While the show is an immensely helpful tool for students and teachers, it also has a large viewership of casual learners who seek out online educational content independently. Has it happened ever? More about John The channel is aimed at young people who have recently entered adulthood. From courses like Astronomy to US History and Anatomy & Physiology it's got you covered with an awesome variety of AP high school curriculum topics. Hi, I’m John Green, this is Crash Course World History, and today we’re gonna talk about World War I. In fact, before I became a writer, I wanted to be a minister. [84][85] The community has also developed a hand sign, which is similar to the Vulcan salute seen in Star Trek. [109] The two main characters of the novel, Hazel and Augustus, bond over existentialism and philosophy. [93] Celebrities, including British actor Benedict Cumberbatch, and American rapper Lupe Fiasco, who has compared Crash Course to crack, have also been documented as Nerdfighters. [112] Additionally, Green has stated, "while the world talks about young people's insularity and solipsism, they're creating a fascinating and complex world of deep engagement online, a world in which they are not just watching content but becoming part of it by being community members whose comments and fanfiction and artwork and passion have profound impacts on the broader culture. [54], Hank Green also serves as the executive producer for Sexplanations, a channel dedicated to open and honest conversation and information about sex-related topics hosted by clinical sexologist Dr. Lindsay Doe. [116] Additionally, the Greens once created a YouTube channel, registered under the username, obamasidiots. I Care How Many People Love What I Make", "John Green: The Fault in our Stars film is true to the book", "John Green: Writers Need to Get Political", "An Open Letter to Undecided American Voters", "Obama Will Give Exclusive Interviews To These Three YouTube Personalities", "State of the YOUnion: YouTube Creators Interview President Obama Live from the White House", "YouTube stars Mota, Hank Green and Glozell prepare to interview Obama", "White House sets digital-exclusive post-State of the Union interviews for Obama", "Hank Green – I think sometimes we need to think about how to involve people who are not reached by legacy media in the conversation. Speaking about what subjects he would like to teach on the Crash Course channel, John stated, "I'm very interested in economics and personal finance (I sometimes post at r/personalfinance) and literature and philosophy and anthropology and the list goes on and on. "[15], The Greens have also influenced online videos, prompting individuals to create their own vlogs. [56] The channel is "dedicated to teaching everything you need to know how to do as an adult that school never got around to." But in history, revolution means radical change, stark departures from the world that was, and the messy, often violent embrace of a new world. "[12] The brothers have been described as, "one of the main voices in YouTube's vibrant education community. [130][131] Nerdfighters use the collaborative nature of Nerdfighteria to schedule offline meetups, which on occasion, include the Greens themselves. That's all. So, today we are going to learn one of the most important skills of 21st century life, and I don't say that lightly. [3][4], Hank has also made himself individually known, having created "EcoGeek", a blog dedicated to environmentally beneficial advancements in technology. I seriously think it might not have happened ever." [18] Another video, in which John announces his support for his friend, mathematician and politician, Daniel Biss, was covered by The Wall Street Journal. "[105] Additionally, John, has stated, "Ultimately, there are Muslims who I have more theologically in common with than many of my fellow Christians. "[15], The topics of videos on the channel vary widely, as the Greens speak about whatever is on their minds at the time. "[120] In response to Acosta, Hank tweeted, "I think sometimes we need to think about how to involve people who are not reached by legacy media in the conversation. They have an estimated net worth of $2 million. [44] SciShow landed a national advertisement campaign deal with YouTube, in 2014. "[94], Hank, too, has been reluctant to discuss his religion. In the video, John stated, "Ultimately, gay will never work as an insult, because it's not bad. On their following, Hank has stated, "We were never really shouting into the void. There is a certain branch of Christianity that has so effectively hijacked the word "Christian" that I feel uncomfortable sometimes using it to describe myself. "[36] These channels are operated under the company name of Complexly. [20] The channel and its fanbase would grow past Brotherhood 2.0, and eventually in 2013, it reached the 1 million subscriber threshold. [64][65] Following the conclusion of the series, Emma Approved, a web series adaptation of Emma, another Austen novel, was launched in October 2013. On the topic, Hank has stated, "There are problems with the institutions of dreams, [but] I am in favor of them. [43] Among these are organic and thermodynamic chemistry, physics, geology, climatology, astronomy and astrophysics, evolutionary biology, psychology and several miscellaneous fields. [48] Prior to the channel's launch, Hank Green featured Graslie giving a tour of the University of Montana's Philip L. Wright Zoological Museum on one of his Vlogbrothers videos. [107], John has stated that he is an independent voter who has voted for both Republican and Democratic politicians. They just know what to do. [120] Acosta stated, "None of them are professional journalists. "[98], John has also been recorded apologizing for a mistake. [88] Aside from charity, however, several Nerdfighter clubs have been launched as an extracurricular activity at universities such as the University of Maryland and Auburn University. "[90] Another member of the community, Rosianna Halse Rojas, whom The New Yorker describes as a "pioneering nerdfighter," has the position of being John's personal assistant. [15] However, John describes her as more than a PA, citing that, "she does many things—from project management to helping shape the strategic direction of our educational and charity projects. The two extensively work with each other in their lives and careers, having started their collaborative popularity with their "Brotherhood 2.0" project in 2007. "[96][105] Green has also stated, in an interview, that he belongs to the Episcopalian branch of the religion. Even if it was just a couple dozen people, they were really engaged. "[28] One Nerdfighter has described their experience of VidCon stating, "it's just a three-day conference with just all nerdfighters and YouTubers. ", "How 2 Brothers Turned a YouTube Experiment into a Charitable Mission", "Thought Café's Altruistic Animated Infographics Help Nonprofits Grow", "These Brothers Created Such A Hit YouTube Channel That The Company Paid Them To Start A New One", "A double-dose of Internet education for you (on the history of "cute" and "spam")", "Meet The Science Nerd Whose Face Is About To Be Plastered on YouTube Ads Everywhere", "Watch Animals Get Dissected With Disgusting, Fascinating 'Brain Scoop, "Emily Graslie Responds To Sexist Comments From Fans", "How Emily Graslie went from YouTube science star to full-time at the Field Museum", "Vlogbrothers Sell 'The Brain Scoop' Channel To Chicago's Field Museum", "Wheezy Waiter Answers Questions in New Series on Mental Floss Channel", "Elliott Morgan's Mental Floss Web Series Debunks Common Misconceptions", "ANNOUNCEMENT DAY! As a result, the channel was promoted through several platforms, including billboard ads, as well as a television commercial featured during the fifth season premiere of The Walking Dead. [102][103][104] However, in one video, John states that religion is a, "topic we've been reluctant to discuss over the years, mostly because the quality of discourse about religion on the internet is atrocious. [66][67] In 2014, Pemberley Digital launched Frankenstein, MD, an adaptation of Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, in collaboration with PBS Digital Studios. [94], The brothers are accepting of their mistakes, often discussing them in their videos and online posts. "[113], Both John and Hank have often discussed political and governmental topics in their videos. [50] Regarding this transaction, Hank stated, "We helped create The Brain Scoop with Emily and Michael Aranda of our studio because she was just so passionate and enthusiastic about science, history, and her work. [125][126], Hank and John Green are supporters of LGBT rights. Their careers are heavily invested upon online video, and in 2010, they founded the aforementioned VidCon. "[8][10], On January 1, 2007, after being heavily inspired by the show with zefrank, the Greens launched the "Vlogbrothers" channel. Hank would add, "In the end, it's not about finding success, it's about building the number of things you're capable of, because then you could do more interesting things, and we need people to do interesting things in the world. It has changed attitudes towards education by creating a community of learners who are looking for more than just help passing a test. Geeky movement aims to fight 'world suck, "How Harry Potter Fans Are Changing Hollywood – And The World", "I hope Rosianna will forgive me posting this video she made six years ago after meeting Hank and me for the first time", "Q: This whole nerdfighters for obama is making us republican nerdfighters a git uncomfortable. "[13] The project, titled "Brotherhood 2.0", quickly grew an audience, leading to the Greens' success on YouTube. [132] Additionally, Hank has stated "We really believed in the importance of online video as a cultural form. John Green, Producer: Paper Towns. With hundreds of millions of views on our YouTube channel, Crash Course has a worldwide audience in and out of classrooms. Totally agree. Crash Course is one of the best ways to educate yourself, your classmates, and your family on YouTube! Although the novel's positioning at #1 on The New York Times Best Seller list, as well as the box office success of the film are reasons for his rise to celebrity prominence, John maintains he is instead best known for his online projects, such as Crash Course. [71], In a 2015 speech spoken to advertising executives at YouTube's Brandcast event, John stated, "I and the most passionate creators on YouTube ... we're not in the distraction business. There were always people following us. "[41], In 2009, John posted a video, expressing his frustrations with the usage of the word gay as an insult. [31] During an interview, Lastufka stated "Over the last few years I worked on the big ideas or product designs less and less, as my position transformed into brokering deals with brick and mortar stores and meeting with cart developers," and added "I would get a little jealous when art assignments that once went to me by default were being hired out because I just didn't have the time."[31]. They're people who post videos on YouTube," sarcastically adding, "I'm just curious: Was 'Charlie Bit My Finger' or 'David After Dentist' not available? "[101] John elaborated on his valuing of engagement and connection over raw viewing numbers stating, "I don't care how many people watch or read something I make. "How to Adult" exists! [7] The distribution of merchandise is largely independent. [63] The Lizzie Bennet Diaries was a web series adaptation of Jane Austen's novel, Pride and Prejudice. "[13], In December 2007, the two launched Project for Awesome, a charitable movement driven by the YouTube community. [45] A spin-off titled, SciShow Space, launched in 2014, dedicating itself to space related news, discoveries and space related science. Hi, I’m John Green; this is Crash Course World History and today we’re going to do some compare and contrast, because that’s what passes for hip in world history. [82][83] Nerdfighters have adopted the initialism "DFTBA", standing for Don't forget to be awesome, as their slogan. [95][96] Additionally, the Greens have been described as "charismatic, real, charmingly nerdy, and unquestionably talented," as well as "funny – an insightful, inclusive, not mean kind of funny," by The Wire, a sister site of The Atlantic. Green has commented on the character of aforementioned Nerdfighter, Esther Earl, stating she, "had a wonderful gift for imagining others and for imagining them very complexly. The podcast now opens with a "dad joke" from Hank and something John would have tweeted during the week (he is currently taking a year away from social media). [80] Prior to the deal, Hank was already on the Patreon team as an advisor.[80]. World History, Literature, Economics, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, and Government are just some of the courses available to date. [123][124] Coincidentally, John had previously participated in a Fireside Hangout on Google+ with Obama, with the President even reciting the commonly used phrase by Nerdfighters, "Don't forget to be awesome", to conclude one of his answers to John's questions. [71] Users subscribe to creators and decide how much they want to pay to receive their content on either a recurring basis or with a one-time donation. [47] The channel focuses on taxidermy, biology, and natural history. "[102], On his website, John writes that he is a Christian, introducing a blog post with, "I don't talk about it very often, but I'm a religious person. [68], In 2014, The Art Assignment was launched by PBS Digital Studios, featuring John's wife, Sarah. [15] John, in particular, has included themes of existentialism in his novels, notably, The Fault in Our Stars. John's devotion for both the video game series and English football has led to Nerdfighteria being an official sponsor of the real football club, AFC Wimbledon. Crash Course has over 10.7 million subscribers and 1.2 billion views. [106] At the same time, John disagrees with the notion that creationism should be brought back into schools' educational curriculums, stating, "What science has taught us does not invalidate religious faith, and to those evangelical Christians who believe otherwise, I would respectfully say that you are placing too much faith in the power of science. In 2011, he responded to his reluctance to answer questions regarding his religion, stating, "People are asking, because they want to inform their opinions of me with this little one word answer that says so very little about who I actually am. "[15], Another influence is that of John's novels, which are of the young adult fiction genre. "[99], Both John and Hank have expressed their liking for online video as a platform and culture. In 2012, following a grant from Google, the brothers launched a pair of short-format educational video series entitled Crash Course, which presents series on World History, American History, Literature (hosted by John), Chemistry, Anatomy & Physiology, Biology, Ecology, Psychology, and Philosophy (hosted by Hank), Astronomy, Games, Big History, Economics, Intellectual Property, Physics, Film History, … Regarding a scene in the film adaptation of The Fault in Our Stars, in which the character Hazel Grace initiates a kiss, John stated, "I just want to point out one thing here: When was the last time the girl kissed the boy in a teen romance? [7], Together, however, the two brothers are credited with creating what some have described as a "YouTube media" or "online multimedia" empire. [58] The game is often themed, and consists of five rounds of two statements each, relating to the theme, with one statement being true, and the other being false. The Greens and Nerdfighters collaborate on various charitable endeavors, which the fanbase refers to as "decreasing" or "fighting world suck. [114] John has also advocated for this, and has written that for years after he turned 18, he did not participate in voting. SciShow, like Crash Course, was launched as an original channel. But I am a Christian. The Crash Course team has produced more than 15 courses to date, and these videos accompany high school and college level classes ranging from the humanities to the sciences. Hank, in particular, is a strong advocate of young Americans taking advantage of their right to vote. [60] However, the "hankgames" channel is still being used by John, as he continues to upload commentary over his FIFA gameplay. John would host the channel's first series, The List Show. [21] The brothers have continued to work on the blog, with Hank stating, "I'm so happy that we get to keep doing vlogbrothers and that people still care about vlogbrothers," adding, "that's still the thing I do. "[111] Green incorporated this aspect of Earl's personality into the novel. AMA", "How 'The Lizzie Bennet Diaries' Won Over an Audience and the Emmys Jury", "Emma Approved: Creators of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries Try Another Jane Austen Series", "Will you accept Sarah Urist Green's 'Art Assignment'? Their YouTube channel, Vlogbrothers, has over 2,500,000 subscribers as of May 2015. I care how many people love what I make. Frankenstein Part 1: Crash Course Literature 205 August 7, 2019 by Crash Course Leave a Comment In which John Green teaches you about Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein. [88] Earl is an influential Nerdfighter, having started the Esther Day celebration, which has been described by HPA founder Andrew Slack, as "the first baggage-free holiday about love and gratitude. And that's gonna be useful to you not just on. Hank and John founded the event, believing that somebody else would do so eventually, and that video blogging was becoming more of an industry. [57] The channel is hosted by vlogger Emma Mills (known as "Elmify" on YouTube) and Young Adult novelist T. Michael Martin. Crash Course transforms the traditional textbook model by presenting information in a fast-paced format, enhancing the learning experience. Among these channels include Crash Course, SciShow (including its Space and Psych spinoffs), The Brain Scoop (since spun off), Sexplanations, How to Adult, and Mental Floss. Totally agree. The podcast closes with a news segment with two standard topics: Mars, presented by Hank, and AFC Wimbledon, presented by John. Hank adds, "To me, there's only one argument that matters for gay marriage: That all people in our country should be seen as equals in the eyes of the law. Welcome to Crash Course Navigating Digital Information. In June 2015, the brothers started a weekly podcast titled Dear Hank & John. Green's fans positively responded to video, suggesting for Graslie to host her own channel, leading Green to e-mail Graslie with an offer to assist her in the launch of this channel. Among these channels include Crash Course, SciShow (including its Space and Psych spinoffs), The Brain Scoop (since spun off), Sexplanations, How to Adult, and Mental Floss. Although, as John stated, "the project went nowhere," the channel was created to raise money for Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. I realize that we are all entitled to our own opinions and everything, but for the last election you guys were so much less political ...", "Book Review: An Abundance of Katherines", "The 7 YouTube Philosophers You Just Can't Miss", "Is 'The Fault in Our Stars' Author John Green His Generation's Pop Philosopher? Hi, I'm John Green. It was launched in June 2013. "[4] The term has been criticized by Green himself, as he disagrees with the concept that he is singlehandedly responsible for launching any one individual's career, or propelling an individual to success. [117] Though the approach was somewhat different from previous years, having the three conduct interviews continued the White House's efforts to "speak directly to the American people online. From Science to Social Studies, Crash Course offers it all in quick-paced, imaginative videos aimed at learners of all ages. [55], In February 2014, Hank and John Green announced a new channel, How to Adult. [32], In March 2014, several artists and creators signed under DFTBA Records were at the center of controversial sexual abuse cases. The money that users spend to support various projects goes into a "perk bank" and can be redeemed for creator-determined perks such as signed posters or shoutouts in videos. We need something to drive us to be better, and weirder, and different, but I think if we let that one thing drive us, it's a failure of imagination, and we miss opportunities." Good luck. My hardcore badass feminist mom told both my brother and me that we were feminists from the time we were like two years old, so if she ever heard me saying I wasn't a feminist she'd fly to my house and smack me upside the head. With over 15 courses in science and the humanities online to date, Crash Course has hundreds of millions of views. So, you know my name and that this is an episode of Crash Course, but there's a lot that doesn't tell you. In this episode of Crash Course, US territory finally reaches from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific Ocean. This is a weird cultural shift. John Green is a host and co-creator of Crash Course. The topics on videos uploaded onto SciShow varied; for example, one video detailed the origins of "cute". [115] During this period, John "found politics boring and divisive," believing that politics and voting were a waste of his time. "[115] However, as Green matured during his adult years, he has developed a belief that, "the big questions—about our environment, our responsibilities to one another, our rights as citizens—are political questions.