worry is trying to do something helps: it is not to be cast out but accepted, especially to do interesting and hard things. (video description)
  • 2024-12-13 · Hank: Hank says he is fine, though not a hundred percent; he has been better, he is fine physically, and they are getting through it. — TIL Some People Have an 'Inner Monologue' 00:05:10
    • → point: Hank says that, like much of life, he might just be a collection of whatever works, and sometimes whatever works does not work that well. (00:05:06)
  • 2025-03-14 · Hank: Hank says his partnership with Katherine working out is not that weird because they chose each other after deciding their loves, beliefs and wants were compatible. — Probably the Luckiest Thing in my Life 00:00:24
    • → point: Hank says we are nothing without each other, yet mysteries to each other and to ourselves, which makes every long-term partnership a little miraculous. (00:00:24)
  • 2025-04-18 · Hank: Hank says last night in bed he felt more nervous than he had in a while, which made no sense since he had just been told he doesn't have cancer. — I Still Don't Have Cancer (and I'm Still Scared) 00:02:58
    • → point: Hank says that more often now he cannot find what is making him nervous: he can attach the anxiety to many things, but none is its source; it floats around looking for a place to rest. (00:02:58)
  • 2025-04-18 · Hank: Hank says before he got sick his anxiety was mostly his body usefully calling him to figure out something important; now it sometimes just calls out for no reason. — I Still Don't Have Cancer (and I'm Still Scared) 00:04:10
    • → point: Hank says knowing there is always something to worry about, and that this free-floating anxiety has no source, helps him see it is not him and serves no purpose. (00:04:10)
  • 2025-05-30 · Hank: Hank says college got easier as he chose classes, and working for himself as a blogger and YouTuber let him live his delayed-sleep-phase life from about 2000 to 2016, which was awesome. — My Rare 'Disorder' 00:03:32
    • → point: Hank says at school his delayed sleep phase became a disorder because it made his life worse inside a cultural optimization that could not allow his natural variation. (00:03:32)
  • 2025-05-30 · Hank: Hank reminds John that he lived in the Mountain time zone and woke at 10, noon for John, leaving little overlapping work time. — My Rare 'Disorder' 00:04:02
    • → point: Hank says that while self-employed he had the same sleep phase but no longer had a disorder, because the phase was not causing him problems. (00:04:31)
  • 2025-05-30 · Hank: Hank says that then he had a child: beyond infancy, kids wake early and their activities, especially school, run on a rigid schedule. — My Rare 'Disorder' 00:04:31
    • → point: Hank says that while self-employed he had the same sleep phase but no longer had a disorder, because the phase was not causing him problems. (00:04:31)
  • 2025-05-30 · Hank: Hank says the importance of having a child made it easier to push himself into a different sleep schedule, which he did; the obligation is high and the relationship rewarding. — My Rare 'Disorder' 00:05:00
    • → point: Hank says that while self-employed he had the same sleep phase but no longer had a disorder, because the phase was not causing him problems. (00:04:31)
  • 2025-05-30 · Hank: Hank still feels it: travelling alone he slips into his natural schedule and must work back against it at home, as he is doing now after a lovely vacation, which is why he made this video. — My Rare 'Disorder' 00:05:29
    • → point: Hank says that while self-employed he had the same sleep phase but no longer had a disorder, because the phase was not causing him problems. (00:04:31)
  • 2025-05-30 · Hank: Hank says his son Orin is starting to wake up and go to bed later, letting Hank slip back into his former ways. — My Rare 'Disorder' 00:05:29
    • → point: Hank says that while self-employed he had the same sleep phase but no longer had a disorder, because the phase was not causing him problems. (00:04:31)
  • 2025-08-22 · Hank: Hank's child proclaimed there are non-living things made of living things, like our bodies; Hank corrected it to living things made of non-living things. — Are Languages Alive? 00:00:03
    • → point: The description adds that languages differ from life in not competing inside an ecosystem, or maybe a language is an ecosystem whose words compete and fall out of use. (video description)
  • 2025-11-28 · Hank: Hank has been watching QI for probably decades, though not legally back then. (hedged) — Three Things! (Wait, no, actually four...) 00:04:12
    • → point: Hank says the QI experience was much more complex than that first dream: it did not feel exactly the way he thought it would. (00:06:09)
  • 2025-11-28 · Hank: Hank says being on QI was absolutely a dream come true. — Three Things! (Wait, no, actually four...) 00:04:21
    • → point: Hank says the QI experience was much more complex than that first dream: it did not feel exactly the way he thought it would. (00:06:09)
  • 2025-11-28 · Hank: After being told he could do QI, Hank got cancer and cancelled, actually ghosting them; once better he asked to do it again. — Three Things! (Wait, no, actually four...) 00:04:21
    • → point: Hank says the QI experience was much more complex than that first dream: it did not feel exactly the way he thought it would. (00:06:09)
  • 2025-11-28 · Hank: Going to Ireland anyway, Hank stopped in London to record QI, then went straight from the studio to Dublin for his gig the next day. — Three Things! (Wait, no, actually four...) 00:04:21
    • → point: Hank says the QI experience was much more complex than that first dream: it did not feel exactly the way he thought it would. (00:06:09)
  • 2025-11-28 · Hank: About to tape with the panelists, Hank realized he did not actually want to do it: he wanted the feeling he imagined in that chair, and knew he would not get it. — Three Things! (Wait, no, actually four...) 00:04:53
    • → point: Hank says the QI experience was much more complex than that first dream: it did not feel exactly the way he thought it would. (00:06:09)
  • 2025-11-28 · Hank: Hank spent the whole taping terrified, trying to come up with something clever, and is grateful editing hides people when they are not talking. — Three Things! (Wait, no, actually four...) 00:05:23
    • → point: Hank says the QI experience was much more complex than that first dream: it did not feel exactly the way he thought it would. (00:06:09)
  • 2025-11-28 · Hank: Hank has had plenty of good feedback, finally watched the episode, and thinks he did fine. — Three Things! (Wait, no, actually four...) 00:05:44
    • → point: Hank says the QI experience was much more complex than that first dream: it did not feel exactly the way he thought it would. (00:06:09)
  • 2025-11-28 · Hank: Hank's first real accomplished dream was kissing a girl he wanted to kiss; the moment was everything he dreamed, though the relationship was not the healthiest. — Three Things! (Wait, no, actually four...) 00:05:44
    • → point: Hank says the QI experience was much more complex than that first dream: it did not feel exactly the way he thought it would. (00:06:09)
  • 2025-11-28 · Hank: To make himself go through with it, Hank planned that even if it went terribly he would ask Sandi for one of her note cards as a souvenir; he then asks her. — Three Things! (Wait, no, actually four...) 00:07:00
    • → point: Hank says the QI experience was much more complex than that first dream: it did not feel exactly the way he thought it would. (00:06:09)
  • 2025-12-16 · John: John says he travelled over 130 days this year (2025) spreading the message that the world's deadliest infectious disease is curable and preventable: thrilling, terrifying and exhausting. — John Green's Brother 00:03:53
    • → point: John says the work continues because it has to: easing suffering among those we love, making a safer and more just world, and figuring out how to live with each other. (00:04:18)
  • 2025-12-16 · John: John says it has also been a long, hard year personally for him and many people close to him, dealing with unexpected loss and existential weariness. — John Green's Brother 00:03:53
    • → point: John says the work continues because it has to: easing suffering among those we love, making a safer and more just world, and figuring out how to live with each other. (00:04:18)
  • 2026-02-10 · John: John tells Hank the channel, the Project for Awesome and everything grown from them exist because he wanted to get closer to Hank through a shared project, which has worked for almost 20 years. — I Was a Teenage Dirtbag 00:03:47
    • → point: John says old friends, like siblings, sometimes need shared projects as an excuse to connect. (00:03:43)
  • 2026-02-10 · John: John says he started The Away End with Daniel and Sean because he misses them and sharing stories with them; it also gives him a professional reason to watch soccer. — I Was a Teenage Dirtbag 00:04:02
    • → point: John says middle age is a difficult period (teenage kids, aging parents, health scares), but friends of over 30 years to ease you through it are a hell of a gift. (00:04:15)
  • 2026-03-13 · Hank: It took Hank a long time to realize his back pain was an injury to heal from, not something fixed by cracking his neck the right way. — Pain 00:00:59
    • → point: Hank says that if anything makes you realize you do inhabit a physical space, it is pain, and the only way out is to keep existing while you heal. (00:00:59)
  • 2026-03-13 · Hank: Hank says he also has a cold, adding insult to injury. — Pain 00:03:58
    • → point: Hank feels a little betrayed by his body but also grateful: it is a good body that has done many great things with him, including all his internet work. (00:04:28)
  • 2026-03-13 · Hank: Hank says the injury is actually in his shoulder, not his spine, a pinched nerve or muscle problem; it has happened before but this time is pretty bad, and he just has to heal. — Pain 00:03:58
    • → point: Hank feels a little betrayed by his body but also grateful: it is a good body that has done many great things with him, including all his internet work. (00:04:28)
  • 2026-03-20 · Hank: Hank has shingles; when sick he researches his disease until he finds it bizarre and fascinating and lets that distract him, which he has done with shingles before. — I'm Sick Because of the Social Structures of Early Hominins 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says shingles is even weirder than he thought and, unexpectedly, tells us something about the evolution of early hominins. (00:00:00)
  • 2026-05-12 · John: John later worked out that his actual commencement speaker was Fay Vincent, the eighth commissioner of Major League Baseball, who made the short-and-bad joke. — Lies, Damn Lies, and Bart Giamatti 00:01:47
    • → point: John says memory is a slippery beast, especially his own, which always fills in holes with narratives. (00:02:10)
  • 2026-07-03 · Hank: For about a week Hank let himself believe he, who has never attended a TED, should apply: he has run events and businesses, has an internet audience and friends at TED. — Why I Didn't Buy TED 00:02:55
    • → point: Hank loves the choice because his prior as a businessperson is to always do the weirder thing: businesses don't do the weird thing enough anymore. (00:02:26)
  • 2026-07-03 · Hank: After studying TED's strengths, opportunities and problems and imagining being the Charlie Bucket of the story, Hank concluded absolutely not: applying just to see if he would be selected, and then being selected, would be a terrible outcome. — Why I Didn't Buy TED 00:03:24
    • → point: Hank loves the choice because his prior as a businessperson is to always do the weirder thing: businesses don't do the weird thing enough anymore. (00:02:26)
  • 2026-07-03 · Hank: Hank says just understanding TED would have been a huge job on top of his others: Good Store, DFTBA, Complexly's giant transition to a nonprofit, videos, podcasts and family. — Why I Didn't Buy TED 00:04:22
    • → point: Hank loves the choice because his prior as a businessperson is to always do the weirder thing: businesses don't do the weird thing enough anymore. (00:02:26)
  • 2026-08-18 · John: John is very anxious because no one has read the book yet and he does not know whether it is good or will be well received; the endless worries keep him up at night. — My Nemeses 00:00:00
    • → point: John says depression, which he is not currently experiencing, feels to him like an absence, a void, while anxiety is a presence: a loud, constant, unwelcome companion that drowns out everything else. (00:00:29)
  • 2026-08-18 · John: In a channel comment John notes that Sarah's tour stop is in the town where they met. — My Nemeses 00:00:00
    • → point: John says depression, which he is not currently experiencing, feels to him like an absence, a void, while anxiety is a presence: a loud, constant, unwelcome companion that drowns out everything else. (00:00:29)
  • 2026-08-18 · John: Instead of denying his anxiety, John manages it with the tools he has, medicine being one: he has been trying hard to take it every day. — My Nemeses 00:00:58
    • → point: John says depression, which he is not currently experiencing, feels to him like an absence, a void, while anxiety is a presence: a loud, constant, unwelcome companion that drowns out everything else. (00:00:29)
  • 2026-08-18 · John: John's favorite tool from therapy is to give anxiety a set time: he lights a candle, sets a 15-minute timer, checks things like pre-sales, then blows out the candle and moves on; it does not always work but helps. — My Nemeses 00:01:27
    • → point: John says depression, which he is not currently experiencing, feels to him like an absence, a void, while anxiety is a presence: a loud, constant, unwelcome companion that drowns out everything else. (00:00:29)

Projects

  • 2008-05-30 · John: Willy has learned a new trick: sitting on command. — The Dread Pirate Fireball Roberts! (And Housekeeping) 00:00:48
    • → point: John says they believe what happened in Grand Rapids can happen everywhere, and that they will hopefully go everywhere. (00:01:20)
  • 2011-08-05 · John: John says Watsky later called Hank his guardian angel in an interview, because Hank helped him a lot when he was first growing on YouTube. — Vidcon: Thoughts from Places 00:02:20
    • → point: John says that through nerdfighting, DFTBA Records, helping YouTubers and planning conferences, Hank has built a career making places where people can fall and get caught: he builds communities for a living. (00:02:20)
  • 2011-09-14 (said on 2011-09-15, implied) · Hank: Hank says he brain-cracked ReadIt1st for about a year until LeakyCon re-inspired him about books, adaptations and how people should read the book first. — How to Make Ideas Real: Readit1st.com 00:01:20
    • → point: Hank says he then sat with the idea, perfecting it in his head while it never became real; Ze Frank calls this brain crack and freed him from it. (00:01:02)
  • 2011-09-14 (said on 2011-09-15, implied) · Hank: Hank made a logo in Fireworks and shared it on Twitter and Tumblr; he got many genius ideas for ReadIt1st and ignored them all, because it needs just one thing to do its job: a newsletter. — How to Make Ideas Real: Readit1st.com 00:01:43
    • → point: Hank settled on a domain from bustaname.com with a number in it; maybe not the best choice, but a decision, and an imperfect decision is far better than none, the worst possible decision. (00:01:27)
  • 2011-09-14 (said on 2011-09-15, implied) · Hank: Hank says about a dozen logo versions on Tumblr made a rewarding critique, then he made an executive decision on a logo they are stuck with, not the best but needed to move on. — How to Make Ideas Real: Readit1st.com 00:02:00
    • → point: Hank settled on a domain from bustaname.com with a number in it; maybe not the best choice, but a decision, and an imperfect decision is far better than none, the worst possible decision. (00:01:27)
  • 2011-09-14 (said on 2011-09-15, implied) · Hank: Hank designed the site himself, had PSD2HTML turn it into a web page, got his friend Sam Rudge to write the code, and got John to write the first few newsletters. — How to Make Ideas Real: Readit1st.com 00:02:13
    • → point: Hank settled on a domain from bustaname.com with a number in it; maybe not the best choice, but a decision, and an imperfect decision is far better than none, the worst possible decision. (00:01:27)
  • 2012-09-14 · Hank: Hank got to sing a song with George Watsky and Felicia Day. — 1000 VIDEOS!!! 00:02:18
    • → point: Hank says they made remarkable friends worldwide and helped create and define a creative community that he thinks is bound for really amazing things. (00:02:21)
  • 2013-01-29 · John: Scrolling the TFIOS tag on Tumblr, John found a poster he wanted on his wall, reblogged it and asked the user to do it on DFTBA Records; she had not designed it. — Across Three Continents: A Tale of Tumblr, Copyright, and Excellent Posters 00:00:58
    • → point: John sums up: his book written in the US inspired a painting by a reader in the Philippines, which inspired a poster by a reader in Norway, and international copyright law isn't ready for that. (00:02:18)
  • 2013-01-29 · John: Asked on Tumblr who designed it, a 16-year-old Filipino Nerdfighter, Nika, said she made the painting, but someone else had turned it into the poster. — Across Three Continents: A Tale of Tumblr, Copyright, and Excellent Posters 00:01:27
    • → point: John sums up: his book written in the US inspired a painting by a reader in the Philippines, which inspired a poster by a reader in Norway, and international copyright law isn't ready for that. (00:02:18)
  • 2013-01-29 · John: After a couple of weeks of detective work, John and Nika found the poster's maker: another 16-year-old Nerdfighter, living in Norway, named Ashild. — Across Three Continents: A Tale of Tumblr, Copyright, and Excellent Posters 00:01:56
    • → point: John sums up: his book written in the US inspired a painting by a reader in the Philippines, which inspired a poster by a reader in Norway, and international copyright law isn't ready for that. (00:02:18)
  • 2013-01-29 · John: Neither Nika nor John gave Ashild permission to make the poster, but both love it; the three, on three continents, reached a royalty agreement and paid the font designer. — Across Three Continents: A Tale of Tumblr, Copyright, and Excellent Posters 00:02:18
    • → point: John sums up: his book written in the US inspired a painting by a reader in the Philippines, which inspired a poster by a reader in Norway, and international copyright law isn't ready for that. (00:02:18)
  • 2013-02-19 · John: Parenting is still John's biggest job at the moment. — Doing Things, On the Importance of 00:03:14
    • → point: Hank has way too many ideas, but John thanks him for them because they pull him out of the quicksand of himself and force him to get to work. (00:03:28)
  • 2013-08-09 · Hank: Hank tells John he's sorry John couldn't be at LeakyCon London but glad he's back with his family; LeakyCon attendees then greet John. — What I Learned at VidCon 00:03:06
    • → point: Hank thinks being out of your depth, though hard and uncomfortable, is probably a good place to be, as long as you have a lot of support. (00:03:06)
  • 2015-11-27 (said on 2015-11-26, implied) · Hank: Hank spent much of the week at the DFTBA.com warehouse during the busy season, mostly signing things. — Never Satisfied: The Story of Humans ¦-/ 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank argues we need to focus less on who our opponents are and more on what we are actually trying to achieve; increasingly in America he sees the discourse as 'the problem is those people in our way' rather than 'the problem is the problem'. (video description)
  • 2016-09-16 · Hank: Hank says he is learning a lot from the process but wishes the lessons were slightly less expensive. — Let's Talk about Failure 00:01:29
    • → point: Hank says talking about failure feels bad, which is why people avoid it: we want to look good at everything, but nobody's life is like that. (00:01:35)
  • 2016-10-07 · Hank: Hank explains their content company has been called EcoGeek after the blog he started in 2005, the reason for his first company, an LLC; the name no longer really applies. — Changing Our Business a Bit 00:02:47
    • → point: Hank gives the name's reasons: the world is not simple, we will never fully understand the universe, each other or ourselves, the process matters as much as the outcome, and they want to help others imagine complexly. (00:03:18)
  • 2016-12-01 (said on 2016-12-02, implied) · Hank: Hank says his leave has been a really reflective time, and a main takeaway is how grateful he is for the community's support and that they get to do cool and good things together. — See you in Amsterdam, Melbourne, or Anaheim!! (also Boston) 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says it is fantastically important that we gather together in the real world when we can and love things together, and he is proud to help facilitate that. (video description)
  • 2016-12-01 (said on 2016-12-02, implied) · Hank: Hank says the conference business is weird and difficult and he is still dealing with some of the financial fallout from NerdCon: Stories, but it is worth it when people say VidCon or NerdCon is one of the best times of their year. — See you in Amsterdam, Melbourne, or Anaheim!! (also Boston) 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says it is fantastically important that we gather together in the real world when we can and love things together, and he is proud to help facilitate that. (video description)
  • 2017-01-20 · Hank: The description recalls that on US election night Hank tweeted his most retweeted tweet ever: he knows many wonderful people dedicated to improving the world, which won't change. — Behind the Scenes of My Life 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says that though he is his staff's boss, their goal is to create value, not money: things people love and care about that maybe even help them become better people. (video description)
  • 2017-01-20 · Hank: Driving to work, Hank says he wants to take John along to show him the people who work on their things and the place where they do it. — Behind the Scenes of My Life 00:00:01
    • → point: Hank says that though he is his staff's boss, their goal is to create value, not money: things people love and care about that maybe even help them become better people. (video description)
  • 2018-09-21 · Hank: This is more or less Hank's philosophy for the last 11 years, and it worked well: make a pot, present it for judgment, use the feedback to make another. (hedged) — The Parable of the Perfect Pot 00:00:58
    • → point: Hank says however good you are, your first pot will suck, and however much you suck, your thousandth pot will be pretty good. (00:00:58)
  • 2018-11-09 · Hank: Hank says on many evenings he goes home to uncover the absurd and vital lives of fictional people he loves. — I Don't Know What Work Is 00:03:00
    • → point: Hank believes in these projects not because they are good businesses but because they are sustainable engines for doing good, and because they bring him joy. (00:03:06)
  • 2020-01-17 · Hank: Hank says three times in the last week creative people running cool businesses told him they really respect his business skills. — It's Like Shark Tank, but for Charity 00:00:01
    • → point: Hank's secret: every business he has launched that succeeded was launched with the support of a really wonderful online community. (00:00:51)
  • 2020-01-17 · Hank: Hank's dad has run businesses, and whenever Hank has a problem he can call him for help, which is extremely valuable. — It's Like Shark Tank, but for Charity 00:00:38
    • → point: Hank's secret: every business he has launched that succeeded was launched with the support of a really wonderful online community. (00:00:51)
  • 2020-01-17 · Hank: Hank says he has been very lucky with hiring. — It's Like Shark Tank, but for Charity 00:00:44
    • → point: Hank's secret: every business he has launched that succeeded was launched with the support of a really wonderful online community. (00:00:51)
  • 2020-06-26 · Hank: Hank says it has been such a fun project, and he has loved getting a new pin in his mailbox every month. — You Might as Well Swim! 00:02:57
    • → point: The variety of ways evolution has found for organisms to survive really does astound Hank. (00:02:57)
  • 2020-12-08 · John: John says starting a collaborative video blog back in 2006 was his idea. — A Love Letter to My Brother, Basically 00:00:00
    • → point: John says ideas on their own don't do much: they have to be realized. (00:00:00)
  • 2020-12-08 · John: John says a few years ago the brothers decided their portion of the profits from these businesses should go to charity. — A Love Letter to My Brother, Basically 00:01:27
    • → point: John says one of the most important parts of realizing an idea, maybe the most important, is collaborating with others. (00:00:58)
  • 2021-04-09 · Hank: The website lists everything Hank has started, an impressively long list riddled with failure: of 11 listed 2020 projects only four still exist, and three were jokes. — A Thought is Not an Idea 00:00:29
    • → point: Asked how he gets ideas, Hank says he can't teach having an idea but can say what one is, which many get wrong; intentional creation has three stages: the thought, the idea and the thing. (00:00:29)
  • 2021-04-09 · Hank: Keeping the club alive takes many people; Hank happened to know a woman in the sock business in Missoula, Montana, without whom they might not have managed it. (hedged) — A Thought is Not an Idea 00:01:56
    • → point: In implementation the idea changes: the artists were to be the main marketing, but since most socks were to be surprises, the club turned to TikTok people Hank had met. (00:01:56)
  • 2021-06-25 · Hank: Hank replied that it was a great idea, John said he would do it, and that, Hank says, is how Crash Course was born. — The Surprising Origin of Crash Course 00:00:29
    • → point: Hank says John's chat already spoke of what they call lowering barriers to learning: making history boring is one needless barrier, costly educational video another they aim to prove unnecessary. (00:01:42)
  • 2021-06-25 · Hank: Hank says they were sure Crash Course could have impact but could not imagine funding it without traditional venture capital. — The Surprising Origin of Crash Course 00:00:51
    • → point: Hank says John's chat already spoke of what they call lowering barriers to learning: making history boring is one needless barrier, costly educational video another they aim to prove unnecessary. (00:01:42)
  • 2021-06-25 · Hank: Thanks partly to John advocating for Crash Course over Hank's terrible other ideas, they never had to take investment, which kept Crash Course focused on staying free. — The Surprising Origin of Crash Course 00:01:12
    • → point: Hank says John's chat already spoke of what they call lowering barriers to learning: making history boring is one needless barrier, costly educational video another they aim to prove unnecessary. (00:01:42)
  • 2021-09-03 · Hank: Hank is renegotiating a contract, not his favorite thing. — What the Heck am I doing? 00:01:45
    • → point: Being a good boss to the many people helping him means clearly communicating goals, values and good ways of working, and figuring out how to make money to treat people well. (00:02:14)
  • 2021-11-09 · John: John says his first failure was in 2009: Hank pitched glasses that render 3D movies in 2D for people who get headaches, and John called it the worst idea he'd ever heard. — Hank Green's Million Dollar Ideas 00:00:58
    • → point: John says if the idea of 2D glasses could become 2D glasses, then a conference could become VidCon, an educational video company Complexly, and John with a mustache a t-shirt. (00:01:46)
  • 2022-02-04 · Hank: Hank says the brothers do have a lot of ideas, but most of his get shot down by John, who convinces him they are not good, and Hank does the same with John's. — How John and I Talk About Ideas 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says they talk about ideas so much they have developed a near-incomprehensible shorthand, which he shares hoping the frameworks are useful to others. (00:00:29)
  • 2022-02-04 · Hank: Hank says the term comes from a Vlogbrothers week of top 10 lists: the videos did about 10 times better than average but did not grow the community or teach anything. — How John and I Talk About Ideas 00:02:18
    • → point: Hank defines a top 10 as any idea that would be successful but would not add much value to the world. (00:02:18)
  • 2022-06-10 · Hank: At his latest dermatology visit, a med student who had been in the room thanked him outside for Crash Course; Hank says that feels good every time. — My Embarrassing Dermatology Story 00:00:29
    • → point: Hank says that when they started Crash Course he hoped it would help students learn but could not have predicted that it would succeed, or why; now he understands why. (00:00:29)
  • 2022-06-10 · Hank: Hank says this happens often: yesterday, at a coffee shop with Orin on his first day of summer vacation, two people thanked him for Crash Course, one about to start nursing school. — My Embarrassing Dermatology Story 00:00:29
    • → point: Hank says that when they started Crash Course he hoped it would help students learn but could not have predicted that it would succeed, or why; now he understands why. (00:00:29)
  • 2022-07-12 · John: Since the spring soft launch the club has received many pictures, emails and tweets about the coffee; John says it really is the best beans, roasted perfectly. — Nauseous Puddle Water 00:02:44
    • → point: John says long-term systemic problems need long-term systemic solutions. (00:02:44)
  • 2023-01-27 · Hank: Hank says he won't make a video next week (week of 30 January 2023) because he is getting a colonoscopy. — An Announcement 3 Years in the Making 00:03:54
    • → point: Hank says the goal is not to replace college with YouTube videos but to look closely at the barriers and lower the ones they can. (00:03:24)
  • 2023-05-30 · John: John says that, as reluctant and temporary CEO for about 18 days, he can say with authority this would not be possible without viewers' support, and thanks them. — How Does He Do It? 00:03:57
    • → point: John says breakthroughs in technology and understanding come not from one brilliant person with one brilliant idea but from many people having ideas and working together. (00:02:46)
  • 2023-06-20 · John: John says Hank pre-made a Vlogbrothers video because he knew he would be too sick to make one this week (week of 19 June 2023). — Reflections from a Terrible CEO 00:04:45
    • → point: John says they are working, in small and insufficient ways, on the injustices of high US college costs and high global maternal mortality. (00:04:08)
  • 2023-12-01 · Hank: Stressed by hard problems at the companies, Hank wondered about stopping, but people work for and with them and enjoy their products; that felt like it should be enough, yet he struggled to be excited. — It's OK if you think less of me after this! 00:02:43
    • → point: Hank says John gave him a motivation: promise to raise $25 million for a hospital in Sierra Leone without knowing how, which excites him in a way making money for himself did not. (00:03:15)
  • 2023-12-01 · Hank: Holding the CD, the seed from which all of this grew, is really special to Hank, and he thanks Sarah. — It's OK if you think less of me after this! 00:08:47
    • → point: Hank says what this community can do together differs from a normal business, with different limitations and advantages, and using that to do things differently excites him. (00:08:17)
  • 2024-01-23 · John: Hank called John asking if he knew the kid who beat Tetris; John, a massive classic Tetris fan, had watched it live; Hank suggested Complexly sponsor him and John agreed. — Breaking News: Complexly Signs Major Tetris Athlete 00:03:03
    • → point: John says Complexly's brands are strong but far fewer people know Complexly itself, so they want to raise awareness of who they are, not just what they make. (00:04:22)
  • 2024-01-23 · John: John reached out to Willis's mother, a high school math teacher, who loved the idea, as did Willis, who watches some of the brothers' stuff. — Breaking News: Complexly Signs Major Tetris Athlete 00:03:23
    • → point: John says Complexly's brands are strong but far fewer people know Complexly itself, so they want to raise awareness of who they are, not just what they make. (00:04:22)
  • 2024-01-26 · Hank: It turned out surprisingly well: Hank was booked solid for eight days, ending each with 60 to 90 minutes of stand-up, doing two shows a night on the last two nights. — On YouTuber Retirement 00:00:29
    • → point: Hank says other formats end: a finished book is finished, a song locks in place, a recorded special lets you move on; YouTube isn't like that. (00:01:35)
  • 2024-01-26 · Hank: Hank has been thinking about YouTuber retirement partly because many people asked him about it while he toured podcasts. — On YouTuber Retirement 00:00:35
    • → point: Hank says other formats end: a finished book is finished, a song locks in place, a recorded special lets you move on; YouTube isn't like that. (00:01:35)
  • 2024-01-26 · Hank: Hank was relieved to get the special recorded because he needed the deadline to finish the show; two shows were recorded to be cut together, and he wrote the last words only as he said them on stage. — On YouTuber Retirement 00:01:05
    • → point: Hank says other formats end: a finished book is finished, a song locks in place, a recorded special lets you move on; YouTube isn't like that. (00:01:35)
  • 2024-05-28 · John: John says he is very engaged, publicly and privately, in lowering barriers to TB treatment and diagnostics and in increasing awareness of and investment in fighting tuberculosis. — A Midlife Crisis 00:02:26
    • → point: John says these choices aren't binary, since some things can be dialed up and others down, but you still have to choose and prioritize, especially once aware that time is limited. (00:02:55)
  • 2024-05-28 · John: John says he published three books between 2005 and 2008. — A Midlife Crisis 00:02:26
    • → point: John says these choices aren't binary, since some things can be dialed up and others down, but you still have to choose and prioritize, especially once aware that time is limited. (00:02:55)
  • 2024-05-28 · John: John says that since 2008 he has published only three more books, not for lack of ideas but for lack of time. — A Midlife Crisis 00:02:55
    • → point: John says these choices aren't binary, since some things can be dialed up and others down, but you still have to choose and prioritize, especially once aware that time is limited. (00:02:55)
  • 2024-05-31 · Hank: Watching a John Oliver clip on YouTube about dark sides of some homeschooling, Hank found a comment saying Crash Course had really helped someone homeschooled in a particular situation. — The People I Hate Most in the World 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says the good Crash Course has done in the world is bonkers and the work, thought and care put into it are off the charts. (00:00:29)
  • 2024-05-31 · Hank: People come up to Hank in public to tell him he helped them pass a class, an AP exam, nursing school or A-levels. — The People I Hate Most in the World 00:00:29
    • → point: Hank says the good Crash Course has done in the world is bonkers and the work, thought and care put into it are off the charts. (00:00:29)
  • 2024-06-21 · Hank: Finishing chemo, Hank worked on stand-up with friend Sarah Aswell, booked Missoula's Roxy, and grew from 10 to 30 minutes into the bones of a 60-minute special. — I Was So Sad that I Did Comedy 00:04:22
    • → point: Hank's second reason: after a while he wanted nothing; he wants to want things, and questioning whether wanting is okay drives him back toward a bad place where he did no good. (00:06:00)
  • 2024-06-21 · Hank: Not trusting praise, Hank sent a 50-minute recording to comedian friends; Sam Reich, CEO of Dropout, gave feedback and offered to produce it as a Dropout special. — I Was So Sad that I Did Comedy 00:04:41
    • → point: Hank's second reason: after a while he wanted nothing; he wants to want things, and questioning whether wanting is okay drives him back toward a bad place where he did no good. (00:06:00)
  • 2024-06-21 · Hank: Hank considered declining as a science guy, not a comedian; Sam said Hank going first would draw attention to lesser-known comics, which Hank doubts but found convincing. — I Was So Sad that I Did Comedy 00:05:21
    • → point: Hank's second reason: after a while he wanted nothing; he wants to want things, and questioning whether wanting is okay drives him back toward a bad place where he did no good. (00:06:00)
  • 2024-06-21 · Hank: Hank kept working on the special for months with Sarah Aswell, his original Missoula comedy coach, and hired Ben Acker for parts he struggled with. — I Was So Sad that I Did Comedy 00:06:25
    • → point: Hank's second reason: after a while he wanted nothing; he wants to want things, and questioning whether wanting is okay drives him back toward a bad place where he did no good. (00:06:00)
  • 2024-08-09 · Hank: Hank says the subscription management service behind Good Store hid the cancel button in tiny print, and the Good Store team made them make it big. — Why isn't This Illegal? 00:04:18
    • → point: Hank says Good Store makes it easy to do what customers want because its incentive is a good long-term relationship, not locking people in for one extra month. (00:04:47)
  • 2024-08-09 · Hank: Hank has used versions of the soap for nine months through its iterations and loves the result. — Why isn't This Illegal? 00:05:17
    • → point: Hank says Good Store makes it easy to do what customers want because its incentive is a good long-term relationship, not locking people in for one extra month. (00:04:47)
  • 2024-09-06 · Hank: The election takes up much of Hank's mind, and he has done campaign events with Montana candidates because it all matters, which he hates. — I feel like I can't talk about this… 00:01:27
    • → point: Hank says he cannot arrange his life to get only the breeze and never the hurricane, but he was born to sometimes enjoy a stronger breeze. (00:00:58)
  • 2024-09-06 · Hank: A year ago Hank began following David Silva, who left the toy industry to make scientifically accurate dinosaur figures; Hank calls his work gorgeous. — I feel like I can't talk about this… 00:01:56
    • → point: Hank says he cannot arrange his life to get only the breeze and never the hurricane, but he was born to sometimes enjoy a stronger breeze. (00:00:58)
  • 2024-09-06 · Hank: Hank still loves hosting SciShow and Tangents and uploaded about three videos to Hank's channel this week (week of 2 September 2024), which seems a lot, but he is having fun. — I feel like I can't talk about this… 00:02:55
    • → point: Hank says he cannot arrange his life to get only the breeze and never the hurricane, but he was born to sometimes enjoy a stronger breeze. (00:00:58)
  • 2024-11-03 · Hank: Hank says publicly that he can't run everything: much at Complexly and DFTBA happens without him, by people he trusts, and he accepts their different decisions. — Hank's very messy post-cancer year of mistakes, meaning… 00:12:51
    • → point: As Prime became a brand beyond Logan Paul and KSI, Hank wants the community to feel on a quest together, supportive of Good Store even when not buying. (00:11:59)
  • 2024-11-03 · Hank: Hank would feel weird if Complexly made him a lot of money, which it does not. — Hank's very messy post-cancer year of mistakes, meaning… 00:17:19
    • → point: Hank concludes he is hungry, like many creators, to do cool things with his tools while he is alive, and can't constrain himself to one thing. (00:16:14)
  • 2025-05-09 · Hank: Hank says he doesn't love this one: it could be worse and no one seems actually mad at him about it, but he is mad at himself. — OK, I MESSED UP. 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank wanted a tool that blurs the edge of reality constructively rather than destructively, since so much reality is being blurred destructively now. (00:00:43)
  • 2025-05-09 · Hank: The people running the shipping company seem jovial about it; Hank feels really bad for them. — OK, I MESSED UP. 00:05:07
    • → point: Though he co-wrote and proofread it, going through the book Hank still felt immersed, which is why it felt special and worth releasing. (00:04:37)
  • 2025-05-23 · Hank: Hank was recently at his dermatologist for a skin check, because after his cancer treatment he has a higher than normal risk of melanoma. — I Can’t Believe How Few People it Takes. 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank feels he must explain that it wasn't really him: dozens of people designed curriculum, wrote scripts, found context, added jokes, made animations and sets, and edited. (00:00:29)
  • 2025-05-23 · Hank: A doctor in training at the appointment thanked Hank for helping with anatomy and physiology; Hank says this happens to him all the time. — I Can’t Believe How Few People it Takes. 00:00:20
    • → point: Hank feels he must explain that it wasn't really him: dozens of people designed curriculum, wrote scripts, found context, added jokes, made animations and sets, and edited. (00:00:29)
  • 2025-06-06 · Hank: Hank says he helped build an educational media company that provides free videos to everyone with an internet connection, whose content is used in most American schools. — The Secret Inside my MIT Commencement Speech 00:11:10
    • → point: Besides luck, Hank attributes his success to never believing there is a better use of his time than learning something new; a day he learns something is a good day. (00:11:58)
  • 2026-02-04 · Hank: Hank says he has not been CEO for over two years; the organization of dozens of people is bigger than the brothers, who already do not oversee most decisions. — We Just Sold Our Company for $0 00:03:24
    • → point: Hank argues nonprofits exist because markets do some very important things poorly. (00:04:23)
  • 2026-02-04 · Hank: Hank thanks viewers who for years knowingly gave a for-profit company money with no tax deduction, through Patreon, the Crash Course Coin, the Learnathon and SciShow fundraisers. — We Just Sold Our Company for $0 00:06:23
    • → point: Hank is proudest that Complexly always sought to add far more value than it captures: rather than a subscription platform or sale to an ed tech company, it stayed open to every learner. (00:05:36)
  • 2026-02-04 · Hank: Hank says he and John never took profit distributions from Complexly, saving the money in the company or paying team bonuses, and are donating its saved money to the new organization too. — We Just Sold Our Company for $0 00:06:50
    • → point: Hank is proudest that Complexly always sought to add far more value than it captures: rather than a subscription platform or sale to an ed tech company, it stayed open to every learner. (00:05:36)
  • 2026-05-22 · Hank: Hank recalls an email from someone he respects a lot explaining how to become very wealthy; he said no and is really glad he did. — Why I Made Crash Course a Non-Profit 00:04:50
    • → point: Hank is glad they went slow, did not grow beyond their means and did not let the ever-present gravity of dollars pull them toward a different future. (00:04:55)
  • 2026-05-26 · John: John says that in 2011 he and Hank founded Complexly, which has made lots of educational content, from Bizarre Beasts to The Art Assignment to SciShow to Crash Course. — Hank Green Is a Fool 00:00:58
    • → point: John thinks the private equity people meant Crash Course doesn't make economic sense, not for lack of views but because it is free and expensive to make, needing a huge team. (00:02:15)
  • 2026-05-26 · John: John says that, having other jobs, he and Hank never took profit distributions from Complexly; its money, never much, was reinvested into more educational video. — Hank Green Is a Fool 00:01:08
    • → point: John thinks the private equity people meant Crash Course doesn't make economic sense, not for lack of views but because it is free and expensive to make, needing a huge team. (00:02:15)
  • 2026-05-26 · John: John says that over the last five years they had many conversations with companies about the future of Complexly and Crash Course, to find the right future for it. — Hank Green Is a Fool 00:01:34
    • → point: John thinks the private equity people meant Crash Course doesn't make economic sense, not for lack of views but because it is free and expensive to make, needing a huge team. (00:02:15)
  • 2026-05-26 · John: John says Hank realized that not owning Complexly didn't require profiting from it, and proposed giving it away as a non-profit; suddenly everything made sense. — Hank Green Is a Fool 00:03:05
    • → point: John argues becoming a non-profit keeps Crash Course free forever, means the brothers never profit from crowdfunded growth, and makes coin buyers' and donors' money a tax-advantaged donation. (00:03:16)
  • 2026-07-10 · Hank: Hank thanks John for the collaboration and for being a touchpoint who perhaps springs him back as he gets too close to the sun. — How Status Destroys Us 00:05:15
    • → point: Hank says that once again they are goofing in a space with no money or status tied to it, which he thinks is where they are at their best. (00:05:55)
  • 2026-07-10 · Hank: Hank made a Connections-like game called 4x3; on vacation many people played it, and John indulged him in talking about what a John Green game would be. — How Status Destroys Us 00:05:15
    • → point: Hank says that once again they are goofing in a space with no money or status tied to it, which he thinks is where they are at their best. (00:05:55)
  • 2026-10-23 · Hank: Hank says he has never cared much about the entertainment industry, and this led him to believe something wrong about himself that he is now correcting. — The Best Email I Ever Got 00:00:13
    • → point: Hank says which accolades and appreciation feel good differs greatly from person to person, though there is some consistency. (00:01:01)
  • 2026-10-23 · Hank: When the brothers were starting out as YouTubers, many of their YouTube colleagues wanted TV, movie and commercial work; Hank found this baffling and thought them a bit silly. — The Best Email I Ever Got 00:00:13
    • → point: Hank says which accolades and appreciation feel good differs greatly from person to person, though there is some consistency. (00:01:01)
  • 2026-10-23 · Hank: Hank wanted things his colleagues found baffling, like writing for Scientific American or ranking his websites high on Google: he started on YouTube as a fan of internet things, not TV. — The Best Email I Ever Got 00:00:36
    • → point: Hank says which accolades and appreciation feel good differs greatly from person to person, though there is some consistency. (00:01:01)
  • 2026-10-23 · Hank: When the Lizzie Bennet Diaries, a show Hank produced on YouTube, won an Emmy, he did not pay to get a statuette for himself, which he now feels very dumb about. — The Best Email I Ever Got 00:00:36
    • → point: Hank says which accolades and appreciation feel good differs greatly from person to person, though there is some consistency. (00:01:01)
  • 2026-10-23 · Hank: Hank says he skipped the Emmy statuette because he just didn't care then, but now he does and gets it. — The Best Email I Ever Got 00:01:01
    • → point: Hank says which accolades and appreciation feel good differs greatly from person to person, though there is some consistency. (00:01:01)
  • 2026-10-23 · Hank: Hank is very proud of his stand-up special; many cancer survivors have told him they loved it and that it helped them, which matters most to him. — The Best Email I Ever Got 00:01:31
    • → point: Hank says which accolades and appreciation feel good differs greatly from person to person, though there is some consistency. (00:01:01)
  • 2026-10-23 · Hank: Hank points to a Letterboxd review of his stand-up special that loves him and says he should make more stuff. — The Best Email I Ever Got 00:02:00
    • → point: Hank says which accolades and appreciation feel good differs greatly from person to person, though there is some consistency. (00:01:01)
  • 2026-10-23 · Hank: Hank recently got an email from Josh Wardle, maker of Wordle, saying he was impressed by decisions in 4x3; for Hank it was, he imagines, exactly like winning an Oscar. (hedged) — The Best Email I Ever Got 00:02:00
    • → point: Hank says which accolades and appreciation feel good differs greatly from person to person, though there is some consistency. (00:01:01)
  • 2026-10-23 · Hank: Hank says he does not know what App of the Year means, how app ecosystems work, what the other apps are like or why Focus Friend won, only that it is a good app. — The Best Email I Ever Got 00:03:57
    • → point: Hank is not accountable to Google and does not care what Google thinks of his app: the people he feels accountable to are those whose judgment he cares about. (00:04:42)
  • 2026-10-23 · Hank: Bria, who co-leads Focus Friend with Hank, does care about the award: she has made apps and knows app developers, and her being in that world makes the app much better. — The Best Email I Ever Got 00:04:42
    • → point: Hank is not accountable to Google and does not care what Google thinks of his app: the people he feels accountable to are those whose judgment he cares about. (00:04:42)

Nerdfighteria

  • 2007-03-27 · John: John says Sarah, 'the Yeti', spends 12 hours a day with him in the hospital. — March 26th: Thanks 00:00:42
    • → point: John says a helpless patient says thank you all day, for IVs, food and visits, but thanking someone for going way above and beyond the call of duty is a very different thank-you. (00:00:42)
  • 2007-09-28 · John: Scanning the Wall Street Journal at the Richmond airport, John finds Daniel Biss on it talking about money he raised online, with Brotherhood 2.0 mentioned for helping. — September 28th: Nerdfighting!!! 00:02:38
    • → point: John says Brotherhood 2.0 may be three quarters done, but nerdfighting is just getting started. (00:02:38)
  • 2008-11-27 · John: John spends Thanksgiving 2008 at his parents' house in Asheville, North Carolina, 'where it all started' for him. — Thanksgiving in Asheville 00:00:00
    • → point: John says it is weird what can become normal: talking to his brother by video blog before thousands, crowds singing Hank's songs, caring for people in Bangladesh like family, being a nerdfighter. (00:00:00)
  • 2008-11-27 · John: John enjoyed three weeks with Hank and Katherine on the Tour de Nerdfighting: playing cows, meeting thousands of nerdfighters, watching Hank become a rock star. — Thanksgiving in Asheville 00:00:00
    • → point: John says it is weird what can become normal: talking to his brother by video blog before thousands, crowds singing Hank's songs, caring for people in Bangladesh like family, being a nerdfighter. (00:00:00)
  • 2008-12-15 · John: John congratulates Hank on having been featured on YouTube the day before. — Famous Last Words 00:00:00
    • → point: John also dedicates the video to his first book, Looking for Alaska, which he says is about a kid who memorizes famous people's last words. (00:00:06)
  • 2009-07-14 · John: John thanks Hank: they have been brothers for 29 years and Hank has never sold him out. — Sell Outs! 00:03:36
    • → point: John tells Nerdfighters they never have to buy anything to be a nerdfighter. (00:03:36)
  • 2010-02-12 · Hank: Hank welcomes John back, says everyone missed him, and hopes John won't hate them for taking him away from Henry. — Google Search Stories: Harry Potter 00:01:46
    • → point: Hank says that as soon as he saw the Super Bowl ad he felt there had to be a Harry Potter version of a Google search story; there wasn't, so he made one. (00:01:46)
  • 2010-02-26 (said on 2010-02-27, implied) · Hank: Hank says that if he and John have seemed a little weird over the past few days, it is because they have been. — Ningmaster Tom 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank says that, objectively, what he and John make on their own is not interesting or that good compared with most entertainment. (00:00:00)
  • 2010-03-10 · John: John says his diet is still going well. — New Tour! New Book! (Remember Books?) Your Q's A'ed! 00:01:07
    • → point: John says the 'John Green Is Fat' video was meant to discuss why making fun at other people's expense is so enjoyable, but it got muddled and confusing, and he apologizes. (00:01:07)
  • 2010-07-20 (said on 2010-07-19, implied) · John: John says his proudest day as a Nerdfighter came last week (week of 12 July 2010), not when the Vlogbrothers hit 300,000 subscribers, but when Nerdfighters came together with Esther and helped the Harry Potter Alliance win $250,000. — I Like Balls 00:01:43
    • → point: John says that is what the community does: there is a place for liking balls and giraffe sex, but helping such causes is the community's real work. (00:01:43)
  • 2012-08-14 · John: Just then a Dutch Nerdfighter and author, Buddy, visiting the Bean because part of Will Grayson, Will Grayson is set there, ran into its co-author; he gave John his book and they exchanged DFTBAs. — To Be Anything At All: Thoughts from Places, Chicago and LeakyCon 2012 00:02:54
    • → point: John marvels at how improbable that meeting was, how improbable we are, and how strange and lovely it is to be anything at all. (00:02:54)
  • 2013-01-11 · Hank: Hank says that in 2007 John's friend Katie put DFTBA at the end of her to-do list; the brothers took it, popularized it through the vlog, and Hank is proud of and identifies with it. — On the Ownership of Ideas 00:00:52
    • → point: Many people make DFTBA stuff, from crafty people on Etsy to big global corporations; Hank asks whether they are stealing from the brothers, from Katie, or from no one. (00:01:05)
  • 2013-10-15 · John: John is in Amsterdam, which only looks impossibly beautiful; when it starts raining he goes inside. — Thoughts for Nerdfighteria 00:00:28
    • → point: John says Nerdfighteria is growing in lots of ways, e.g. his books are reaching a much larger audience than he ever imagined. (00:00:56)
  • 2014-03-25 · John: John says their parents owned Ian Shoales's tape 'I Gotta Go'; when John was about 14 and Hank 11 they listened to it constantly, hundreds of times. — I Gotta Go: Signing Off and Thinking about Inspiration 00:01:27
    • → point: John says Hank remembering the phrase after 20 years shows how hugely Shoales influenced them: everything he did in 1985 is what they try to do now. (00:01:56)
  • 2014-05-12 (said on 2014-05-13, implied) · John: During a Q&A a young woman told them The Fault in Our Stars has helped her as she lives with lymphoma; everyone was emotional, and thousands in the crowd began chanting her name. — Perfect Puff and Endless Interviews: Touring and Hollywood Press Junkets 00:02:47
    • → point: John realised that even under outside scrutiny Nerdfighteria is still Nerdfighteria: the community was never about the brothers but about big conversations around big questions and lifting up people who need it. (00:03:07)
  • 2017-02-28 · John: John sometimes feels guilty for benefiting so disproportionately from something he only partly created; each Tuesday he tries to repay the debt, but it only seems to grow. — You Are Here 00:02:00
    • → point: When John loses people, their not being here never stops feeling new and cracks him open: 'she died' is a past-tense problem, 'she isn't here' a present-tense one. (00:02:22)
  • 2017-02-28 · John: At Esther's grave John kept wondering how to thank and repay someone who is gone for the lasting gifts of their love and friendship. — You Are Here 00:02:13
    • → point: When John loses people, their not being here never stops feeling new and cracks him open: 'she died' is a past-tense problem, 'she isn't here' a present-tense one. (00:02:22)
  • 2017-07-18 · John: John thanks Hank for the song and for one of his favourite memories, and thanks everyone who watched then and watches now. — Accio Decade Hallows 00:03:46
    • → point: Without the song they wouldn't have met Esther or the people behind the Project for Awesome, Hank probably wouldn't have sung before thousands, and John doubts he would be signing 200,000 copies of his new book. (00:03:34)
  • 2018-08-03 · Hank: Hank tells John he loves and appreciates him, that John will always be a big deal to him, and that he wants to work to keep John in his life. — How Do Adults Make Friends? 00:00:10
    • → point: Hank writes that community organizations such as churches, clubs and volunteer groups are valuable because they help us see strangers as having more value and offer shortcuts to people we will mesh with; school and work can do the same. (video description)
  • 2019-07-12 · John: John says it would be very hard for him to stop making the videos; he thinks he would spiral. (hedged) — Why Are We Still Doing This? - Reunion Video! 00:02:33
    • → point: John says they have not done it for money for a long time; the main reason is the one from 2007: making stuff with people they like, each other and Nerdfighteria. (00:02:33)
  • 2019-07-12 · John: John says having the anchor of a Tuesday video is really good for his mental health. — Why Are We Still Doing This? - Reunion Video! 00:02:33
    • → point: John says they have not done it for money for a long time; the main reason is the one from 2007: making stuff with people they like, each other and Nerdfighteria. (00:02:33)
  • 2019-08-03 · Hank: Hank tells John he appreciates him: a good person, hard worker and great dad; he loves him and loves working with him. — I Love John: Esther Day 2019 00:03:01
    • → point: Hank says things are more true when we say them out loud, and definitely more true when we hear them. (00:02:56)
  • 2020-08-03 · John: John says Esther died just a few weeks later at 16; she would be in her mid-20s now, and he thinks about her and misses her a lot. — you're bundled up now? wait till you get older. 00:00:41
    • → point: Esther meant the non-romantic kinds of love our culture rarely celebrates: a day to say 'I love you' to friends, family and others whose love goes unacknowledged. (00:00:29)
  • 2020-09-25 · Hank: Hank reflects that we don't know what we sign up for: John asked him to do this in 2007, he said yep, and here they are in 2020. — i said yep 00:01:19
    • → point: Hank says the channel would not exist, or would be deeply different, without the people who engage with it, even just by clicking and watching. (00:01:45)
  • 2020-10-02 (said on 2020-10-01, implied) · Hank: Hank sometimes hated himself for the decision, but some ideas were so good he would never have had them without the constraint. — I ain't she was with well and I so and it's and but so and I'll and 00:01:30
    • → point: Hank says the more important reason was that both brothers wanted to prove they really don't want to grow the channel anymore; saying it differs from enacting a policy that limits growth. (00:01:30)
  • 2020-10-07 (said on 2020-10-06, implied) · John: John recalls that 13 and a half years ago (March 2007) he was hospitalized for about a week with orbital cellulitis, a staph infection behind his eye. — The Golden Age of Vlogbrothers 00:00:00
    • → point: John says he then realized they weren't making videos for an audience but with an audience. (00:00:29)
  • 2021-05-14 · Hank: On the Turtles All the Way Down tour John told Hank his idea of star-rating facets of the human-centered world; Hank made Hank Reviews Everything in four minutes and never thought about it again. — This Vlogbrothers Stat Blew My Mind 00:01:35
    • → point: Hank argues the brothers influenced each other so much that neither created the form of the Vlogbrothers video: they did it to each other. (00:02:20)
  • 2021-07-13 · John: John's long-time producing partner Rosianna Halse Rojas often reads his scripts and asks him not to make them, for undercooked hot takes, a great weakness of his, or for content that might divide or weaken the community. — The Vlogbrothers Videos I Didn't Make 00:02:26
    • → point: John says it took him long to understand that Vlogbrothers videos are not about their topics but about Nerdfighteria being a productive community where people feel fulfilled and connect. (00:02:43)
  • 2021-07-13 · John: John says this reflects their real-life relationship: they almost never argue, and when they do it's over things like Batman. — The Vlogbrothers Videos I Didn't Make 00:03:15
    • → point: John says any video that weakens that sense of community is by definition a bad video. (00:02:58)
  • 2021-07-13 · John: Years ago John wrote a would-be funny video on the brothers' differences and how Nerdfighteria's factions might line up in a civil dispute; Rosianna said it would get many views but weaken the community. — The Vlogbrothers Videos I Didn't Make 00:03:21
    • → point: John says any video that weakens that sense of community is by definition a bad video. (00:02:58)
  • 2021-08-06 · Hank: One of Hank's most successful videos was his 26 rants video, where he yells about stuff, but he never made another, not because nothing annoys him. — Remembering What's Special 00:02:26
    • → point: The community tries to enjoy things, learn and do positive, impactful things together; Hank sees great value in a constructive community with shared values, which feels uncommon these days. (00:02:26)
  • 2021-08-06 · Hank: Instead Hank made a bunch of dad joke videos and now opens every Dear Hank and John with a dad joke, because that is the vibe. — Remembering What's Special 00:02:55
    • → point: Hank thinks it is very important to belong to groups based on common enjoyment, appreciation and mutual accomplishment, and is glad to be part of some, most importantly this one. (00:02:55)
  • 2021-09-14 · John: John has been making Vlogbrothers videos for almost 15 years: since the George W. Bush administration, before the iPhone, before his children, one now in sixth grade. — I do this every. single. tuesday. 00:00:00
    • → point: John doesn't have to make videos this way but likes to; 15 years of consistency is notable because he is the worst at consistency. (00:00:45)
  • 2021-09-14 · John: If it is Tuesday John tries to make a video whatever happens: he made them when labyrinthitis kept his eyes from focusing, and one in a hotel room just after his grandfather's funeral. — I do this every. single. tuesday. 00:00:15
    • → point: John doesn't have to make videos this way but likes to; 15 years of consistency is notable because he is the worst at consistency. (00:00:45)
  • 2021-09-14 · John: John's best professional day was January 10, 2013, when he, Hank, Kimya Dawson, the Mountain Goats, Neil Gaiman and others played Carnegie Hall; he uploaded a video that morning. — I do this every. single. tuesday. 00:00:29
    • → point: John doesn't have to make videos this way but likes to; 15 years of consistency is notable because he is the worst at consistency. (00:00:45)
  • 2021-10-15 · Hank: Pizzamas used to be extra work for Hank; now it is less, a creative vacation in which he drops his other work and makes things. — What is Pizzamas? ...and a New Friend 00:01:27
    • → point: Using a path metaphor, Hank says the community is off most well-trod paths, so it sometimes feels it can't see far ahead, and he guarantees they don't know where they are going. (00:00:29)
  • 2023-09-19 · John: John recalls that early in 2007, at the start of Brotherhood 2.0, he was hospitalized for an infection between his eye and his brain. — So, um.... GOOD NEWS?!?!?! 00:04:54
    • → point: Watching that video in hospital, John first thought the community had a lot of energy and wanted to do interesting things together; it felt like it could be special, and it proved so. (00:05:23)
  • 2024-01-30 · John: John used to think completing the project meant finishing Brotherhood 2.0 on December 31, 2007, or finishing the Maternal Center of Excellence, but he didn't feel finished then and doesn't now. — How Vlogbrothers Will End 00:03:05
    • → point: John is not convinced death is Vlogbrothers' ideal ending; the ideal is that, like Tom Scott, they complete the project, though he doesn't know what completion looks like. (00:02:54)
  • 2024-01-30 · John: John worries about this and asked a friend, a recently retired professional athlete, how he knew it was time; the friend said the game tells you when you're done. — How Vlogbrothers Will End 00:03:23
    • → point: John says the game hasn't told him he's done yet and still seems to have a use for the brothers. (00:03:51)
  • 2024-02-16 · Hank: Hank made a spreadsheet scoring his activities on about ten categories (fun, goofy, good for family); the P4A scored highest by far, above Vlogbrothers, as a measure of desire, not impact. — How Much Does it Cost to be a Nerdfighter 00:03:24
    • → point: Hank repeats words they used to say often: wanting to be a nerdfighter makes you a nerdfighter, and signing up costs zero dollars. (00:03:53)
  • 2024-08-03 · John: John tells Hank he loves him, noting they have traditionally said it only on Esther Day for fear of being too cloying or sentimental. — I Love Hank. (Also I'm back.) 00:00:45
    • → point: Esther wanted a holiday celebrating love, especially the non-romantic kinds often left out of our conversations about love. (00:00:29)
  • 2024-08-03 · John: John is extremely grateful to be Hank's brother: of his many jobs, which he likes, his best job is being Hank Green's brother. — I Love Hank. (Also I'm back.) 00:01:05
    • → point: Esther wanted a holiday celebrating love, especially the non-romantic kinds often left out of our conversations about love. (00:00:29)
  • 2024-08-03 · John: John thanks Hank for encouraging him to take time off, which was helpful and productive even though he wasn't mainly producing things for the public. — I Love Hank. (Also I'm back.) 00:01:13
    • → point: Esther wanted a holiday celebrating love, especially the non-romantic kinds often left out of our conversations about love. (00:00:29)
  • 2024-08-03 · John: John desperately wishes Esther were here; she would be 30 years old, a grown-up. — I Love Hank. (Also I'm back.) 00:02:03
    • → point: John finds it cool that those people are discovering adulthood is not a destination where everything ends but an opportunity for more growing. (00:02:20)
  • 2024-08-03 · John: John thanks Esther for that and for the day celebrating the kinds of love too often neglected by our social order, and tells her he loves her. — I Love Hank. (Also I'm back.) 00:03:24
    • → point: John would like to take credit, but Nerdfighteria is constantly made up by the people who are and have been part of it, like Esther. (00:03:17)
  • 2024-08-03 · John: John tells Hank he loves him too and says he will text and call many people today to say he loves them, grateful to be interwoven into humanity. — I Love Hank. (Also I'm back.) 00:03:35
    • → point: John would like to take credit, but Nerdfighteria is constantly made up by the people who are and have been part of it, like Esther. (00:03:17)
  • 2025-02-18 · John: John says he has had a rough month professionally and personally and feels discouraged; the P4A came when he was tired and overwhelmed but needed a pick-me-up. — Gastrointestinal Hypermotility in Tuatara 00:00:58
    • → point: John says that with a pick-me-up you never pick yourself up: you are picked up by the people around you. (00:00:58)
  • 2025-06-06 · Hank: Hank says he gave the MIT commencement speech last week (week of 26 May 2025) and found it surprisingly hard to write, less from impostor syndrome than from the craft difficulty. — The Secret Inside my MIT Commencement Speech 00:00:00
    • → point: The description says all creation is collaborative, but inviting that into the brothers' work through the tools of the internet has been a big deal. (video description)
  • 2025-06-06 · Hank: Hank sent the students a survey before writing, so the speech was partly their creation and partly his, all inspired by them, just like this YouTube channel. — The Secret Inside my MIT Commencement Speech 00:01:56
    • → point: Hank says the first thing that interested the brothers about online video in 2007, and a through line of their work, is that creation can be collaborative between audience and creator. (00:01:27)
  • 2025-09-30 · Hank: Hank says that when he loses sight of the goofing and fun, unsurprisingly, he starts liking it less and having less fun. — WHO ARE WE AND WHAT ARE WE DOING 00:06:10
    • → point: Hank says it is all built on happy dances, giving Peeps away and drinking blenderized Happy Meals: it is about big and good, but also about goofing and fun. (00:05:58)
  • 2026-03-13 · Hank: Hank says he set himself up to deny the injury: he agreed to many things that, if not done now, must be done later and will push back his other commitments. — Pain 00:01:47
    • → point: Hank says he doesn't mind showing that his physical body and its difficulties, which everyone has, are part of his experience, and would not want to hide that. (00:02:15)
  • 2026-03-13 · Hank: Hank says he has missed plenty of Vlogbrothers videos, but during chemo he never missed one, partly because he was not feeling too bad to make them. — Pain 00:01:47
    • → point: Hank says he doesn't mind showing that his physical body and its difficulties, which everyone has, are part of his experience, and would not want to hide that. (00:02:15)
  • 2026-03-13 · Hank: Hank says filming lying on the floor is not a bit: it is a break from sitting work that he needs today, and lying down makes him feel better. — Pain 00:02:15
    • → point: Hank says he doesn't mind showing that his physical body and its difficulties, which everyone has, are part of his experience, and would not want to hide that. (00:02:15)
  • 2026-03-13 · Hank: Hank is unsure he can edit the video while injured; if he cannot, it will not go up. (hedged) — Pain 00:03:32
    • → point: Hank says a weird part of the Vlogbrothers channel is that it is two guys being humans. (00:03:04)

Pop culture

  • 2008-03-15 (said on 2008-03-14, implied) · John: John is in Mobile because Sarah is curating an exhibition opening there, Among the Ruins, which he calls great. — Ruins, LOLBooks, and the Blurbing Book Club 00:00:31
    • → point: John describes the show's contemporary artists: a New Orleans Lower Ninth Ward house cast in latex and cheesecloth after the storm, a profile cut from demolished Beijing buildings, Detroit buildings painted orange. (00:00:31)
  • 2009-05-24 · John: John says he and Hank just had two extraordinary days at LeakyCon, a Harry Potter conference. — WROCK! 00:00:00
    • → point: John says he was inspired by people who care about one another and about making the world more awesome so completely without irony; in a hyper-cynical world we forget it's okay to be enthusiastic. (00:00:29)
  • 2009-09-12 (said on 2009-09-11, implied) · John: John and the Yeti, who rarely watch TV, like to follow an episode of CSI with The First 48, A&E's show about real detectives and real crimes. — Special Friday Video! (On Saturday) 00:00:40
    • → point: John argues CSI-type shows give the delusion that evil is an uncomplicated thing living inside certain people and not others. (00:01:07)
  • 2010-10-29 · Hank: Hank just got Fable III; before buying it he asked Nerdfighteria on Facebook and Twitter whether he should, given he'd likely be unproductive for weeks, and the overwhelming answer was yes. — Hank Has Questions 00:01:27
    • → point: Hank thinks video games are compelling because they simplify real life, which is complicated: games give goals and you know when you've failed or succeeded. (00:01:56)
  • 2011-03-30 · Hank: Hank writes that the video has no cuts, a moonpasta challenge he silently accepted, and that viewers should keep challenging him because he likes it. — The Ice Cream Changes 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank shares something fascinating he recently discovered while searching for songs to play on guitar, not on Reddit: the '50s progression. (00:00:00)
  • 2011-03-30 · Hank: Hank writes that he found the progression and every song in the video himself, except Slipknot's use of it, which he learned from a Justin Bieber and Slipknot mashup he found on Reddit while already working on the video. — The Ice Cream Changes 00:00:00
    • → point: Hank shares something fascinating he recently discovered while searching for songs to play on guitar, not on Reddit: the '50s progression. (00:00:00)
  • 2011-11-16 · John: John's description apologises for uploading late: he is in Grand Haven, Michigan, recording an audio version of The Fault in Our Stars. — Top 5 Zombie Apocalypses OF ALL TIME 00:00:00
    • → point: John observes that we are in a golden age of zombie apocalypses and suggests it might be related to high unemployment and a general feeling of malaise. (00:00:00)
  • 2014-07-04 · Hank: Hank thanks everyone coming out to the shows; being part of that for people has been amazingly fantastic. — 13 Things to Know about Concerts 00:03:48
    • → point: Hank calls 'don't worry about looking cool' the most important concert advice: it's about being excited about something together with other people who are also excited. (00:03:33)
  • 2015-04-14 · John: His friend and movie producer Isaac made John turn his camera off, which John calls the best part of a very good and very long day. — A Long Good Day 00:03:29
    • → point: At a restaurant later with the real, complicated people who made The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns, John kept thinking that they care for each other, especially when the cameras are off. (00:03:14)
  • 2016-01-12 · John: John says he saw the Star Wars movie (The Force Awakens) again this weekend, his fourth viewing. — Zero Severed Hands: On Star Wars and Making Things 00:00:00
    • → point: John says many complain that The Force Awakens is just a rehash of the original Star Wars, but he thinks that view oversimplifies the movie. (00:00:13)
  • 2016-01-12 · John: As an extreme example, John says he read The Great Gatsby in high school and thought it was crap, which wasn't the book's fault. — Zero Severed Hands: On Star Wars and Making Things 00:03:03
    • → point: John finds that a pleasure and terror of writing for an audience is that readers bring their own experiences, expectations and desires to a story and so change it. (00:02:49)
  • 2016-10-04 · John: After a while in the room John put down his camera and was just there. — Drowzees and Masterpieces: Thoughts from London 00:03:17
    • → point: John concludes that looking at something is not quite the same thing as looking at it through a lens. (00:03:01)
  • 2017-05-10 · Hank: Hank says he is a cat person and finds something magical about cats. — Seeing Myself Through a Cat's Eyes 00:02:06
    • → point: Hank says Kedi fittingly asks us to slow down and be okay spending time watching pretty pictures and stories about the cats' lives. (00:02:10)
  • 2017-05-10 · Hank: Hank talked with the film's makers, Ceyda Torun and Charlie Wuppermann. — Seeing Myself Through a Cat's Eyes 00:02:50
    • → point: Hank says looking at himself through a cat's eyes gives a perspective hard to find otherwise, one the movie discovers and shares well. (00:03:08)
  • 2017-05-16 · John: As a kid John's favourite genre was the nature documentary: animals fighting to survive, a magical glimpse into a world without us, almost never with humans in frame. — The Introducer, My Childhood Dream Job 00:02:02
    • → point: John says in real life humans can't be separated from nature: we are currently nature's most important species, and our choices affect every other species on Earth. (00:02:16)
  • 2018-03-09 · Hank: Hank is in Portland, Oregon with his wife and child to see probably his 12th They Might Be Giants show. (hedged) — John's Best Gift to Me 00:02:05
    • → point: The band's lack of pretension and lean into enthusiasm and effort has maybe infected Hank's entire life, an infection that started with something John brought home. (00:03:12)
  • 2019-05-17 · Hank: Hank sat in silence like the audience when he watched the clip on Sunday morning, and then cried alone in his bed. — Keanu. 00:02:54
    • → point: Hank suggests that what happens to us when we die may matter less than what happens to everybody else, and turning such thoughts outward could help many parts of our lives. (00:02:54)
  • 2019-07-16 · John: At 41 John still gets starstruck: around people he admires he talks too much, feels nervous, and afterwards concludes he made a fool of himself. — star struck 00:00:00
    • → point: Fame is relative: Hank would probably act calm with Firmino, not from immunity but because to him Firmino isn't that famous, while John knows even his dentist's name. (00:00:29)
  • 2019-07-16 · John: John blabbered to Dan Howell at VidCon last weekend, couldn't form a sentence meeting Zadie Smith seven years ago, and wonders if Rebecca Lowe saw his hands shaking. — star struck 00:00:00
    • → point: Fame is relative: Hank would probably act calm with Firmino, not from immunity but because to him Firmino isn't that famous, while John knows even his dentist's name. (00:00:29)
  • 2019-09-10 · John: John says he has read and helped edit Sarah's writing, including the wall labels she wrote as a museum curator and the Art Assignment videos she now writes for her PBS Digital series. — Another Contender in the Room 00:00:58
    • → point: John says art is not only old masters' portraits or the billionaires who collect them as tax shelters: it is people throughout history trying to express what it felt like to be alive, what they valued, or how to shift values. (00:01:27)
  • 2019-09-10 · John: John says he didn't like art when he met Sarah, or didn't yet know he did; she is very good at helping people see what is useful, interesting and transformative about making and looking at art. — Another Contender in the Room 00:00:58
    • → point: John says art is not only old masters' portraits or the billionaires who collect them as tax shelters: it is people throughout history trying to express what it felt like to be alive, what they valued, or how to shift values. (00:01:27)
  • 2019-09-10 · John: John says a Raymond Pettibon painting, when he first saw it, ended up taking over his novel Turtles All the Way Down. — Another Contender in the Room 00:01:27
    • → point: John says art is not only old masters' portraits or the billionaires who collect them as tax shelters: it is people throughout history trying to express what it felt like to be alive, what they valued, or how to shift values. (00:01:27)
  • 2020-03-03 · John: In a comment John says he reads about covid-19 far more than anyone should and is much less worried about it than many, but an irrational worry disorder needs no rational worries. — Consciously Experiencing Human Dignity 00:00:00
    • → point: John realized only from the comment that exercises in consciously experiencing human dignity are what he looks for in novels, poetry, YouTube videos, philanthropy, video games and much else. (00:00:29)
  • 2020-03-03 · John: John watches videos of extremely high-level Tetris literally every day, seeking a strange mix of calm and wonder rather than human dignity. — Consciously Experiencing Human Dignity 00:00:58
    • → point: When ready to look at the world and its people, John wants exercises in consciously experiencing human dignity, meaning dignity as being worthy of respect and honor. (00:01:27)
  • 2020-10-06 · Hank: From roughly age 15 to 25, Hank was fascinated by who makes these rules. (hedged) — Something Important I've Never Talked About 00:00:41
    • → point: In Hank's pits the first rule was that if somebody goes down you get them back up, since that is the dangerous moment; you don't punch or kick, and shoving differs from that. (00:00:41)
  • 2020-12-04 · Hank: Hank says he rarely asks Twitter creators to license their work, yet here he had Sam animate it, licensed music and recorded narration for about two hours to get two minutes. — The Christmas Creature 00:02:48
    • → point: Hank says taste is not universally good or bad: it is our values, worldviews, experiences and ideologies. (00:03:16)
  • 2020-12-04 · Hank: Hank says he doesn't know why he spent about ten hours in recent weeks on his piece of the unofficial TikTok Ratatouille musical. — The Christmas Creature 00:03:08
    • → point: Hank says taste is not universally good or bad: it is our values, worldviews, experiences and ideologies. (00:03:16)
  • 2021-02-23 · John: John makes drawings obsessively, like his drawing of 17,000 circles, or rather 17,000 failed attempts at circles. — A Little Joy and Color in an Otherwise Unbearably Bland Life 00:01:56
    • → point: Citing art critic Robert Hughes on the peculiarly modernist hell of repetition, John says he likes work that turns that on its head and finds color and joy in repetition. (00:02:14)
  • 2021-11-16 · John: John will never see an orbital sunrise: an inner ear disorder has damaged his sense of balance, and he is not a pilot, an engineer or a billionaire. — Orbital Sunrise: The First Art Made in Space 00:07:01
    • → point: Like Dürer with the rhinoceros, John depends on others' words and images for orbital sunrises; that is one gift of art: a window, not fully transparent, into other worlds and lives. (00:07:26)
  • 2021-12-01 · John: Over the last year Sarah has been making collages, and John loves them. — Loving the Loves of Your Loves 00:00:00
    • → point: John says being a fan of things, especially things made by people you care about, is one of life's great pleasures: loving the loves of your loves brings joy and connection. (00:00:00)
  • 2022-08-30 · John: John notes that Sarah is part of Butter's curatorial team. — How to Buy Good Art for Less Than $100,000,000 00:02:55
    • → point: The art that means most to John is art he connects to personally: a painting that looks the way his OCD feels, or art made by someone he loves. (00:02:55)
  • 2022-08-30 · John: John's favorite artwork at home is his mom's painting of the La-Z-Boy where he wrote Looking for Alaska; it brings him joy and solace, and he hopes viewers find art that does the same. — How to Buy Good Art for Less Than $100,000,000 00:02:55
    • → point: The art that means most to John is art he connects to personally: a painting that looks the way his OCD feels, or art made by someone he loves. (00:02:55)
  • 2024-10-01 · John: In the photo John is drenched in sweat, terrified of the cameras, and feels wildly overexposed and extremely scared. — On Fame and Chappell Roan 00:00:29
    • → point: John says proper fame is far from the worst thing he has experienced, but it is the worst purportedly good thing he has experienced. (00:01:19)
  • 2024-10-01 · John: On 'Fame Mountain', John hiked up hungry while writing his first novel in 2002; with some success he came to want the top more than happiness or fulfilment. — On Fame and Chappell Roan 00:00:43
    • → point: John says proper fame is far from the worst thing he has experienced, but it is the worst purportedly good thing he has experienced. (00:01:19)
  • 2024-10-01 · John: John improbably reached the top: Saturday Night Live mocked his book in a sketch, Time named him one of the world's most influential people, and a studio executive said he was blowing up. — On Fame and Chappell Roan 00:00:58
    • → point: John says proper fame is far from the worst thing he has experienced, but it is the worst purportedly good thing he has experienced. (00:01:19)
  • 2024-10-01 · John: John says many people disliked his work, and some defined themselves in part by disliking his work or even him. — On Fame and Chappell Roan 00:01:48
    • → point: John says fame is very much an intoxicant: being at parties with famous people and receiving so much outside affirmation, but intoxicants have downsides. (00:01:48)
  • 2024-10-01 · John: A stranger who saw John at dinner called him a very deliberate chewer; he is, because of his eosinophilic esophagitis, but doesn't want strangers noticing. — On Fame and Chappell Roan 00:02:47
    • → point: John didn't understand the pleasure of privacy until he lost it: unlike the middle-school belief that everyone is watching you, when you're famous people actually are. (00:02:18)
  • 2024-10-01 · John: John disliked feeling overwhelmed, overexposed and scared, nerve endings outside his body; he feels it less now after a lot of work and being past the summit. — On Fame and Chappell Roan 00:03:45
    • → point: John says fame is a problem because, as a culture, we worship at the altar of fame. (00:03:45)
  • 2024-10-01 · John: John says he can use fame to write a book about tuberculosis, though no Saturday Night Live sketch will result, because it can help people and his deepest self wants to. — On Fame and Chappell Roan 00:04:15
    • → point: John has come to understand that how he feels about fame is mostly a function of how he uses it; when the photo was taken he only knew to make more of it. (00:04:15)

Sports

  • 2018-06-15 · Hank: Hank still has a 'sports are dumb' mentality left over from being socially discounted and occasionally punched by athletic people as a teen. — Sports are Dumb 00:00:58
    • → point: Rationalizing that mentality is a problem: it really comes from not liking what people who don't like you like, dressed up as half-assed arguments. (00:01:09)
  • 2019-01-29 · John: On November 23, 1984, seven-year-old John watched Boston College play Miami, rooting for Boston College, and cried when Miami took a seemingly insurmountable late lead. — Do You Believe in Miracles? 00:00:00
    • → point: John says much of what he has done since has been an attempt to understand, celebrate or recreate that moment, chasing the feeling Al Michaels famously exclaimed. (00:00:29)
  • 2019-01-29 · John: Boston College's quarterback threw a 52-yard pass to his roommate and best friend Gerard Phelan to win in what became the Miami Miracle; John's dad threw him in the air. — Do You Believe in Miracles? 00:00:29
    • → point: John says much of what he has done since has been an attempt to understand, celebrate or recreate that moment, chasing the feeling Al Michaels famously exclaimed. (00:00:29)
  • 2019-01-29 · John: The urge to find and share hope is why John writes books, makes videos, gardens and sponsors AFC Wimbledon, the third-tier English team wearing DFTBA on their shorts. — Do You Believe in Miracles? 00:01:55
    • → point: John says it is never wrong to be hopeful, and anyone who says otherwise hasn't watched enough AFC Wimbledon games. (00:02:54)
  • 2019-01-29 · John: Watching in a basement in Indianapolis, John found himself in tears, grateful to the club that had again shown him the meaning of life. — Do You Believe in Miracles? 00:02:54
    • → point: John says it is never wrong to be hopeful, and anyone who says otherwise hasn't watched enough AFC Wimbledon games. (00:02:54)
  • 2019-04-30 · John: When Wimbledon scored a last-second goal against league leaders Luton Town a couple of weeks ago, the players ran straight to, and some into, the stands. — The Thing with Feathers 00:02:25
    • → point: Every reprieve is only temporary; as Hank Williams sang, you'll never get out of this world alive; the miracle won't last forever, but John doesn't need forever. (00:02:25)
  • 2019-04-30 · John: It reminded John that in 2013 Jack Midson scored a penalty in the season's last game to keep Wimbledon in the fourth tier, and celebrated by borrowing a fan's hat. — The Thing with Feathers 00:02:25
    • → point: Every reprieve is only temporary; as Hank Williams sang, you'll never get out of this world alive; the miracle won't last forever, but John doesn't need forever. (00:02:25)
  • 2019-04-30 · John: Lately frustrated that so much effort is for nothing, John says that over the last few years he worked hard on stories he eventually had to abandon, which is painful. — The Thing with Feathers 00:02:54
    • → point: Wanting effort to count may be the wrong way to see it: like Ramsdale's ridiculous save on a deflected shot, most scrambles mean nothing, but you can't know which effort will work. (00:02:54)
  • 2019-06-04 · John: On Saturday morning John's gut told him that for Liverpool to win the Champions League he had to give away a prized possession, a jersey signed by former captain Steven Gerrard. — On Sharing the Walk 00:00:30
    • → point: John has been thinking about the verb 'to treasure': valuing something can lead to hoarding it, when what would help the universe most might be to share what you value. (00:01:03)
  • 2019-06-04 · John: In New York City for BookCon, John walked into a soccer bar, found a man alone in a Liverpool shirt, about a size L, told him of his premonition and gave him the jersey. — On Sharing the Walk 00:01:22
    • → point: John has been thinking about the verb 'to treasure': valuing something can lead to hoarding it, when what would help the universe most might be to share what you value. (00:01:03)
  • 2019-06-04 · John: The man, who had a PhD in something science-y, didn't know who John was but was very excited; they chatted and took a picture, and John doesn't remember his name. — On Sharing the Walk 00:01:34
    • → point: John has been thinking about the verb 'to treasure': valuing something can lead to hoarding it, when what would help the universe most might be to share what you value. (00:01:03)
  • 2019-07-23 · John: In the description John thanks Ian Rush, Patrik Berger, Courtney and everyone at Liverpool FC for the day, and Mohamed Salah for smashing the penalty in the final. — What to Love and How 00:00:00
    • → point: John has been thinking about what we love and how, because loves give us communities, and we need communities bound by enthusiasms to combat what Vonnegut called the terrible disease of loneliness. (00:00:00)
  • 2019-07-23 · John: John drove to South Bend, Indiana to see reigning European champions Liverpool play a pre-season friendly at the University of Notre Dame. — What to Love and How 00:00:31
    • → point: John has little in common with most Liverpool supporters (jobs, politics, religion), but because their love is oriented in the same direction they are profoundly and deeply together. (00:00:31)
  • 2019-07-23 · John: When Steven Gerrard lifted Liverpool's fifth European Cup in 2005, John was in Alabama celebrating his engagement to Sarah; his first novel was six weeks old and he was 27. — What to Love and How 00:00:57
    • → point: Singing hymn-like songs with other fans at the stadium, John again felt football's great gift: it has made him part of a massive, sprawling, inclusive us. (00:01:27)
  • 2019-07-23 · John: At halftime John, Sarah and Alice met Liverpool legends Patrik Berger and Ian Rush, who generously brought out the European Cup for them; John wept. — What to Love and How 00:02:54
    • → point: Raising the cup like Jordan Henderson, John felt gratitude for the many usses that loved him into life; he often wonders what the point is, but then knew: the point is to gather. (00:03:23)
  • 2019-07-23 · John: John thought of the 14 years between trophies: years with Sarah, two kids, books, YouTube channels, hard times and good ones, with Liverpool there the whole time. — What to Love and How 00:02:54
    • → point: Raising the cup like Jordan Henderson, John felt gratitude for the many usses that loved him into life; he often wonders what the point is, but then knew: the point is to gather. (00:03:23)
  • 2020-04-28 · John: John recaptures that not-knowing by watching old games: yesterday, while exercising, he watched the 2012 Italian Cup Final without knowing the winner, and it was thrilling. — get your game on 00:02:26
    • → point: Taking up the poem's line that the crowd enjoys the game to no end save beauty, John says we all need things in our lives with no end save beauty; he finds it in competitive Tetris and marble racing. (00:02:55)
  • 2022-10-18 · John: John expected his daughter to call flying all that way to watch the Dons lose a fourth-tier game a bummer; instead she said it was amazing. — Terraverse Over Everything: Thoughts from London 00:00:39
    • → point: John calls Plough Lane the physical embodiment of what a community can accomplish when it sticks together and has a shared purpose. (00:00:39)
  • 2023-04-04 · John: When John saw AFC Wimbledon promoted to the third tier at Wembley with his dad, friends and 60,000 others, he felt pure, simple joy without dread. — The Search for Real Feeling 00:02:05
    • → point: John says this is ultimately why he loves sports so much: sometimes he needs to feel in a straightforward, uncomplicated way. (00:01:58)
  • 2023-04-04 · John: A couple of weeks ago John flew across an ocean with his kid to see AFC Wimbledon lose to the league's worst team without a single shot on target. — The Search for Real Feeling 00:02:41
    • → point: After those losses John feels sadness without hope mixed in: pure, unpleasant, but simple. (00:02:30)
  • 2023-04-11 · John: John recalls watching AFC Wimbledon, sponsored by them for over a decade with DFTBA on their shorts, win a play-off final against Plymouth Argyle; a crying Plymouth fan answered his condolences with 'Great day for you lot, though.' — Wrexham's Most Amazing Feeling 00:01:05
    • → point: John loves sports not for the balls but for the people: loving something together lets him feel earnest, unironic connection and emotion he couldn't feel otherwise. (00:00:44)
  • 2024-03-05 · John: After the game John celebrated with the Nerdfighters of Plough Lane, met left-back Jack Currie, and Wimbledon's manager and coaches came to the pub to sing with fans. — THE BEST DAY 00:03:38
    • → point: John says that of all the unimportant things, football is the most important. (00:03:34)
  • 2024-08-20 · John: Bromley scored in the first half; John and Rosianna stood to change their luck, but the home team added a second goal, Wimbledon's first defeat of the season. — Thoughts from Places: BROMLEY! 00:02:26
    • → point: John says he wasn't there for the goals but for the pleasure of being with a few hundred people whose love points the same way as his. (00:02:55)
  • 2024-08-20 · John: Playing on 'enjoy', John says even when Wimbledon loses he is in joy, and it is a relief to be able to feel in joy again. — Thoughts from Places: BROMLEY! 00:03:24
    • → point: John says he wasn't there for the goals but for the pleasure of being with a few hundred people whose love points the same way as his. (00:02:55)
  • 2025-04-22 · John: John says he has talked with over 15,000 people about the needless suffering caused by tuberculosis. — The Unimportant Things 00:00:58
    • → point: Yet for John, sports are also a balm and a break. (00:01:27)
  • 2025-04-22 · John: John says he even visited Congress with nerdfighters from around the country to make the case for foreign aid funding. — The Unimportant Things 00:00:58
    • → point: Yet for John, sports are also a balm and a break. (00:01:27)
  • 2025-04-22 · John: John says the month has also been exhausting, with two more exhausting months to come, and one pillar holding him up has been fourth-tier English football. — The Unimportant Things 00:00:58
    • → point: Yet for John, sports are also a balm and a break. (00:01:27)
  • 2025-04-22 · John: Though very tired, John says he is excited and motivated by his work and grateful to everyone who has read and shared Everything Is Tuberculosis. — The Unimportant Things 00:03:51
    • → point: John says football and the documentary remind him that hope is correct: not always rewarded, with as much heartbreak as joy, but correct because things might get better, especially when we orient our love together. (00:03:23)
  • 2026-10-06 · John: John and Mikey T supported the same third-tier English team, AFC Wimbledon, and came to know each other a little by loving it together. — Make Your Art. 00:00:29
    • → point: John says Mikey T would never have called himself an artist, but he was one: he made and shared art, and in doing so encouraged and connected others. (00:00:29)
  • 2026-10-06 · John: John says Mikey T was the club's radio and TV commentator, an astonishingly good one, with catchphrases his listeners loved. — Make Your Art. 00:00:58
    • → point: John says Mikey T would never have called himself an artist, but he was one: he made and shared art, and in doing so encouraged and connected others. (00:00:29)
  • 2026-10-06 · John: John recalls Mikey T's catchphrases: a shot well wide 'just missed the right side junction of crossbar and post', and the added-time board was 'the overtime verdict tablet'. — Make Your Art. 00:01:27
    • → point: John says Mikey T would never have called himself an artist, but he was one: he made and shared art, and in doing so encouraged and connected others. (00:00:29)
  • 2026-10-06 · John: John says Mikey T and his partner Rob Cornell made gripping radio, and plays Mikey's call of Ronan Curtis's last-second goal against the Milton Keynes franchise. — Make Your Art. 00:01:27
    • → point: John says Mikey T would never have called himself an artist, but he was one: he made and shared art, and in doing so encouraged and connected others. (00:00:29)
  • 2026-10-06 · John: John says Mikey T saw Wimbledon play Manchester United in the Premier League and also play in the ninth tier while sitting on hay bales. — Make Your Art. 00:03:41
    • → point: John says a football club is neither its players nor even its most important fans, who pass away, but a collective memory held in the present; Mikey T will always be part of it. (00:03:41)
  • 2026-10-06 · John: John's regret: a few weeks ago, on the field, he sang 'there's only one Mikey T' up to the commentary booth but did not walk up to talk to and thank him. — Make Your Art. 00:04:10
    • → point: John says a football club is neither its players nor even its most important fans, who pass away, but a collective memory held in the present; Mikey T will always be part of it. (00:03:41)