Has all major YouTube content devolved into shilling?

[alterwisser]

Regarding the Engineering degree:

it might be right, but how does it help someone who has no technical talent and/or desire to work in that field?

my dad also wanted me to go into a technical profession. But what can I do? I struggled with Maths and physics, and I hated it. I had to fight hard just to master the math stuff needed for macro and microeconomics in college. It’s just not me.

Yes, bills need to be paid, but I think you need to follow a career path that you’re gonna be happy in and passionate about. I don’t think you should consider becoming an engineer or anything else if it’s likely that you’re miserable for year or decades.

To each their own. But a fulfilled career and happy life trumps an unhappy one that pays well any day of the week. Ideally, it’s both fulfilling and decently paid, of course.

 

[Luftmensch]

What do you all think?

I agree. It seems to me there was a golden age of YouTube where the content was more raw. It was community lead and it had amateur appeal. We are lucky we had that! But we are living through a live experiment.

YouTube. Marketing companies. Content creators. Viewers. The common denominator is that YouTube is the service provider and can dictate the terms of service (and change them at their convenience).

The behaviour you see on the platform is a consequence of those stakeholders pushing and pulling in their own direction. It would be unreasonable to assume YouTube would remain a static entity. Throughout its history it has had to (and will continue to) adapt to regulation, social expectation/license and competition. Changes to high-level strategy will be echoed in the content that is made prominent on the platform.

Google recently announced changes to the YouTube advertising scheme that basically allows them to monetize your video for you, and **** you if you don't like it oh and if you aren't on a certain tier of use then they don't share that revenue.

Unfortunately, their platform... their terms of service. If you read the fine print they say wordy things like:

By providing Content to the Service, you grant to YouTube a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicensable and transferable license to use that Content (including to reproduce, distribute, prepare derivative works, display and perform it) in connection with the Service and YouTube’s (and its successors’ and Affiliates’) business, including for the purpose of promoting and redistributing part or all of the Service.

and to your point, the recent announcement:

You grant to YouTube the right to monetize your Content on the Service (and such monetization may include displaying ads on or within Content or charging users a fee for access). This Agreement does not entitle you to any payments. Starting November 18, 2020, any payments you may be entitled to receive from YouTube under any other agreement between you and YouTube (including for example payments under the YouTube Partner Program, Channel memberships or Super Chat) will be treated as royalties. If required by law, Google will withhold taxes from such payments.

Again, YouTube are under no obligation to do what we want with their infrastructure. Similarly content creators are free to choose what they produce and how they publish their material. I find it hard to feel empathy for content creators who bemoan changes to 'the algorithm'. I can muster some sympathy.


On another note:

sitting at a desk smashing my head into a wall until my model metrics look good enough

Fine sir: as a reputable member of KKF, I take it, you are not admitting to the dastardly practice of data dredging and rather admitting to the drudgery of data?

 

[user 16756]

Again, YouTube are under no obligation to do what we want with their infrastructure. Similarly content creators are free to choose what they produce and how they publish their material. I find it hard to feel empathy for content creators who bemoan changes to 'the algorithm'. I can muster some sympathy.


On another note:



Fine sir: as a reputable member of KKF, I take it, you are not admitting to the dastardly practice of data dredging and rather admitting to the drudgery of data?

I get it. YouTube's house, YouTube's rules. I dont have to like the result of it though. Also worth noting, I am not a content creator. But YouTube does have a monetary interest in the content quality though, as they are making huge money off ads, and content is what people go to their site to look at.

As far as your latter point goes, tbh that's a fair accusation, but I haven't been guilty of that since I had to write peer-review and my research director who was from "the golden era" refused to accept non-significant results even if that was reality. I dont do that kind of work anymore, and I was joking.

 

[Barmoley]

Im not sure what world you live in, but it's not the same one I do.

No one acts the way you describe, undergraduate engineering (especially back when I suspect you got yours) isnt hard, and it mostly sounds like you've built up a lot of stuff to justify your own life choices.

If you want to see someone who works hard go look at the single mom who works two jobs to make ends meet.

And really, the fact that you're dismissive of people who want to go into non-profit or make the world better, dude you need to get your priorities in line that stuff is important.

That's not the issue. Do what you like and feel passionate about, but don't also expect to make a lot of money for it if the society at large doesn't agree with you and doesn't want to pay for it. It sounds like some of you feel that you should be able to live where you want, do what you want, follow professions that you think are important and still get paid well for it. That's all great, but whom do you expect to pay for your passion? Clearly some jobs are valued more than others in our world, not everyone can do these jobs, that's most likely why people who can get paid a lot. You want to be a poet, be a poet, go to school for it if you want, but it would be silly to expect to get out of college and be making a lot of money. You might make it big at some point or not. Presumably you are doing this because you love it not for the money, so better have something else that makes you money.

Some of you guys sound like children, " I want to do what I want and be happy, oh and I want the world to pay for it..." Society pays for what is important to it at the time. It might not be sexy or fun or something you can do, but it is what society needs at the time. We all want to follow our dreams and passions and also make a lot of money doing it, some succeed, but very few. It is unreasonable to expect someone else to pay for your happiness.

 

[user 16756]

you know what screw this Im out.

 

[Matt Zilliox]

Yeah I think that misses the point entirely. We know the reality as it is today. Thats the discussion. It used to be in my parents gen, any degree meant security. Anywhere. My gen saw this change some. Today's grads... im not sure how it is for them, but I do know its harder than ever to find a good paying job.

I dont hear folks whining about wanting to do what they want... I hear folks lamenting the evolution of the economy and consumer priorities. We are lamenting what society values. Of course we all adapt, what choice is there? Its philosophy. Its a conversation. We get reality, thanks for further explaining it, haha.

Id argue a bunch of folks making money dont have special skills beyond a lack of morality... some worked hard, some are specialists ( like my wife). Some of them are simply well connected.. Im not whining for myself, I do fine.

But sure, spoiled kids... capitalism is great!

We are consumers, Americans especially, and its gotten worse over time. Is it the best way forward? Doubtful, buts it's what marketing tells us we are supposed to be into...

 

[Luftmensch]

you know what screw this Im out.

Easy fella... you're alright!

I get it. YouTube's house, YouTube's rules. I dont have to like the result of it though. Also worth noting, I am not a content creator. But YouTube does have a monetary interest in the content quality though, as they are making huge money off ads, and content is what people go to their site to look at.

No, you don't have to like it... and nobody is asking you to! I agree that 'the algorithm' promotes content that is likely to be backed by professional outfits rather than smaller individuals. I agree this means the likelihood of a promoted video trying to sell you something is higher... Smaller content producers are likely to be getting less clicks. I don't know what else to say though?

I think I pretty much agree with your sentiments. The only productive advice I can give you is that you have more pressing concerns in your life to spend your stress budget on. It is what it is...

But YouTube does have a monetary interest in the content quality though, as they are making huge money off ads, and content is what people go to their site to look at.

Exactly - they have a profit incentive. Perhaps this is an experiment that will turn sour. Of course, the alternative is that this is working for them

As far as your latter point goes, tbh that's a fair accusation, but I haven't been guilty of that since I had to write peer-review and my research director who was from "the golden era" refused to accept non-significant results even if that was reality. I dont do that kind of work anymore, and I was joking.

I was attempting to elbow you in the ribs while simultaneously trying to show that I understood the sentiment of your point. Perhaps the emojis didn't make up for the lack of non-verbal cues?

 

[Keith Sinclair]

To be a poet ain't what it used to be. In western or Japanese culture.

Unless you consider rap & hip hop today's poetry.

Joni Mitchell was influenced by Bob Dylan. Both read the classic poets. It showed in their lyrics.

Seems to me a young person with musical talent even today could do well to write their own music with serious study of the classic poets.

 

[user 16756]

the irony of being XD emoted by a person who's opinions in this thread would make for a good onion article.

 

[Keith Sinclair]

Hot stocks these days are geared to streaming stay at home jobs. Covid just more the case, is a trend more people will be doing it.

5G will change quite a bit the lines & towers are still mostly 4G. Most carriers of 5G not up to the potential of speed yet. That will change.
It is a huge difference from 4G will benefit hospitals, self driving tech, literally everything
will be much faster speeds & capabilities.

I wonder how mechanization will put many out of jobs. Years ago in Hawaii garbage men picked up. When recycle bins blue, green, & grey, went to driver only with fork jaws pick up.
So many Garbage men got injury actually saved a lot of money in long run.

The most I missed about work when retired was the action and the people worked with. Had to do things like oil painting, teaching knife sharpening I was happy to volunteer enjoyed teaching young people entering the field. Covid ended that.

I think after this difficult period I will find some ways to volunteer my time helping folks one way or another. It's a good feeling makes you feel useful like your still worth something.
Thinking about meals on wheels.

No self driving cars for me, I'm a boomer like my 6 speed manual trans.

 

[Nemo]

No self driving cars for me, I'm a boomer like my 6 speed manual trans.

I'm with you there, brother.

 

[WildBoar]

Im not sure what world you live in, but it's not the same one I do.

No one acts the way you describe, undergraduate engineering (especially back when I suspect you got yours) isnt hard, and it mostly sounds like you've built up a lot of stuff to justify your own life choices.

If you want to see someone who works hard go look at the single mom who works two jobs to make ends meet.

And really, the fact that you're dismissive of people who want to go into non-profit or make the world better, dude you need to get your priorities in line that stuff is important.

Eh, my dad worked three jobs and went to night school. one of my sisters was a single mom with two kids.

You keep changing what you are debating about.

I am dismissive about people who want to work for non-profits and get paid big bucks, and actually not do any real work. The 'I will save the world while playing in Instagram people. If you have not crossed paths then good for you -- they seem to be in abundance where I live.

 

[WildBoar]

I wonder how mechanization will put many out of jobs. Years ago in Hawaii garbage men picked up. When recycle bins blue, green, & grey, went to driver only with fork jaws pick up.
So many Garbage men got injury actually saved a lot of money in long run.
...
No self driving cars for me, I'm a boomer like my 6 speed manual trans.

They switched us to the claw-loading trucks and the special trash bins that go with them about 10 years ago. After about a year they switched back. More problems with the trucks and it took a lot longer.

I prefer my 5 speed manual, but it's been out of commission for a bit so I have been driving the 6 speed exclusively for a while now. Power brakes, power steering, AC that works, etc. I really need to get the other car back on the street this year because I have gotten way too soft.

 

[user 16756]

I am dismissive about people who want to work for non-profits and get paid big bucks, and actually not do any real work. The 'I will save the world while playing in Instagram people. If you have not crossed paths then good for you -- they seem to be in abundance where I live.

every single one of those comments was a direct response to something you said...

plus you're one of the ones who derailed my youtube content thread with your "millennials sure do like avacado toast" bit

 

[user 16756]

I prefer my 5 speed manual, but it's been out of commission for a bit so I have been driving the 6 speed exclusively for a while now. Power brakes, power steering, AC that works, etc. I really need to get the other car back on the street this year because I have gotten way too soft.

at least we can agree cars were better before they started adding way too much crap and nannies.

give me an e46 m3 with an s55 and a usb in and let's be done with all these screens and 'traction control'

 

[WildBoar]

I have no idea who like avocado toast, as I am a home cook and not a professional one. But I did interview a new graduate last year, and after talking a bit about our company and what we do, the position and the expectations, etc. I offered to field questions he might have. His sole question was "What will your company do for me?" Definitely a change in attitude from earlier decades. Thankfully not all are cut from the same cloth though.

 

[user 16756]

I have no idea who like avocado toast, as I am a home cook and not a professional one. But I did interview a new graduate last year, and after talking a bit about our company and what we do, the position and the expectations, etc. I offered to field questions he might have. His sole question was "What will your company do for me?" Definitely a change in attitude from earlier decades. Thankfully not all are cut from the same cloth though.

lol that's pretty funny actually.

well it sounds to me like that young man perceives himself as having choices. he either has a lot, or very few, and little chance of in between based on a response like that.

personally when I interview junior people the vast majority of them seem on the level, but then in my field if you don't have some sort of graduate degree your cv probably will go to the shredder, and after a few semesters of poverty and getting yelled at by a 70 year old adviser most people are just happy to be headed somewhere that will give them a new macintosh computer and a competitive salary.

 

[WildBoar]

Several of my friends picked up e46s over the last decade, although not all were M3s. Some went racing with them since replacement parts were cheap (relatively speaking), and some used them as reliable street cars. They did not seem to need a ton of work to get them in reliable condition, and most of needed work was easier than the DIY stuff they were already doing. We have only had BMW in my family, and that was an E30 my dad bought it when I was a freshman in college. It was the last fun/ cool car he had, as he switched to Toyotas Camrys, and then to Camry hybrids I caught the car 'bug' from him, although it was only the driving aspects as he did not do any of the maintenance or repairs himself. I had to learn all of that in my late 20s/ early 30s; thankfully car-related listservers had started, and it was easy to find people in the area who were willing to wrench on other people' scars and help teach them.

I cannot imagine having an autotragic for a daily driver, and that includes the dual-clutch 'manuals'. I have no issues sitting in DC-area traffic jambs while driving a manual.

fuk, I really need to get my '87 back on the street this year -- I miss driving it. Noise, oil smells, spine-wrenching suspension, stuck-pig-squealy brake pads, manual steering rack, headlights that barely light anything, etc. ...the way cars should be.

 

[Towerguy]

Regarding the Engineering degree:

it might be right, but how does it help someone who has no technical talent and/or desire to work in that field?

my dad also wanted me to go into a technical profession. But what can I do? I struggled with Maths and physics, and I hated it. I had to fight hard just to master the math stuff needed for macro and microeconomics in college. It’s just not me.

Yes, bills need to be paid, but I think you need to follow a career path that you’re gonna be happy in and passionate about. I don’t think you should consider becoming an engineer or anything else if it’s likely that you’re miserable for year or decades.

To each their own. But a fulfilled career and happy life trumps an unhappy one that pays well any day of the week. Ideally, it’s both fulfilling and decently paid, of course.

Google, and particularly Youtube, have reached the point where I can no longer use their services. I cancelled my Google (and Youtube) account this morning. I'm done with it.

 

[user 16756]

Several of my friends picked up e46s over the last decade, although not all were M3s. Some went racing with them since replacement parts were cheap (relatively speaking), and some used them as reliable street cars. They did not seem to need a ton of work to get them in reliable condition, and most of needed work was easier than the DIY stuff they were already doing. We have only had BMW in my family, and that was an E30 my dad bought it when I was a freshman in college. It was the last fun/ cool car he had, as he switched to Toyotas Camrys, and then to Camry hybrids I caught the car 'bug' from him, although it was only the driving aspects as he did not do any of the maintenance or repairs himself. I had to learn all of that in my late 20s/ early 30s; thankfully car-related listservers had started, and it was easy to find people in the area who were willing to wrench on other people' scars and help teach them.

I cannot imagine having an autotragic for a daily driver, and that includes the dual-clutch 'manuals'. I have no issues sitting in DC-area traffic jambs while driving a manual.

fuk, I really need to get my '87 back on the street this year -- I miss driving it. Noise, oil smells, spine-wrenching suspension, stuck-pig-squealy brake pads, manual steering rack, headlights that barely light anything, etc. ...the way cars should be.

well if work from home becomes permanent Im going to "downgrade" from my f82 to an e46.

it's not the gear rowing that I miss, it's the screaming of a high revving NA engine.

 

[WildBoar]

personally when I interview junior people the vast majority of them seem on the level, but then in my field if you don't have some sort of graduate degree your cv probably will go to the shredder, and after a few semesters of poverty and getting yelled at by a 70 year old adviser most people are just happy to be headed somewhere that will give them a new macintosh computer and a competitive salary.

I had always thought a Masters would be a big help in the Civil field. My boss when I was interning had a masters in Geotech, and one of the two engineers working there at the time had just received a Master in Structural. I was positioned to go for a Masters in Structural myself, but surprisingly my boss talked me out of doing it right away, and encouraged me to work for a year first. My advisor wasn't in favor of it, by my parents were happy to hear it.

Fast forward a couple decades and I had enough experience hiring people with Masters degrees to realize they were typically more interested in reading theory in books then they were diving into projects in the field and actually solving problems. They really wanted a job where they only needed to discuss things versus actually producing calcs, designs, etc. -- and they also were generally poor at communicating with clients and especially at communicating with construction workers. Sure, we need CEs with advanced degrees to push forward with research on new materials and methods, etc. in the academic world, but for every one of those we need 10+ engineers who understand formulating and solving problems, and who can communicate. In fact, with those basic skills you can teach them the job-specific while they are working. But if they lack that chances are it will be very difficult to teach them about what aspects of work your CE company specializes in.

 

[Keith Sinclair]

Many of our bridges & roads need structural engineers. I can imagine the mainland esp. structures past their life span. In Hawaii some bridges are over 100 years old. When heavy rain roads take a beating. Up top of the Pali road boulders come crashing down. After all peaks are always in process of erosion.

My nephew was an engineer he was rebuilding car engines 14 years old. Changed careers now FBI he really likes it. Also met his wife beautiful
Lebonese lady.

 

[alterwisser]

I have no idea who like avocado toast, as I am a home cook and not a professional one. But I did interview a new graduate last year, and after talking a bit about our company and what we do, the position and the expectations, etc. I offered to field questions he might have. His sole question was "What will your company do for me?" Definitely a change in attitude from earlier decades. Thankfully not all are cut from the same cloth though.

i see nothing wrong with asking that question. The relationship between employer and employee shouldn’t be a one way street. Maybe the question in itself was asked in a weird way and I personally wouldn’t use those words, but the context of it is ok.

a company is nothing with its employees, it’s a symbiosis. I think the idea that a company pays a salary and benefits and thus has fulfilled its part in the relationship with the employee is wrong or outdated, or both.

maybe it’s just me

 

[alterwisser]

Many of our bridges & roads need structural engineers. I can imagine the mainland esp. structures past their life span. In Hawaii some bridges are over 100 years old. When heavy rain roads take a beating. Up top of the Pali road boulders come crashing down. After all peaks are always in process of erosion.

My nephew was an engineer he was rebuilding car engines 14 years old. Changed careers now FBI he really likes it. Also met his wife beautiful
Lebonese lady.

i remember crossing the old Tappan Zee bridge in NY and seeing massive chunks of concrete missing from the road, where you could actually see the water of the Hudson beneath.

US infrastructure is in dire dire shape. But who’s gonna pay for fixing it?

Imho if you really wanna inject life into the economy and create jobs for “everyday people” you massively invest in infrastructure

 

[WildBoar]

Tons of infrastructure work going on. But unfortunately it is mainly new stuff. So even more going into the inventory that will require maintenance and periodic repair. Once we start taxing people who bike and walk on the roads, sidewalks, bridges, etc. we will have more funds to repair these items. Right now we really only tax vehicle owners

 

[user 16756]

US infrastructure is in dire dire shape. But who’s gonna pay for fixing it?

there's plenty of money.

just need the will to spend it on things that matter.

when I seriously studied such things, the gov's own analysis said we could match the current federal revenue with a top marginal tax rate of between 13-14 percent. it would just require taking away all of the ways people avoid paying their fair share.

 

[alterwisser]

Tons of infrastructure work going on. But unfortunately it is mainly new stuff. So even more going into the inventory that will require maintenance and periodic repair. Once we start taxing people who bike and walk on the roads, sidewalks, bridges, etc. we will have more funds to repair these items. Right now we really only tax vehicle owners

i have a friend who’s a hardcore libertarian. He claims that no way should Citizens be taxed to build and maintain:

Roads
Airports
Ports

Or to pay for:

firefighters
Nurses
ETc

he said it should all be 100% privatized andum you only pay for it when/if you use it.

interesting concept. I’m not sure it would work, but i have never taken a deep dive into researching it. Just as much as I don’t want to rely on China making crucial products I’m not sure I want to rely on private companies to provide basic but essential services like water.

 

[Keith Sinclair]

They switched us to the claw-loading trucks and the special trash bins that go with them about 10 years ago. After about a year they switched back. More problems with the trucks and it took a lot longer.

I prefer my 5 speed manual, but it's been out of commission for a bit so I have been driving the 6 speed exclusively for a while now. Power brakes, power steering, AC that works, etc. I really need to get the other car back on the street this year because I have gotten way too soft.

We have been using claw trucks over 15 years pickup has been regular two times a week. Bulk pickup two guys with dolly, hand trucks, & power lift on back of truck. Guys lifting garbage at speed is faster, but disability injury cost is expensive. I saw show yesterday Americans at work in New Orleans guys were lifting recycle bins designed to be lifted by claw. They have to work fast & only get less than 11.00 an hour. They were on strike for more pay after 6 months most were back at work no settlement. I guess strong young guys with no education are plentiful.

Never minded driving manual in traffic it does mean riding the clutch more that's not so good for wear down the line. Old Portuguese guy taught me years ago keep your foot off the clutch don't ride it will last longer. He drove the Ice trucks for years in Honolulu. Used to deliver 300# blocks to the Hotels I used for ice carvings.

If your driving in DC traffic a few comforts are good. Still driving a older classic sports car is fun. And motorcycles.

 

[WildBoar]

My craziness peaks with kitchen knives. No way am I crazy enough to get into motorcycles. At our track weekends, if there was a motorcycle DE going on at the adjacent track there was usually a helicopter lift at some point. I like my bones and skin.

No clutch riding either. Just a lot of clutch actuations when needing to roll forward a few feet at a time for a few miles.

After college when I had a 5.0 Mustang I would get cramps in my left leg on the drive home from the gym on leg days. That was never fun, but at least it meant that it had been a good lifting session.

 

[Keith Sinclair]

Been a two wheel junkie ever since got of my
tricycle to a bicycle