Are YouTubers Psychopaths?: Weekly Edge
...and more on Stalin, the Taliban, Pirates and North Korea
Hello My Edges,
Here’s what I learned this week:
YouTubers like me are psychopathic cult leaders. And you can be too. Yay.
Looking to grow my YouTube following, I did a 30-day online course that I won’t name. It was recommended to me by Modern Wisdom’s host Chris Williamson.
Week 1 had some pretty useful tips about SEO and other tech stuff. Week 2? Well... here was the outline for Week 2:
1. Creation Story - 2. Creed - 3. Icons - 4. Rituals - 5. Sacred words - 6. Non-Believers - 7. Leader
What does that sound like to you?
That’s right. Cults.
I was amazed - they weren’t even trying to hide it. Apparently, to become a top YouTuber, you have to think like a cult leader. You form a creation story, come up with slogans and invent ‘the enemy’. If you watch YouTube, think of any of your favourite hosts - are alarm bells ringing?
This got me thinking: does this apply elsewhere? Well, absolutely. Just look at fitness gurus, jumbo juice start-ups and sports teams. Not to mention politicians (Trump, Corbyn). Humans seek community, and that’s what a cult offers.
I’m not really a psychopath or cult leader, nor do I recommend you try to be one. But I do think there’s something in those 7 cultish ideas that could enhance whatever you’re building.
See how your project can benefit from the big 7 - just don’t start branding your clients with your initials with a hot iron (like the NXIVM cult).
Using those 7 cult words, let me introduce you to: the Weekly Edge!
Out every Monday (ritual), the Weekly Edge will have snippets (icons) of what I’ve learned from reading the books of guests, and mining them for wisdom (sacred word). I’m a journalist who started my podcast (creation story) after TV channels (non-believers) kept censoring my ideas. I took my destiny into my own hands with my channel (leader), to bring you interviews that value people over ideology (creed).
As far as introductions go, it’s on the culty side - but it happens to be true. It’s when my newsletters start conjuring Lord Xenu and the Galactic Confederacy that it might be time to ex-communicate.
Edge News
I started a newsletter: you’re reading it. Have you subscribed? Make sure to move it from junk or ‘promotions’ to inbox.
It was my 33rd birthday last week. My girlfriend got me a keyboard piano, so I’ve been obsessing over that. I can now play The National: Nobody Else Will Be There, which is my favourite song. Hooray.
I’ve been in a terrible state…
…well I had a bad cough from covid, but I’ve always had a flair for the dramatic.
Last week, I spluttered my way through my birthday, and had to cancel two interviews (for episodes that were scheduled for broadcast next month).
I did manage to do an interview just before writing this newsletter. It was with Lloyd Evans, who is the leader of the ex-Jehovahs Witness community. We discuss how he is in trouble for having extramarital affairs with sex workers, despite being an outspoken activist against sex trafficking - not an easy topic to cover at the best of times, let alone with my lungs on fire. Lloyd is a huge name online, and a year ago, became my very first Patron. He has supported me since then, so this made for an emotional and difficult episode.
That’ll be out in a few weeks, but:
On the Edge With Andrew Gold Podcast: This Week
Monday: Ep. 103 - Colin Freeman
Part 1: Ukraine
Part 2: Pirates
Colin talks to me from Kyiv about pirates.
His own bodyguards betrayed him, and he was stuffed in a cave for months with drug-addled Somali pirates.
He survived by the skin of his teeth, and is now in Ukraine, which is why I split the episode in two. Pirates + Kyiv. How very...On the Edge.
Thursday: Ep. 104 - Jean H. Lee On North Korea
Jean H. Lee is incredible. She is the first American to set up a news agency in Pyongyang. But what really fascinated me were her descriptions of delving into the North Korean countryside. No one talks about that. She lets us in on what it’s really like out there in the freezing, dark nowhere-land.
Classic Clip
Each week, I’ll bring you a classic clip from the podcast.
Remember psychopath M.E. Thomas? For her anonymity, she put sellotape on the webcam the entire show. But there are photos of her on Google…so surely she won’t mind me sticking a great big one on the thumbnail?
I wouldn’t want to piss of a psychopath.
Join Me Live
I ‘premiere’ every episode on YouTube, Mon & Thu at 9pm UK time. I’m always in the chat beside the video.
Subscribe: https://youtube.com/andrewgold1
Last Week In Review
Ep. 101 - Dr. Asatar Bair: Communist, Stalinist Professor
Some of you posted on socials that I didn’t really ‘debate’ Dr. Bair. Others loved it. He side-stepped some of my questions, but I didn’t feel the need to always push back: I trust you listeners to make up your own minds.
Creed: Curiosity over judgement.
Actually fuck it: Dr. Bair is bananas.
Ep. 102 - Mustafa Kazemi: The Taliban Are Enforcing Sharia law
Wow! The bravery Afghan war journalist showed in his reporting makes me feel a bit bad for having a fear of moths (the dusty wings!). I actually have great news: Mustafa and his family have been granted asylum in the US.
What kind of value would you like to get from this newsletter? Reply to this email to get straight to me, or comment on the Substack page.
I’ll be seeing you On the Edge,
Andrew
“David Blair is bananas.” Lol. Yes he is Andrew. Yes he is. Seems like an ok guy otherwise. I’ve been loving all your content since discovering you on Chris Ryan’s podcast. My only true north for navigating the online bog of misinformation and moral panic these days is to follow people who are reasonable, moderate, don’t take themselves too seriously and don’t filter every single issue and news story of the day through the lens of their personal pet issue or cause. You have all these qualities in spades. Keep up the great work!
Loved the newsletter. 📰