Basement Whatever

YouTube is algorithmic whirlpool, sucking you into endless low-quality videos of Minecraft YouTubers, conspiracy theories and productivity gurus that leave you scrolling. Before you know it, you’ve learned nothing except the easiest way to mine diamond ore. You’ve given away your precious life essence to advertisers and gained nothing in return.

There is a much better way to use YouTube and it involves shutting off the algorithm. At first, it feels weird. But once you get used to it, you’ll find that you’re consuming less mindless content and instead watching high-quality, 45 minute history videos of the city where you live that you always wanted to watch but were too busy learning about diamond ore.

I loved the new landing page. It’s the feature I never knew I needed. I have been happily living without a YouTube suggestion feed for years now. That big fat “Your watch history is off” is a serene, quiet greeting awaiting me whenever I open the app, a reminder that I am in control, that nothing will be pushed into my face without my explicit request.

The full YouTube system is here; I use it and can confirm it works.