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The Anxious Scroll

2020-03-13 · letter vlog · Hank · 3:11 · watch on YouTube

Topic: Health (also: Personal life) · mode: Personal essay · tags: timely hook, on location, heavy topic

Up at 2 a.m. in a hotel bed after the tour was cut short, Hank tells John that the anxious scroll through COVID-19 news feels useful but uncovers nothing, while calling a friend relieves the stress; he should be using his power to connect with people instead of searching for the next scare.

What is said

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

00:00:00 — Cold-open update (mentally not great, physically fine); 2 a.m. and the anxious scroll

  • ★★ In a cold open added to the video recorded the night before, Hank says he is not about to give bad news: he is mentally not great but physically fine. — 00:00:05
  • ★★ At almost 2 a.m. Hank has been doing 'the anxious scroll' to some extent, which is not super surprising. — 00:00:17

00:00:34 — Hank called two friends he rarely phones and talked about COVID-19 and ordinary things

  • ★★ Hank feels like a bad person for not calling friends more: both because it's a good thing to do and because it's so obvious and good and he still doesn't do it. (playful) — 00:00:34
  • ★★★ Hank called two people he rarely phones; they talked some about COVID-19 but also about bread, Star Wars, work and coffee, the normal stuff, and it was lovely. — 00:00:50 · COVID-19 pandemic

00:01:04 — The anxious scroll uncovers nothing, while calling a friend relieves the stress; the Twitter immune-system warning

  • ★★★ During the anxious scroll Hank feels he is doing something useful, seeing the same three to five stories so often they seem like 300 to 500, wanting to know what tomorrow and three weeks will bring; it uncovers nothing. — 00:01:08
  • ★★★ Hank says calling a friend or family member makes it all go away a little: you can talk about movies, books, the past, help a mutual friend, rant, get mad and laugh. — 00:01:40
  • ★★ Hank finds Twitter's reminder that stress lowers your immune system a little dubious and complicated, and it doesn't make him less stressed. — 00:01:58 · Twitter
  • ★★★ Hank says what makes him less stressed, maybe not for everyone, is calling a friend, perhaps someone from a while ago, just to say I think about you and care about you. — 00:02:15
  • ★★ Hank says he should call people every day; it feels good, and the more he doesn't do it, the more he feels he can't. — 00:02:33
  • ★★★ Instead of searching for the next scare, outrage or piece of news, Hank says he should be using the tremendous power at his disposal to connect with someone. — 00:02:44

00:02:56 — Connecting with someone; thanks for hanging out in his hotel bed and sign-off

In the description and comments

  • ★★ The description says the video was recorded after the brothers' tour got cut short, for obvious and completely understandable reasons. — video description
  • ★★ The description says we know more testing is needed and that handwashing, social distancing and ending large events slow spread, protecting the vulnerable and the healthcare system, but much is unknown. — video description · COVID-19 pandemic
  • ★★ The description warns that many people have reasons for wanting us to think things are more certain than they are, but they just aren't. — video description
  • ★★ The description asks viewers to reach out to people who matter in non-performative, non-public spaces such as a private chat, a video game, a phone call or long emails. — video description
  • ★ In a comment John says he really appreciates the cold open relieving his worries. — creator comment

Threads in this video

Mentioned

Central: doomscrolling

Also: COVID-19 pandemic · immune system · psychological stress · Star Wars · Twitter

Only in the description or credits: hand washing · loneliness · social distancing · video game

Also centred on doomscrolling: The Assassination Attempt and the Comfort of Certainty

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