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Reflections on MilleniaThinker

Reflections on and reviews of MilleniaThinker's videos.


Contents


Background

MilleniaThinker (MT) showed up in my YouTube recommended sometime in November 2021. I'm not sure what caused that (does anyone really understand the YouTube algorithm?) nor what piqued my interest enough to watch, but I'm glad I did.

From MT's page on YouTube Wiki:

MilleniaThinker is a YouTube animator from Poland who uses wojaks to express his opinions and criticisms of culture, social issues, social justice, addictions, toxic behaviour and general life in the 21st Century.

Wojak is the "feels bad man" meme character, and makes appearances among other characters.

My favorite comments are included. These are often the most liked ones, as better comments tend to be more well-liked, although there surely is some type of Matthew effect occurring.


Day you become a Doomer

Link: Day you become a Doomer

The video starts out at Doomer's college graduation, with his diploma having the apt title "Ticket to better life" stamped on it. This is, of course, a dig at the state of higher education and the misconception that a four-year degree equates to or guarantees a better life. He is smiling, excited at the "better" life he is soon to be living.

Cut to a typical office setting, his other coworkers (NPCs, as I learned in the comments) standing stonefaced in the foreground while he sits in front of a spreadsheet-laden monitor, the ultimate indication of a boring, miserable career. But his smile never fades as I expected it to. It stays just as strong as it was during his graduation.

Cut to a bar. One of Doomer's friends is led away by a business man, a representation of his friends progressing in their career and leaving him behind. Soon after, the other friend is led away by a woman, a representation of his friends developing their love lives and families and leaving him behind. He is left alone, the lights turn off, rain begins to fall, and...

Cut to Doomer in bed, lonely as ever, and MT's standard, but unique to every video, parting phrase:

If everyone goes forward, only you will be left behind.

This is a reality I've come to terms with over the last couple of years. Eventually everyone moves off into their own individual ecosystem, which is well-described by Dunbar's S system: S0 is oneself, S1 are loved ones, S2 are good friends, etc. The ecosystem becomes stronger the longer it is lived in or more difficult to form the longer it is not established (i.e., it's harder to develop relationships like that at older ages). While there is still some time for distant friends, a majority of time goes towards family and good friends. This has led me to the conclusion that having a solid family/friend unit is absolutely essential to happiness and well-being, much more so than the typical person espouses. Could this also be Doomer's problem? In the video, we see a few friends, but the relationships don't seem that close (not that we can get a great idea in 1:19 min video).

The other issue is lack of carpe diem. He expects the college degree to improve his life without his working for it; he sits around at the office working on spreadsheets; he goes out with friends to bars. Again, not much can be fit into the short video, but the feeling is there.

Highlights from the comments:

I think people didn't get main message here. People can become doomers because of many reasons. It can be because of doing a job you dont like. It can be because of living in a place you don't actually belong or feel you dont belong there. It can be because of monotonous life. But my main theory why doomers are doomers is because of lack of healthy relationships. It can be family, it can be friends, it can be even just your job or hobbies. But lack of love makes people doomers imo.

Doomer motivation video

Link: Doomer motivation video

A follow-up from Happy New Year Doomer, the description says it all:

Doomer is tired of looking at his youth. He decided to face his weaknesses and motivated himself to act. All the problems encountered suddenly become easy to overcome. He does not give up, each break does not reduce his ambition, everything suddenly becomes small, within reach. But is that good After finding the way, did he became the ones who pull him down at every opportunity?

All problems look big when facing them from the start and small after being overcome. All it takes is the initial hurdle to understand that it's easier than expected, and that lesson must only be taught once to be used elsewhere. Doomer does exactly this: he learns that exercising gets him the results he wants at an effort level he's willing to give.

As both the description's and video's last sentences say, people often forget their roots when they attain their ultimate goal, not taking the time to recognize they were once there nor acknowledging the help they received (if any).

Highlights from the comments: N/A


Happy New Year Doomer

Link: Happy New Year Doomer

New Years should be a time of celebration with friends and/or family on the good that's happened that year and the good that's to come in the next year. It's not a time to remind oneself of regrets or mistakes, to compare oneself to others and where they're at in life, to watch videos of people don't know nor care about you. Doomer commits this sad, yet legal, crime, feeling bad for himself and doing little to rectify his situation. He likely compares himself to his girlfriend's new Chad, despite being quite close to her in a previous life. We see his computer desktop littered in video games (another common theme of MT's videos). There is but one folder, and that's "Pictures".

The "new" in New Year implies something is different about this year, but it's often in the number only: same shit, different year. No change in behavior besides a halfhearted attempt at being healthier or nicer or more productive. So is it truly new, or just a simple carryover from the previous year?

Highlights from the comments:

Kind of perfectly captures the doomer mindset. It is a new year. Moving on from things like an ex or a bad year isn’t easy but it’s necessary. Absolutely no one wants him to be seething alone in his basement on NYE - including himself and yet there he lies. Is the idea that he was never supposed to have had his heart broken? Who hasn’t had their heart broken? And still been very happy in another relationship or at another time. Time heals these wounds but you have to actually let it. If you have folders of your ex and it stops you going out and having fun then delete them and get on with things. Life will be over before you know it guys and literally everyone has had their heart broken - every chad has broken up same with every stacey. I doubt any doomer is really taking the time to read this but if they are just remember you’re doing this to yourself - you can’t fight gravity and change, its not always comfortable and welcoming but its almost always necessary - embrace it and you will see the change you want.

Doomer Christmas Eve

Link: Doomer Christmas Eve

Doomer is questioned during Christmas Eve by an (uncle/grandfather? I'm going with grandfather) about the status of his love life and career. He explains how his girlfriend and him broke up, getting quickly reprimanded for letting that happen. Grandpa asks about his job and Doomer timidly begins to reply when suddenly an obviously successful family member walks in and explains his lack of punctuality by big stock trades. He then begins to unapologetically tell the room of his life and its many positives. The video ends with a:

Are you already prepared excuses for Christmas?

The quote that goes something like "some make excuses, others make results" is apt here. Instead of trying to improve their lives and make results, some just accept their mediocrity and design excuses that cover for their lack of ambition. There's no accountability, no "I'm working on it". Just more blame game towards factors that have little bearing on making something work. None of this to say that one should live for others. But if their mind is ambitious but hands complacent, that makes them complacent all-around, and should be frowned upon.

Of course, sometimes people need help and that needs to be recognized as needed, even if they don't explicitly ask for it. As the video shows and the description states, society often praises those who need help the least and scorn those who need it the most, all without taking a second to consider their actions nor the circumstances that caused each to end up in their current situation. Why is this? I think American society (I can't speak on others) rewards those who seem self-reliant and self-starting (whether they are or not is a different story). On the other hand, those who can't help themselves are looked down upon for lack of ability and willpower, both of which may be outside of their personal control.

Highlights from the comments:

you know it's over when family stops asking.
This isn’t bad, I mean it’s awesome that a family is having success! I’d rather my family become wealthy and not rely on me. As for the dude well that’s just life. Looks like he’s doing well and it may not be the same level of success but at least he isn’t fucking homeless or hungry lol

Good SoyBoy Memories (Nintendo SOY Edition)

Link: Good SoyBoy Memories (Nintendo SOY Edition)

The video begins with SoyBoy at his dead-end job helping a Chad buying condoms. He goes back home to play video games, then reminisces on childhood memories of playing video games. He uses video games as an escape from his present world, as confirmed by MT himself in the description:

In this video, I will delve into the phenomenon of adult men who run away into video games for children looking for good memories of thiers [sic] carefree childhood.

He has no ambition to improve his life or make new memories that he can fondly look back on in the future. At this point, does he really enjoy video games, or just the nostalgia that it provides him? Is there a difference? If I enjoy something for the "wrong reasons", but I'm still enjoying it, does it really matter?

All of this brings up the age-old question: are video games valuable? Both sides have their arguments. In the yes corner... games are often played with others and can provide a socialization opportunity; games help to relieve stress; games provide a form of entertainment that could be substituted by unhealther, more dangerous pasttimes. In the no corner... games are unproductive (free time need not be productive!); games can be substituted by a healthier, more productive pasttime; games distract from the real world and have the player living in some fantasy realm. In general, I'd argue right down the middle: video games are fine in moderation, but real-life activities should be preferred over virtual ones.

I'm happy I played video games as a kid. I made some good memories on Xbox Live (shoutout Halo 3 and Modern Warfare 2), but I'm equally happy I progressively stopped playing as I got older, and now only use Xbox as a form of social activity with friends I don't see on a regular basis.

Highlights from the comments:

You guys are missing the point. The video games aren't the focus. His mom used video games to pacify him as a kid, and now as an adult he pacifies himself with video games. This video is actually really depressing.
This is actually surreal and depressing; how shitty parenting can lead to basically the personality of the equivalent of a burnt paper. This is how many Millenials have grown up, and nowadays more and more Zoomers eare experiencing this woke childhood.

Coomer after November

Link: Coomer after November

Coomer attempts No Nut November, and while I can't tell if he is successful or not, the last line of "Back to square one, eh?" says it all: he immediately relapses on December 1. This brings to question the purpose of NNN, especially if the challengee is going to break as soon as he "wins".

There is value in doing something for a short period, only to stop as soon as it's done. Seeing that it is, in fact, possible to complete something as arduous and daunting as NNN boosts confidence towards other challenges in life, self-imposed or otherwise. Many think that completing NNN is downright impossible, but may find it is easier, or even harder, than they expected. Discipline and perseverance can be learned along the way if one abstains; depression and lower self-esteem can be had if one fails.

But at the same time, why do something for such a short time? Just to prove that you can? Does one month really prove that you can abstain eternally? The answer is no, and the answer is to see how long abstention can last. Failed? Start again and see if one day longer than previous is possible. Get up and keep trying.

Highlights from the comments:

"I can quit anytime I want."
If you win NNN, ask yourself, "Why stop there? Why not go further? I had the resolve to last a month, why should I trash it now?"

See Also