He's a yawn who attracts edgelord viewers who think it's so deep to think about how we're "specs of dust in oblivion". Yawn, such cliche teenage shyt. I thought this way when I was 18.
This is the type of stuff i hate. People commenting how something is trash, no justifications no counterpoints, just one bland statement. This is exactly what's wrong with the world. Why not share your views on why you don't like Rust or the shortcomings of Nietzschean philosophy?
For me, the last sentence of the show summons who Rust is. "Once there was only dark, if you ask me the light's winning." He chose to became light when he had all reasons to be swallowed by darkness and evil. He refraimed his own nihilism.
The thing is Ligotti, the author of "Conspiracy against the human race", the book from which rust's philosophy is basically ripped, he says in the book that he hates it when someone expresses pessimistic sentiments (usually in an essay, or a book, but it can also be a tv show), and then ends it with something positive, "hopium" to use internet lingo. I imagine he was pretty annoyed with that last line of the show lol.
@@imsurfingontheearthimasurf5975 The last line is pretty bad, it feels like it was added after a test screening where a bunch of people complained that Rust didn't have a happy ending or something. I try to write the bad line off as the character just feeling pretty good because he's all hopped up on a bunch of medications from being in the hospital.
Cohle was a Stoic / Realist at heart that life had turned misanthrope and pessimist. But...deep down he was actually optimistic and hopeful. I think in the end he had hope for the world as a whole, but knew he was damned, not by some god, but by his own conscience for what he did to his child.
This show really changed me. At first, it changed me negatively, because pessimistic ideas and dogmas that it consists of overwhelmed me. But after a while I saw that this story is actually optimisstic. Moral of that story is: when darkness prevails and overpowers you, become the light source, that will get you through it.
Bravo. Read some of Nietzsche and the Übermensch, it's not easy reading, it's not easy to digest. It takes some time, maybe a lot. And Nietzsche was probably a bit crazy. But the essence of it is that we must learn to create meaning, we must learn to be good men. And that this task is especially important in this new age of materialism and nihilism.
@@shingnosis the other day I witnessed a kid being mean to a cat. And all I could think after putting the fear of Satan into that kid was Fredrick and the horse. It make more sense than it ever did prior.
This is exactly how I saw things. Personally I think life is more or less pointless at a universal level but you can bring your own meaning to it and be the guiding light as you said. You can make the differences in the world you want to see.
Nonsense. Time is a flat circle. Nietzsche's eternal reoccurring is the only true metaphysics. Nothing optimistic in the suffering of those children. Rust is Will personified. His child dies. In a meaningless universe he pursues purposelesy the killer of other children (and the occasional pahramacy robbery). He surrounds himself with death by choice. He embraces a traditional view of evil while being completely athiestic and acknowleding the conciousness is a cosmic error (we are the bad that keep he worse me away from the good- read- weaker men) He contemplates the choice, the Will, to act in a way that will lead to meaningless death. That his athiestic contemplation of the cross. He is Nietzsche's Ubermensch personified. He is Will personisifined. In a universe where consciousness is a perversion, where mankind should be universally snuffed out, he hunts the the killers of the very perversion he considers a universal aberration. He is an Absurd Masterpiece.
You didn’t mention Rust’s daughter once. Her death in many ways drove his pessimism. He holds such a deep and endless love for her and I believe allows it to drive his actions amid a life devoid of meaning when she died.
Yep, there's no mention of that fact that Cohle has somewhat of a disassociation complex due to deep-seated trauma, both from the tragedy he suffered but also because of his work as a undercover narco. He didn't simply adopt the world-view that he has. There's nothing to glorify here.
He even fashions an idea of existence that allows the death of his daughter to be a mercy rather than a horror, if life is meaningless torment bound to repeat then dying before you really know pain is the greatest gift for a soul.
It is hard to fathom carrying on with the absence & longing of a passed loved one. Trust me, his daughter is on his mind daily & helps to steer his actions.
I am a cop in Ohio and know a detective that is a lot like this dude. He got nicknamed after him and didn't know what we were talking about until he saw the show years later. All he said was he doesn't like Matt McConaughey.
“The closer we get to truth, the further we get from meaning”. You put this really well. I think that once someone reaches this point it can be so jarring that there might even almost be some desire, in a way, to go back to the comforting prior beliefs.. Also, I very much appreciated your description for what it feels like to lose one’s childhood religion. I think you described the experience really well.
Better stated as "the closer we stare at fact, the more we lose sight of meaning." People confuse truth with fact colloquially but the two are in fact very distinct.
People like Rust exist in every sector of the real world - but just as with Rust, you almost never notice them or their amazing work because they dont care about the recognition
Watching season 1 in 2014 as each episode aired was a journey. Nearly 10 years later, I watched it again. Life has changed; I've grown, I've loved, and I've lost. I appreciate this masterpiece even more with an evolved understanding of life. This was an excellent analysis and made me appreciate the writing, editing, directing, and acting even more. You have a very keen eye for detail, and you revealed the subtle nuances that I witnessed but did not consciously notice. Thank you for your insight. Phenomenal work!
I’ve been a detective for 7 years. After working undercover for 2 years, divorced, then working a child abuse case that broke me… I found myself exactly as you describe. The world IS fallen as exemplified by these ritualistic child trafficking cases. I was non religious. I found out evil was real. Then while in the belly of a beast, I was suddenly called to belief. I just saw this series last year while at a residential rehab for first responders. Back at work now and doing much better. I am subscribing for sure. Great analysis.
Glad you are doing better, man :) Qucik question: from the perspectiv of a detective how this series recreates real police work? I live in Europe, and work in corporate world so I will love to hear your view on this subject.
This season was very accurate. In California in a major department you’d get a team of about 6 detectives on a case like this. More help to chase down leads and follow up. That doesn’t include the crime scene team (not detectives) and the crime lab employees to process all the evidence. Another accurate show is Bosch. The most accurate is old Dragnet. Avoid anything on CBS because it’s all drama engineered for women. Not sure about East Coast police shows because that’s a whole different world. I wouldn’t know what’s accurate.
Well it is an Anthropology series! Someone described series one as beginning in Hell and looking out. Series 3 flaked. Yet to see number 4, I suppose that's where we bump into the characters funding this.
Maybe it’s easier for you or adaptive for you to feel and think this way. I think evil and good exist solely in the minds of humans. We project these ideas onto the world: we view the world through these psychological projections. We embody these ideas into myths of good god(s) and evil ones. But nice misogyny: it fits with Christinsanity, which is how you cope, I suppose.
I'm not suicidal and never have been. But the older I have become, I can't help but realize; Death is actually a reward And it's something inspiring, also liberating that, deep down, we all look forward to. Great video, friend.
Rust showed up for me when I first lost my faith too. I couldn’t believe a character like him existed on a mainstream tv show. Some of the best writing ever.
I'm so glad someone made this video. True detective is dangerously influential. And that's a good thing: it's hard to accept that these notions might be true but they are too compelling and convicting to ignore.
4:39 "If the only thing keeping the person decent is expectation of divine reward, then that person is a piece of shit." Damn, i was trying to put that into words since forever, thank you.
I mean, that’s such a low IQ position. Nobody in this world does anything good purely from altruistic motives. Everyone seeks a reward, even if that reward is simply a clear conscience or social validation, both inherently selfish. It’s laughable to think that it makes someone a better person simply because the reward they crave is not “divine”.
@@j.j.negrontv1111 If the ONLY reward they value is divine reward - and they would otherwise look at other sentient beings as disposable - then yes, they are pieces of shit. You can replace God with government. If the ONLY thing keeping me from killing someone is that the government would throw me in jail if I did - then I am a piece of shit. Societies collapse and governments dissolve - some people loot and murder, and others help people out. I think it's pretty obvious group A are pieces of shit, and group B are cool. If, in a modern day society where the majority of people are religious and expect divine reward, you could flip a switch and make everyone realize there is no god, everything else staying the same, a number of those people would succumb to nihilism, go dark, and start murdering and acting generally shitty. Come on dude.
Your opening statements about the experience of losing one's faith are so precise, so tangibly heartfelt, it was like a gut punch; followed by the instant relief of hearing someone describe this pain which so many of us have lived through. Thank you. Great video. Subbed.
I regularly use Rust lines just to fuck with people. I was on a road trip and we were in the middle of nowhere and it got quiet, and somebody made a comment about the town we were in so I started rambling about "Aluminum, ash, you can smell the psychosphere." And I started going on about the "living inside of an old memory of a forgotten town." It's so funny how this type of talk actually freaks people out. It's like you pull them out of the eye-glazed passenger mindset of life, and make them self aware. Make them think about stuff they usually keep themselves from realizing.
I'd say The Wire s4 and Sopranos s6 are as good or better than TD s1, but those shows have the benefit of an entire show's worth of seasons to stand on. TD s1 is hands down my favorite single season of television ever, absolutely perfect
This is why I like true detective. I’ve spent years studying psychology and plan to pursue my honors and masters after my degree with the prospect of helping people, however to some degree what’s the point simply because of how the world is. No matter how hard you try to convince yourself that things can change for humanity and within people the more sad and burdened by the darkness you will be. It’s funny I’m an extreme pessimist but yet I somehow do my best to make someone’s day or help where I can. Whether it’s with a simple hello and thank you or actually helping people with their mental health and journey of life. The thing is a lot of us deny and construct reality for what we believe it should be instead of accepting it for what it actually is. Why do we have love, family, hope, belief, happiness etc but at the same time suffer at the hands of poverty, war, disease, corruption, trafficking, murder, plunder etc etc Unfortunately 99% problems of man is caused by man himself 🤷🏻♂️hence why we here in this comment section
be patient and wait for the nukes to fall. or the grid to fail. sooner or later one of the two will happen and you get to watch everyone slowly perish.
Rust Cohle is to me one of the best-written character, like Matthew said himself when playing it, he can't wait what Cohle is gonna do next and he's always wondering about that when reading the script. The way you edited the video is so engaging and story-like, I love this.
Matthew M is easily one of the best actors to ever be on the screen. I know people that can’t stand him and I just don’t get it. He can play any role he wants. Very hard for actors/actresses to be as versatile as he is. It’s truly amazing.
Great video! "Human life moves only in one direction - toward disease, damage, and death. The best you can hope for is to remain stagnant or, in certain cases, return to a previous condition when things weren't as bad as they've become for you." - Thomas Ligotti
Conspiracy against the Human was an inspiration for the series according to the director. I think it bailed on Ligotti-esque line of thinking towards the end. I hate that his short stories have not been made into shows or films, especially Gas Station Carnival.
This is a really well made video. It speaks to the greatness of Season 1 that we are still thinking about it after all these years and care enough to make/watch video essays.
i don't know what to say. you said everything there was to say. i feel exactly the same as rust. i lost the love of my life a few months ago. after that nothing was the same. and i know that nothing will be. but i accepted it. i know my whole life will be pain, sadness and loneliness. i know it because i understood and chose it. just like rust. "now i live in a little room, work four nights a week, and in between i drink. and after all these years, there's a victory in that." i can sincerely say today that Rustin Cohle saved me. thanks for this, man. take care.
Keep your head up man theres still good out there for you. I know I sound like the typical "dont give up" blablabla but I also had a very turbulent life so far myself. I was so close to achieving my dream life, but now I barely scrape by. But what I learned for myself was gratitude for the things I have and really noticing the good moments when they happen. Lately i was sitting on a balcony with my mom, we both had a beer and we were watching into the stars. None of us said a thing. This was really a good moment and we both knew it. I never payed attention to such moments, because I always was chasing bigger things in my mind.
@@manuelklitschke3230 i feel you, man. sincerly. i see what you mean. but... i tried. i tried to fix it. i tried... to fix her. i couldn't. i know that i can't go back, and i can't repeat the past. that's hurt... deeply. she wasn't just a "girlfriend" ... she was my wife. the love of my life. i have some moments like what you had with your mom. but it doesn't change anything. but it's ok... now i know who i am. after all these years it... means a lot for me. hope your mom is ok. take care of her, she's... precious.
@@theresnothingthere I think I can relate to some extend with you, I also was with a women who I thought would be the mother of my kids and the women I would grow old with. I really loved her aswell, we were passionate lovers and best friends at the same time. But it also didnt work out and I kinda knew from beginning it never really had a realistic chance. (like I told previously I barely scrape by and she comes from a very rich family) It was a nice fantasy of us both but not fit for reality. I still think about her every day. You are not alone with this struggle my friend... Atleast I have no regrets, I think I would just do it all over again with her in the same way, I said all I wanted to say to her and did all I wanted to do, and it still didnt work out so It was not in my power. And maybe it wasnt in your power aswell, so you can let go of any regrets. I hope you can find peace with the past
The first season of this show is a work of art. Plain and simple. Crafted so well. I've never seen anything so perfect and I don't expect to see anything this well written and acted ever again. Absolute unicorn of a show, which is why I'm so blown away when I encounter someone who hasn't seen it. I feel like I'm giving an amazing gift when I lend them my Blu-Ray box set to watch it.
I watched this show when it was released. I was mesmerized by it--the visuals, the stylistic choices, the characters--but I didn't understand it on any sort of meaningful level. I've gone back and rewatched it a few times, each time, seeing more, understanding more. Now, having survived a series of great hardships in RL, I find myself dwelling on Rust's perspective, and agreeing with it more and more. Before I delve into another rewatch, I've been prepping for it--watching reaction videos and interpretative videos like this. I appreciate your insight, and look forward to viewing other content by you, as this was truly a pleasure to watch. Thank you for sharing it.
I never use comments on youtube but this so well put together & thought through! Such an incredible show and I related to much of your perspective/story. Well done brother
Thanks so much for this comment! Responses like this are why I make these videos in the first place. It's good to know someone out there has had a similar experience.
@@the_projectionisthear hear! This is a profound video you’ve made. Thanks for taking the time and attention to do so. I haven’t watched the show, only YT clips, and this video seems to clearly encapsulate it. Thanks again
My dear friend once told me that he thinks that depressed people are the only ones that see true nature of reality. Beacause if you think of life as a whole you may come to conslusion it is a painful and meaningless experience. I spend most of my time deceiving myself that it is otherwise, however deep inside I know it is true.
You do not know how much i needed to hear this. I have had clinical depression due to lower back pain since 18 years of age (now 26) and that was my conclusion; life is pain and meaningless. But when you suggested at least you spend your time pretending or deceiving yourself otherwise it just made me happier and calmer like i was once in the past. Thank you, seriously.
@@xking21Life is inherently meaningless. But the "inherently" in that sentence is the operative word. It just means that there is no pre-set already defined meaning prescribed for you in life. It is your choice, to find what you find meaningful, and dedicate your life to it. The actions you take will live on to affect or not affect others, as you choose. And the importance of that is up to you. And just like how we choose meaning, we can also choose what we focus on. Life is painful, and difficult, and it will not let us ignore it. But you can choose what to focus on, the positives, or the pain. You can choose which memories to replay. I don't think that's self-deception. I think that's just taking ownership of this strange experience we've been placed in, and taking into our own hands the responsibility for how we are going to let ourselves experience it.
Only thing getting me through every day is the fact that as cohle says, i bear witness. And we only get 1 life so might aswell see it through.@@ep103103
You and me and others here have seen through the programming that ‘life is good and worth living.’ Initially (for years?)seeing that is depressing. Spell live backwards. Life is death and death is life. Learn how to die well. Not suicide but preparing to escape at natural death. This gives meaning to my life.
I have been a TH-cam subscriber since it's inception. Today I can confess that this video is the only video I keep coming back to over and over again. Thank you for taking the time to upload it.
One thing to keep in mind is the life journey of Rust and his character's arc of self-discovery. When we meet him in the series he is at a point of nihilism after having hit rock bottom in his deep cover narcotics infiltration, itself a flight from self spurred by the tragic loss of his child. As they are driving at the outset of your video, his philosophical statements that upset his partner so much in the car are classic depressive nihilism. He believes in nothing and thinks the noble thing is to give up on existence. The character arc throughout the show takes the nihilism as its beginning and progresses to a point where he accepts that the noble thing for someone who has had so much taken from him is to protect others. His reason for being becomes toward the end of the show nothing but to confront and defeat a manifestation of pure evil. In this, he reaches the purest state of what a police officer should be. Having been touched by evil in his own life, having seen it over and over again as a police officer, he is stripped of his own innocence, but he uses the awareness brought by his tragedy to serve others, selflessly, and protect them and their innocence from the horrors he is all too familiar with. This is why, at the end of the show, we see him portrayed, nearly destroyed by the forces he confronted and ultimately defeated, looking very much like a Jesus figure in the hospital. The message of the show is that only the spirit of self-sacrifice matters. All the trappings of formalized religion distort this essential spirit into messages put out by the powerful to bend others toward their will. Rust's journey is one where he sort of backs into being a cosmic savior figure. Like the best leaders in politics are the ones who are conscripted to it rather than those who seek out power, the noble saviors among us become so by meeting challenges that arise from circumstance. They are volunteered into it by life, becoming so because their personal morality cannot let them take any other, easier path. They do not seek it out, it finds them. This is Rust's archetype.
@@keerthanach1106 that's interesting. I have never read a single word of Freud's writings or theory. That says a lot about our culture and how widely adopted his ideas are.
@@gregalee yeah true..Freud basically says that we live either for pleasure or avoid pain..n different humans adopt various kinds of strategies based on their childhood,society and experiences..very few can actually resist the temptation of doing harm to others or themselves in that process. N very less great minds can overcome all this n contributes to the welfare of majority..as u said in ur explanation...i teach psychology...fan of Dr.Sigmund Freud..(from India)
I came into the show under similar circumstances brother. That last scene was moving to the core. Thanks for making such an insightful video on a crazy piece of art man. I appreciate it!
This was a wonderful video! I just watched True Detective around 2 weeks ago, & have been searching for video essays about it. Happy to have found your channel! 😊
I was going through a hard time for the last few weeks. You reminded me of how I felt about Rust when I first watched True Detective. Thinking like a "realist" helps when I am facing the monster of great odds in front of me. Thanks, man.
Marty always struck me as a man who doesn’t really believe in anything because he doesn’t know who he really is and Rust is a man who knows exactly what he believes because he has come to terms with his own evil
Cohle is a believer who doesn’t know it, Marty is a disbeliever who doesn’t know it, believing is actions even if the mind cannot put together the philosophy of said belief.
I really hope if there is a God it can see things like this and not punish good people for lack of faith like described in most religions. We tell people to judge others by the content of their character. I hope whatever God there may be (which I do not believe in myself at current time) can see things like this too.
@@buddhastl7120 "Of course there is a creator." Gotta love it when deluded people confidently assert that their delusions are reality. As for "it takes a man to have faith", not only have you missed the whole point of section 2 of this video, you're also relying on absurd gender ideology. Woman or man, it takes a person of intelligence and courage to face the idea that when we die we don't go to some big party in the sky. The whole reason religion is popular is that it's a comfort for humankind's biggest fears. It's their fuzzy little security blanket, like scared toddlers. Believing in an omnipotent protective sky daddy makes you far more a child than a man.
Man, this video is fantastic. It really connects with me because I, too, grew up deeply religious and during my time of questioning I watched this show. Watched it again as an atheist and it connected to me on a level I can’t put into words. Hope your channel grows, I subscribed to help in my little way.
Great video mate - I've always felt a liking for Cohle; I felt like I respected his world view and the way he acts but couldn't put my finger on it. You nailed it, great job - thanks for finally spelling it out for me.
The idea of the “debt” Marty and Rust owed being born from the lie they told about the shootout had completely gone by me. I sort of concluded that it was about the two of them giving up on each other for so many years. Great analysis.
I believe Rust was talking about the debt that he and Marty owed to the world. Because Marty executed Reggie Ledoux and cut off a huge lead, Errol Childress remained free and continued his brutal murders. Rust must have felt guilty about leaving the case unsolved after learning more people went missing during his absence. He needed Marty's connections and investigation skills to help him find the killer's identity.
'The closer we get to truth, the further we get from meaning'... My good sir, you could not have nailed it any more perfectly. Plus the conclusion of the vid was also an immaculate choice! Exceptional work all round, thanks so much! 🙌🙏
I just finished watching TD season 1 only, for the first time. Your words really spoke to me in a way that I was unable articulate myself. I’m stunned with this message of Rust that has reached so many. I prepare for death daily. Life here is death and death is life. I’ve been to that other side.. (obe) it really IS form and void. The way Rust described it. Thank you
So well articulated man. Ive been binge watching everything related to True Detective season 1, cannot stop watching the clips, something just stuck inside me. The eerie music, that feeling of loneliness, the feeling of being aloof has captured me. Im liking this. Idk why. Im a true blue extrovert yet im finding solace in this weird separation from world. This show does something to you. And you've worded everything so beautifully. ❤
I think a lot of people can appreciate the simple wisdom put forth by Rust. Human beings constantly suppress their true feelings. Rust states his true feelings in the bluntest possible way, with no regard for self preservation. And his blunt opinions are very much in line with most people's self-censored beliefs. It is liberating to hear someone articulate ideas that most people are too polite to espouse in public. So, I have no idea what your political/social beliefs are, but I feel as tho I have quietly gone along with certain social agendas that have prevailed over the last 2 decades. Starting with something like men and women being physical equals. I think polite people, like myself, just weren't all that eager to argue against that idea. So we go along with it. Then, 12... 15 years later, there is a preposterous argument taking place about whether trans women should be allowed to play women's sports. Now, I still don't care to dive into these arguments, but the reality is, we pandered to the 1st idea and didn't speak up until we arrived this far down the line. Now, rational people are having to admit that they never actually believed that men and women were equals on a physical level. But because that belief festered for so long, it has somehow become difficult to explain to people how absurd this current situation is. And the worst part is, I can state some of these obvious truths in a comments section.... but I would probably clam up in a social setting because there could be actual consequences for speaking out. I think that is the element of Rusts character that people find so appealing. He disregards his own self preservation in the name of his principled beliefs. It's hard not to admire someone who has principles. But as an aside, people like Rust do not actually exist in the real world. You can't really function in the modern world as the "strong, silent type".
@@RustCole01 I'm in loss of words. You've actually articulated it so well. Every words resonates with me. Even today my political views are quite different from people so in order to keep my friendships alive and stable, I request them to stray clear of these topics altogether. Absolutely Rust cannot exist in a world like ours (without being cancelled every minute)
When this show came out, it made me realize how great of an actor Matthew Mcconaughey is. I couldn't find Mcconaughey in his performance at all, rather, Rust Cohle seemed to be an actual character you'd meet and hate to agree with.
Rust always struck me as an embodiment of Kant's Categorical Imperative. His actions are dutifull to the morality of being. He is selfless in his actions (as you say in the video) not because he wants to do good but because it's the right thing to do. Even though his trauma (death of his daughter) has transformed him into a nihilist, he stil acts according to principles which he cannot relinquish since this would mean the destruction of his values which you could argue, is all he has left.
Complex and tragic as he is, he truly is one of the most admirable characters I've ever seen in media. Right out of high school once I figured out what I cared about, I wanted to be someone who was uncompromising to the highest degree. I knew what's right and I never wanted to go against it. I quickly learned how insanely difficult a life like that can be, and eventually decided I had to concede on many things if I wanted to be happy in life. Rust Cohle is the embodiment of that uncompromising lifestyle to me, and while it's clear as day that his choices only bring him more suffering he welcomes it like it's already been written. His methods are undeniably controversial but his actions are rooted in a desire to hold onto what little good is left in the world.
“To bear witness.” This single line summed up my entire waking life. Why do anything when it’s all for nothing? To observe it. That’s all. Somehow, we are all registering and processing data, for some overarching project, that we can never possibly understand. Some people call it God. Others, spirituality. Some point to the absence of meaning as being the meaning. Whatever name we give it, the need is the same: Observation. Data collection. Testing. No matter what you believe, or how you feel today, your data is necessary. Don’t give up that primary function: Living.
I love this essay. I too have a similar reverence for the show and anytime someone is able to give me the feeling the show originally did I appreciate it. thanks my guy subscribing now.
@@jb-xc4oh Wait, are you seriously claiming that True Detective was written by writers? Bugger me sideways, i might never have known. Thanks for that announcement.
This video is really insightful. Thanks for reviewing what is possibly the best single series of television ever made. Subscribed. If this is the art you bring to TH-cam, then I look forward to the future for your channel.
I really resonated with this video. I have thought a lot about this topic. I have come to the conclusion that I am a realist at heart. In other words, my core ideology is not based upon emotions. In fact, my core beliefs give me a lot of distress. But, I behave like an optimist. Gandalf is a hero of mine. He spends his life on Arda fighting against evil and serving Eru Illúvatar. At the same time he says to Pippin at gates of Gondor that "there never was much hope, just a fools hope". Gandalf was a realist but behaved like an optimist. That is my ideology!
McConaughey's performance was unbelievable. It really shows the power of acting when an actor takes words on a page that seriously. That Emmy for Best Actor was the most unbelievable category of performances in TV history (McConaughey, Harrilson, Cranston, Spacey, Daniels, Hamm). The monologue in the car drive always made me wonder about my own life. Rust says he lacks the constitution to end his life in the face of the truth that he knows. And I always wondered: what is the point of acknowledging a truth if not to act upon it? What does anyone get out of that? Rust seems to be satisfied by being right. But him being "right" doesn't make him happier or sadder - doesn't make anyone smarter or dumber. It reduces to a sort of inconsequentialism that one might consider nihilism which again runs counter to how much he tries to make the world a better place. Doesn't some part of actually knowing a thing rest in believing it enough to act on it? If he knows the right thing to do is for humanity to cease to be - is he convincing other people of the same? Is he doing his part, ending his own existence - and making it sensible to others to follow suit? Without marrying thought to action, dropping 'truth-bombs' without acting on it makes a person "sound desperate" as Hart astutely points out. It makes you sound like you're trying to convince yourself more than someone else. It sounds like you don't totally believe it yourself. I remind myself of this whenever it seems like I'm trying too hard to convince myself of something.
My favorite season of television. I was depressed and impressionable when I seen the first season. It really made me realize shit isn't all about me. We're a speck in the cosmos and we only mean something to each other. Do what you like to do and what makes you happy because you are not here long, and it won't mean anything when you're gone.
Well said. Each human is one amongst billions. No one person is all that special. Do what you enjoy, indeed, and don't worry about what others are doing or what they may think of you.
The gentleman who gives the epilogue, speaks so eloquently of his ego death, that I was put into my feels. McConaughey's portrayal of Rustin Cohle, soothed my red neck soul, too. It redeemed the chivalrous deeds of our long, lost forebears. Well done. ❤
Great edit with the interviews and all, man. Also, very interesting that McCoghnauhey also seems Rust as a superhero because in this day age having a deeper sense of reality is truly a heroic trait. Great video.
Summed up really really well!! I think when we see life from this POV, that we are here to act the story, no matter good or bad, it will happen anyway and after this acceptance, you really start to appreciate the tiny moments of happiness and glory and peace no matter how often it happens you won't look for equal balance you won't care to balance.
As someone who has studied philosophy and theology extensively, I loved the character of Cohle and what he represents. Behind all of his negative philosophy of the human condition, he is just a man in extreme pain due to what he did to his own child. It's all a mask really, created by a highly intelligent man trying to make sense of his own life after experiencing perhaps the greatest loss and greatest sin any parent has suffered. This is a man so in pain, so broken he has created his own hell, his own reason for it, and ultimately makes it his reason to live. To live only to serve his own punishment upon himself.
He didn't do anything to his own child. Sorry if you imagimed that. His bleak world view could partly be explained by hanging out with cartels and seeing the worst of humanity as a homocide detective.
@@isakregal1879 You are correct. What happened is his daughter was run over by a car and killed but does not give specifics. This also led to the disillusion of his marriage and the impetus of his nihilism.
I was an atheist for most of my adult life and then something significant happened, and now I'm not. But yeah, I know that struggle for meaning. and truth. Your essay is marvelously done. Good for you.
Resonating so much with this show, and your thoughts as well. Psychologist and theologists can define Cohle character however they want, it doesn’t change the fact that he did the right thing and didn't give a damn about what is conventical or accepted by society. That's a true Hero in my eyes.
I watched TD season one when it came out in 2014. I just lost my mother to a tragedy and ended up connecting with his character very deeply. Still the best single season of television ever written and acted, in my opinion.
….watching this show when it was new was…awesome. I don’t think I’d ever seen something that gave me so much to contemplate. Watching it now that I have a child…and understanding the depth of the love I feel for him…I now completely understand how and why Rust was changed so dramatically after his daughter’s tragic death. And then the loss of his marriage. I would never EVER be the same again if I lost by young son. Jesus.
I think about this all the time. I don’t know how anyone would ever recover from that and not just fall into nihilism. The love for a child is something else.
Excellent, just wonderfully organized and communicated. I thoroughly enjoyed your insight and found your expression of what is undoubtedly a foreign and, understandably, for most folks, a complex philosophy or outlook on the meaning of existence and our place in it refreshing and quite moving. It is something I wish I found more of on these sites. The intermingling of film clips, precisely chosen to compliment your analysis was well thought out and executed. Unfortunately, it is as rare as it is poignant, and I wanted to let you know it is recognized and appreciated
I was 18 years old when I got introduced to Rust. You can Imagine what kind of an impact a character like Rust can make on a teenager. He has stayed in my psyche ever since.
I commend you. I know how crazy an 18 y.o. life can be. I watch my granddaughter of same age in her angst, and wish she could want to watch true detective.. but she’s not ready and it’s all anguish. You’re amazing!
Very well done. What an incredible character and one of the best shows I've ever seen. I'm always searching for more shows like this first season, but there is very little that even gets close to this level of excellence.
Thank you for the breakdown, amazing to see your insight on it all. There's an element of channelling one's nihilistic thoughts into a purpose for existence which seems to be the same archetype for every anti hero. Not that they chose to be that way but end up being that way because of what they realize/become
We are like beads on a string. Twirling, tumbling and falling ever forward, trapped on an inherently predetermined path strung by the primal forces of cause and effect. Every atom in it's place playing out an atomic pool game. A cog within a cog within a cog in an indifferent, mechanical world mindlessly ticking forward. There is no purpose, no meaning and no choices. Only self inflicted delusions. Our lives are dust, settling gently amongst the chaos of nothing. This is the final and absolute truth.
something i love about the clip where Matthew McConaughey describes Rust is that he speaks about him like he's a real person. goes to show the dedication that made that season so great.
I vibe very strongly with him, i have an inclination to realism that given the state of the world tends to move towords pessimism, but despite of all the bad stuff, keep moving and try to make at least a tiny bit beter and focusing on the little positive things to be found is an active choice that has to be inspired. I got my inspiration when my attempt to x myself failed. Our pessimism both is to a good part born out of empathy, but the only empathetic thing to do is to cling to it no matter what, even in a very dark wold, no pain and no act of kinfness is ever meaningless. Just because most things are doomed to enf and often badly does not excuse not trying and wctivly causing others to suffer
I've purposely walked the lonely path for about 16 years now. Very little relationships, zero love life. However, my existence is a light to many people in my life. The first time I saw TD and met Rust Cole, I knew I didnt feel alone or think alone anymore. The internal battle of good and evil is forever ongoing but watching coles life and actions just shows living in the light is possible
I really liked this video. Your choice of words and the way you explained and conveyed everything was just on spot. Rust choles character has made me think alot about religion and the world 🌎 in itself. I think these types of characters are very complex and to get to know and understand them is really interesting. This character was well made. I really liked every bit of this shows first season.
Very thought provoking video, really appreciate you giving me a new lens to view the show through and some interesting perspectives on life to juggle with
I always viewed rust as a stoic of sorts carrying on in spite of the nature of the universe. He knows the corruption and horror for what it is. He is deeply troubled by it and makes him unable to live like most people. But he knows that it is his burden to bear so that others don’t have to know the truth of the world. He accepts that he can take it while others can’t and that it is his role.
I don't know if you'll read this - but it sounds like when you left your faith you experienced derealization. It shares lots of similarities with an existential crisis, but is its own thing - a disassociative response to a traumatic thing. It can be long term, episodic, or a once off experience. I had it a few years back, and knowing that others do too and that there's a word for it really helped.
He's a yawn who attracts edgelord viewers who think it's so deep to think about how we're "specs of dust in oblivion". Yawn, such cliche teenage shyt. I thought this way when I was 18.
Pin of shame
That all you got?
This is the type of stuff i hate. People commenting how something is trash, no justifications no counterpoints, just one bland statement. This is exactly what's wrong with the world. Why not share your views on why you don't like Rust or the shortcomings of Nietzschean philosophy?
Just because you got distracted by real world problems doesn't mean your beliefs at 18 were unjustified.
Bait
For me, the last sentence of the show summons who Rust is.
"Once there was only dark, if you ask me the light's winning."
He chose to became light when he had all reasons to be swallowed by darkness and evil. He refraimed his own nihilism.
This comment deserves at least 100 likes 😁 👍
The thing is Ligotti, the author of "Conspiracy against the human race", the book from which rust's philosophy is basically ripped, he says in the book that he hates it when someone expresses pessimistic sentiments (usually in an essay, or a book, but it can also be a tv show), and then ends it with something positive, "hopium" to use internet lingo. I imagine he was pretty annoyed with that last line of the show lol.
@@imsurfingontheearthimasurf5975 The last line is pretty bad, it feels like it was added after a test screening where a bunch of people complained that Rust didn't have a happy ending or something. I try to write the bad line off as the character just feeling pretty good because he's all hopped up on a bunch of medications from being in the hospital.
Cohle was a Stoic / Realist at heart that life had turned misanthrope and pessimist. But...deep down he was actually optimistic and hopeful. I think in the end he had hope for the world as a whole, but knew he was damned, not by some god, but by his own conscience for what he did to his child.
@@tedwojtasik8781love this. Please explain further for selfish reasons for me.
The first season of True Detective is special. I was blown away at how good it was. I had never seen a TV series that was that well made.
you'll like mindhunter
@@teomanyldz8074 all due respect mate, mindhunter doesn't come even close to true detective's first season.
@@InwardAdventureyeah nowhere near its level
Mindhunter wishes it was like true detective.
1st season might be the best one of all time
This show really changed me. At first, it changed me negatively, because pessimistic ideas and dogmas that it consists of overwhelmed me. But after a while I saw that this story is actually optimisstic. Moral of that story is: when darkness prevails and overpowers you, become the light source, that will get you through it.
yeah...this took me 2 years..a continuous slow process
Bravo. Read some of Nietzsche and the Übermensch, it's not easy reading, it's not easy to digest. It takes some time, maybe a lot. And Nietzsche was probably a bit crazy. But the essence of it is that we must learn to create meaning, we must learn to be good men. And that this task is especially important in this new age of materialism and nihilism.
@@shingnosis the other day I witnessed a kid being mean to a cat. And all I could think after putting the fear of Satan into that kid was Fredrick and the horse. It make more sense than it ever did prior.
This is exactly how I saw things. Personally I think life is more or less pointless at a universal level but you can bring your own meaning to it and be the guiding light as you said. You can make the differences in the world you want to see.
Nonsense. Time is a flat circle. Nietzsche's eternal reoccurring is the only true metaphysics. Nothing optimistic in the suffering of those children.
Rust is Will personified.
His child dies. In a meaningless universe he pursues purposelesy the killer of other children (and the occasional pahramacy robbery). He surrounds himself with death by choice. He embraces a traditional view of evil while being completely athiestic and acknowleding the conciousness is a cosmic error (we are the bad that keep he worse me away from the good- read- weaker men) He contemplates the choice, the Will, to act in a way that will lead to meaningless death. That his athiestic contemplation of the cross.
He is Nietzsche's Ubermensch personified. He is Will personisifined.
In a universe where consciousness is a perversion, where mankind should be universally snuffed out, he hunts the the killers of the very perversion he considers a universal aberration.
He is an Absurd Masterpiece.
You didn’t mention Rust’s daughter once. Her death in many ways drove his pessimism. He holds such a deep and endless love for her and I believe allows it to drive his actions amid a life devoid of meaning when she died.
Yep, there's no mention of that fact that Cohle has somewhat of a disassociation complex due to deep-seated trauma, both from the tragedy he suffered but also because of his work as a undercover narco. He didn't simply adopt the world-view that he has. There's nothing to glorify here.
Yes! I think a lot of people forget that he is also grieving
He even fashions an idea of existence that allows the death of his daughter to be a mercy rather than a horror, if life is meaningless torment bound to repeat then dying before you really know pain is the greatest gift for a soul.
It is hard to fathom carrying on with the absence & longing of a passed loved one. Trust me, his daughter is on his mind daily & helps to steer his actions.
👍
I am a cop in Ohio and know a detective that is a lot like this dude.
He got nicknamed after him and didn't know what we were talking about until he saw the show years later.
All he said was he doesn't like Matt McConaughey.
Wow! That guy is dry
That’s a very _Rust_ response.
go figure 🙃
ACAB
Kmon brow, we need the Instagram this man
“The closer we get to truth, the further we get from meaning”. You put this really well. I think that once someone reaches this point it can be so jarring that there might even almost be some desire, in a way, to go back to the comforting prior beliefs.. Also, I very much appreciated your description for what it feels like to lose one’s childhood religion. I think you described the experience really well.
This doesn’t sense to me, meaning is the implication for action and what better act, that is called for then under the guise of truth
Better stated as "the closer we stare at fact, the more we lose sight of meaning." People confuse truth with fact colloquially but the two are in fact very distinct.
This for me is the best single season of any show I’ve ever watched. And thanks to this reminder I’m about to watch it again
Agreed! The combination of the quality of writing and acting is unmatched.
Just watched it. I’m not a huge tv fan, but hands down this was the best TV I’ve ever seen.
People like Rust exist in every sector of the real world - but just as with Rust, you almost never notice them or their amazing work because they dont care about the recognition
Beautifully put
It's not that they don't care. It's that the people around then don't care. That was one of the many themes of the first season
I'm literally rust Cole and Ryan gosling from drive mixed together.
Watching season 1 in 2014 as each episode aired was a journey. Nearly 10 years later, I watched it again. Life has changed; I've grown, I've loved, and I've lost. I appreciate this masterpiece even more with an evolved understanding of life.
This was an excellent analysis and made me appreciate the writing, editing, directing, and acting even more. You have a very keen eye for detail, and you revealed the subtle nuances that I witnessed but did not consciously notice.
Thank you for your insight. Phenomenal work!
I’ve been a detective for 7 years. After working undercover for 2 years, divorced, then working a child abuse case that broke me… I found myself exactly as you describe. The world IS fallen as exemplified by these ritualistic child trafficking cases.
I was non religious. I found out evil was real. Then while in the belly of a beast, I was suddenly called to belief.
I just saw this series last year while at a residential rehab for first responders. Back at work now and doing much better.
I am subscribing for sure. Great analysis.
Glad you are doing better, man :) Qucik question: from the perspectiv of a detective how this series recreates real police work? I live in Europe, and work in corporate world so I will love to hear your view on this subject.
This season was very accurate. In California in a major department you’d get a team of about 6 detectives on a case like this. More help to chase down leads and follow up. That doesn’t include the crime scene team (not detectives) and the crime lab employees to process all the evidence.
Another accurate show is Bosch. The most accurate is old Dragnet.
Avoid anything on CBS because it’s all drama engineered for women.
Not sure about East Coast police shows because that’s a whole different world. I wouldn’t know what’s accurate.
@@user-xh1zu5os9r Thank you :) And I love "Avoid anything on CBS because it’s all drama engineered for women." I always thought so ;)
Well it is an Anthropology series! Someone described series one as beginning in Hell and looking out. Series 3 flaked. Yet to see number 4, I suppose that's where we bump into the characters funding this.
Maybe it’s easier for you or adaptive for you to feel and think this way. I think evil and good exist solely in the minds of humans. We project these ideas onto the world: we view the world through these psychological projections. We embody these ideas into myths of good god(s) and evil ones. But nice misogyny: it fits with Christinsanity, which is how you cope, I suppose.
I'm not suicidal and never have been.
But the older I have become, I can't help but realize;
Death is actually a reward
And it's something inspiring, also liberating that, deep down, we all look forward to.
Great video, friend.
Rust showed up for me when I first lost my faith too. I couldn’t believe a character like him existed on a mainstream tv show. Some of the best writing ever.
I'm so glad someone made this video. True detective is dangerously influential. And that's a good thing: it's hard to accept that these notions might be true but they are too compelling and convicting to ignore.
4:39 "If the only thing keeping the person decent is expectation of divine reward, then that person is a piece of shit." Damn, i was trying to put that into words since forever, thank you.
I mean, that’s such a low IQ position. Nobody in this world does anything good purely from altruistic motives. Everyone seeks a reward, even if that reward is simply a clear conscience or social validation, both inherently selfish. It’s laughable to think that it makes someone a better person simply because the reward they crave is not “divine”.
@@j.j.negrontv1111 found one
@@j.j.negrontv1111 If the ONLY reward they value is divine reward - and they would otherwise look at other sentient beings as disposable - then yes, they are pieces of shit. You can replace God with government. If the ONLY thing keeping me from killing someone is that the government would throw me in jail if I did - then I am a piece of shit. Societies collapse and governments dissolve - some people loot and murder, and others help people out. I think it's pretty obvious group A are pieces of shit, and group B are cool.
If, in a modern day society where the majority of people are religious and expect divine reward, you could flip a switch and make everyone realize there is no god, everything else staying the same, a number of those people would succumb to nihilism, go dark, and start murdering and acting generally shitty. Come on dude.
@@j.j.negrontv1111 You clearly didn't understand what the character tried to express
@@Vincent_Stevens Maybe you could explain it?
Your opening statements about the experience of losing one's faith are so precise, so tangibly heartfelt, it was like a gut punch; followed by the instant relief of hearing someone describe this pain which so many of us have lived through. Thank you. Great video. Subbed.
I regularly use Rust lines just to fuck with people. I was on a road trip and we were in the middle of nowhere and it got quiet, and somebody made a comment about the town we were in so I started rambling about "Aluminum, ash, you can smell the psychosphere." And I started going on about the "living inside of an old memory of a forgotten town." It's so funny how this type of talk actually freaks people out. It's like you pull them out of the eye-glazed passenger mindset of life, and make them self aware. Make them think about stuff they usually keep themselves from realizing.
Best scene in the whole show is Marty turning to Rust and saying “can you just stop saying ODD shit?”
I believe it’s hands down the greatest single season of Television.
Breaking Bad, The Wire, and the Sopranos come very close
Facts
I'd say The Wire s4 and Sopranos s6 are as good or better than TD s1, but those shows have the benefit of an entire show's worth of seasons to stand on. TD s1 is hands down my favorite single season of television ever, absolutely perfect
@@Jackson... wire s4? Which one was that ?! Not the school one I hope
Cobra Kai season 1
@@YokerBoy😂you must be joking mid cobra isnt even top 100
This is why I like true detective. I’ve spent years studying psychology and plan to pursue my honors and masters after my degree with the prospect of helping people, however to some degree what’s the point simply because of how the world is. No matter how hard you try to convince yourself that things can change for humanity and within people the more sad and burdened by the darkness you will be. It’s funny I’m an extreme pessimist but yet I somehow do my best to make someone’s day or help where I can. Whether it’s with a simple hello and thank you or actually helping people with their mental health and journey of life. The thing is a lot of us deny and construct reality for what we believe it should be instead of accepting it for what it actually is. Why do we have love, family, hope, belief, happiness etc but at the same time suffer at the hands of poverty, war, disease, corruption, trafficking, murder, plunder etc etc
Unfortunately 99% problems of man is caused by man himself 🤷🏻♂️hence why we here in this comment section
I’m still up for the whole “walk hand in hand into oblivion” thing if anybody wants to do it
Is there gonna be beer? If it oblivion we're heading for then id want my last drink to be lone star
Go for it, I'll take a hard pass on that...!! LoL..
Some great lines in that movie but they are just words, the product of some screen writer's imagination.@@bryanroshan7787
Gonna take a few more billion for that
be patient and wait for the nukes to fall. or the grid to fail. sooner or later one of the two will happen and you get to watch everyone slowly perish.
Definitely an amazingly well acted character. Probably MMs best role ever. At least in my opinion.
Easily his best. One of best acted characters ever to hit the screen.
I never thought a TV series could change my actual day to day thinking
Rust Cohle is to me one of the best-written character, like Matthew said himself when playing it, he can't wait what Cohle is gonna do next and he's always wondering about that when reading the script. The way you edited the video is so engaging and story-like, I love this.
Matthew M is easily one of the best actors to ever be on the screen. I know people that can’t stand him and I just don’t get it.
He can play any role he wants. Very hard for actors/actresses to be as versatile as he is. It’s truly amazing.
Great video!
"Human life moves only in one direction - toward disease, damage, and death. The best you can hope for is to remain stagnant or, in certain cases, return to a previous condition when things weren't as bad as they've become for you." - Thomas Ligotti
Conspiracy against the Human was an inspiration for the series according to the director. I think it bailed on Ligotti-esque line of thinking towards the end. I hate that his short stories have not been made into shows or films, especially Gas Station Carnival.
True detective season 1 is just one of my favorite things. What a great video you made, so articulate, so well thought through. Great job!
An intelligent and inciteful look into one of the most complex characters we've ever seen on TV. Great job! Best wishes from England.
This is a really well made video.
It speaks to the greatness of Season 1 that we are still thinking about it after all these years and care enough to make/watch video essays.
i don't know what to say. you said everything there was to say. i feel exactly the same as rust. i lost the love of my life a few months ago. after that nothing was the same. and i know that nothing will be. but i accepted it. i know my whole life will be pain, sadness and loneliness. i know it because i understood and chose it. just like rust.
"now i live in a little room, work four nights a week, and in between i drink. and after all these years, there's a victory in that."
i can sincerely say today that Rustin Cohle saved me.
thanks for this, man. take care.
Keep your head up man theres still good out there for you. I know I sound like the typical "dont give up" blablabla but I also had a very turbulent life so far myself. I was so close to achieving my dream life, but now I barely scrape by. But what I learned for myself was gratitude for the things I have and really noticing the good moments when they happen. Lately i was sitting on a balcony with my mom, we both had a beer and we were watching into the stars. None of us said a thing. This was really a good moment and we both knew it.
I never payed attention to such moments, because I always was chasing bigger things in my mind.
@@manuelklitschke3230 i feel you, man. sincerly. i see what you mean. but... i tried. i tried to fix it. i tried... to fix her. i couldn't. i know that i can't go back, and i can't repeat the past. that's hurt... deeply. she wasn't just a "girlfriend" ... she was my wife. the love of my life.
i have some moments like what you had with your mom. but it doesn't change anything. but it's ok... now i know who i am. after all these years it... means a lot for me.
hope your mom is ok. take care of her, she's... precious.
@@theresnothingthere I think I can relate to some extend with you, I also was with a women who I thought would be the mother of my kids and the women I would grow old with. I really loved her aswell, we were passionate lovers and best friends at the same time. But it also didnt work out and I kinda knew from beginning it never really had a realistic chance. (like I told previously I barely scrape by and she comes from a very rich family) It was a nice fantasy of us both but not fit for reality.
I still think about her every day. You are not alone with this struggle my friend...
Atleast I have no regrets, I think I would just do it all over again with her in the same way, I said all I wanted to say to her and did all I wanted to do, and it still didnt work out so It was not in my power.
And maybe it wasnt in your power aswell, so you can let go of any regrets.
I hope you can find peace with the past
@@manuelklitschke3230 i have no words... thank you man, for everything.
@@theresnothingthere everyone lives and dies it dosent matter whether you’re alive or dead those feelings won’t change
I watch true detective season one once or twice a year. My all time favorite TV series.
Same
The first season of this show is a work of art. Plain and simple. Crafted so well. I've never seen anything so perfect and I don't expect to see anything this well written and acted ever again. Absolute unicorn of a show, which is why I'm so blown away when I encounter someone who hasn't seen it. I feel like I'm giving an amazing gift when I lend them my Blu-Ray box set to watch it.
I watched this show when it was released. I was mesmerized by it--the visuals, the stylistic choices, the characters--but I didn't understand it on any sort of meaningful level. I've gone back and rewatched it a few times, each time, seeing more, understanding more. Now, having survived a series of great hardships in RL, I find myself dwelling on Rust's perspective, and agreeing with it more and more. Before I delve into another rewatch, I've been prepping for it--watching reaction videos and interpretative videos like this.
I appreciate your insight, and look forward to viewing other content by you, as this was truly a pleasure to watch. Thank you for sharing it.
Well done. I'm now on the my 9th viewing of this series. Saw it first in 2020. Best show ever.
I never use comments on youtube but this so well put together & thought through! Such an incredible show and I related to much of your perspective/story. Well done brother
Thanks so much for this comment! Responses like this are why I make these videos in the first place. It's good to know someone out there has had a similar experience.
Really good job man, a good place for all the Rust Cohle's of the world
@@the_projectionisthear hear! This is a profound video you’ve made. Thanks for taking the time and attention to do so. I haven’t watched the show, only YT clips, and this video seems to clearly encapsulate it. Thanks again
@@AnthonyDukesConsultinghave you now watched it ? Curious to know..
My dear friend once told me that he thinks that depressed people are the only ones that see true nature of reality. Beacause if you think of life as a whole you may come to conslusion it is a painful and meaningless experience. I spend most of my time deceiving myself that it is otherwise, however deep inside I know it is true.
You do not know how much i needed to hear this. I have had clinical depression due to lower back pain since 18 years of age (now 26) and that was my conclusion; life is pain and meaningless. But when you suggested at least you spend your time pretending or deceiving yourself otherwise it just made me happier and calmer like i was once in the past. Thank you, seriously.
@@xking21Life is inherently meaningless. But the "inherently" in that sentence is the operative word. It just means that there is no pre-set already defined meaning prescribed for you in life. It is your choice, to find what you find meaningful, and dedicate your life to it. The actions you take will live on to affect or not affect others, as you choose. And the importance of that is up to you. And just like how we choose meaning, we can also choose what we focus on. Life is painful, and difficult, and it will not let us ignore it. But you can choose what to focus on, the positives, or the pain. You can choose which memories to replay. I don't think that's self-deception. I think that's just taking ownership of this strange experience we've been placed in, and taking into our own hands the responsibility for how we are going to let ourselves experience it.
Well said. I think about depression like this as well.
Only thing getting me through every day is the fact that as cohle says, i bear witness. And we only get 1 life so might aswell see it through.@@ep103103
You and me and others here have seen through the programming that ‘life is good and worth living.’ Initially (for years?)seeing that is depressing.
Spell live backwards.
Life is death and death is life.
Learn how to die well. Not suicide but preparing to escape at natural death.
This gives meaning to my life.
I have been a TH-cam subscriber since it's inception. Today I can confess that this video is the only video I keep coming back to over and over again. Thank you for taking the time to upload it.
One thing to keep in mind is the life journey of Rust and his character's arc of self-discovery. When we meet him in the series he is at a point of nihilism after having hit rock bottom in his deep cover narcotics infiltration, itself a flight from self spurred by the tragic loss of his child. As they are driving at the outset of your video, his philosophical statements that upset his partner so much in the car are classic depressive nihilism. He believes in nothing and thinks the noble thing is to give up on existence.
The character arc throughout the show takes the nihilism as its beginning and progresses to a point where he accepts that the noble thing for someone who has had so much taken from him is to protect others. His reason for being becomes toward the end of the show nothing but to confront and defeat a manifestation of pure evil. In this, he reaches the purest state of what a police officer should be. Having been touched by evil in his own life, having seen it over and over again as a police officer, he is stripped of his own innocence, but he uses the awareness brought by his tragedy to serve others, selflessly, and protect them and their innocence from the horrors he is all too familiar with.
This is why, at the end of the show, we see him portrayed, nearly destroyed by the forces he confronted and ultimately defeated, looking very much like a Jesus figure in the hospital. The message of the show is that only the spirit of self-sacrifice matters. All the trappings of formalized religion distort this essential spirit into messages put out by the powerful to bend others toward their will. Rust's journey is one where he sort of backs into being a cosmic savior figure. Like the best leaders in politics are the ones who are conscripted to it rather than those who seek out power, the noble saviors among us become so by meeting challenges that arise from circumstance. They are volunteered into it by life, becoming so because their personal morality cannot let them take any other, easier path. They do not seek it out, it finds them. This is Rust's archetype.
Thank you for confirming something important for me. Morality is the issue, and the enemy.
ur explanation is nothing short of Freudian s psychoanalysis..👍👍
@@keerthanach1106 that's interesting. I have never read a single word of Freud's writings or theory. That says a lot about our culture and how widely adopted his ideas are.
Very well said
@@gregalee yeah true..Freud basically says that we live either for pleasure or avoid pain..n different humans adopt various kinds of strategies based on their childhood,society and experiences..very few can actually resist the temptation of doing harm to others or themselves in that process. N very less great minds can overcome all this n contributes to the welfare of majority..as u said in ur explanation...i teach psychology...fan of Dr.Sigmund Freud..(from India)
I came into the show under similar circumstances brother. That last scene was moving to the core. Thanks for making such an insightful video on a crazy piece of art man. I appreciate it!
This is one of the best TD essays on youtube.
This was a wonderful video! I just watched True Detective around 2 weeks ago, & have been searching for video essays about it. Happy to have found your channel! 😊
I was going through a hard time for the last few weeks. You reminded me of how I felt about Rust when I first watched True Detective. Thinking like a "realist" helps when I am facing the monster of great odds in front of me. Thanks, man.
Marty always struck me as a man who doesn’t really believe in anything because he doesn’t know who he really is and Rust is a man who knows exactly what he believes because he has come to terms with his own evil
Cohle is a believer who doesn’t know it, Marty is a disbeliever who doesn’t know it, believing is actions even if the mind cannot put together the philosophy of said belief.
Well put!
I really hope if there is a God it can see things like this and not punish good people for lack of faith like described in most religions. We tell people to judge others by the content of their character. I hope whatever God there may be (which I do not believe in myself at current time) can see things like this too.
@@hgbugalouwhy hope? Have faith. It takes a man to have faith. Be one. Of course there is a creator.
@@buddhastl7120 "Of course there is a creator." Gotta love it when deluded people confidently assert that their delusions are reality. As for "it takes a man to have faith", not only have you missed the whole point of section 2 of this video, you're also relying on absurd gender ideology. Woman or man, it takes a person of intelligence and courage to face the idea that when we die we don't go to some big party in the sky. The whole reason religion is popular is that it's a comfort for humankind's biggest fears. It's their fuzzy little security blanket, like scared toddlers. Believing in an omnipotent protective sky daddy makes you far more a child than a man.
Yes.
Inside every cynic lives a broken hearted idealist.
😢
Man, this video is fantastic. It really connects with me because I, too, grew up deeply religious and during my time of questioning I watched this show. Watched it again as an atheist and it connected to me on a level I can’t put into words. Hope your channel grows, I subscribed to help in my little way.
" The closer we get to truth, the further we go from meaning " very well said.
This channel is a rare gem, don't ever give up bruh.
Great video mate - I've always felt a liking for Cohle; I felt like I respected his world view and the way he acts but couldn't put my finger on it.
You nailed it, great job - thanks for finally spelling it out for me.
The idea of the “debt” Marty and Rust owed being born from the lie they told about the shootout had completely gone by me. I sort of concluded that it was about the two of them giving up on each other for so many years. Great analysis.
I believe Rust was talking about the debt that he and Marty owed to the world. Because Marty executed Reggie Ledoux and cut off a huge lead, Errol Childress remained free and continued his brutal murders. Rust must have felt guilty about leaving the case unsolved after learning more people went missing during his absence. He needed Marty's connections and investigation skills to help him find the killer's identity.
'The closer we get to truth, the further we get from meaning'... My good sir, you could not have nailed it any more perfectly. Plus the conclusion of the vid was also an immaculate choice! Exceptional work all round, thanks so much! 🙌🙏
I’m a simple man, I hear someone praising Rust and I sit down and listen.
I just finished watching TD season 1 only, for the first time. Your words really spoke to me in a way that I was unable articulate myself.
I’m stunned with this message of Rust that has reached so many.
I prepare for death daily. Life here is death and death is life.
I’ve been to that other side.. (obe) it really IS form and void. The way Rust described it.
Thank you
So well articulated man. Ive been binge watching everything related to True Detective season 1, cannot stop watching the clips, something just stuck inside me. The eerie music, that feeling of loneliness, the feeling of being aloof has captured me. Im liking this. Idk why. Im a true blue extrovert yet im finding solace in this weird separation from world. This show does something to you. And you've worded everything so beautifully. ❤
I think a lot of people can appreciate the simple wisdom put forth by Rust. Human beings constantly suppress their true feelings. Rust states his true feelings in the bluntest possible way, with no regard for self preservation. And his blunt opinions are very much in line with most people's self-censored beliefs.
It is liberating to hear someone articulate ideas that most people are too polite to espouse in public. So, I have no idea what your political/social beliefs are, but I feel as tho I have quietly gone along with certain social agendas that have prevailed over the last 2 decades. Starting with something like men and women being physical equals.
I think polite people, like myself, just weren't all that eager to argue against that idea. So we go along with it. Then, 12... 15 years later, there is a preposterous argument taking place about whether trans women should be allowed to play women's sports. Now, I still don't care to dive into these arguments, but the reality is, we pandered to the 1st idea and didn't speak up until we arrived this far down the line. Now, rational people are having to admit that they never actually believed that men and women were equals on a physical level. But because that belief festered for so long, it has somehow become difficult to explain to people how absurd this current situation is.
And the worst part is, I can state some of these obvious truths in a comments section.... but I would probably clam up in a social setting because there could be actual consequences for speaking out. I think that is the element of Rusts character that people find so appealing. He disregards his own self preservation in the name of his principled beliefs. It's hard not to admire someone who has principles.
But as an aside, people like Rust do not actually exist in the real world. You can't really function in the modern world as the "strong, silent type".
@@RustCole01 I'm in loss of words. You've actually articulated it so well. Every words resonates with me. Even today my political views are quite different from people so in order to keep my friendships alive and stable, I request them to stray clear of these topics altogether. Absolutely Rust cannot exist in a world like ours (without being cancelled every minute)
When this show came out, it made me realize how great of an actor Matthew Mcconaughey is. I couldn't find Mcconaughey in his performance at all, rather, Rust Cohle seemed to be an actual character you'd meet and hate to agree with.
Rust always struck me as an embodiment of Kant's Categorical Imperative. His actions are dutifull to the morality of being. He is selfless in his actions (as you say in the video) not because he wants to do good but because it's the right thing to do. Even though his trauma (death of his daughter) has transformed him into a nihilist, he stil acts according to principles which he cannot relinquish since this would mean the destruction of his values which you could argue, is all he has left.
you're making me watch it again, and again, and again, and again, forever
Because at the heart of all pessimist is a sensitivity to injustice and suffering in the world.
Complex and tragic as he is, he truly is one of the most admirable characters I've ever seen in media. Right out of high school once I figured out what I cared about, I wanted to be someone who was uncompromising to the highest degree. I knew what's right and I never wanted to go against it. I quickly learned how insanely difficult a life like that can be, and eventually decided I had to concede on many things if I wanted to be happy in life. Rust Cohle is the embodiment of that uncompromising lifestyle to me, and while it's clear as day that his choices only bring him more suffering he welcomes it like it's already been written. His methods are undeniably controversial but his actions are rooted in a desire to hold onto what little good is left in the world.
“To bear witness.”
This single line summed up my entire waking life. Why do anything when it’s all for nothing? To observe it. That’s all. Somehow, we are all registering and processing data, for some overarching project, that we can never possibly understand.
Some people call it God. Others, spirituality. Some point to the absence of meaning as being the meaning.
Whatever name we give it, the need is the same: Observation. Data collection. Testing.
No matter what you believe, or how you feel today, your data is necessary.
Don’t give up that primary function:
Living.
I love this essay. I too have a similar reverence for the show and anytime someone is able to give me the feeling the show originally did I appreciate it. thanks my guy subscribing now.
I mean, I still think human consciousness is a tragic misstep in evolution.
Very well written show.
Yes, its just a figment of some screen writers imagination.
Yeah, your kind (terrans) was far better as mindless slave monkeys.
There are no missteps in either the universe or the natural world.
@@gozorak Thats obviously nonsense.
@@jb-xc4oh Wait, are you seriously claiming that True Detective was written by writers? Bugger me sideways, i might never have known. Thanks for that announcement.
This video is really insightful. Thanks for reviewing what is possibly the best single series of television ever made.
Subscribed. If this is the art you bring to TH-cam, then I look forward to the future for your channel.
I really resonated with this video. I have thought a lot about this topic. I have come to the conclusion that I am a realist at heart. In other words, my core ideology is not based upon emotions. In fact, my core beliefs give me a lot of distress. But, I behave like an optimist. Gandalf is a hero of mine. He spends his life on Arda fighting against evil and serving Eru Illúvatar. At the same time he says to Pippin at gates of Gondor that "there never was much hope, just a fools hope". Gandalf was a realist but behaved like an optimist. That is my ideology!
Great video essay. I share your admiration for this show. Pizzolatto created such a special character when writing Cohle.
True Detective was amazing . That one shot in the ghetto was legendary
This was a perfect encapsulation of my feelings on Cohle. Thanks for the analysis and clarity into one of my favorite characters of all time.
McConaughey's performance was unbelievable. It really shows the power of acting when an actor takes words on a page that seriously. That Emmy for Best Actor was the most unbelievable category of performances in TV history (McConaughey, Harrilson, Cranston, Spacey, Daniels, Hamm).
The monologue in the car drive always made me wonder about my own life. Rust says he lacks the constitution to end his life in the face of the truth that he knows. And I always wondered: what is the point of acknowledging a truth if not to act upon it? What does anyone get out of that? Rust seems to be satisfied by being right. But him being "right" doesn't make him happier or sadder - doesn't make anyone smarter or dumber. It reduces to a sort of inconsequentialism that one might consider nihilism which again runs counter to how much he tries to make the world a better place.
Doesn't some part of actually knowing a thing rest in believing it enough to act on it? If he knows the right thing to do is for humanity to cease to be - is he convincing other people of the same? Is he doing his part, ending his own existence - and making it sensible to others to follow suit? Without marrying thought to action, dropping 'truth-bombs' without acting on it makes a person "sound desperate" as Hart astutely points out. It makes you sound like you're trying to convince yourself more than someone else. It sounds like you don't totally believe it yourself.
I remind myself of this whenever it seems like I'm trying too hard to convince myself of something.
Thank you for this. I can feel and observe the concepts and theories about Russell and Marty but you actually put it into words.
Man you just helped me to put my vague perspective of cohle into words
That even I couldn't have done this perfectly
one of the best break down of chole... one of my favourite characters in tv, he never makes you think
My favorite season of television. I was depressed and impressionable when I seen the first season. It really made me realize shit isn't all about me. We're a speck in the cosmos and we only mean something to each other. Do what you like to do and what makes you happy because you are not here long, and it won't mean anything when you're gone.
I forgot to mention this is a very well executed video. Hit the nail and all that.
Well said. Each human is one amongst billions. No one person is all that special. Do what you enjoy, indeed, and don't worry about what others are doing or what they may think of you.
The gentleman who gives the epilogue, speaks so eloquently of his ego death, that I was put into my feels. McConaughey's portrayal of Rustin Cohle, soothed my red neck soul, too. It redeemed the chivalrous deeds of our long, lost forebears. Well done. ❤
Great edit with the interviews and all, man. Also, very interesting that McCoghnauhey also seems Rust as a superhero because in this day age having a deeper sense of reality is truly a heroic trait. Great video.
Summed up really really well!!
I think when we see life from this POV, that we are here to act the story, no matter good or bad, it will happen anyway
and after this acceptance, you really start to appreciate the tiny moments of happiness and glory and peace no matter how often it happens
you won't look for equal balance you won't care to balance.
As someone who has studied philosophy and theology extensively, I loved the character of Cohle and what he represents. Behind all of his negative philosophy of the human condition, he is just a man in extreme pain due to what he did to his own child. It's all a mask really, created by a highly intelligent man trying to make sense of his own life after experiencing perhaps the greatest loss and greatest sin any parent has suffered. This is a man so in pain, so broken he has created his own hell, his own reason for it, and ultimately makes it his reason to live. To live only to serve his own punishment upon himself.
He didn't do anything to his own child. Sorry if you imagimed that. His bleak world view could partly be explained by hanging out with cartels and seeing the worst of humanity as a homocide detective.
@@isakregal1879 You are correct. What happened is his daughter was run over by a car and killed but does not give specifics. This also led to the disillusion of his marriage and the impetus of his nihilism.
This is outstanding! One of the best and most insightful videos I’ve seen. Great job!
I was an atheist for most of my adult life and then something significant happened, and now I'm not. But yeah, I know that struggle for meaning. and truth. Your essay is marvelously done. Good for you.
Same here brother. You need a crutch to go on.
Resonating so much with this show, and your thoughts as well. Psychologist and theologists can define Cohle character however they want, it doesn’t change the fact that he did the right thing and didn't give a damn about what is conventical or accepted by society. That's a true Hero in my eyes.
My search history: “Alexandra Daddario + cake”
But seriously loved this, sweet video! (cake pun)
I watched TD season one when it came out in 2014. I just lost my mother to a tragedy and ended up connecting with his character very deeply. Still the best single season of television ever written and acted, in my opinion.
….watching this show when it was new was…awesome. I don’t think I’d ever seen something that gave me so much to contemplate. Watching it now that I have a child…and understanding the depth of the love I feel for him…I now completely understand how and why Rust was changed so dramatically after his daughter’s tragic death. And then the loss of his marriage. I would never EVER be the same again if I lost by young son. Jesus.
I think about this all the time. I don’t know how anyone would ever recover from that and not just fall into nihilism. The love for a child is something else.
Excellent, just wonderfully organized and communicated. I thoroughly enjoyed your insight and found your expression of what is undoubtedly a foreign and, understandably, for most folks, a complex philosophy or outlook on the meaning of existence and our place in it refreshing and quite moving. It is something I wish I found more of on these sites. The intermingling of film clips, precisely chosen to compliment your analysis was well thought out and executed. Unfortunately, it is as rare as it is poignant, and I wanted to let you know it is recognized and appreciated
I was 18 years old when I got introduced to Rust. You can Imagine what kind of an impact a character like Rust can make on a teenager. He has stayed in my psyche ever since.
I commend you. I know how crazy an 18 y.o. life can be. I watch my granddaughter of same age in her angst, and wish she could want to watch true detective.. but she’s not ready and it’s all anguish.
You’re amazing!
Very well done. What an incredible character and one of the best shows I've ever seen. I'm always searching for more shows like this first season, but there is very little that even gets close to this level of excellence.
A pessimist is simply a realist dealing with experience.
Subscribed a little less than half way through. The precision and timing of the beauty of the original content, is unmatched.
Great work.
Thank you for the breakdown, amazing to see your insight on it all. There's an element of channelling one's nihilistic thoughts into a purpose for existence which seems to be the same archetype for every anti hero. Not that they chose to be that way but end up being that way because of what they realize/become
Why you don’t have over a million followers is beyond me. This video was amazing and your deep dive into Rust was thought provoking
We are like beads on a string. Twirling, tumbling and falling ever forward, trapped on an inherently predetermined path strung by the primal forces of cause and effect. Every atom in it's place playing out an atomic pool game.
A cog within a cog within a cog in an indifferent, mechanical world mindlessly ticking forward. There is no purpose, no meaning and no choices. Only self inflicted delusions. Our lives are dust, settling gently amongst the chaos of nothing.
This is the final and absolute truth.
Alright, alright, alright
so fuck the rules.
let's go wild.
i doubt that
something i love about the clip where Matthew McConaughey describes Rust is that he speaks about him like he's a real person. goes to show the dedication that made that season so great.
I wish I could watch True Detective for the first time again
I vibe very strongly with him, i have an inclination to realism that given the state of the world tends to move towords pessimism, but despite of all the bad stuff, keep moving and try to make at least a tiny bit beter and focusing on the little positive things to be found is an active choice that has to be inspired. I got my inspiration when my attempt to x myself failed.
Our pessimism both is to a good part born out of empathy, but the only empathetic thing to do is to cling to it no matter what, even in a very dark wold, no pain and no act of kinfness is ever meaningless. Just because most things are doomed to enf and often badly does not excuse not trying and wctivly causing others to suffer
best role ever written & played.
I've purposely walked the lonely path for about 16 years now. Very little relationships, zero love life. However, my existence is a light to many people in my life. The first time I saw TD and met Rust Cole, I knew I didnt feel alone or think alone anymore. The internal battle of good and evil is forever ongoing but watching coles life and actions just shows living in the light is possible
Perhaps you mean living AS the light, as a sovereign being? That was to me what Rust represented.
I really liked this video. Your choice of words and the way you explained and conveyed everything was just on spot. Rust choles character has made me think alot about religion and the world 🌎 in itself. I think these types of characters are very complex and to get to know and understand them is really interesting. This character was well made. I really liked every bit of this shows first season.
Very thought provoking video, really appreciate you giving me a new lens to view the show through and some interesting perspectives on life to juggle with
I always viewed rust as a stoic of sorts carrying on in spite of the nature of the universe. He knows the corruption and horror for what it is. He is deeply troubled by it and makes him unable to live like most people. But he knows that it is his burden to bear so that others don’t have to know the truth of the world. He accepts that he can take it while others can’t and that it is his role.
I don't know if you'll read this - but it sounds like when you left your faith you experienced derealization. It shares lots of similarities with an existential crisis, but is its own thing - a disassociative response to a traumatic thing. It can be long term, episodic, or a once off experience. I had it a few years back, and knowing that others do too and that there's a word for it really helped.
Well put. Rust is definitely is the most realistic Hero, not like Marvel or DC champs
Phenomenal video. Articulated so well that perspective some of us arent able to shake. Still trying to figure out how to integrate it 🤙
Rust Colhe and Arthur Morgan are my two favourite characters ever written.
strong agree