We Are the Problem
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.พ. 2025
- Welcome to the "Hickok45 Talks" Channel. This channel is a place for me to just pontificate about random topics that somebody out there might find interesting. I will talk about firearms issues quite a lot, but I'll also exercise my license to talk about any topic I might pretend to know something about.
If you have a topic you'd like me to address, let me know. Doesn't mean I'll address it, but who knows, I might.
Thanks for your support, and I hope you'll subscribe to all three of our channels and keep up with all the brilliance here!!! :-)
/ @hickok45 - Our main channel.
/ @hickok45clips - Our channel where John pulls clips from our existing library of videos.
/ @hickok45talks - This channel where all material is new material where I talk about one specific topic in each relatively short video. Hope you enjoy.
Keep talking. I'll keep watching.
I’m probably going to get flamed for this but… as someone who is center-left, but avid 2A supporter, I think we have more in common than we are lead to believe.
We need to get over our petty political differences and come together if we’re going to tackle the real problem - all the money in politics.
One team, one country.
I think that most people are closer to the middle, politically, than the media would have you believe. I'm personally more liberal than my republican friends, and more conservative than my democrat friends. I think I most closely identify with classical liberalism: I believe strongly in the rights of the individual, with government intervention being to protect those rights. I also strongly believe that the media, large corporations, and general political corruption are blowing our differences out of proportion, and intentionally inciting unrest and division between people.
@@whydidtheychangemynameI dunno man. Trump supporters are pretty fucking loud and clear about their stances
ill never get under a big tent with people like u
@@whydidtheychangemynameThis is a liberal country by definition. Every single one of the rights and freedoms defining the USA in the founding documents are liberal concepts from the Enlightenment.
Yeah, most of us are being screwed by capitalism in some form or fashion heh
I find it interesting how advertisers won't allow their ads on videos that are educational and teach safety for certain firearms, but they will show movies and TV shows with people getting killed by the same weapons and then they will cut to over 5 minutes of commercials from these same companies.
It's one thing if advertisers don't want their ads on certain content, but TH-cam seems to be doing this on what they believe to be the advertiser's behalf.
Welcome to capitalism!
Long time Canadian viewer here. We sure could use a friend right now. We’re going to miss the good times.
Your perspectives are always on point. Thanks Hickok45, Life is Good!
Is it still good? Are you in the US?
@@vonkruel yeap, life is good!
Something i find amusing is my grandmother gets Republicans ads and i get dem ads and it's it funny. She'll come in and be like "look what Biden did" and I'll be like "look what trump did" and it's the same story from two different news outlets.
Big head turning events is like when that CEO got killed and all the new outlets were play dumb and still are.
Basically no mainstream new outlets made a article (at least not right away like usual) regarding the fact that under aforementioned CEO united Healthcare had been increasing the cost of "specialty" cancer medication by upto 1000%. FTC reported on that finding and no big news outlets regardless of political allegiances reported on.
Years ago there was a cartoon in the papers named "POGO". The line I remember most was "We have met the enemy and he is us!" Still on point today!
From Humor America - Walt Kelly’s phrase, “We have met the enemy and he is us” derives from braggadocio during the War of 1812 in which commodore Oliver Hazard Perry reported, “We have met the enemy and they are ours” to William Henry Harrison after the Battle of Lake Erie. That phrase stands with John Paul Jones’s “I have not yet begun to fight,” and Julius Caesar’s “Veni, vidi, vici” (I came, I saw, I conquered) as one of the most famous battle reports in history.
These talks are great
Social media is the problem!!
the way social media is arranged, social media allows people from all around the world to connect and we cannot take that for granted
tru dat, there were no problems before social media.
@@SlipperySlopes When all is said and done, I think it has done far more to harm humanity than good. Especially when we start talking about how it has affected the moral fabric of society and individual mental health. It's made the already unfathomably rich even richer, while most people are glued to their phone all day and struggling to keep ahead of inflation. People are more divided than at any time since Vietnam, maybe even the Civil War.
If we ever want to live on a planet where slavery is a thing of the past, we have to have the ability to communicate on a global level. Maybe the problem isn't the platform, but the message.
It's a tool like a gun. Weak men and headstrong women are the problem.
Very true! God Bless you Hickok45.
The sound of that swing creaking brought back so many memories of our front porch swing. So many.
I'm 63 with a 15 year old Autistic son. I moved from my home town because the neighbor's literally got by with harassing us for 7+ years until I had enough. Now my son & I live way the hell away from everyone. I never did one thing until the dad came into our yard and head-butted me , but after the ugly fat-head attack the game was on. Mind you the dad from next door was 13 years younger but he learned respect very fast. The police were called by me so many times and they wouldn't do anything. But on this day they arrest me !!?? The state's attorney dropped the charge's but after moving with my dad when I was 15 into that house it was time to get out. Some people are just no good and stupid. You can't fix stupid. Now we have zero neighbors and life is normal again. It's a crazy world not the same one I was lucky enough to live most of my life in. Something has changed ???
If only I had a porch swing! 🙂 I like this! Yes the talk and view.
Porch swings are pure heaven lol
(Sidenote): Love you @Hickok45. You have the rare ability to entertain and educate. It makes sense you were an instructor.
(To the Topic): Amen. We are the problem. Society (on both sides) have become precious little snowflakes. We need to support peoples' rights to have different beliefs and values than us. It's really the only way to have a free society. Tolerance is the lube of the Constitution. 😏
Super observations!
We really have lost our way in terms of respectful discourse from both sides about any topic nowadays. We’ve created such an “us against them” mentality that it’s hard to hear the legitimate (even though subjective) reasoning. We just need to learn to love our fellow man again.
The polarization is deliberate. Both China and Russia, along with organizations created by "elite globalists" - deliberately spend billions upon billions of dollars on destroying the history, values, and foundation of this country. That is where the propaganda and disinformation comes from that permeates our educational institutions and corporate boardrooms.
We? The people to the right-of-center I've met have always been willing to have a dialogue and explore both viewpoints. Never have I seen them label the other side all categorically "Nazis", to be treated as enemies, rather than countrymen who simply have differing views. I hope America reconciles from its political division, but likewise do not be blind to who tore open this rift.
@@_ArsNova And you just proved Thomas point. It's whomever feels the need to be belligerent on either side.
@@_ArsNovathe same can be applied to the more right leaning politically as well. The left has been called communists for years and any information that comes out that debunks or goes against right leaning ideas is labeled as categorically false. What both sides have run into is the typical “Boy who cried wolf scenario.” When it comes time to call out legitimate Nazis or false information nobody is taking it as a legitimate issue. They just view it as an attack done with no merit and only because they’re trying to hurt the other side. We’re in dangerous waters.
The problem is most people think they're right about any given topic when they're really just eating up propaganda. It "feels better" to be lied to, so that's what most people choose.
Right on 👍
You are either part of the problem, part of the solution or just part of the landscape.
not me, im a cog in the machine
with worn teeth.
@ripvanwinkle2002 and so we all are. Whether we like that or not. A lot of deniers out there living a life that doesn't exist. That's the real problem.
NPC
Excellent perspective. Your wisdom, experience, and knowledge are much appreciated. I'll find time to listen to you about any topic you want to discuss.
Turning one’s back on the Constitution is the problem.
Turning our backs on the Bible and the Constitution. 🕊
@@marktatum2592both written by man but ultimately inspired by God.
@matthewlapish1107
I like Willie's and AC/DCees version. 😇
@ elaborate lol I know who AC/DC is what’s the song ?
@matthewlapish1107
AC/DC "Problem child"
Willie Nelson "God's problem child"
As usual, you're on point, Hickok.
If you think grocery prices are bad now wait 6 months and I guarantee you're going to wish it was cheaper
Wow, hick ! I’m surprised. This was a very decent conversation video …bravo! “ true greatness is not measured by headlines a person commands or the wealth he or she accumulates. The inner character of a person, the under grinding moral and spiritual values and commitments is the true measure of lasting greatness.”
We all are being gass lit and pinned against each other. United we stand divided we fall
"We don't have a gun problem in this country, we have a culture problem." -Brandon Herrera
we have a 13% problem
@@JohnDoe-37476 thats still a culture problem.
The ATF Director?
Homes without fathers (dads) is a part of the problem. My dad bought a 20 gage shotgun for me to go rabbit hunting with him when I was about 11.
My dad to us do not point a gun at anyone. And I KNEW he meant it!
We also have a mental health crisis out the wazoo. Got mass psychosis going on.
I needed to hear this. I dealt with topics adjacent to this at work today. Thanks H45.
I'll play devil's advocate, I'm a gun owner, I've been watching your videos for years. I for the most part enjoy your content, however In America, there are those who don't, that's the freedoms we have. If I build a business selling Widgets, and I don't agree with your content, well, I'm not going to pay to advertise on it. I Think your concern isn't whether or not I advertise on it, but whether you get paid for your video. You are free to put whatever content you want on other streaming services, but your problem isn't that the content that you create might be questionable by some, your concern would be, they don't generate the AD revenue that TH-cam provides, so you don't get paid for it.
Let's be honest, Ad revenue is paramount to creating content. As for your political comments, many of these districts that you hold folks accountable for, have no choices on the ballot. Many local and state representatives, go un-opposed? This gerrymandering has been quietly built over many years, in districts that vote one party way or the other. If you want to help the system, run for office.
We the people can change the politics in the United States - never vote for an incumbent. It will take 6 years to change the Federal House of Representatives and 10 years to change the Senate. We could change each state's political landscape in as little as 4 years. NEVER VOTE FOR AN INCUMBENT. They get one term to make their mark on history. Imagine if the lobbyists had start all over every election cycle.
So true. Limit the time anyone can hold power. It is where leaders get to stay in power where problems arise. Power corrupts.
I agree with you sir but I must politely add a caveat. It’s hard for true “common sense normal Americans” to run for office due to the cost of campaign. The choice is between the lesser of two evils or don’t vote….As long as it takes 10’s of millions of dollars to run nothing will change. Keep up the good work sirs!!!
Yes, John McCain advocated “campaign reform” regarding the cost of elections and what it takes to be elected. That was 17+ years ago. Nothing has changed. Money still rolls into elections. The Supreme Court allowed corporations, acting as “individuals,” to make unlimited campaign contributions. The candidate that spends the most usually wins. Ridiculous how much it now costs to be elected.
It's slowly changing. Eventually streamers will be more relevant than traditional media and it won't cost a dime to get your voice out there.
@ that may be even more terrifying!!!
@@socinspection There has never been a time in history where open public discussions have led to massive downturns in society.
@roofcake8951 that’s correct. I don’t know that an influencer is any better than an attorney or career politician. Same thing with actors etc. Influence is the key word there. Getting peoples’ attention and eyes to certain places. It wouldn’t be any different except the location or the lead voice.
love the format
Practically speaking, while social media can be a boon and a curse for advancing the causes of truth, nothing has been more effective than just interacting physically. You want to bring someone to the light, show them the truth yourself. Be willing to be vulnerable.
Always love to listen to you. Thanks.
As a gun owner in Canada, this video speaks to me.
Cheers to better days for both of us, brother! From a dude who happens to live south of you.
@DealArtist824 Thanks, dude. I'm hoping for better days ahead for us all. A few bumps to get over first here.
Really appreciate this. Thank you for speaking your mind.
Campaigns costs too much this days which allows BIG DARK money in the process. Campaign finance reform and term limits is the answer.
We have the government we deserve and earn.
Words of wisdom 😊
Il parle vraiment intelligemment. Et il a raison.
Having followed US politics since the 2000s, and from the perspective of a Finn, your two-party system seems awfully weird and corrupt and you've had social and economic problems brewing since the 2000s. I don't want to be mean and say "you get the leaders you deserve", but it kind of leans that way. The way things are going are the symptoms of underlying problems. Either way, despite sometimes heated arguments online I do hope the US gets back to its inner peace and to leading by example, like you used to.
@Spootiful
Thank You for your thoughtful comment, and your hopes !
I’m hoping that guardrails (the Courts) protect us from that petty , narcissistic criminal who likes to get even . Time will tell.
Cheers From California 🔥
@@nilo70 You mean gruesome Newsome?
after seeing the british election i am quite glad we have a two party system. hope your country gets poorer (it will), you europeans see america as nothing but a piggybank and then call us backwards.
Yeah,we've really got some stupid people here believe inanimate objects are evil.😢
@@nilo70
"Cheers From California"
californiahaahhahahahahahahaha
Mitch McConnell got over 70% of the vote in the primary the last time he was reelected
That's dem voters trying to keep him in.
I’m in my late 70s and this is politically the craziest time I’ve experienced, but hopefully things are about to turn around
I feel the same way. Weird times, my hope is the courts will act like guard rails. I’m only 72 gramps
Getting old is Not for sissies !
"hopefully things are about to turn around"
What makes you say that? Trump incited the deadly attack on Congress......and now 77 million voters put him back in charge of the country he violently attacked.
Where do you see any optimism in that???
i'm in my 20s and i'm screwed haha.
I'm not usually a pessimist, but I don't have much hope for the country doing much of a turnaround. After the floodgates have been opened wide for all kinds of lawlessness and perversions (from the top), I really don't see this genie being forced back into the bottle. And until we start seeing meaningful consequences for bad behavior (again, starting at the top) we won't see things change for the better.
The leftist narrative was a ploy to radicalize and push Americans to the far-right by pushing bat-shit crazy Liberal agenda the last 10 years. Now that everyone hates the left, they won't give a shit when the Republicans take full control.
Democrats set us up, Republicans will take us out. They've been working together the whole time.
People need to wake up and stop taking sides like this is a game of football. That's the real problem.
"Its Faster and easier to convince a thousand men with hate and prejudice; than to change just one man's mind with love and logic."
Thanks for this.
We've become lazy and complacent when voting, or not voting at all. We keep voting for names that are familiar to us, instead of making an effort to discover who these politicians are and what they stand for. Voting these people in, year after year, decade after decade. Making career politicians out of them, no matter how corrupt they may be. Term limits are needed, but probably will never happen. The longer these people are in office, the higher the chance that they will become corrupted by the lobbyists and money being funneled into their campaigns. Money does influence the way they vote on bills. Plus, these politicians all have personal lives, which often leads to inappropriate behavior which can be used to coerce or blackmail them into voting certain ways. Term limits would limit the possibility of this kind of corruption to take place.
Corruption is inevitable when you put so much responsibilities into the hands of few people.
Pogo Possum summed it up years ago: ‘We have met the enemy and he is us.’
Citizens united is the biggest problem. Start there.
Thank you so much for keeping a balance't view on a crazy world.
Gun rights are being threatened in many states in our union, it is quite the trend. No where is it worse right now than in Washington State on the left coast. There are no fewer than 10 bills currently in the legislature for this biennium that deal with limiting guns or ammo or other restrictions in the making like requiring insurance for each firearm, similar to insurance for each car we drive on the road. When you put it all together it is craziness by the people that we elected to be our congressmen and senators in state government. The simple majority of people here hate guns, it is hard to fight that. So evolution of gun control is alive and well right now in this woke state I live in. The message I take out of your vid is just that, it is on us.
Great points as usual. Most people worn't change. You can't convince people of the obvious. If it's obvious, what more can we say to make them understand? Nothing. Businesses will only change when you hit them in the pocketbook.
What a great perspective to share. Thank you.
Because the powers that be have turned perfectly legal items into scary demonized weapons (AR-15 Rifle) to name one. Just to be clear a .223 caliber AR-15 is a pop gun in comparison to some hunting caliber rifles like 7 mm Magnum and 300 WSM with much greater range and energy transfer. Most of the people doing the complaining and pushing for more and more gun restrictions don't have a clue as to what it is there whining about!!!
First, love these talks
Sorry for being a problem folks! Hope to get better at this!
You are right, we need to see our voice and dollars.
Hickok, your overwhelming liked and popular I will always be watching anything you produce Sir!! Thank you for speaking up!
I’d like the see more musings from the front porch.
There’s an aviation safety channel I follow. It is demonetized because it’s “not suitable for children”.
Oh Lord. What channel?
I'm interested in aerospace and aviation so I'd appreciate it.
Well to me either you or me is the problem generally speaking of course. I didn't vote for a convicted felon rapist and fraudster so I'm not the problem. Action has consequence or bad karma. Like it's possible the military can't stand working for the felon and that could have been affecting their performance in the dark sky when their chopper collided with a commercial aircraft. I was lucky i retired from federal government just before the felon took office the first time. Otherwise I'd be very miserable and affected my work in a big way. Action has consequence or bad karma in a freaky way
My young daughter came home from math class & said dad did you know that 50% of all people are below average IQ. She learned that much younger than I did. Reality !
I enjoy your talks.
What a beautiful front porch swing. HalleluYAH! Love you brother.
Something that helps me reconcile with the fact that my neighbors keep voting for idiots, is that they still think that their candidate is stupid. They just believe that the other candidate is worse. And that's fine, because I hate my candidate too. Neither of us are happy with the people we are voting for, and so I feel a little better knowing that the majority of people don't really truly align with the morons they vote in.
Until we make it easier for third parties to run, this isn't going to change, but neither of the two in power ever want that to happen. They have a duopoly.
Good place to smoke some pots
Proud to be a problem like this. I've taken neighbors to the range. I've helped friends clean guns. I carry every day. Just today I walked my dog three miles while carrying. I'm going out to work on the compost pile while carrying.
Thank You,Sir. One question what better CZ P10C OR GLOCK 19? Thank you.
Thank you. You are 100% correct.
I've always blamed the American voter for the mess we are in. However I also am PO'd to the fact that creators refuse to move to a better platform that is more freedom oriented. Creators have made youtube the narrow pathed mess they turned out to be. When youtubers back in 2005 became more concerned about making money through ADs the content went to the crapper.
The channel creators out there that flag their videos as 18+ and demonetize their platform [voluntarily] are my favorite channels and have a much higher sense of entertainment. Especially when it comes to humor. One creator I watch all the time is a camping and 4 wheeler channel, I'm not much for 4 wheeling but his dirty jokes and adult subject content has me rolling on the floor laughing all through his videos. He makes his money on products he sells out of his home business and could care less of youtube's adsense. THESE GUYS ARE MY TH-cam HEROS!!
TH-cam started out a place to post personal home movies and share them with the world FREE of charge. And FREE to watch. Now they are a Corporate Capitalized Money grubbbing mess. Which is why I spend most my time on alternative video websites. Stop using youtube and these commie rules will lapse. Simple as that.
Hey man 2005 was 20 years ago. Also wth does Communism have to do with it when this is a literal corporation you are griping about
Thank god TH-cam let's you talk.
How quaint, a nice porch swing and a veranda!
its that damn phone
God bless sir 🇺🇲🏜️
Half of voters Voted for X, Y, or Z. That doesn't represent everyone. You see, the problem with ignoring politics is you end up being ruled over by your lessers. They are going to elect someone and unless a vast majority of people wholly quit participating in the process at the same time it will continue. Also .... the entire world has to do it at the same time so that a power vacuum doesn't occur.
Not only perfectly legal but a PROTECTED RIGHT IN OUR CONSTITUTION
It’s an amendment to our constitution just like birthright citizenship. No one man can change the constitution. It needs to be the majority of the states.
I love your videos Hicock but at the same time it’s not a big conspiracy or even that confusing. It’s executives worried about the bottom line, it’s not even a left versus right issue. It’s about corporate greed wanting to extract every dollar they can from the bottom.
Hickok, You've been a tremendous addition to many of our lives. Thank you for your contributions.
We have to get people past the thought that nothing has changed and it does not matter for whom we vote. I have friends whom I grew up with and they don't want to talk about what's going on these days. They are the first to say they are "not political" yet they must vote the same as they did 30 years ago. I tell them a lot of things don't take politics to figure out. Morals, values and such.
We said. Thanks for saying it. I will talk to my neighbours specifically about it. In Australia we are taught to live in the shadows and be silent
I am a problem too. Always have been.😊😊😂
I live in a log house. It took 5 years to build.
2,400 sq ft. Moved in 1987.
I also have a rifle range.
Hickock #1 is a great "SHOOTIST"!
Intolerance is indeed the problem, and it's stirred on purpose.
$500billion towards A.I. mRNA vaccines.
Aren't we glad that our vote goes to so much good?
❤
It's unfriendly to whoever it's pointed at.
Its hard to tell anyone whos picked a side. Anything.
Precisely. Glad to see not everyone is brainwashed. The problem is money and how it's being earned/used. We're not in a culture war... we're in a class war.
In my case, this is my optimistic view:
1. I like and watch this channel often.
2. I pay for an account without ads.
3. If your channel gets banned, I stop paying. TH-cam Loses.
4. TH-cam notice people like me really like this channel to the point of paying for it, therefore they would eventually argue against an advertiser that does not like this channel.
5. TH-cam would probably force the advertiser to accept this channel, or else.
Keep’um coming, thanks Hickok45
I've been watching you along time and rarely comment. But this time you're right.
“The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.”
( Plato )
I would love to see more of that log house. Is it shown in any of your videos?
A couple of the really old videos show the house outside. Here is just a touch when Steve Lee, Steve's daughter and also John performed the Hickok song. th-cam.com/video/HSm5HGr4pNo/w-d-xo.html
Life is good but could be better with more people like Hickok45.
we subscribe to the content, we know what we signed up for. We're potential customers.
"advertiser friendly" is such a misnomer, this is people trying to influence the culture by driving some creators off of the platform.
There is always the option of starting a new platform. Just need someone to finance it.
Thank you.
We the people have to be more involved with setting government policies by communicating with them. We have to be more America centric and promote our own prosperity.
KARENS are the problem!
It's me.. Hi, I'm the problem, it's me 😉
In fact, ... people ....
learned to forget that Life is Good ...
learned to say that Life is Not Good ....
learned to Make Life Not Good ...
learned to know nothing ....
So maybe it is time to change the way people are "learning" today ...
Best regards to you there in The Beautiful Hills of Tennessee !!!!
It’s getting bad when people in the cities try to determine the outcome of guns personally I think it’s called raising your kids with respect
I have yet to experience the country that my grandparents and parents grew up in. I've heard so many stories of the past and wonder if this country is just plain gone.
Depending where you go, there are little glimmers. You have to go places physically, and seek it. It still is there...but barely.
They say, 90 million voters sat out this election.
Yeah because they hate America and the America first movement
Talking to us and saying something..
🙏
The internet is a world-wide thing. I think the issue comes from viewers in different countries. America is unique and the world thinks we are immoral, despite needing our money and armed forces to exits. JMHO.
Even so, other countries draconian measures should not impact the US. We fought a revolution to be free from tyranny by proxy. Just split the advertisements based on location.