Q & A

Q: Have you ever considered producing a podcast or videos for YouTube?

A: It has crossed my mind. The cool thing about writing is that I can produce a ton of content with little effort. The same is not true for making podcasts and videos. Those eat time.

I am a fan of two people who do the podcast/video thing. The first is Stefan Molyneux of Freedomain Radio who produces both podcasts and videos. The other is Jack Hunter better known as the "Southern Avenger" who does a weekly video that is usually under ten minutes. If I did a video, it would be a weekly thing and combine what those two guys do. The video would be short and more philosophically oriented in a sort of PowerPoint presentation.

I don't like watching people talk into a camera on YouTube. Most of the time, I just hit play and open some other window while I just listen. I have zero interest in making one of those videos. I like the way the Jack Hunter videos are. Here's an example:



This is way better than watching some talking head. But making a video like this takes time. First, you have to write it. Then, you have to put together a video presentation. Then, you have to edit it. That's a ton of work. It would be fun, but I don't know if I can logistically pull that off every week. But if I did it, the videos would be five minutes long at a maximum and cover more timeless subjects.

A podcast is a different beast. I would do thirty minute segments, and it would be interviews with various people. This would be easy to do with Skype and some recording software. But since it would require the cooperation of other people, I think it would be a doomed project. I have learned that working with others on creative projects is a certain path to disaster. An interview is a collaboration and matching my crazy schedule with someone new week in and week out is just a huge burden.

The other aspect is the quality aspect. I don't think I am the greatest blogger on the internet, but I do have a certain standard that I expect for my projects. This standard is what I believe I can deliver on a consistent basis. Imagine a guitar player who sings and plays his three chord songs. Then, he decides he wants to go Eddie Van Halen on people. I'm not Eddie Van Halen. I just keep it simple.

To do a broadcast medium, you have to speak well. I am a good speaker in terms of words and being able to be in front of people without losing my shit. I can do a Steve Jobs like presentation with no problem. But I don't have a pleasant voice. I think people gravitate to the medium they do the best in. For me, this has always been the printed word.

When people stray from their medium, it usually sucks. This is when a rock star tries his hand at acting. This is when an actor tries to be a rock star. I can say that I have never received positive feedback on my speaking abilities. I haven't received negative feedback either because I know I am competent as a speaker. I can get the job done. But I am like Gwyneth Paltrow singing country songs. I'm good enough to not embarrass myself, but nobody is going to flock to buy my albums.

I just write. I am good at that. I doubt I will ever win a Pulitzer or a Nobel. But I know that when my words hit the page, people find them worth reading. Those same words uttered in my usual Southern drawl monotone are not going to produce the same reaction as seeing them on the screen or the printed page. But then again, such considerations never stopped Bob Dylan.

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