Skip to content

I Don't Want The Same Things Anymore

2019-02-22 · letter vlog · Hank · 3:59 · watch on YouTube

Topic: Projects (also: Internet & YouTube) · mode: Personal essay · tags: self promotion, on location

Visiting their parents in North Carolina after VidCon, Hank reflects that nobody in online video knows what they're doing and that his drive has changed shape: DFTBA works because he doesn't want it to make billions. He announces a Vlogbrothers bag sale and that most of DFTBA's after-tax profit will go to Partners In Health's maternal health work in Liberia.

What is said

The parts of the video and what is said in each (★ — how much it matters to the video).

00:00:00 — At their parents' house after VidCon: comparing himself to others; nobody knows what they're doing; his drive has changed shape

  • ★★ 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. — 00:00:00
  • ★★★ At VidCon Hank starts to think others do cooler things, are smarter and make better decisions; he has that thought all the time, which is ridiculous. — 00:00:00
  • ★★ Hank says the biggest secret of online video is that no one has any idea what they're doing. (playful) — 00:00:29
  • ★★ Hank says that if the person who started the conference can feel this way, anyone can in any circumstance; it's just human nature. (hedged) — 00:00:29
  • ★★★ 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

00:00:58 — The business idea his dad knew he wouldn't do; no longer feeling bound to create all the economic value he could; DFTBA as a business he doesn't want to make billions

  • ★★ On a bridge watching his son throw rocks into a creek, Hank told their dad a business idea; his dad asked 'you're not going to do that, are you?' and Hank said of course not. — 00:00:58 · Mike Green, Orin Green
  • ★★★ Hank says a business opportunity existing doesn't mean he'll pursue it, though he once felt that not creating all the economic value he could meant failing society. — 00:00:58
  • ★★ Hank still feels obligations to society, but no longer that one. — 00:01:27
  • ★★ Hank describes one of his favorite businesses, a shipping company making products for creators to sell to their communities, started with Alan in 2008 and now run with Dave; it helps creators grow or go full time. — 00:01:27 · DFTBA Records, Alan Lastufka

00:01:56 — DFTBA sale: $17.99 Vlogbrothers bag, $2 bobbleheads, DFTBA socks

  • ★★★ Hank says the business relied on him realizing, accepting and being excited that he didn't want it to make billions and be sold to Amazon. — 00:01:56 · DFTBA Records, Amazon
  • ★★★ With too much stock in the DFTBA warehouse, Hank announces a $17.99 bag of up to ten Vlogbrothers items, shipping anywhere included, for two weeks or until stock runs out. — 00:02:26 · DFTBA Records
  • ★★ Hank says other things are on sale, such as the bobbleheads they made too many of, now two dollars plus shipping. (playful) — 00:02:26 · DFTBA Records

00:02:56 — Most of DFTBA's after-tax profit to Partners In Health for maternal health in Liberia

  • ★★★ With big goals for maternal health in Liberia with Partners In Health, Hank says DFTBA will give the vast majority of its after-tax profit to PIH for that project, with more information soon. — 00:02:56 · DFTBA Records, Partners In Health, maternal death
  • ★★ Hank says this is DFTBA's own business money, whether it comes from Kurzgesagt, Lindsay Ellis, the McElroy Brothers or Life's Library. — 00:02:56 · DFTBA Records

00:03:25 — Business continues unchanged; obligations he feels now; warehouse space; sign-off in the woods

  • ★★ Hank says DFTBA's business continues unchanged, with employees paid and bonused the same; only the profit goes to something that matters more, the obligations he feels now. — 00:03:25 · DFTBA Records
  • ★★ Hank says it's just about people coming together to solve problems and make things people like. — 00:03:25
  • ★ Hank says the sale is also to get warehouse space: Kanan is mad and wants them to make some. (playful) — 00:03:25

In the description and comments

  • ★★ The description says all 1700 bags sold in two hours. — video description · DFTBA Records
  • ★★ The description lists other items on sale: the Nerdfighter backpack and a crewneck Hank designed for $20, and mystery socks for $6. — video description
  • ★★ The description says that, because of how their accounting works, DFTBA profit going to Partners In Health extends back through the entire last year (2018). — video description · DFTBA Records, Partners In Health
  • ★★ Hank explains that DFTBA profit not going to Partners In Health is either held as an operating reserve or distributed to small minority owners who invested when the company needed it. — video description · DFTBA Records, Partners In Health
  • ★★ Hank clarifies that DFTBA is a separate company from Complexly: DFTBA's profit from services to creators goes to Partners In Health, while money Vlogbrothers makes selling merch still goes to Complexly and creators keep earning as normal. — video description · DFTBA Records, Complexly, Partners In Health

Threads in this video

Where the stories that moved here went next

Mentioned

Central: DFTBA Records · Partners In Health

Also: People: Alan Lastufka · Caenaan · Dave (staff, mentioned from 2014) · Lindsay Ellis · Mike Green · Orin Green

Projects: Life's Library · VidCon Europe

Organizations: Amazon · Kurzgesagt

Groups: McElroy brothers

Concepts: human nature · maternal death · online video · Social comparison theory

Places: Liberia · North Carolina

Only in the description or credits: Complexly · Nerdfighter backpack

← Previous: Battling Apathy and Searching for Meaning on Question Tuesday · Next → The Necessity to Struggle / The Futility of Effort