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jungwnies · 6 months ago

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F1 GRID | love languages

୨ৎ : featuring : max verstappen, lewis hamilton, george russell, carlos sainz, charles leclerc, lando norris, oscar piastri ୨ৎ : synopsis : what i think their love languages are in terms of how they love, and how they like to be loved ᡣ𐭩 ୨ৎ : word count : 1799

୨ masterlist ৎ

ᡣ𐭩 a/n : i was taking a love languages test and decided to apply it to the f1 grid // feedback is always appreciated and my requests are OPEN (to absolutely anything)

ʚ・max verstappen

⟢ how he loves › acts of service

max is a man of action, not necessarily big on flowery words or grand gestures. he expresses affection through practical help and by taking care of his partner's needs. such as:

› problem-solving: if his partner has an issue, he'd likely jump in to fix it, whether it's a leaky faucet, a tech malfunction, or a stressful situation. › everyday support: he might take on chores, run errands, or handle tasks to ease his partner's burden and show he cares. › thoughtful gestures: this could involve surprising his partner by taking care of something they've been meaning to do or anticipating their needs before they even ask.

⟢ how he likes to be loved › quality time

despite thriving in the fast-paced world of f1, max seems to value genuine connection and focused attention. for him, quality time likely means:

› undivided attention: putting away distractions, truly listening, and being present in the moment when spending time with his partner. › shared experiences: creating memories together, whether it's through travel, trying new things, or simply enjoying quiet moments at home. › emotional intimacy: feeling understood and valued, with open communication and a sense of deep connection.

ʚ・lewis hamilton

⟢ how he loves › words of affirmation

lewis isn't shy about expressing himself, and this likely extends to his relationships. he seems to genuinely enjoy using words to uplift and appreciate those he cares about.

› frequent compliments: he might regularly tell his partner how much he admires them, appreciates their qualities, or finds them attractive. › verbal encouragement: he'd likely offer support and motivation through words, especially during challenging times. › public declarations of affection: he might express his love and appreciation openly, whether in interviews, on social media, or in other public settings.

⟢ how he likes to be loved › physical touch

beyond his verbal expressions, lewis seems to be very physically affectionate with those close to him. physical touch is likely an important way for him to feel loved and connected.

› non-sexual intimacy: holding hands, cuddling, hugging, and other forms of physical closeness that reinforce a sense of connection. › physical gestures of affection: a kiss on the cheek, a comforting touch on the arm, or a playful nudge that shows warmth and care. › responsiveness to touch: he might appreciate a partner who initiates physical contact and reciprocates his affection.

ʚ・george russell

⟢ how he loves › gift giving

george seems to be a thoughtful and considerate person. he probably puts a lot of effort into finding the perfect gift to show his affection, something that truly reflects his partner's interests and personality. this man really cares.

› meaningful presents: rather than extravagant gestures, he'd likely choose gifts that hold special significance or represent an inside joke, demonstrating that he truly knows and understands his partner. › surprise gestures: he might enjoy surprising his partner with unexpected gifts, just to show he's thinking of them. › acts of service through gifts: the gifts themselves might be practical and helpful, fulfilling a need or desire his partner has expressed.

⟢ how he likes to be loved › words of affirmation

while george may not be as outwardly expressive as some of his peers, he probably thrives on verbal reassurance and support. words of affirmation would likely be crucial for him to feel loved and appreciated.

› encouragement and praise: he'd likely appreciate hearing positive feedback about his performance, both on and off the track, and knowing that his partner believes in him. › expressions of love and appreciation: hearing "i love you" or receiving compliments about his character and personality would likely mean a lot to him. › verbal support during difficult times: knowing that his partner is there for him with encouraging words and understanding would be crucial for him to feel secure and loved.

ʚ・carlos sainz

⟢ how he loves › quality time

carlos seems to be someone who values genuine connections and building strong relationships. for him, spending quality time with his partner would likely be the primary way he expresses his love and affection.

› prioritizing shared experiences: he'd probably make an effort to plan meaningful dates and outings, creating lasting memories together. › being present and engaged: when spending time with his partner, he'd likely be fully present, putting away distractions and focusing on their connection. › deep conversations and active listening: he'd likely enjoy engaging in meaningful discussions, actively listening to his partner's thoughts and feelings, and sharing his own. sure on camera he spaces out a lot, but when you're speaking he's soaking in all the information.

⟢ how he likes to be loved › acts of service

while carlos seems to be very independent and capable, he might also appreciate practical gestures of love and support. acts of service could be a significant way for him to feel cared for and appreciated.

› helping with daily tasks: he might appreciate his partner taking care of errands, chores, or other responsibilities, allowing him to focus on his demanding career. › anticipating his needs: noticing and taking care of things before he even asks, like packing his bag for a race weekend or making sure he has a healthy meal after a long day, would likely show him that his partner is attentive and caring. › supporting his goals and ambitions: helping him achieve his goals, whether it's by offering encouragement, providing practical assistance, or simply being understanding of his demanding schedule, would likely make him feel loved and supported.

ʚ・charles leclerc

⟢ how he loves › physical touch

charles is naturally expressive with physical affection. this isn't just about romance; it's a core part of how he interacts with people. i can tell this man can love hard, and im sure it reflects in his personal life as well.

› close proximity: whether it's with their partner, friends, or family, charles would likely prefer to be in close physical proximity. think sitting shoulder-to-shoulder, leaning against each other, or comfortable, casual touch. › initiating contact: charles would be the one to reach out first—holding hands while walking, offering a spontaneous hug, or placing a comforting hand on their partner's back during a conversation. › playful gestures: expect lighthearted touches like a playful nudge, a gentle hair ruffle, or a spontaneous tickle fight. for charles, physical touch is a way to express joy and connection.

⟢ how he likes to be loved › quality time

while charles enjoys being around people, he also deeply values meaningful connections and shared experiences.

› shared passions: charles's partner would often find themselves invited to join in his hobbies, whether it's playing music, trying out new sports, or getting competitive with video games. it's about sharing his passions and creating a sense of togetherness. › focused attention: charles would truly be present—putting away phones, minimizing distractions, and actively engaging in conversation or shared activities. › creating memories: more than material things, charles would value creating lasting memories with their partner. this could involve anything from spontaneous road trips and exploring new places to quiet evenings in with heartfelt conversations.

ʚ・lando norris

⟢ how he loves › gift giving

lando has a playful and somewhat mischievous personality. he seems to enjoy surprising people and making them laugh, and gift-giving might be a natural extension of that.

› thoughtful surprises: lando wouldn't just give generic gifts. he'd put effort into finding something unique, quirky, or personalized that would genuinely delight his partner. it's about the element of surprise and showing he cares enough to go the extra mile. › spontaneous gestures: don't be surprised if lando randomly shows up with a small "just because" gift, like their favorite snack, a funny gadget, or something related to an inside joke. it's his way of showing affection and keeping things interesting. › experiences as gifts: instead of material things, lando might gift experiences, like tickets to a concert, a weekend getaway, or even something adventurous like skydiving. it's about creating shared memories and adding excitement to the relationship.

⟢ how he likes to be loved › word of affirmation

despite his confident and often joking exterior, lando likely values genuine encouragement and positive feedback.

› public acknowledgment: lando might appreciate it when his partner publicly expresses their support or admiration, whether it's through social media, in interviews, or simply by being present and cheering him on at races. › verbal encouragement: hearing words of encouragement and belief, especially during challenging times or after setbacks, would likely mean a lot to lando. it's about knowing his partner has his back and believes in his abilities. › appreciation for his efforts: lando puts a lot of effort into his career and his personal brand. his partner acknowledging and appreciating his hard work, dedication, and achievements would likely make him feel valued and understood.

ʚ・oscar piastri

⟢ how he loves › acts of service

oscar seems practical and focused, and this likely extends to his relationships. he's probably less about grand gestures and more about showing love through helpful actions and support.

› taking initiative: oscar wouldn't wait to be asked for help. he'd notice things that need to be done and take care of them, whether it's fixing something around the house, running errands, or helping his partner with a task. › problem-solving: if his partner is facing a challenge or feeling stressed, oscar would likely jump in to help find solutions and offer practical support. he's someone who likes to take action and make things better. › behind-the-scenes support: oscar might not be the most vocal about his affection, but he'd show it through consistent, reliable support. he'd be the one quietly ensuring things run smoothly and his partner feels cared for.

⟢ how he likes to be loved › gifts

and while oscar might not be materialistic, receiving thoughtful gifts could be a significant way for him to feel loved and appreciated.

› meaningful tokens: it wouldn't be about the monetary value; it's the thought behind the gift that matters. a small item that relates to a shared memory, a handwritten note, or something that reflects his interests would likely make him feel seen and understood. › acts of service as gifts: oscar might appreciate gifts that make his life easier or show that his partner is thinking of his needs. this could be something practical like a gadget he's been wanting, a subscription to a service he'd enjoy, or even just a home-cooked meal after a long day. › surprise gestures: while he might not be one for grand romantic gestures, oscar would likely appreciate small, unexpected gifts that show he's being thought of. it's about the spontaneity and the gesture itself, more than the gift itself.

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beedok · 8 months ago

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Please Help A Family

This isn't something I've done before, so I may not be the best at it, but I want to help raise awareness for a family who's efforts to get by I have followed for some months here.

Mohammed Alanqer is a tech worker from Gaza who has been doing his best to gather funds for his family so that they can get by with the ever rising price of goods and the hope to eventually get to safety. His gofundme has been thoroughly vetted by multiple sources.

During the last year of fear and bombardment his wife and three children were joined by baby Amir. Four growing children who need nutrition that is increasingly difficult to find in Gaza.

He and his wife Enas Majed have done their best to protect their children, but disease has become all but impossible to avoid. The children have suffered through measles and Adam is in need of medical care for viral hepatitis.

Another truly admirable thing about Mohammed is that, despite the dangers that come with finding internet access and electricity in Gaza and the exhaustion that he must feel living under such stress, and despite tumblr's repeatedly closing his accounts, again and again he has used his platform to help uplift voices of others in Gaza as well.

So, please, follow one of his blogs on tumblr, @nourasbasha or @famousturtlebanana , to help spread his voice.

And, if you can, please donate to his gofundme:

If you do donate, and send me proof, I'll draw you a free sketch.

#palestine #fundraiser #gaza #war on gaza #artists for palestine

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ikvogel · 8 months ago

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[Tech Trance/Uplifting Trance] Mitchell Claxton - Wuxia

#Tech Trance #Uplifting Trance #Trance Music #Electronic Music #EDM #Monstercat #shared music #SoundCloud

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coven-of-genesis · 23 days ago

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MAGICAL Morning Rituals

Your morning is sacred. It’s a doorway between the dreamworld and waking life — a space where magic flows freely. Begin your day with presence, softness, and small rituals that anchor you.

1. Charge yourself with the energy of the Sun.

Step into the light. Even a few minutes of sunshine can realign your energy and uplift your spirit. Breathe it in. Let it awaken you.

2. Make space for intentional mornings.

Take a tech break. Resist the urge to check your phone right away. Give your mind space to settle and your soul time to speak before the outside world floods in.

3. Move your body.

Whether it’s a walk, stretch, yoga, or dancing in your room — movement awakens your physical and spiritual body. Shake off the night and step into flow.

4. Take time to meditate and recharge.

Even 5 minutes of stillness can change everything. Breathe deeply. Tune in. Connect with your heart and your guides. Let your breath be your anchor.

5. Speak loving and positive affirmations to yourself.

Your words carry power. Begin with kindness: “I am grounded. I am safe. I am magical.” Speak to yourself like you would to a dear friend.

6. Cleanse your space. Internally + externally.

Tidy your room. Light incense. Sweep energy away. Clear spaces hold calm minds. You deserve to feel held and supported by your surroundings.

7. Add herbal potions to your cup.

Infuse your tea or coffee with intention. Add herbs that align with your energy (lavender for peace, rose for love, peppermint for clarity). Stir in your wishes.

8. Hydrate your body.

Drink warm herbal tea or water before anything else. Let it nourish and flush your system. Hydration is healing, and your body is your temple.

Masterlist | linktree | Patreon

#morning rituals #morning routine #witchblr #witchcore #witchcraft #witchlife #beginner witch #witch tips #white witch #grimoire #spirituality #book of shadows

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mostlysignssomeportents · 1 year ago

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Utah’s getting some of America’s best broadband

TOMORROW (May 17), I'm at the INTERNET ARCHIVE in SAN FRANCISCO to keynote the 10th anniversary of the AUTHORS ALLIANCE.

Residents of 21 cities in Utah have access to some of the fastest, most competitively priced broadband in the country, at speeds up to 10gb/s and prices as low as $75/month. It's uncapped, and the connections are symmetrical: perfect for uploading and downloading. And it's all thanks to the government.

This broadband service is, of course, delivered via fiber optic cable. Of course it is. Fiber is vastly superior to all other forms of broadband delivery, including satellites, but also cable and DSL. Fiber caps out at 100tb/s, while cable caps out at 50gb/s – that is, fiber is 1,000 times faster:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/10/why-fiber-vastly-superior-cable-and-5g

Despite the obvious superiority of fiber, America has been very slow to adopt it. Our monopolistic carriers act as though pulling fiber to our homes is an impossible challenge. All those wires that currently go to your house, from power-lines to copper phone-lines, are relics of a mysterious, fallen civilization and its long-lost arts. Apparently we could no more get a new wire to your house than we could build the pyramids using only hand-tools.

In a sense, the people who say we can't pull wires anymore are right: these are relics of a lost civilization. Specifically, electrification and later, universal telephone service was accomplished through massive federal grants under the New Deal – grants that were typically made to either local governments or non-profit co-operatives who got everyone in town connected to these essential modern utilities.

Today – thanks to decades of neoliberalism and its dogmatic insistence that governments can't do anything and shouldn't try, lest they break the fragile equilibrium of the market – we have lost much of the public capacity that our grandparents took for granted. But in the isolated pockets where this capacity lives on, amazing things happen.

Since 2015, residents of Jackson County, KY – one of the poorest counties in America – have enjoyed some of the country's fastest, cheapest, most reliable broadband. The desperately poor Appalachian county is home to a rural telephone co-op, which grew out of its rural electrification co-op, and it used a combination of federal grants and local capacity to bring fiber to every home in the county, traversing dangerous mountain passes with a mule named "Ole Bub" to reach the most remote homes. The result was an immediately economic uplift for the community, and in the longer term, the county had reliable and effective broadband during the covid lockdowns:

https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/the-one-traffic-light-town-with-some-of-the-fastest-internet-in-the-us

Contrast this with places where the private sector has the only say over who gets broadband, at what speed, and at what price. America is full of broadband deserts – deserts that strand our poorest people. Even in the hearts of our largest densest cities, whole neighborhoods can't get any broadband. You won't be surprised to learn that these are the neighborhoods that were historically redlined, and that the people who live in them are Black and brown, and also live with some of the highest levels of pollution and its attendant sicknesses:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/06/10/flicc/#digital-divide

These places are not set up for success under the best of circumstances, and during the lockdowns, they suffered terribly. You think your kid found it hard to go to Zoom school? Imagine what life was like for kids who attended remote learning while sitting on the baking tarmac in a Taco Bell parking lot, using its free wifi:

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/09/02/elem-s02.html

ISPs loathe competition. They divide up the country into exclusive territories like the Pope dividing up the "new world" and do not trouble one another by trying to sell to customers outside of "their" turf. When Frontier – one of the worst of America's terrible ISPs – went bankrupt, we got to see their books, and we learned two important facts:

The company booked one million customers who had no alternative as an asset, because they would pay more for slower broadband, and Frontier could save a fortune by skipping maintenance, and charging these customers for broadband even through multi-day outages; and

Frontier knew that it could make a billion dollars in profit over a decade by investing in fiber build-out, but it chose not to, because stock analysts will downrank any carrier that made capital investments that took more than five years to mature. Because Frontier's execs were paid primarily in stock, they chose to strand their customers with aging copper connections and to leave a billion dollars sitting on the table, so that their personal net worth didn't suffer a temporary downturn:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/04/frontiers-bankruptcy-reveals-cynical-choice-deny-profitable-fiber-millions

ISPs maintain the weirdest position: that a) only the private sector can deliver broadband effectively, but b) to do so, they'll need massive, unsupervised, no-strings-attached government handouts. For years, America went along with this improbable scheme, which is why Trump's FCC chairman Ajit Pai gave the carriers $45 billion in public funds to string slow, 19th-century-style copper lines across rural America:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/02/27/all-broadband-politics-are-local/

Now, this is obviously untrue, and people keep figuring out that publicly provisioned broadband is the only way for America to get the same standard of broadband connectivity that our cousins in other high-income nations enjoy. In order to thwart the public's will, the cable and telco lobbyists joined ALEC, the far-right, corporatist lobbying shop, and drafted "model legislation" banning cities and counties from providing broadband, even in places the carriers chose not to serve:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/03/19/culture-war-bullshit-stole-your-broadband/

Red states across America adopted these rules, and legislators sold this to their base by saying that this was just "keeping the government out of their internet" (even as every carrier relied on an exclusive, government-granted territorial charter, often with massive government subsidies).

ALEC didn't target red states exclusively because they had pliable, bribable conservative lawmakers. Red states trend rural, and rural places are the most likely sites for public fiber. Partly, that's because low-density areas are harder to make a business case for, but also because these are also the places that got electricity and telephone through New Deal co-ops, which are often still in place.

Just about the only places in America where people like their internet service are the 450+ small towns where the local government provides fiber. These places vote solidly Republican, and it was their beloved conservative lawmakers whom ALEC targeted to enact laws banning their equally beloved fiber – keep voting for Christmas, turkeys, and see where it gets you:

https://communitynets.org/content/community-network-map

But spare a little sympathy for the conservative movement here. The fact that reality has a pronounced leftist bias must be really frustrating for the ideological project of insisting that anything the market can't provide is literally impossible.

Which brings me back to Utah, a red state with a Republican governor and legislature, and a national leader in passing unconstitutional, unhinged, unworkable legislation as part of an elaborate culture war kabuki:

https://www.npr.org/2023/03/24/1165975112/utah-passes-an-age-verification-law-for-anyone-using-social-media

For more than two decades, a coalition of 21 cities in Utah have been building out municipal fiber. The consortium calls itself UTOPIA: "Utah Telecommunication Open Infrastructure Agency":

https://www.utopiafiber.com/faqs/

UTOPIA pursues a hybrid model: they run "open access" fiber and then let anyone offer service over it. This can deliver the best of both worlds: publicly provisioned, blazing-fast fiber to your home, but with service provided by your choice of competing carriers. That means that if Moms for Liberty captures you local government, you're not captive to their ideas about what sites your ISP should block.

As Karl Bode writes for Techdirt, Utahns in UTOPIA regions have their choice of 18 carriers, and competition has driven down prices and increased speeds. Want uncapped 1gb fiber? That's $75/month. Want 10gb fiber? That's $150:

https://www.techdirt.com/2024/05/15/utah-locals-are-getting-cheap-10-gbps-fiber-thanks-to-local-governments/

UTOPIA's path to glory wasn't an easy one. The dismal telco monopolists Qwest and Lumen sued to put them out of business, delaying the rollout by years:

https://www.deseret.com/2005/7/22/19903471/utopia-responds-to-qwest-lawsuit/

UTOPIA has been profitable and self-sustaining for over 15 years and shows no sign of slowing. But 17 states still ban any attempt at this.

Keeping up such an obviously bad policy requires a steady stream of distractions and lies. The "government broadband doesn't work" lie has worn thin, so we've gotten a string of new lies about wireless service, insisting that fiber is obviated by point-to-point microwave relays, or 5g, or satellite service.

There's plenty of places where these services make sense. You're not going to be able to use fiber in a moving car, so yeah, you're going to want 5g (and those 5g towers are going to need to be connected to each other with fiber). Microwave relay service can fill the gap until fiber can be brought in, and it's great for temporary sites (especially in places where it doesn't rain, because rain, clouds, leaves and other obstructions are deadly for microwave relays). Satellite can make sense for an RV or a boat or remote scientific station.

But wireless services are orders of magnitude slower than fiber. With satellite service, you share your bandwidth with an entire region or even a state. If there's only a couple of users in your satellite's footprint, you might get great service, but when your carrier adds a thousand more customers, your connection is sliced into a thousand pieces.

That's also true for everyone sharing your fiber trunk, but the difference is that your fiber trunk supports speeds that are tens of thousands of times faster than the maximum speeds we can put through freespace electromagnetic spectrum. If we need more fiber capacity, we can just fish a new strand of fiber through the conduit. And while you can increase the capacity of wireless by increasing your power and bandwidth, at a certain point you start pump so much EM into the air that birds start falling out of the sky.

Every wireless device in a region shares the same electromagnetic spectrum, and we are only issued one such spectrum per universe. Each strand of fiber, by contrast, has its own little pocket universe, containing a subset of that spectrum.

Despite all its disadvantages, satellite broadband has one distinct advantage, at least from an investor's perspective: it can be monopolized. Just as we only have one electromagnetic spectrum, we also only have one sky, and the satellite density needed to sustain a colorably fast broadband speed pushes the limit of that shared sky:

https://spacenews.com/starlink-vs-the-astronomers/

Private investors love monopoly telecoms providers, because, like pre-bankruptcy Frontier, they are too big to care. Back in 2021, Altice – the fourth-largest cable operator in America – announced that it was slashing its broadband speeds, to be "in line with other ISPs":

https://pluralistic.net/2021/06/27/immortan-altice/#broadband-is-a-human-right

In other words: "We've figured out that our competitors are so much worse than we are that we are deliberately degrading our service because we know you will still pay us the same for less."

This is why corporate shills and pro-monopolists prefer satellite to municipal fiber. Sure, it's orders of magnitude slower than fiber. Sure, it costs subscribers far more. Sure, it's less reliable. But boy oh boy is it profitable.

The thing is, reality has a pronounced leftist bias. No amount of market magic will conjure up new electromagnetic spectra that will allow satellite to attain parity with fiber. Physics hates Starlink.

Yeah, I'm talking about Starlink. Of course I am. Elon Musk basically claims that his business genius can triumph over physics itself.

That's not the only vast, impersonal, implacable force that Musk claims he can best with his incredible reality-distortion field. Musk also claims that he can somehow add so many cars to the road that he will end traffic – in other words, he will best geometry too:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/09/herbies-revenge/#100-billion-here-100-billion-there-pretty-soon-youre-talking-real-money

Geometry hates Tesla, and physics hates Starlink. Reality has a leftist bias. The future is fiber, and public transit. These are both vastly preferable, more efficient, safer, more reliable and more plausible than satellite and private vehicles. Their only disadvantage is that they fail to give an easily gulled, thin-skinned compulsive liar more power over billions of people. That's a disadvantage I can live with.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/05/16/symmetrical-10gb-for-119/#utopia

Image: 4028mdk09 (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rote_LED_Fiberglasleuchte.JPG

CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

#pluralistic #fiber #broadband #physics #public goods #utah #utopia #red states #ole bub

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noodlesarecheese · 1 year ago

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So Watcher is launching a Dropout (it's not called Dropout but they're clearly using the same template format platform thing idk what it's called, and the same pricing structure), and the reaction so far has been wildly different than what I remember from Dropout's launch. I was curious about why that was or if I was just misremembering the Dropout launch, so I went back to the Dropout launch video to compare them and I think I can see where some of the difference is coming from.

If you want to make the comparison yourself: Watcher's Video, Dropout's Video.

I wanna clarify first though that this isn't a knock against Watcher or the fans who are reacting one way or another or anything like that, I genuinely am just fascinated with how different the reactions are to what seems to be the same business decision. This also isn't a 'wow watcher sucks and dropout is so much better' I'm just using them for comparison because they did the same thing with different results. ALSO this isn't about the business decision itself, just the presentation! Disclaimers out of the way, here's the analysis.

Title and Thumbnail So the Watcher.tv announcement video is titled "Goodbye Youtube" and the thumbnail is Ryan, Shane, and Steven sitting on a couch looking serious, with a dark background. That really makes it seem like they're quitting (which, ok, they are quitting youtube but not quitting quitting). Viewers are already primed to be upset, and it's easier to go from upset to angry than upset to excited, curious, or neutral.

Compare to the dropout announcement video: "How the Internet is Ruining Comedy" - inline with other collegehumor video titles, might make you curious. Thumbnail - Big News! with Sam smiling and a bright background. We know its big news, but he looks happy, and the exclamation point let's us know they want us to be excited. Viewers are primed to be curious and excited.

Tone The Watcher announcement has 2 main tones. The first half is very sentimental, almost sad or wistful at times, and while there are parts that veer into pride at achievements, it's mostly bittersweet and sentimental. The second half is a bit more uplifting, but still quite serious. It reminded me of a tech announcement, like when they introduce the new iphone or something like that. Very professional, sleek, and serious, which isn't automatically a bad thing! But I do think that's not the vibe a decently-sized chunk of the audience expected or wanted. Many people watch Watcher for the cast's dynamic with each other, humor, and the more relaxed/conversational/friendly feel that most of the series have.

Compare to dropout - excited and comedic tone. Still professional, but also fits the expectations of the viewers. People watch collegehumor for the humor (it was in the name, after all). They also poke a bit of fun at themselves, which lightens the mood, shows self-awareness, and alleviates some of the bad feelings about paywalling.

Focus The Watcher announcement focuses a lot on the creative journey of the cast and company, as well as how this move will benefit them. Which isn't a bad thing, that's actually quite interesting! The problem here, I think, is actually more about what isn't here - a solid explanation of how this will also benefit the viewers and why the viewers should be excited. There's a brief description of one new show, and the promise that existing shows will get an upgrade, but we weren't given many specific details about how they'll be improved, and there's only one new show to tempt us into subscribing. Some people will be excited for that, some people won't, and some people will be excited but not enough to subscribe. Having 2 or 3 series (even if it's 1 fleshed out plus a few teasers of what's in production or what is being planned) plus some more details about how existing shows will be improved would've helped. Without that, it really does seem like it'll just be the same stuff viewers were getting for free, but now paywalled, rather than new and exciting stuff. That makes a big difference. I think with the fans not getting as much focus, this also led to some (accidental, I hope) hurt feelings. Based on what I've seen from fan reactions, all the talk about hitting the peak of what they can do on youtube and wanting more, translated for many people to 'youtube isn't enough' which became 'you (the current viewers) aren't enough.' Which I don't think was their intent! But I also don't think fans are wrong for feeling hurt by that.

Compare to dropout: They clearly explain how the move will benefit fans, and reassure viewers that existing content will stay where it is, and only new content will be behind the paywall. (Watcher clarified this too, but in a comment. It's not in the video itself, which is a huge problem.) They include clips of several new (at the time) series that would be premiering on dropout, including things that specifically could not be made on youtube (due to weed, violence, and sexual humor), so the reason for the shift is clear to the audience.

Advertisers Both videos contain the sentiment that being monetarily successful on youtube means working to appease the advertisers, and that over time what the advertisers want and what the creators want drifts further and further apart, putting strain on the creators.

However, I think the message gets lost a bit in the Watcher vid. Instead, it leaves viewers with the idea that the main problem is just ads are annoying instead of advertisers putting constraints on content. I'm not even sure what the specific constraints are for watcher, because they didn't give any examples. And the focus on ads being annoying leaves viewers frustrated because people typically either don't mind ads or they already have an ad blocker.

Timing and Size Okay, this isn't exactly about presentation, but it is still a factor that impacts perception so I'm tackling it. And I'm actually going to do dropout first. CollegeHumor launched dropout in September 2018. Pre-pandemic, but also pre-Sam Reich as CEO. The company was still owned by IAC. It was a Company, and while it wasn't huge it wasn't tiny either. So launching dropout was a Company Decision, a Business Strategy. Some people were upset about, but it wasn't a personal betrayal (generally, anyways). If I remember correctly, this was also not a high point for the company. They kinda needed dropout to do well to keep things running smoothly (which is why they shut it down and sold it to Sam just 1 1/2ish years later), so the sudden shift made sense.

Watcher Entertainment is a company, but it doesn't feel like one. Ryan, Shane, and Steven own and operate things, but they're also the faces, and they're youtubers. Which makes every business decision they make feel more personal to viewers, especially those who have been watching for a long time. They've also seemingly been doing well on youtube, which makes it more difficult for viewers to understand why the sudden change is happening now. They do talk a bit about it, about the company expanding and wanting to do things that advertisers don't like (which I've already covered). However, mostly the choice to start a streaming platform is framed as 'the next big step' without much clarification on why it's the next big step. Plus, it's post-pandemic, and a lot of people are still struggling financially with the ripple effects of that. Yes, $6 isn't a wild amount of money, but there have been some months where $5 absolutely meant the difference between paying all my bills or not, and I know I'm not the only one. This, coupled with a lack of clarity about why exactly they're doing this, leads to fans feeling hurt, betrayed, bitter, and frustrated.

Now, presentation and framing isn't everything. No matter how perfect your announcement is, some people are still going to be upset. It's a big change, of course people will be upset! But I do think a more careful presentation would've alleviated some of the hurt and anger that fans are feeling. While I do think a lot of the reaction we're seeing is due to the decision, I think (based on what I've seen) that some of it is also based on the poor communication in the video itself, and that could've been avoided!

So I'm gonna get a little speculative and describe what I would've done. In this hypothetical, they've decided to launch the streaming service and brought me on just for the announcement.

Firstly, switch the title out. If they're married to Goodbye Youtube then add a (and hello...?) after so it's at least obvious they aren't fully quitting. The dark color scheme of the thumbnail fits their regular vibe, but they want everyone to be excited so they should look excited. Next, let's lighten the tone up. Being proud of what they've done so far is great, but we don't need the sentimental music and bittersweetness. Remember, the goal is to get viewers excited about what come's next - so let's focus on what actually comes next! Talk about specific show plans and mention why they wouldn't work on youtube. Then, take some time to reassure the fans. Predict a few likely worries and address them in the video. Acknowledge that it's a big change, that it will take time to get used to, and that not everyone will be onboard, and let the fans know that it's ok if they aren't onboard.

Like I said, this wouldn't fix everything. There are a few differences in between dropout and watcher that don't have anything to do with presentation. Dropout launched with primarily new shows rather than new seasons of existing shows, and they continued uploading to youtube relatively regularly in addition to the content behind the paywall, which I do think went a long way to keeping fans happy. At this point it's unclear if watcher will do either of those or not. But, while I don't think it would fix everything, I do think improved communication in the announcement would've helped.

#watcher #feel free to share your own thoughts but please be nice #I just like communication ok! And I really enjoyed the 1 marketing class I took in college #and it's pretty rare that you get such a clear comparison between 2 unrelated companies!

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