Channel Showcase: PBS Idea Channel

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As much as I hate to say it, the Internet isn’t exactly known for it’s… intellectual conversations. In fact, the Internet is known to be a place full of useless banter on useless topics. Not to state the obvious, but Youtube is part of the Internet, and therefore, the generalization carries over to Youtube. Although I’m not saying that the Internet is rid of these types of meaningless banter, (I’m looking at you, Reddit) there are plenty of intellectual hotspots floating around the Internet that can be exploited for full enjoyment. One of these is the channel PBS Idea Channel, run by Mike Rugnetta.

De-facto philosopher-in-residence of the Internet Mike Rugnetta hosts and writes the channel, taking seemingly ridiculous questions regarding topics such as culture, gaming, and technology, and puts a totally legit philosophical and intellectual twist on them. No matter what topic he chooses for the video, ranging from Super Mario Bros Is The World’s Greatest Piece Of Surrealist Art to Are LOLCats and Internet Memes Art?, PBS Idea Channel’s videos always make you think introspectively about how use the Internet and the general themes of modern culture.

For instance, the video shown above, Are LOLCats and Internet Memes Art?, is a great example of taking a seeming easy to answer questions and turning it into an intellectual (one-way) conversation. I mean, come on. How could internet memes possibly be art. For many people, memes are considered the lowest form of entertainment, besides for watching paint dry, but Mike makes the argument that memes are actually a form of artistic expression readily available to the masses. Using famous artists and philosophers such as Tolstoy, Aristotle and more to further push forward the idea. Of course, it wouldn’t be philosophy if he didn’t consider both sides of the argument, using views of what isn’t and is art from Kant and Hume (both philosophers) to argue that memes aren’t a true expression of emotion. Very interesting on the whole, and it certainly does make you think.

Not only does Idea Channel tackle topics related to the Internet, but ones that science fiction writers and tech aficionados have been trying to answer for decades, such as How Powerful Are Algorithms?, Is Developing AI Ethical? and more. Not only are every single one of Idea Channel’s videos incredibly interesting, but they all address the question at hand so well it’s amazing that nobody before thought about, say, the profound effects of Super Mario Bros on the landscape of surrealist art.

Overall, PBS Idea Channel is the place to go if you want a refreshing dose of common sense, knowledge, and philosophy before diving back into the uncharted realm of the Internet. The range of topics that are covered on Idea Channel means that there’s something for everyone. And even if you don’t have an opinion on the certain topic Mike covers in any one video, it’s always interesting just to sit back and watch him debate and educate you on a certain topic and argument. A great channel, with great content. This channel alone proves that the Internet is still sprinkled with thoughtful and intellectual people, and that philosophy about the state of popular culture that started in the Renaissance isn’t quite dead yet.

 

 

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