4 ms·

On many levels I agree with you. But, you can also look at this thru the paradigm of the "hero's journey". A normal person, plucked from the masses is given a

On many levels I agree with you. But, you can also look at this thru the paradigm of the "hero's journey". A normal person, plucked from the masses is given a harrowing mission. If they survive, there is glory ($$$), if not, then there is failure (Internet ridicule). Granted, Mr. Beast is not giving us the story of Luke Skywalker, but I can understand the rational of the person taking the challenge. For most people watching, it's just torture porn, but content providers have to give the people what they want to make a buck....

swrobel 4y ago
So, just a shade away from Squid Game?
pjc50 4y ago
Yes, but the difference here is that the mission is inherently unnecessary. Consider the JFK speech and what went before choosing to go to the moon: "But why, some say, the moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask why climb the highest mountain? Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic? Why does Rice play Texas?" Perhaps we've conquered all the naturally "hard" things and are left only with artificial challenges to inflict on ourselves and others. Climbing the highest mountain for the first time has a kind of natural "because it's there" dignity to it. But it's become a littered tourist spot now. > torture porn, but content providers have to give the people what they want to make a buck Someone could quite easily write 1k words on what the word "porn" is doing in that sentence and how it relates to desire, suffering and spectacle.
- DangitBobby 4y ago
  The other difference is that anyone can do them. I don't think you could have competitions about things that are at all useful and necessary that are accessible to everyone.
- Chinjut 4y ago
  In fairness, Rice playing Texas is also an artificial challenge.
- colinmhayes 4y ago
  All missions are kind of unnecessary. Youtubes entire mission is unnecessary, it's nothing but entertainment and some education. Mr. Beasts videos clearly provide a lot of people with joy considering how many subscribers he has. Hard for me to say he's not providing value to those people.
  - philosopher1234 4y ago
    This has a hint of a moral relativism. “All things people do/will pay for must be valuable and good”. I think that is mistaken. Maybe we could say “all human desire is ok, but behaviors can be good or bad”
    - colinmhayes 4y ago
      Can’t agree. Things that people will pay for are by definition valuable, and that value makes them good. Now obviously we have to consider harm, if there’s more harm than value the goodness is wiped out, but I see very little harm in these videos. It’s a win win win for everyone involved.
WastingMyTime89 4y ago
> but content providers have to give the people what they want to make a buck... Modern entertainment really is a blight. At least when I was a kid public TV was making shows which were both entertaining and trying to uplift people. There is something slightly despicable about this race to the bottom mentality if that’s what people want, we are not guilty of feeding them garbage.

swrobel 4y ago

So, just a shade away from Squid Game?

pjc50 4y ago

Yes, but the difference here is that the mission is inherently unnecessary. Consider the JFK speech and what went before choosing to go to the moon: "But why, some say, the moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask why climb the highest mountain? Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic? Why does Rice play Texas?" Perhaps we've conquered all the naturally "hard" things and are left only with artificial challenges to inflict on ourselves and others. Climbing the highest mountain for the first time has a kind of natural "because it's there" dignity to it. But it's become a littered tourist spot now. > torture porn, but content providers have to give the people what they want to make a buck Someone could quite easily write 1k words on what the word "porn" is doing in that sentence and how it relates to desire, suffering and spectacle.

DangitBobby 4y ago
The other difference is that anyone can do them. I don't think you could have competitions about things that are at all useful and necessary that are accessible to everyone.
Chinjut 4y ago
In fairness, Rice playing Texas is also an artificial challenge.
colinmhayes 4y ago
All missions are kind of unnecessary. Youtubes entire mission is unnecessary, it's nothing but entertainment and some education. Mr. Beasts videos clearly provide a lot of people with joy considering how many subscribers he has. Hard for me to say he's not providing value to those people.
- philosopher1234 4y ago
  This has a hint of a moral relativism. “All things people do/will pay for must be valuable and good”. I think that is mistaken. Maybe we could say “all human desire is ok, but behaviors can be good or bad”
  - colinmhayes 4y ago
    Can’t agree. Things that people will pay for are by definition valuable, and that value makes them good. Now obviously we have to consider harm, if there’s more harm than value the goodness is wiped out, but I see very little harm in these videos. It’s a win win win for everyone involved.

WastingMyTime89 4y ago

> but content providers have to give the people what they want to make a buck... Modern entertainment really is a blight. At least when I was a kid public TV was making shows which were both entertaining and trying to uplift people. There is something slightly despicable about this race to the bottom mentality if that’s what people want, we are not guilty of feeding them garbage.