I was in a café yesterday. There is no big news about that. Like many people who suggest they work from home, I often go out, not just to get a coffee, but to work in an environment where others are doing the same thing.
Arriving in this particular regular venue, I sat down at a table next to a young man, and since I needed to plug my computer in under the seat he occupied, I asked for his assistance, and we got into conversation.
For a reason that I can't recall, he asked what I was writing, and I explained. I spent much of yesterday working on video scripts, so this is what I told him I was working on. The wealth series of videos is now almost entirely scripted, and a new series on bonds and their economic significance is also in progress. Additionally, another series on neoliberal myths and how to challenge them is being sketched out. More than 20 scripts are, therefore, in progress.
The person I was talking to, whom I discovered was called Thomas, was intrigued. He told me that he is an undergraduate student and wanted to create a YouTube channel on political economy, although that is not what he is studying. He then asked me how to do this, and explained his great fear of simply turning on the camera and talking to it.
Over the next 45 minutes, or more, I suggested to him what I thought he needed to do, starting from the fact that he needs to stop thinking about wanting to make a YouTube channel, and start one. To illustrate the point, I actually made a very short video there and then, which I will not share, using my WebCam. As I pointed out, by doing so, I had made one more video than he had, and in relative terms, that gap is enormous, and he needed to close it by doing the same thing.
I very much enjoyed our exchange, partly because Thomas was an engaged and clearly very able student who asked great questions that made me think about the answers I had to provide. In the process, I did, however, realise just how much I have learned over the last year.
As I pointed out to him, creating YouTube videos or undertaking any other form of social media activity involves a massive learning curve, and what you do at first is inevitably not very good, or even worse. My son, Thomas, and I look back at the videos we made when we restarted this channel only a bit over a year ago and cringe with embarrassment. I would not be at all surprised if in a year's time we look back at what we make now and think much the same, although we have undoubtedly got better.
As I explained, the secret to getting good at blog writing, Tweet writing, YouTube production, and pretty much anything else is getting over the embarrassment of learning in public and simply doing it. The good news is that when you are rubbish, most people don't notice. It's only when you begin to master things that they do.
The Thomas, with whom I was in discussion (as opposed to my son of the same first name), asked if he could come back to me on these issues. He is more than welcome to, and I look forward to hearing from him. If I might help him, that's good news, most especially as he made me think about my own learning process.
That, however, led to another thought. As a matter of fact, if I can now have up to 20 videos for our regular YouTube channel in the course of production, and it is highly likely but between 10 and 15 of those will get filmed next week, is it time for me to launch a second YoiuTube channel which looks at other issues which are of interest to me and where I might have something to share?
I could cover things of the sort that I discussed with Thomas yesterday, about how to be a campaigner, how to write, how to communicate effectively, and make YouTube videos. But more than that, the channel might be about the rest of life beyond the immediate issues that are the subject of my primary YouTube channel.
Would this be of interest to people? I put a poll below:
Would you be interested if I had another YouTube channel for things that interest me beyond politiucal economy?
- Yes (58%, 163 Votes)
- Unsure (23%, 63 Votes)
- No (11%, 32 Votes)
- You need to get out more (8%, 21 Votes)
Total Voters: 279
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I don’t usually see your YouTube videos as I read the transcripts here though, for some reason, I decided it might be appropriate to watch the “Wealth” video and I found it to be very good. If you had a new channel and the transcripts were on the blog, I would probably just read them here. I voted unsure for that (messy) reason.
Thanks
Tiny numbers of people from here watch the videos, but many more people watch the videos than come here.
I am one person who watches the videos and enjoy them greatly.
I have forwarded the YouTube links of videos I really enjoyed to many friends with the suggestion they check out your blog. Many have!
I think the blog supports and feeds the YouTube videos and the YouTube videos support and feed the blog.
A second channel is a wonderful idea if you can maintain the current quality of the blog plus the two YouTube channels.
I will play with that idea then
It may be produced quite differemtly
I usually read the transcripts as it is quicker. But I think ‘even’ the first ones, were good because you come across as sincere, well informed and someone who would listen if engaged in a conversation. It is the ‘unconscious communication.’ Something I hoped to be when seeing people for counselling. On that basis people trust or don’t trust, as much as the conscious communication.
Thanks
Thanks
My thoughts are – don’t spread yourself too thinly and risk burnout – stick to where you are making the most important impact, as it is vital that your message on the economy is heard.
I’d certainly be interested in your take on other subjects, but I’d much rather read [a transcript] than have to sit through a video.
Noted
We may still do transcripts
I have recently found out that you can play videos at a faster speed and have since then used 1.5X. Surprisingly I still understand it all and it take much less time (obviously). When I try to speed read text I miss a lot and often have to reread bits more slowly.
Mind you I’ve no idea how on Earth you, Richard, fit so much into a day. I have recently complimented you on your ability to read and respond to emails, admittedly on the basis that flattery will get me everywhere. But I find that if any day I do read all your posts, including the responses, it takes me half a morning. I actually timed how long it took to read one post, and found it was 900 words in 9 minutes. I can only assume that your brain works faster than mine.
I can write 900 words on my walk from here into the city (very small city, where I live) for a coffee. I dictate a great deal. These days, people are used to someone walking around talking into a mobile phone, so it attracts little attention. The problem is they have a brain that always creates more idea than I have time to use.
Ah, you dictate it. I’ve never done that. Maybe I’d better try.
But you can’t read things whilst walking along unless you’ve got some method of having the text coverted into speech?
I will do a blog post…
From my point of view you have an integrative outlook which recognises and promotes a holistic or systems approach where different aspects of the variety of interests you have inform those in other areas in much depth. I think it is a significant way of thinking critically and reflectively which needs to be heard. At the moment this is reflected in the breadth of subjects covered here in the blog. My only reservation about an additional video channel would be separating out such a systems approach into apparently disconnected areas of interest.
I have also worried about that, but the YouTube algorithm does not like a channel having more than one theme.
I have voted that you need to get out more slightly tongue in cheek, but I did notice the other day that you mentioned your work sometimes takes 12 hours a day.
I often work 12 hours a day – but usually whilst also listening to podcasts, watching videos or more. I have little difficutly doing two things at once, even if my wife is known to find that annoying, occassionally. She has accepted that I can type on one subject and hold a conversation with her on another and that I can answer almost all the questions she asks whilst doing so – and if not I then give her my undivided attention.
That probably explains most of it, Richard. I think I have said before that I sat next to you at a GIMMS talk and you were constantly typing on your laptop whislt clearly at the same time listening to the procedings, which I knew because you were regularly interjecting with entirely relevant comments. So you can work at least twice as fast as I can.
🙂
I started playing the guitar when I was 15. Rehearsed in bands but never played live.
13 years ago, I played my first gig, some 27 years after picking up my first 6-string (from my brother-in-law, not a five & dime!).
My gf of 3 years saw the video of that gig recently for the first time, and she remarked how cool and in charge I looked.
As the sport brand says: just do it!
As I told Thomas, yesterday