With everything happening now, it can be difficult to strike a balance between staying informed with current events and putting your head in the sand. When things feel overwhelming, but you don’t want to watch reality TV or read fantasy, here are a couple of YouTubers who create educational and interesting video essays.
- ContraPoints
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Natalie Wynn creates long-form videos on topics such as opulence, cancel culture, and beauty. Rather than just sitting down in front of a camera and talking, Wynn’s videos involve several costume changes, elaborate sets and lighting, and music that isn’t lo-fi chill hip-hop beats to study to.
It’s clear that she puts hours of research into her topics, but she also brings her own unique viewpoint as a transgender woman. With the perfect mix of sassy and educational, Wynn’s videos make 45 minutes feel like nothing.
- Tiffany Ferg
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Tiffany Ferg’s videos are more traditional in the sense that she talks while sitting on the floor of her bedroom, but her opinions and views always involve thorough research on different internet topics. As a communications major, Ferg frequently uses ideas and theories from her classes, but never in a way that feels didactic or dry.
It’s especially interesting watching her videos dissecting the origins of trends like VSCO girls, e-girls and TikTok, as well as her videos that respond to popular YouTube trends, like the rise of “productivity” and how that could have negative effects, and whether thrifting hauls are hurting people who depend on thrift stores.
- Damon Dominique
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I first discovered Damon as part of Damon and Jo when I was looking for language YouTubers, but I’ve kept following Damon as he traveled around the world and finally moved to Paris.
Though all the videos on his channel are incredibly well-made and he has a charismatic, bubbly personality, I especially enjoy his Red Wine Talks and his documentary-style videos of the people he’s met on his travels around the world.
Everyone Damon is friends with seems to bring a unique viewpoint to their Red Wine Talks, and they’re from all over the world as well, so it gives his viewers a better look into how people from other cultures might think and feel about certain topics.
- Max Joseph
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Max Joseph is an American filmmaker best known for his role as a host on Catfish, but he’s taken his filmmaking talent to YouTube as well. While he is not prolific on the platform, his two videos on reading more and whether you have to be a dick to be a leader combine storytelling with scenic shots and a wide variety of interviews with professionals and locals.
The reason I started reading prolifically this year (and have just finished my 28th book) was because of Joseph’s video on reading more, coupled with his beautiful shots of bookstores all over the world. He makes a compelling case for how easy it is to read more with some math and the help of a professional speed reader, then drives home the aesthetic appeal of reading more with footage of famous bookstores, including Levraria Lello in Porto, Portugal, said to have inspired J.K. Rowling.
With these uncertain and difficult times we’re all in, it can be hard to stay calm and positive as graduations and other important events are canceled. While not entirely escapist, hopefully, these binge-able YouTubers are able to take your mind off things at least for a while.
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