I find the self-critique that isn’t self deprecating quite beautiful, honestly. As a viewer and avid fan, I can say that having an undergrad and masters degree is more than enough qualifications to be considered great at philosophy (but of course, withhold your humility). Amazing philosophical thought and knowledge doesn’t need degrees or PhD’s, and inspiration certainly doesn’t need those likewise. I am inspired by you, Mr. Folley. Keep doing the good work!
I, too, agree with you point. What matters is not that what are your qualifications, but how you think. I like this guy because he is humble, and really always advises to take things with a pinch of salt.
But, again, for his sake, I must say he is not perfect.
You don't have to be an expert for someone to learn from you. Your videos, as "surface-level" as they are, have helped me realize my passion for philosophy and never-ending wonderlust, a desire for learning and knowledge I've always had, but had to stifle for most of my life. I'm grateful to have found your niche corner of the internet lol x
Looking for ideas for future videos? Open the book “ Culture and Value”. In there you’ll find random thoughts that Wittgenstein wrote down in his notebooks. Each remark is a little gem. The remarks cover the span of his philosophical journey and easily could be developed into a video.
I didn’t think I would laugh (ok, more like let out a chuckle) when I saw the title of this. “pose of a 21st century Narcissus with tech-neck,” will be stuck in my head for a few days at least.
But this definitely a good read (words escape me). I never really thought of how content creators I enjoy watching would have these types of experiences. Being on a public platform and having so many eyes on you, I cannot imagine it!
Thanks so much for creating a high quality space online that helps people see philosophy as more of a relatable subject to all of us rather than a discipline reserved for people that got good marks in school. I think your channel strikes a great balance of digging into the specifics of particular systems of thought and authors, while simultaneously discussing how the ideas relate to the questions we all find ourselves handwringing over in our own heads as members of A Society(TM). Everyone has some degree of philosophical curiosity (some even saying that’s the exact thing that distinguishes a consciousness as human) and the work you do creates such a great environment where people can project those curiosities with others ruminating on similar questions. Your anxieties about your own humility make me wonder if you have any videos related to attachment to one’s own neurosis. Sometimes I think subconsciously I attribute my own perceived lack of narcissism to the fact that I have a strong personal fear of becoming narcissistic. The age old litmus test of “narcissists don’t wonder if they’re narcissistic therefore if you ask yourself that question, you probably aren’t.” As if the only way a person can feel secure that they have at least some degree of humility is the presence of their own neurosis/fears related to not having humility. I’d love to see a discussion on the battle between pursuing freedom from anxiety/neurosis vs our attachments to it in terms of relying on it as a sort of ethical dog leash. Lovely post as always!
I was a would-be actor for a time and one thing I learned is the necessity of "throwing yourself into the role." This means that your character doesn't reflect on themself during the performance -- though the actor must during the rehearsal process. "Stage fright" is basically trying to watch yourself as you act.
Joe, huge congrats on the growth of your channel! You’re positively neurotic (meant in the best way possible) and wonderfully humble. I really enjoyed hearing your reflections on this whole YouTube experience. Gotta give you credit for the self-awareness and realism, even if you’re being a tad hard on yourself.
I appreciate that you recognize how fleeting this all can be and still see room to grow. You’re putting out great work, and as long as you’re enjoying creating it and there’s an audience, this could absolutely stay a rewarding endeavor. Looking forward to more of your musings!
I discovered your videos just a little over a year ago now when I was reigniting my passion for philosophy, and I am so glad I did! I showed my sister your videos and now she reads the classics I’ve collected based on your recommendations and analysis videos. We regularly engage with your content and have some of the deepest discussions with the ideas you’ve prompted for us. All of that to say, your channel has been one of the best sources of inspiration and philosophical knowledge in my life :) many thanks to you, and it’s lovely to hear you share the importance of intellectual humility — especially for someone like me as a humanities undergraduate, who has had those moments of high self-regard just purely based on the quantity and level of philosophical content I’ve consumed even at an amateur/beginner level…
As a fellow Humanities student (BA way back in the dark ages of the 20th century) There's nothing wrong with moments of high self-regard now and then. The crowd around us makes the necessary adjustments pretty quickly.
Thank you for this post, it’s very insightful. As i’m going into my undergrad in philosophy and his September, i also intend to YouTube channel to both challenge my perspective and learn much more about philosophy. And what you’ve said about developing a large ego is true, i’ve sometimes found myself thinking or acting in a somewhat egotistical manner in response to people complimenting my intelligence. But regardless, i’ll always make an effort to be more humble about my thoughts on myself and others. Likewise, in other times I’ve also felt that people heavily overestimate my intelligence, and that I’m an "intellectual fraud" if that makes sense. At times it’s hard to find a balance, but I guess it’s something to note once I start my YouTube channel in the future.
Speaking as an 80-year-old with a BA in Humanities, I can assure you: you will discover that the more you learn, the more you will discover that you don't know. It's all part of the "adventure" of education!"
I think that, as you said, remaining humble is the key to keep yourself avid for knowledge. It's refreshing to see someone highlighting it! In a world where everyone encourages you to "be the best", accepting that there it's still so much to learn and you are not actually "the best" or "the most knowledgeable one" is freeing and also productive for your future self.
I mostly agree, although, I don't really mind striving to be the best or thinking that you're the best at something or you really did great at this thing, and you also know to realistically recognize and point out your weaknesses, as well as realistically commend yourself on your various strengths and accomplishments, and I don't mind a person being a little competitive, as long as you don't forget to keep your feet firm on the ground and you know that there is still a lot of things that you can learn from a lot of people from various walks of life, no matter what level, education or status you've reached in life.
And thinking that you're the best at something still comes with thoughts and reasoning that temper letting it get to your head too much (not that it's happened to me) and fully knowing that there are a lot of people out there who will beat you and smoke you at your own game in a different setting or in various other aspects.
And that thought, personally, besides the fear and dread, is also exciting and challenging and it makes life just that much richer, varied, thriving and developing where you can explore and learn all these things and grow in a lot of areas where you are very much lacking. :) :>
I’d like to respond with a perspective from the other side: What it’s like being a Joe Folley fan (of course, I can only speak from my own experience).
I’ll start with “the gulf between your actual abilities and what people perceive you to be capable of,” as well as your concern that people’s compliments might end up going to your head.
Yes, I agree with you that there is a gap. I don’t think you are even aware of what a beautiful, bright light you are in this little corner of the universe. Philosophical knowledge, academic background, intelligence, quality of research, and clarity of presentation are certainly important, but in this day and age, knowledge is extremely accessible. I can check out any book you’ve ever mentioned from the library for free. I can look up any concept you’ve discussed in seconds. I can ask ChatGPT to generate an endless number of essays analyzing any topic I can think of. Even within the niche of philosophical YouTube, there are probably hundreds of channels to choose from.
But you and your videos will always be special to me, because underneath every discussion, there’s always a very consistent thread of your curiosity, your self-awareness, your honesty, your sense of humor, your naivety and optimism, your grounded yet open-minded and logical thought process, and your intellectual humility that binds everything together. Even more than philosophical knowledge, those are the qualities I admire most in you, because I believe they’re the result of countless sleepless nights, of years of struggle, and of endless internal battles with self-criticism – all of which must be fueled by a burning desire to learn and grow (which I think is actually a fundamental truth about the universe – or at least about living things, and especially about humanity).
I do want this to end up going to your head, because I want you to know that I appreciate you for who you are: the person you’ve worked so hard to become, and continue to work hard to improve everyday. I don’t watch your videos thinking they’ll make me an expert. I watch them knowing they’ll leave me inspired and motivated to keep learning, growing, and improving myself.
So on top of feeling watched, I hope you also feel seen :).
The use of work as a form of self-regulating and holding oneself accountable in order to persue a goal very awe-inspiring. And being able to express "how much you don't know" too. "What I know is that I know nothing" as said Socrates.
Also, I'm going to take the idea of the note on the desk. Seems to be effective :)
I'm commenting on this only to share that after you mentioned the chip in your left incisor, I went to YouTube to check. It reminded me that I, too, have a chip in an incisor, and it was because I bit too hard on a metal fork once.
Thanks for this self-aware and thoughtful piece! Let me comment as someone with a PhD in religious studies and an interest in philosophy. I just watched your video ranking different philosophers with Alex O'Connor. I thoroughly enjoyed it. My suspicion is that in the coming years, intellectual life is going to take place increasingly outside the university system on platforms like YouTube. So I applaud that you're bringing philosophy to your audience and I hope that you keep it up!
I find the self-critique that isn’t self deprecating quite beautiful, honestly. As a viewer and avid fan, I can say that having an undergrad and masters degree is more than enough qualifications to be considered great at philosophy (but of course, withhold your humility). Amazing philosophical thought and knowledge doesn’t need degrees or PhD’s, and inspiration certainly doesn’t need those likewise. I am inspired by you, Mr. Folley. Keep doing the good work!
I, too, agree with you point. What matters is not that what are your qualifications, but how you think. I like this guy because he is humble, and really always advises to take things with a pinch of salt.
But, again, for his sake, I must say he is not perfect.
You don't have to be an expert for someone to learn from you. Your videos, as "surface-level" as they are, have helped me realize my passion for philosophy and never-ending wonderlust, a desire for learning and knowledge I've always had, but had to stifle for most of my life. I'm grateful to have found your niche corner of the internet lol x
Looking for ideas for future videos? Open the book “ Culture and Value”. In there you’ll find random thoughts that Wittgenstein wrote down in his notebooks. Each remark is a little gem. The remarks cover the span of his philosophical journey and easily could be developed into a video.
❤️ "Intellectual Humiliation"
I didn’t think I would laugh (ok, more like let out a chuckle) when I saw the title of this. “pose of a 21st century Narcissus with tech-neck,” will be stuck in my head for a few days at least.
But this definitely a good read (words escape me). I never really thought of how content creators I enjoy watching would have these types of experiences. Being on a public platform and having so many eyes on you, I cannot imagine it!
And thanks for being so honest!
Thanks so much for creating a high quality space online that helps people see philosophy as more of a relatable subject to all of us rather than a discipline reserved for people that got good marks in school. I think your channel strikes a great balance of digging into the specifics of particular systems of thought and authors, while simultaneously discussing how the ideas relate to the questions we all find ourselves handwringing over in our own heads as members of A Society(TM). Everyone has some degree of philosophical curiosity (some even saying that’s the exact thing that distinguishes a consciousness as human) and the work you do creates such a great environment where people can project those curiosities with others ruminating on similar questions. Your anxieties about your own humility make me wonder if you have any videos related to attachment to one’s own neurosis. Sometimes I think subconsciously I attribute my own perceived lack of narcissism to the fact that I have a strong personal fear of becoming narcissistic. The age old litmus test of “narcissists don’t wonder if they’re narcissistic therefore if you ask yourself that question, you probably aren’t.” As if the only way a person can feel secure that they have at least some degree of humility is the presence of their own neurosis/fears related to not having humility. I’d love to see a discussion on the battle between pursuing freedom from anxiety/neurosis vs our attachments to it in terms of relying on it as a sort of ethical dog leash. Lovely post as always!
I was a would-be actor for a time and one thing I learned is the necessity of "throwing yourself into the role." This means that your character doesn't reflect on themself during the performance -- though the actor must during the rehearsal process. "Stage fright" is basically trying to watch yourself as you act.
Joe, huge congrats on the growth of your channel! You’re positively neurotic (meant in the best way possible) and wonderfully humble. I really enjoyed hearing your reflections on this whole YouTube experience. Gotta give you credit for the self-awareness and realism, even if you’re being a tad hard on yourself.
I appreciate that you recognize how fleeting this all can be and still see room to grow. You’re putting out great work, and as long as you’re enjoying creating it and there’s an audience, this could absolutely stay a rewarding endeavor. Looking forward to more of your musings!
I discovered your videos just a little over a year ago now when I was reigniting my passion for philosophy, and I am so glad I did! I showed my sister your videos and now she reads the classics I’ve collected based on your recommendations and analysis videos. We regularly engage with your content and have some of the deepest discussions with the ideas you’ve prompted for us. All of that to say, your channel has been one of the best sources of inspiration and philosophical knowledge in my life :) many thanks to you, and it’s lovely to hear you share the importance of intellectual humility — especially for someone like me as a humanities undergraduate, who has had those moments of high self-regard just purely based on the quantity and level of philosophical content I’ve consumed even at an amateur/beginner level…
As a fellow Humanities student (BA way back in the dark ages of the 20th century) There's nothing wrong with moments of high self-regard now and then. The crowd around us makes the necessary adjustments pretty quickly.
I love your you tube Chanel. Interested often. Infact you inspire me to want to do a
Very similar Chanel. You know , so I can tell you how wrong you are about something lol just kidding keep it up
Thank you for this post, it’s very insightful. As i’m going into my undergrad in philosophy and his September, i also intend to YouTube channel to both challenge my perspective and learn much more about philosophy. And what you’ve said about developing a large ego is true, i’ve sometimes found myself thinking or acting in a somewhat egotistical manner in response to people complimenting my intelligence. But regardless, i’ll always make an effort to be more humble about my thoughts on myself and others. Likewise, in other times I’ve also felt that people heavily overestimate my intelligence, and that I’m an "intellectual fraud" if that makes sense. At times it’s hard to find a balance, but I guess it’s something to note once I start my YouTube channel in the future.
Speaking as an 80-year-old with a BA in Humanities, I can assure you: you will discover that the more you learn, the more you will discover that you don't know. It's all part of the "adventure" of education!"
I really appreciate this type of vulnerable, relaxed and introspective think pieces. Looking forward to reading more of it, Llj.
I think that, as you said, remaining humble is the key to keep yourself avid for knowledge. It's refreshing to see someone highlighting it! In a world where everyone encourages you to "be the best", accepting that there it's still so much to learn and you are not actually "the best" or "the most knowledgeable one" is freeing and also productive for your future self.
I mostly agree, although, I don't really mind striving to be the best or thinking that you're the best at something or you really did great at this thing, and you also know to realistically recognize and point out your weaknesses, as well as realistically commend yourself on your various strengths and accomplishments, and I don't mind a person being a little competitive, as long as you don't forget to keep your feet firm on the ground and you know that there is still a lot of things that you can learn from a lot of people from various walks of life, no matter what level, education or status you've reached in life.
And thinking that you're the best at something still comes with thoughts and reasoning that temper letting it get to your head too much (not that it's happened to me) and fully knowing that there are a lot of people out there who will beat you and smoke you at your own game in a different setting or in various other aspects.
And that thought, personally, besides the fear and dread, is also exciting and challenging and it makes life just that much richer, varied, thriving and developing where you can explore and learn all these things and grow in a lot of areas where you are very much lacking. :) :>
I’d like to respond with a perspective from the other side: What it’s like being a Joe Folley fan (of course, I can only speak from my own experience).
I’ll start with “the gulf between your actual abilities and what people perceive you to be capable of,” as well as your concern that people’s compliments might end up going to your head.
Yes, I agree with you that there is a gap. I don’t think you are even aware of what a beautiful, bright light you are in this little corner of the universe. Philosophical knowledge, academic background, intelligence, quality of research, and clarity of presentation are certainly important, but in this day and age, knowledge is extremely accessible. I can check out any book you’ve ever mentioned from the library for free. I can look up any concept you’ve discussed in seconds. I can ask ChatGPT to generate an endless number of essays analyzing any topic I can think of. Even within the niche of philosophical YouTube, there are probably hundreds of channels to choose from.
But you and your videos will always be special to me, because underneath every discussion, there’s always a very consistent thread of your curiosity, your self-awareness, your honesty, your sense of humor, your naivety and optimism, your grounded yet open-minded and logical thought process, and your intellectual humility that binds everything together. Even more than philosophical knowledge, those are the qualities I admire most in you, because I believe they’re the result of countless sleepless nights, of years of struggle, and of endless internal battles with self-criticism – all of which must be fueled by a burning desire to learn and grow (which I think is actually a fundamental truth about the universe – or at least about living things, and especially about humanity).
I do want this to end up going to your head, because I want you to know that I appreciate you for who you are: the person you’ve worked so hard to become, and continue to work hard to improve everyday. I don’t watch your videos thinking they’ll make me an expert. I watch them knowing they’ll leave me inspired and motivated to keep learning, growing, and improving myself.
So on top of feeling watched, I hope you also feel seen :).
Ahahahah
The use of work as a form of self-regulating and holding oneself accountable in order to persue a goal very awe-inspiring. And being able to express "how much you don't know" too. "What I know is that I know nothing" as said Socrates.
Also, I'm going to take the idea of the note on the desk. Seems to be effective :)
A sterling example of the fact that brilliance coupled with humility is a recipe for great things. And very entertaining things too, on occasion.
On a side note: do the hallowed halls of learning in England actually positively teem with brains of that caliber?
I'm commenting on this only to share that after you mentioned the chip in your left incisor, I went to YouTube to check. It reminded me that I, too, have a chip in an incisor, and it was because I bit too hard on a metal fork once.
Thanks for this self-aware and thoughtful piece! Let me comment as someone with a PhD in religious studies and an interest in philosophy. I just watched your video ranking different philosophers with Alex O'Connor. I thoroughly enjoyed it. My suspicion is that in the coming years, intellectual life is going to take place increasingly outside the university system on platforms like YouTube. So I applaud that you're bringing philosophy to your audience and I hope that you keep it up!