One of the hardest parts about switching to a flip phone was noticing just how bad the addiction was with the people around me. Hanging out composed of sitting in silence showing each other a funny meme or video then going back to scrolling instagram or tiktok and I am guilty of it. Unfortunately I can't change the habits of those around me so I have to focus on improving myself and being patient with those who don't understand what social media has done to them.
I relate to this. I still use Pinterest and all, but whenever I hang w my friend, she always turns on tiktok and even during hangouts, where we have chips, people and drinks and so much else to do, conversations to listen in on, she lays in bed with her other friend and watches tiktok. I feel bad because she must feel left out but you can't talk to her about anything, really. She hates everyone and everything. She's an ok girl, but for the love of God I have to micro dose her to keep myself alive at this point. I'm sorry if this comes off as trauma dumpy, but the phone thing... bro speak abt SOMETHING. There has to be something fascinating in that head of yours. I'm sick of hearing tiktok sounds.
@@Shephardsatan LISTEN my gurl , distancing yourself and focusing on something more important is what you should priortize now , I was once in your place too , I gave up freindships who were not bringing any positivity . Eventually you will find right kind of people
@@Shephardsatan literally everyone i know in this nothing town is constantly in a phone. I got Asperger’s so the sounds of TikTok triggers the shit outta me. I can’t escape it not even i my own house. All i can do is hide and avoid everyone. Super unhealthy. I’m already socially retarded enough. Ive been trying so hard to socialize but it’s SO DIFFICULT. I try to hang out with people but i always feel worse by the end of it. They always wanna go and buy stupid shit and eat nasty food and watch mindless videos. I’ve literally felt crazy for the past 5 yrs. I’ll be going to college in spring so maybe i can find a friend? Find a way to enjoy time with others? This was trauma dump i needed to. Lonely ppl have higher mortality
Man… I quit drinking and gave up smoking on the same day after years of addiction. Yet now, four and a half years later, I realize that letting go of those substances wasn’t what truly saved me. It was stepping away from social media. It’s been two years since I made that choice, and although I feel oddly disconnected at times, I’m somehow more connected to myself and the world around me. I’ve tried to make sense of it, but maybe the most important thing is that I’ve found peace in the quiet. Instead of scrolling through everyone else’s lives, I’m finally living my own. I don’t need the constant buzz; I just need to be here. And for the first time in a long time, I feel free. Thanks, James, for sharing this message-it was exactly what I needed to hear. And thanks for still helping me with my studies!
this was very authentic and vulnerable, thank you james. my darkest time was when i was glued to my phone, doom scrolling and absorbing information/opinion that are not reflective of reality and is incredibly mind-numbing and toxic. i am going through a dopamine/socmed detox, cold turkey. i often kind myself twitching and tweaking, desperately trying to find something to fill in the blank spaces that socmed had left behind, and i do so by doom scrolling on other medias/apps. i suffer from chronic depression, and often masturbate to find that surge of dopamine. the kind of pornography content i consumed and ingested is staggering, beyond what a person can realistically take in throughout their entire lifetime. i now realize how real technology addiction is, and i will make effort to connect with what really matters: my family, my friend, my passion, life, and nature. thank you james, for inspiring me and giving me the strength to be good to myself.
moved to tears. thank you for all the years of support, strength, & motivation you have given me. I'm nowhere near where I want to be, but it was you who inspired me to change. it was you who showed me that this process & desire exists & can be acted upon. you are my biggest inspiration, james. it's crazy to think about how you've had such an immeasurable impact on my life yet we don't even know each other. you're a great person & you're doing great things. I know I'm not the only one who feels this way. I want to be more like you. I want to take full charge of what I enjoy & do with my life. I am sick of mediocrity & of wasting myself & I have been tired of it for a very long time. for a time, I fell off but I began taking charge again, bit by bit so this video came by at the most perfect time. thank you, again. I know this comment has little coherence, but I don't care right now. all that matters is this… you have changed my life & I won't let that go to waste. I'll get back on track & only go further than I ever did before. I wish you success in every thing you do. it's time to dry these tears off & get to work on myself & my dreams.
I discovered your channel less than a year ago. I have watched nearly 100 livestreams to study with you. I’m happy to be a part of your new journey with doko! Happy for you!
I'm so happy to finally see people being emotional about how we're slowly (but surely) deteriorating because of social media addiction. Many talk about it but there's no emotion, just more content-feeding,, Thank you, James! Thank you for always speaking your mind and helping us out!!!
Read Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport because of you. It completely changed my view on how I use my technology. I really think the message you're spreading through your videos needs to be heard, there's a silent epidemic happening, and I believe we as a society can overcome the greedy manipulation of those who run the attention economy. Thank you for being so outspoken.
Holy shit... Well said. Awareness and attaching pleasure to progress really resonated with me. I've never seen any gen-z like you. Keep up the good work !
I'm 25, into my last year of business administration, after 4 years wasted in a biology major with terrible results flunking all exams, I struggled with a health issue that being chronic (it forced me to regular med check )had led me to a serious mental health problems (anxiety and depression). I got a dysfunctional family and a constant feeling of dissatisfaction for how little I have accomplished at this time of my life especially compared to what I dreamed( I wanted to be a doctor). I fled from all these problems through TH-cam, whenever I was alone with my thoughts I simply put my headphones on and listened to some videos without even asking if I was interested in the subject or if I was understanding what was being said. I got my limits and maybe I'll never be able to overcome them but I will always try to improve your work gave me a great inspiration.
This is such a well put together monologue/video. The talk about mindlessness and our lives and complacency really got me thinking about more ways I can make my life better. TH-cam is the only social media I use and videos like these help me gain new perspectives. Thank you for making this ❤
My father is alcoholic. He lost his job and interest in his family and life itself. Since I was little I knew what to avoid, it's alcohol addiction. Never imagined I would be a phone addict. It's really painful for me to face the reality of my current life so I subconsciously, sometimes consciously choose to ignore everything around me. And my phone is the easy escape. I have a huge respect for you. Let's break the cycle.
Thanks you for this very honest video. Not easy to share yourself in such a vulnerable light, but I'm inspired. I'm excited for this app. Keep it up James and Erik.
Thank you James. I needed to hear this. I'm turning 30 in January and I feel like I failed but I still have hope for myself. I have been learning how to code on and off since 2022. Haven't really progressed and feel kinda lame. After watching this video, I understand that it's my mindset and whenever I feel less than, I can't stop watching TH-cam and playing games. It's taking control of my life and I need to take it back. I'm going to learn how to take care of myself and move pass my failures. Thank you for the video and congrats to you and Eric on the new social media project. Can't wait for more updates.
Thank you James, your videos have inspired me to become better and aware of the damage that social media has done to me, my firends, my family and future generations. It is heartnreaking and what you told in this video speaks volumes, thank you. You have inspired a lot of people and seeing how youve moved tomake the world better step by step has make me do the same little by little. Thank you, and I hope that you and your friend have great success with this project, we support you.
Hey James. I'm really glad you're alive and well. I always wanted to thank you for everything you've done for us thanks to your streams and informative videos. I was a social media and phone addict med student on the verge of failing when I started watching your live streams years ago. Watching you study and listening to you talk during the breaks gave me many reality checks. I now am a general practitioner preparing for my residency, not as addicted to my phone as I was before, deleted all of my social medias, bought a small phone for work and family only and keep myself grounded for the most part. Internet addiction is a life consuming disease mostly used to escape from the real harsh world instead of facing it, and it makes me really sad when patients come with their kids to the ER and both stay glued to their phone screens even while talking about their symptoms. Same as all my friends, even my elderly parents nowadays. Thank you for the sobering message once again, and stay healthy.
A very sobering but beautiful take, thanks for sharing your writing with us. And this is right when I needed to hear this, I'm 24, I thought I'd resisted social media for a long time but It just never hooked me, video games for example definitely hooked me earlier in life, I'm not saying they arent without issues themselves but atleast the act of engaging in them was a lot more concious and intentional, I had to actively 'play'. But recently the those goddamn instagram reels have hooked me and I just need to move my thumb, starting to feel like the mother in requiem for a dream sitting in front of her TV. Whats even more messed up, and I don't know if anyone else has this, but part of me is convinced in the moment that the stimulation from digesting that flood of contexts/takes/information/randomness is beneficial, but what is so apparent now is how numbing it is, I know what true and healthy 'stimulation' is and this is the antithesis, my brain has to do NOTHING. 5 mins in and my motivation for other things plummets, you're not going to want to eat brown rice after eating icecream.
Today is really my happiest day. Thank you for coming back, and for continuing to upload the Videos, I really hope you continue and keep striving forward, and also wish me to keep striving to reach the dream
started watching a few months ago led me into a spiral of self-betterment in all aspects of my life that I never thought I'd be able to make a reality. pretty cool of you. thanks :)
i felt as if i was in the room with you, and you were speaking right to me. social media, whether i like it or not, has perpetuated feelings for me, and a lot of times they werent very good. social media gave me a way to dig a deeper grave then what i have ever imagined. as technology advances, we are given more and more ways to improve, but also destroy our lives, and this is a frightening thought. by gaining power over ourselves we also gain the power to destroy it. i dont know if im at a place where i can fully detox, but im getting there. thank you james for sharing your raw thoughts and ideas that many people need to hear.
Well said, your thoughts mirror what I've been thinking/feeling for a long time to an almost eerie degree, but you've articulated it all so beautifully and concisely. Really appreciate you
Hey James, wanted to share something. So I’ve a very important exam in 6 months and I don’t know why I’m wasn’t studying. Then i found your video and I cried so much. Bro, how do you do it? I mean there’s so many people doing much better than me. And I feel like I’m stuck in this loop of something. I’ve everything I need but how do I do it?it feels almost impossible. You are one of a kind. Hearing your past experiences, I feel you are so strong. I want to be like you. So I’ll study all the concepts and everything. I swear, I’ll not waste my time. Love you bro
My man, I needed that. I was lacking discipline, and not drive. This helped me get to that. Thanks a lot, mate. You always appear when we needed you the most... 😊🙏
Been watching you for time now and you hit the spot bro, been trying to quite social media but always there is something that lures me back there but honestly things have been looking up recently, one of the only way to get rid of habit for me and for most people is little progress over time and that thats been working for me, I no longer sit and waste hours but instead spend a incriments scrolling away and watching meaningless content and I see the effect it has had on my in other aspects of life, I can't concentrate anywhere, when I don't have a phone in my hand I feel bored or as if something is missing. There was always something very dystopian to me when I was in high school when a teacher was teaching a subject and 90% of the class were dived in their phone, or when you see a major even happening and everyone pulling out there phone to record it. Hopefully, I and humanity can recover a little bit. (Worte a damn essay mb lol), loved the vid btw
I think this is the first time I have seen James really let us in. I know we joke around about how much stuff he uses to be productive, but it works for HIM. In fact, he uses them to test if it'll make his content a bit better or to help him stay on task and not be consumed by other distractions. Better than all of us who probably consume so much social media without a second thought with so much technology near our fingertips. Now here he is, making us something to enjoy but also helping us not be so consumed by our own social media addiction like he probably once was. Thank you james for sharing your knowledge and supporting us to push ourselves forward from what we think is our "best."
I'll tell you what, the world is full of receivers, people who take in information, all the alienation, and live with it. But at the same time, although very rare, we have the reflective ones. People who pause the movement, who can see beyond, who notice and question what is happening in the world. Every day when I wake up, I aim not to be blind and to reflect. James, you are certainly playing a fundamental role as a great reflective and attentive person of our generation, you're truly DEEP. Thank you for that. Even though my English isn’t perfect, I hope you got the message. best regards from Brazil.
I just don't have the words, I'm sitting here crying right now. I'm from another country and I speak a different language, I don't understand what you're saying word for word, but I understand the big picture, at least the subtitles help. You show up when I really need you, thank you. Today I felt broken and worthless, I can't concentrate on my studies because of the phone. And then you show up and kick my ass again (in a good way, I hope the translator translated it correctly). You give new hope to people from many countries, and all I want is for you to be happy. Be happy. With love, Alyona
You changed my life when I discovered your plethora of study livestreams a few years back, this is a well made and appropriate video for right now. I'm looking forward to see how your endeavours unfold and wish you nothing but the best.
Thanks my guy, I always thought you weren't into technology, but seeing your passion for studying and building a career motivated me and many other people. We genuinely thank you, James!
I remember watching ur streams all the way back 4 years ago. You showed me how i can find my drive and study well. 2 years ago i couldnt get off my phone, im 15 now and im happy to say ive gotten the self control i always dreamt of. Thank you james you really are a gift to all of us !
I think I really did needed this, it's tough here at home, responsibilities and everything else.... yeah, this helped a lot, James. As always, thank you very much. Edit: I LOVE THE CAT ON YOUR WEBSITE.
James, if you’re reading this, I love you buddy. I know we’re strangers in real life but what you’ve said resonates so deeply with me and with society at large concerning online addiction. We can clearly see the emotional conviction in your experiences and I think the fact that you bring your emotions to the way you deliver this message is so powerfully human in every sense of the word human.
hey james :) i came across your channel a few years ago when i was finishing high school. it was an extremely melancholic period of my life where i felt lost and burnt out, purposeless like an arrow without its target. it was also the years i lost trying to cope with my pain using the variety of addictive platforms the internet has to offer. being lucky enough to study alongside your videos when there was such internal resistance in my mind and when i felt alone, and to learn so much about discipline, drive, and determination to do the right thing everyday are truly one of the most powerful things that happened to me. thanks to your hard work and resilience, i and so many people around the world have been able to find the "light" we always had within ourselves to guide us :) i have found a strong resonance between my own journey and your words/experiences, and am grateful to you for helping me learn to improve myself day by day, and truly enjoy mastering my craft whilst becoming more present in life. thank you for being such a tenacious, thought-provoking, and caring human being. thank you for for being you, for valuing authenticity when it would be so easy to hide behind a mask of homogeneity. i send you all my best wishes, and hope you have a great week ahead :)
I watched all your videos and they all touched me, made me better. You can be absolutely sure of this, you are a person who touched the life of a 17-year-old young man in Turkey and made him better, and this video is the biggest and most meaningful video you have ever made. I know how great things you have done for me. I hope you see this comment and learn it too (sorry for the bad translation)
been following u for years man, the 12 hours study with me livestreams helped me alot and it's beautiful to see that ur still tryna progress and learn in life after graduation goodluck with ur startup
James!! I hope you see how much people love your videos and effort you put into them. I absolutely love all the recent pieces you have uploaded, especially your attention to the background. (Maybe it happens unintentionally of course but it always matches the topic of the video and always aesthetically pleasing to look at). What I love most when you sincerely share personal stories is how many emotions you show. Vulnerability and honesty really matter and make me rethink what happens in my life as well. Youre the best creator ever
James hope you are good I just want to say that you were/are like a sensei for me ! ( I were struggling with internet addiction too I saw the damage that internet caused me and now I use it more intelligently and not use it meaninglessly thanks to you ! I’m still watching your videos while i study ) the message that you delivered to us was really touching/ meaningful, I think you are a really kindhearted person I wish you will be able to achieve all of your dreams and be the best version of yourself !!
"your life is your message" beautifully said James, I appreciate your passion for this and I much aspire to be like you. In my junior year of high school, I came across one of your videos and it made me realize that I actually wanted to do better in school. Thanks to you I managed to pass all of my classes with A's and B's, before that semester I'd never achieved an A in my life.
This is a very powerful and no doubt personal message-one of your best! I can't help but think that it's lessened a bit by attaching it to the announcement of a new business venture however. Don't get me wrong I think wanting to change social media for the better is a fantastic idea, just maybe one that could have been seperate from this deeply moving message. Keep doing what you do, you're an inspiration to us all!
New James post and man do i miss this guy, from struggling hard in year 10 with basic homework to finding the most out of my days now that i have graduated highschool and passed year 12 ready for university. We appreciate all you do man please keep posting!
James, you are younger than me, and yet you are an inspiration to me in difficult times. I appreciate the way you keep fighting every day. Thank you, really. Greetings from Argentina.
I started watching you recently, because of digital minimalism. your videos made me realize a lot of things Thank you for being around, your online presence is greatly appreciated.
Thank you for restoring my faith in humanity, reigniting that inner flame that is me & giving me strength to face this final battle with courage, strength & dignity. I’m ready to suffer for my own greatness & for my Mum, who deserves love & peace.
Thank you for sharing this. I’m 27 years old, and live alone. Lately, I have felt like life is going through me, instead of me going through life. Your video helped push me back into the latter. Thank you.
I just want to say that you're one of the reasons I stopped feeling sorry for myself and began taking action everyday for the last couple years or so, I'm nowhere near achieving my goals yet but I can say I'm on the right way to do so, thank you❤
I found your channel in 2022 and started studying with your streams. Now, I’ve graduated as an electrical engineer, and I’m forever grateful to you for introducing me to Nujabes, Samurai Champloo, and your tips on building habits. You’re an inspiration to me, and I’ll always use your streams to stay productive. Thank youuu 🤍
Listen man, you really are my hero. In fact, you didn't change my life, but you changed the course of what was going to destroy my life. I'm really glad I was born in a time where you exist.
James, i want you to know that you changed a big part of my life. three years ago, when i was 14, i discovered your channel. Your study streams inspired me to do better in school, and in life in general. I have been following you ever since, and the course of my life of my stumbling across your channel was changed. I hope you can see this and know that you have inspired so many people to do better with themselves and get rid of unnecessary habits and lifestyles. Now from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
Thankyou James...you're the most grounded person ...who brings the best out in me as well....I'm blessed that I got you in my life you're my virtual friend....thanks homie❤
"The little homies need someone to look up to" indeed. Thank you for being that person. You've inspired me so much through the years, and you continue doing so. By setting an example, I've changed my behavior, and hopefully that means I'm setting an example for others. Thanks for spreading your truth and letting it reverberate out into the world
Thank you for working hard on this channel. You saved me many times in my studies and you were my only companion from my first year as an engineering student until my third year, which is my current academic year. Take good care of yourself.
As a student in this technology industry, I love using it and also disappointed by the effect of the recent years technologies. I've been following you quite years now, I appreciate your attempt to avoid and encourage people also doing it. So keep going!!?!
James, I wanna say just how much your care and wish of wellbeing for others impacts everyone watching this. Seeing someone lead their life in the way you do, with the only hope of having it resonate for the better to others across the world is a selfless and beautiful thing. You give myself and so many others hope for the future. You've changed so many of our lives for the better, so thank you dude. You are a damn beacon of focus, discipline, and kindness
Hey James, thankyou for being on here. Your videos definitely have an impact on so many lives, including mine and I absolutely adore you. I hope you achieve all the things you deserve and you're doing amazing. lots of love
man i remember discovering ur channel when i was studying for the entry test of my dream uni. now im in the third year of my degree in that uni. for some reason this is making me emotional. uve come such a long way james. ive seen u pretty much from the beginning. u are indeed that drop of water that hollows out the stone. this was so beautiful. wishing u all the best for this new chapter (doko) of ur life!
Thank you so much James for always speaking the truth and talking about what no one else is talking about, about the damage that social media is doing to all people. We all support you in this fight ✨
this was a deeper video than i was expecting when clicking on this. but I'm glad it was. its not just another productivity video that I am going to use as a form of procrastination. its real proof that this stuff matters in a deep and meaningful way. thanks james
Well, well, talk about timing. Tysm man, I really needed this. I was really planning on how should I kms, what's the best day within this week, planning scheduled emails to send to my friends, my siblings, and parents. I feel so empty inside, all because of the very same addictions you mentioned in this video. I was so overwhelmed by all the projects, quizzes, and assignments across multiple subjects that lies ahead and I just kept turning to these addictions, no progress at all. It also makes me sad whenever I see kids doing the same thing because more likely than not, they still haven't developed the skill of self-awareness. They don't know how much is too much. And I'm scared of what will they become in the coming years. If this is the effect it gave me even when I'm fairly self-aware, what more could it do to the kids with little to no self-awareness at all. I'm also taking the same degree as you are so this makes it more relatable and I'm now in my 4th year. And you know, thesis has been really haunting me. All the more reason to quit my phone addiction. So thanks, would definitely be keeping an eye for your new app, really looking forward to using it.
As always: he appeared when we needed him the most!
fr
This man could come back anytime and people would say the same thing.
We always need him the most like every evening. He didn’t come though
I completely agree with you
It's so damn true. It's like I'm hitting the bottom and then new James video come up
One of the hardest parts about switching to a flip phone was noticing just how bad the addiction was with the people around me. Hanging out composed of sitting in silence showing each other a funny meme or video then going back to scrolling instagram or tiktok and I am guilty of it. Unfortunately I can't change the habits of those around me so I have to focus on improving myself and being patient with those who don't understand what social media has done to them.
I relate to this. I still use Pinterest and all, but whenever I hang w my friend, she always turns on tiktok and even during hangouts, where we have chips, people and drinks and so much else to do, conversations to listen in on, she lays in bed with her other friend and watches tiktok. I feel bad because she must feel left out but you can't talk to her about anything, really. She hates everyone and everything. She's an ok girl, but for the love of God I have to micro dose her to keep myself alive at this point.
I'm sorry if this comes off as trauma dumpy, but the phone thing... bro speak abt SOMETHING. There has to be something fascinating in that head of yours. I'm sick of hearing tiktok sounds.
@@Shephardsatan LISTEN my gurl , distancing yourself and focusing on something more important is what you should priortize now , I was once in your place too , I gave up freindships who were not bringing any positivity . Eventually you will find right kind of people
Focusing on self-improvement, becoming the best version of ourselves and eliminating bad habits is what we need.
Just scrolling on social media together can be a bonding moment that's why people do it. But there are healthier ways to bond
@@Shephardsatan literally everyone i know in this nothing town is constantly in a phone. I got Asperger’s so the sounds of TikTok triggers the shit outta me. I can’t escape it not even i my own house. All i can do is hide and avoid everyone. Super unhealthy. I’m already socially retarded enough.
Ive been trying so hard to socialize but it’s SO DIFFICULT. I try to hang out with people but i always feel worse by the end of it. They always wanna go and buy stupid shit and eat nasty food and watch mindless videos. I’ve literally felt crazy for the past 5 yrs.
I’ll be going to college in spring so maybe i can find a friend? Find a way to enjoy time with others?
This was trauma dump i needed to.
Lonely ppl have higher mortality
Man… I quit drinking and gave up smoking on the same day after years of addiction. Yet now, four and a half years later, I realize that letting go of those substances wasn’t what truly saved me. It was stepping away from social media. It’s been two years since I made that choice, and although I feel oddly disconnected at times, I’m somehow more connected to myself and the world around me.
I’ve tried to make sense of it, but maybe the most important thing is that I’ve found peace in the quiet. Instead of scrolling through everyone else’s lives, I’m finally living my own. I don’t need the constant buzz; I just need to be here. And for the first time in a long time, I feel free.
Thanks, James, for sharing this message-it was exactly what I needed to hear. And thanks for still helping me with my studies!
Thank you James Scholz for always keeping me grounded!
Felt unmotivated and depressed. Needed this, thanks James.
this was very authentic and vulnerable, thank you james. my darkest time was when i was glued to my phone, doom scrolling and absorbing information/opinion that are not reflective of reality and is incredibly mind-numbing and toxic. i am going through a dopamine/socmed detox, cold turkey. i often kind myself twitching and tweaking, desperately trying to find something to fill in the blank spaces that socmed had left behind, and i do so by doom scrolling on other medias/apps. i suffer from chronic depression, and often masturbate to find that surge of dopamine. the kind of pornography content i consumed and ingested is staggering, beyond what a person can realistically take in throughout their entire lifetime. i now realize how real technology addiction is, and i will make effort to connect with what really matters: my family, my friend, my passion, life, and nature. thank you james, for inspiring me and giving me the strength to be good to myself.
Out of the trenches into the light
moved to tears. thank you for all the years of support, strength, & motivation you have given me. I'm nowhere near where I want to be, but it was you who inspired me to change. it was you who showed me that this process & desire exists & can be acted upon. you are my biggest inspiration, james. it's crazy to think about how you've had such an immeasurable impact on my life yet we don't even know each other. you're a great person & you're doing great things. I know I'm not the only one who feels this way. I want to be more like you. I want to take full charge of what I enjoy & do with my life. I am sick of mediocrity & of wasting myself & I have been tired of it for a very long time. for a time, I fell off but I began taking charge again, bit by bit so this video came by at the most perfect time. thank you, again. I know this comment has little coherence, but I don't care right now. all that matters is this… you have changed my life & I won't let that go to waste. I'll get back on track & only go further than I ever did before. I wish you success in every thing you do. it's time to dry these tears off & get to work on myself & my dreams.
Peak comment, I feel exactly the same way. Got me crying here...
I'm rooting for you!
I discovered your channel less than a year ago. I have watched nearly 100 livestreams to study with you. I’m happy to be a part of your new journey with doko! Happy for you!
im 16 and im thank you for everything you do, you change my mindset thanks james hope you can can get your dream like you want
I'm so happy to finally see people being emotional about how we're slowly (but surely) deteriorating because of social media addiction. Many talk about it but there's no emotion, just more content-feeding,, Thank you, James! Thank you for always speaking your mind and helping us out!!!
Read Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport because of you. It completely changed my view on how I use my technology. I really think the message you're spreading through your videos needs to be heard, there's a silent epidemic happening, and I believe we as a society can overcome the greedy manipulation of those who run the attention economy. Thank you for being so outspoken.
Nice comment buster
Mom he is back....look my hero is back....I love you James ❤️❤️...May you achieve everything in your life..
Holy shit... Well said. Awareness and attaching pleasure to progress really resonated with me. I've never seen any gen-z like you. Keep up the good work !
I'm 25, into my last year of business administration, after 4 years wasted in a biology major with terrible results flunking all exams, I struggled with a health issue that being chronic (it forced me to regular med check )had led me to a serious mental health problems (anxiety and depression). I got a dysfunctional family and a constant feeling of dissatisfaction for how little I have accomplished at this time of my life especially compared to what I dreamed( I wanted to be a doctor). I fled from all these problems through TH-cam, whenever I was alone with my thoughts I simply put my headphones on and listened to some videos without even asking if I was interested in the subject or if I was understanding what was being said.
I got my limits and maybe I'll never be able to overcome them but I will always try to improve your work gave me a great inspiration.
You have inspired me to start digital minimalism, to start being mindful. You've done so much for me and for others, thank you.
This is such a well put together monologue/video. The talk about mindlessness and our lives and complacency really got me thinking about more ways I can make my life better. TH-cam is the only social media I use and videos like these help me gain new perspectives.
Thank you for making this ❤
You don't know James what you have made me realise. Thank you so much 🫂❤️
More strength Mann
My father is alcoholic. He lost his job and interest in his family and life itself. Since I was little I knew what to avoid, it's alcohol addiction. Never imagined I would be a phone addict. It's really painful for me to face the reality of my current life so I subconsciously, sometimes consciously choose to ignore everything around me. And my phone is the easy escape.
I have a huge respect for you. Let's break the cycle.
You talked about what gnaws at many. This is a sincere confession that is also inside of me. Thank you James
Thanks you for this very honest video. Not easy to share yourself in such a vulnerable light, but I'm inspired. I'm excited for this app. Keep it up James and Erik.
you couldn't have posted this at a better time, i really needed this. thank you so much James❤ happy that you're back.
Buralarda benim gibi birilerinin dolaştığını görmek iyi hissettiriyor, gerçek hayatta tanışma umuduyla...
Thank you James. I needed to hear this. I'm turning 30 in January and I feel like I failed but I still have hope for myself. I have been learning how to code on and off since 2022. Haven't really progressed and feel kinda lame.
After watching this video, I understand that it's my mindset and whenever I feel less than, I can't stop watching TH-cam and playing games. It's taking control of my life and I need to take it back.
I'm going to learn how to take care of myself and move pass my failures. Thank you for the video and congrats to you and Eric on the new social media project. Can't wait for more updates.
Thank you James, your videos have inspired me to become better and aware of the damage that social media has done to me, my firends, my family and future generations. It is heartnreaking and what you told in this video speaks volumes, thank you. You have inspired a lot of people and seeing how youve moved tomake the world better step by step has make me do the same little by little. Thank you, and I hope that you and your friend have great success with this project, we support you.
Hey James. I'm really glad you're alive and well. I always wanted to thank you for everything you've done for us thanks to your streams and informative videos.
I was a social media and phone addict med student on the verge of failing when I started watching your live streams years ago. Watching you study and listening to you talk during the breaks gave me many reality checks. I now am a general practitioner preparing for my residency, not as addicted to my phone as I was before, deleted all of my social medias, bought a small phone for work and family only and keep myself grounded for the most part.
Internet addiction is a life consuming disease mostly used to escape from the real harsh world instead of facing it, and it makes me really sad when patients come with their kids to the ER and both stay glued to their phone screens even while talking about their symptoms. Same as all my friends, even my elderly parents nowadays.
Thank you for the sobering message once again, and stay healthy.
I got into med school because of his videos also🤍
We missed the videos studying with you. I hope you come back to us again. We love you very much. James. Take good care of yourself.
A very sobering but beautiful take, thanks for sharing your writing with us.
And this is right when I needed to hear this, I'm 24, I thought I'd resisted social media for a long time but It just never hooked me, video games for example definitely hooked me earlier in life, I'm not saying they arent without issues themselves but atleast the act of engaging in them was a lot more concious and intentional, I had to actively 'play'.
But recently the those goddamn instagram reels have hooked me and I just need to move my thumb, starting to feel like the mother in requiem for a dream sitting in front of her TV.
Whats even more messed up, and I don't know if anyone else has this, but part of me is convinced in the moment that the stimulation from digesting that flood of contexts/takes/information/randomness is beneficial, but what is so apparent now is how numbing it is, I know what true and healthy 'stimulation' is and this is the antithesis, my brain has to do NOTHING.
5 mins in and my motivation for other things plummets, you're not going to want to eat brown rice after eating icecream.
Today is really my happiest day. Thank you for coming back, and for continuing to upload the Videos, I really hope you continue and keep striving forward, and also wish me to keep striving to reach the dream
I realised that you are the realest person on TH-cam. Take care of yourself!❤
4:02 had me tearing up... such a strong message...
being able to be vulnerable in this way is very brave james. i appreciate everything you do!!
You make the world better, you give me a lot of hope and you're inspiring me to do better every day. Can't wait to see what you two are cooking! 😃
started watching a few months ago led me into a spiral of self-betterment in all aspects of my life that I never thought I'd be able to make a reality. pretty cool of you. thanks :)
i felt as if i was in the room with you, and you were speaking right to me. social media, whether i like it or not, has perpetuated feelings for me, and a lot of times they werent very good. social media gave me a way to dig a deeper grave then what i have ever imagined. as technology advances, we are given more and more ways to improve, but also destroy our lives, and this is a frightening thought. by gaining power over ourselves we also gain the power to destroy it. i dont know if im at a place where i can fully detox, but im getting there. thank you james for sharing your raw thoughts and ideas that many people need to hear.
Well said, your thoughts mirror what I've been thinking/feeling for a long time to an almost eerie degree, but you've articulated it all so beautifully and concisely. Really appreciate you
I’m cheering on for you James.
I’m also against brain numbing and dumbing content. The kids are vulnerable and the adults are distracted.
Hey James, wanted to share something.
So I’ve a very important exam in 6 months and I don’t know why I’m wasn’t studying. Then i found your video and I cried so much. Bro, how do you do it? I mean there’s so many people doing much better than me. And I feel like I’m stuck in this loop of something. I’ve everything I need but how do I do it?it feels almost impossible.
You are one of a kind. Hearing your past experiences, I feel you are so strong. I want to be like you. So I’ll study all the concepts and everything. I swear, I’ll not waste my time. Love you bro
You’re so brave James. Thank you for sharing.
My man, I needed that. I was lacking discipline, and not drive. This helped me get to that. Thanks a lot, mate. You always appear when we needed you the most... 😊🙏
Been watching you for time now and you hit the spot bro, been trying to quite social media but always there is something that lures me back there but honestly things have been looking up recently, one of the only way to get rid of habit for me and for most people is little progress over time and that thats been working for me, I no longer sit and waste hours but instead spend a incriments scrolling away and watching meaningless content and I see the effect it has had on my in other aspects of life, I can't concentrate anywhere, when I don't have a phone in my hand I feel bored or as if something is missing. There was always something very dystopian to me when I was in high school when a teacher was teaching a subject and 90% of the class were dived in their phone, or when you see a major even happening and everyone pulling out there phone to record it. Hopefully, I and humanity can recover a little bit. (Worte a damn essay mb lol), loved the vid btw
I think this is the first time I have seen James really let us in. I know we joke around about how much stuff he uses to be productive, but it works for HIM. In fact, he uses them to test if it'll make his content a bit better or to help him stay on task and not be consumed by other distractions. Better than all of us who probably consume so much social media without a second thought with so much technology near our fingertips. Now here he is, making us something to enjoy but also helping us not be so consumed by our own social media addiction like he probably once was. Thank you james for sharing your knowledge and supporting us to push ourselves forward from what we think is our "best."
I'll tell you what, the world is full of receivers, people who take in information, all the alienation, and live with it. But at the same time, although very rare, we have the reflective ones. People who pause the movement, who can see beyond, who notice and question what is happening in the world. Every day when I wake up, I aim not to be blind and to reflect. James, you are certainly playing a fundamental role as a great reflective and attentive person of our generation, you're truly DEEP. Thank you for that. Even though my English isn’t perfect, I hope you got the message.
best regards from Brazil.
I just don't have the words, I'm sitting here crying right now. I'm from another country and I speak a different language, I don't understand what you're saying word for word, but I understand the big picture, at least the subtitles help. You show up when I really need you, thank you. Today I felt broken and worthless, I can't concentrate on my studies because of the phone. And then you show up and kick my ass again (in a good way, I hope the translator translated it correctly). You give new hope to people from many countries, and all I want is for you to be happy. Be happy. With love, Alyona
You changed my life when I discovered your plethora of study livestreams a few years back, this is a well made and appropriate video for right now. I'm looking forward to see how your endeavours unfold and wish you nothing but the best.
thank you for posting james, youre one of my biggest heroes. hope youre doing well!
i have held so much resentment but guilt for my dad leaving my mom and I to alcohol. ur words brought newfound clarity for me. thank you.
Thanks my guy, I always thought you weren't into technology, but seeing your passion for studying and building a career motivated me and many other people. We genuinely thank you, James!
these videos mean so much to me brother. thank you for sharing your wisdom with us.
I remember watching ur streams all the way back 4 years ago. You showed me how i can find my drive and study well. 2 years ago i couldnt get off my phone, im 15 now and im happy to say ive gotten the self control i always dreamt of. Thank you james you really are a gift to all of us !
Thank you James. Really needed this perfect timing ❤
I think I really did needed this, it's tough here at home, responsibilities and everything else.... yeah, this helped a lot, James. As always, thank you very much.
Edit: I LOVE THE CAT ON YOUR WEBSITE.
James, if you’re reading this, I love you buddy. I know we’re strangers in real life but what you’ve said resonates so deeply with me and with society at large concerning online addiction. We can clearly see the emotional conviction in your experiences and I think the fact that you bring your emotions to the way you deliver this message is so powerfully human in every sense of the word human.
hey james :) i came across your channel a few years ago when i was finishing high school. it was an extremely melancholic period of my life where i felt lost and burnt out, purposeless like an arrow without its target. it was also the years i lost trying to cope with my pain using the variety of addictive platforms the internet has to offer. being lucky enough to study alongside your videos when there was such internal resistance in my mind and when i felt alone, and to learn so much about discipline, drive, and determination to do the right thing everyday are truly one of the most powerful things that happened to me. thanks to your hard work and resilience, i and so many people around the world have been able to find the "light" we always had within ourselves to guide us :) i have found a strong resonance between my own journey and your words/experiences, and am grateful to you for helping me learn to improve myself day by day, and truly enjoy mastering my craft whilst becoming more present in life. thank you for being such a tenacious, thought-provoking, and caring human being. thank you for for being you, for valuing authenticity when it would be so easy to hide behind a mask of homogeneity. i send you all my best wishes, and hope you have a great week ahead :)
Thank you for this. Thank you for continuing to push for this much needed change.
James, you have helped me and I just pray that you achieve what you want your life to look like.
Bro I have never see something I care about so deeply talked the way you have in this video, thank you man. (Any new cars!?)
i'm in the middle of watching one of your streams to help me study for a CS exam. your videos have changed my life for the better, thank you!
I watched all your videos and they all touched me, made me better. You can be absolutely sure of this, you are a person who touched the life of a 17-year-old young man in Turkey and made him better, and this video is the biggest and most meaningful video you have ever made.
I know how great things you have done for me. I hope you see this comment and learn it too (sorry for the bad translation)
Thank you for your inspirational speech. Also, you got me really excited in the end. You guys are gonna do great. God bless you.
Thank you James for discussing about what’s going on in society now. This is inspiring and important. We appreciate you! Welcome back! 💪💫❤️💯🔥👍
Thank you James, You are the person who i look upto the most and you are helping me to become the best version of myself. ♥️
As someone learning programming and trying be a digital minimalist you're a great inspiration
been following u for years man, the 12 hours study with me livestreams helped me alot and it's beautiful to see that ur still tryna progress and learn in life after graduation goodluck with ur startup
James!! I hope you see how much people love your videos and effort you put into them.
I absolutely love all the recent pieces you have uploaded, especially your attention to the background. (Maybe it happens unintentionally of course but it always matches the topic of the video and always aesthetically pleasing to look at).
What I love most when you sincerely share personal stories is how many emotions you show. Vulnerability and honesty really matter and make me rethink what happens in my life as well.
Youre the best creator ever
James hope you are good I just want to say that you were/are like a sensei for me ! ( I were struggling with internet addiction too I saw the damage that internet caused me and now I use it more intelligently and not use it meaninglessly thanks to you ! I’m still watching your videos while i study ) the message that you delivered to us was really touching/ meaningful, I think you are a really kindhearted person I wish you will be able to achieve all of your dreams and be the best version of yourself !!
Thank you for this message, right time, right message
"your life is your message" beautifully said James, I appreciate your passion for this and I much aspire to be like you. In my junior year of high school, I came across one of your videos and it made me realize that I actually wanted to do better in school. Thanks to you I managed to pass all of my classes with A's and B's, before that semester I'd never achieved an A in my life.
This is a very powerful and no doubt personal message-one of your best! I can't help but think that it's lessened a bit by attaching it to the announcement of a new business venture however. Don't get me wrong I think wanting to change social media for the better is a fantastic idea, just maybe one that could have been seperate from this deeply moving message. Keep doing what you do, you're an inspiration to us all!
New James post and man do i miss this guy, from struggling hard in year 10 with basic homework to finding the most out of my days now that i have graduated highschool and passed year 12 ready for university. We appreciate all you do man please keep posting!
James, you are younger than me, and yet you are an inspiration to me in difficult times. I appreciate the way you keep fighting every day. Thank you, really. Greetings from Argentina.
I started watching you recently, because of digital minimalism. your videos made me realize a lot of things
Thank you for being around, your online presence is greatly appreciated.
You are doing great, you are growing and by that you are also helping others. All the best to you!
Thank you for restoring my faith in humanity, reigniting that inner flame that is me & giving me strength to face this final battle with courage, strength & dignity. I’m ready to suffer for my own greatness & for my Mum, who deserves love & peace.
literally perfect timing as per usual. Thank you james
Man... So much respect for you. Keep going, you're great.
Thank you for sharing this. I’m 27 years old, and live alone. Lately, I have felt like life is going through me, instead of me going through life. Your video helped push me back into the latter. Thank you.
I just want to say that you're one of the reasons I stopped feeling sorry for myself and began taking action everyday for the last couple years or so, I'm nowhere near achieving my goals yet but I can say I'm on the right way to do so, thank you❤
I found your channel in 2022 and started studying with your streams. Now, I’ve graduated as an electrical engineer, and I’m forever grateful to you for introducing me to Nujabes, Samurai Champloo, and your tips on building habits. You’re an inspiration to me, and I’ll always use your streams to stay productive. Thank youuu 🤍
Listen man, you really are my hero. In fact, you didn't change my life, but you changed the course of what was going to destroy my life. I'm really glad I was born in a time where you exist.
that's ironic , combating social media addiction but making one
James, i want you to know that you changed a big part of my life. three years ago, when i was 14, i discovered your channel. Your study streams inspired me to do better in school, and in life in general. I have been following you ever since, and the course of my life of my stumbling across your channel was changed. I hope you can see this and know that you have inspired so many people to do better with themselves and get rid of unnecessary habits and lifestyles. Now from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
Thankyou James...you're the most grounded person ...who brings the best out in me as well....I'm blessed that I got you in my life you're my virtual friend....thanks homie❤
thank you James, for this beautiful message.❤❤
I passed my EMT class today and I used your videos to study on all my exams!
so thanks 👍🏻
Thank You James for this video.....Was waiting for yoour video 😊
"The little homies need someone to look up to" indeed. Thank you for being that person. You've inspired me so much through the years, and you continue doing so. By setting an example, I've changed my behavior, and hopefully that means I'm setting an example for others. Thanks for spreading your truth and letting it reverberate out into the world
Thank you for working hard on this channel. You saved me many times in my studies and you were my only companion from my first year as an engineering student until my third year, which is my current academic year. Take good care of yourself.
As a student in this technology industry, I love using it and also disappointed by the effect of the recent years technologies. I've been following you quite years now, I appreciate your attempt to avoid and encourage people also doing it. So keep going!!?!
James, I wanna say just how much your care and wish of wellbeing for others impacts everyone watching this. Seeing someone lead their life in the way you do, with the only hope of having it resonate for the better to others across the world is a selfless and beautiful thing. You give myself and so many others hope for the future. You've changed so many of our lives for the better, so thank you dude. You are a damn beacon of focus, discipline, and kindness
Dudee the timing of this is unbelievable ❤❤ love you James 😊
Hey James, thankyou for being on here. Your videos definitely have an impact on so many lives, including mine and I absolutely adore you. I hope you achieve all the things you deserve and you're doing amazing. lots of love
man i remember discovering ur channel when i was studying for the entry test of my dream uni. now im in the third year of my degree in that uni. for some reason this is making me emotional. uve come such a long way james. ive seen u pretty much from the beginning. u are indeed that drop of water that hollows out the stone. this was so beautiful. wishing u all the best for this new chapter (doko) of ur life!
This is a real man right here, a man who isn't afraid to show his vulnerability! Love u James, great message
Thank you so much James for always speaking the truth and talking about what no one else is talking about, about the damage that social media is doing to all people. We all support you in this fight ✨
I love you James. Alot of people do, you're an inspiration for so many.
Thank you so much for another video James! You put smiles on people's faces
This has moved me, Thank you James. Words can not relay how this makes me feel
this was a deeper video than i was expecting when clicking on this. but I'm glad it was. its not just another productivity video that I am going to use as a form of procrastination. its real proof that this stuff matters in a deep and meaningful way. thanks james
thank you. these words caused me to think and feel things i've ignored for over a decade.
Well, well, talk about timing. Tysm man, I really needed this. I was really planning on how should I kms, what's the best day within this week, planning scheduled emails to send to my friends, my siblings, and parents. I feel so empty inside, all because of the very same addictions you mentioned in this video. I was so overwhelmed by all the projects, quizzes, and assignments across multiple subjects that lies ahead and I just kept turning to these addictions, no progress at all. It also makes me sad whenever I see kids doing the same thing because more likely than not, they still haven't developed the skill of self-awareness. They don't know how much is too much. And I'm scared of what will they become in the coming years. If this is the effect it gave me even when I'm fairly self-aware, what more could it do to the kids with little to no self-awareness at all.
I'm also taking the same degree as you are so this makes it more relatable and I'm now in my 4th year. And you know, thesis has been really haunting me. All the more reason to quit my phone addiction. So thanks, would definitely be keeping an eye for your new app, really looking forward to using it.
THANK U JAMES FOR YOUR EFFORTs! YOU ARE TRULY INSPIRING ❤❤