The simplicity of the content helps veteran socialists who aren’t comfortable coming up with quick answers while being interviewed by reporters at protests.
Second Thought is a socialist YouTube channel with 1.39 million subscribers offering bite-sized lessons ranging from ten to twenty minutes, addressing one topic at a time. It’s perfect for those just learning about socialism who lack the time or motivation to read academic political theory or attend a community forum but who might enjoy a single video on a topic they care about.
Even those of us able to dedicate a bit more time to study sometimes find it easier to watch a mini-lesson than read a dense article. And the videos offer consistently good content we can insert as hyperlinks in articles and commentaries of our own.
The simplicity of the content also helps veteran socialists who aren’t comfortable coming up with quick answers while being interviewed by reporters at protests. Each video delivers one or two succinct points on a relevant topic.
The host has a quirky sense of humor that comes across as nerdy without being cringeworthy. In one video, he explains how capitalism incentivizes food waste over feeding the poor. In another, how the internet could only be created because profit wasn’t the motive. He might show how Democrats fund the far right, ask whether or not retirement is still feasible, or explain why billionaire philanthropy cannot solve problems created by the system that also created those billionaires.
One practical video shows viewers how to create socialist content on our own channels—what kind of mic to get, how to find useful royalty-free video clips, what to worry about when taping and what not to worry about.
Some titles include "Socialism for Absolute Beginners," "Is Capitalism Actually Efficient?" "Does Capitalism Really Drive Innovation?" "Do Socialists Just Want to Take Your Stuff?" "Are You Really 'Free' Under Capitalism?" "How Capitalism Exploits Natural Disasters," "The Importance of Revolutionary Optimism," and "You're Probably Already a Socialist."
The host debunks common myths about socialism most of us have grown up accepting as fact. And he just as successfully debunks fabricated “truths” we’ve been taught that bolster an unwarranted faith in capitalism, important because many Americans have been indoctrinated to believe capitalism is divine. There’s even a video explaining how conservative Christianity was co-opted to make questioning capitalism downright heresy.
We can also watch videos about "How 'Moderates' Serve the Right," "How Corporations Shifted the Blame for Climate Change," "Why American Healthcare Is the Worst in the Developed World," "How Capitalism Destroys Radical Movements," "Are Landlords Really That Bad?" "Astroturfing: How to Spot a Fake Movement," and "Is This the Beginning of a New Labor Movement?"
Second Thought has well over a hundred videos, so it’s simple to find a topic we can share with folks able to get past that demonized word “socialist.” The titles pose questions even those most vulnerable to the current red scare have asked themselves.
There’s "Why Is Everything Turning into Uber?" "The Minimum Wage Debate Explained," "How Feel Good Stories Let a Broken System Off the Hook," "America's Overwork Obsession," "How Finland Ended Homelessness," "The Electoral College Is Anti-Democracy," "How Hollywood Sells Us War," and "This Is How Long It Would Take You to Earn a Billion Dollars."
The well-produced playlist goes on and on.
Even if we’re fully versed on most of these topics, they’re handy refreshers when something is back in the news and we want persuasive points ready to bring up in friendly discussions with those still misled by corporate propaganda.
These videos pushed me personally to move on from Democratic Socialism to the understanding that only by eliminating capitalism altogether do we as a society and as a species have any real shot at survival. If we have loved ones who aren’t quite convinced yet, a few of these videos from Second Thought are definitely worth a friendly share.
Second Thought: An Introductory Socialist YouTube Channel to Share with Friends and Family
Second Thought is a socialist YouTube channel with 1.39 million subscribers offering bite-sized lessons ranging from ten to twenty minutes, addressing one topic at a time. It’s perfect for those just learning about socialism who lack the time or motivation to read academic political theory or attend a community forum but who might enjoy a single video on a topic they care about.
Even those of us able to dedicate a bit more time to study sometimes find it easier to watch a mini-lesson than read a dense article. And the videos offer consistently good content we can insert as hyperlinks in articles and commentaries of our own.
The simplicity of the content also helps veteran socialists who aren’t comfortable coming up with quick answers while being interviewed by reporters at protests. Each video delivers one or two succinct points on a relevant topic.
The host has a quirky sense of humor that comes across as nerdy without being cringeworthy. In one video, he explains how capitalism incentivizes food waste over feeding the poor. In another, how the internet could only be created because profit wasn’t the motive. He might show how Democrats fund the far right, ask whether or not retirement is still feasible, or explain why billionaire philanthropy cannot solve problems created by the system that also created those billionaires.
One practical video shows viewers how to create socialist content on our own channels—what kind of mic to get, how to find useful royalty-free video clips, what to worry about when taping and what not to worry about.
Some titles include "Socialism for Absolute Beginners," "Is Capitalism Actually Efficient?" "Does Capitalism Really Drive Innovation?" "Do Socialists Just Want to Take Your Stuff?" "Are You Really 'Free' Under Capitalism?" "How Capitalism Exploits Natural Disasters," "The Importance of Revolutionary Optimism," and "You're Probably Already a Socialist."
The host debunks common myths about socialism most of us have grown up accepting as fact. And he just as successfully debunks fabricated “truths” we’ve been taught that bolster an unwarranted faith in capitalism, important because many Americans have been indoctrinated to believe capitalism is divine. There’s even a video explaining how conservative Christianity was co-opted to make questioning capitalism downright heresy.
We can also watch videos about "How 'Moderates' Serve the Right," "How Corporations Shifted the Blame for Climate Change," "Why American Healthcare Is the Worst in the Developed World," "How Capitalism Destroys Radical Movements," "Are Landlords Really That Bad?" "Astroturfing: How to Spot a Fake Movement," and "Is This the Beginning of a New Labor Movement?"
Second Thought has well over a hundred videos, so it’s simple to find a topic we can share with folks able to get past that demonized word “socialist.” The titles pose questions even those most vulnerable to the current red scare have asked themselves.
There’s "Why Is Everything Turning into Uber?" "The Minimum Wage Debate Explained," "How Feel Good Stories Let a Broken System Off the Hook," "America's Overwork Obsession," "How Finland Ended Homelessness," "The Electoral College Is Anti-Democracy," "How Hollywood Sells Us War," and "This Is How Long It Would Take You to Earn a Billion Dollars."
The well-produced playlist goes on and on.
Even if we’re fully versed on most of these topics, they’re handy refreshers when something is back in the news and we want persuasive points ready to bring up in friendly discussions with those still misled by corporate propaganda.
These videos pushed me personally to move on from Democratic Socialism to the understanding that only by eliminating capitalism altogether do we as a society and as a species have any real shot at survival. If we have loved ones who aren’t quite convinced yet, a few of these videos from Second Thought are definitely worth a friendly share.
