Beginnings of a YouTuber

Lauren opens by explaining her past as a lonely middle schooler who started making YouTube videos at the age of 13. Her basis for resuming video creation now is grounded in the philosophy of Utilitarianism, aiming to increase net happiness or at least not contribute negatively to the total suffering in the world.

Motivations for Content Creation

She provides insight into her decision-making process through a self-made happiness-to-suffering chart. Her primary motivation is the documentation power of videos, which enables her to capture her development over time, creating a rich archive of her life that she could reflect on with future wisdom. Another driving factor Lauren identifies is the concept of constancy: creating a stable, supportive element in one’s life to provide comfort during adversity.

Potential Impact and Self-Expression

Lauren highlights the ability of YouTube channels to be relatable and influential. Even the prospect of reaching out and connecting with just one person makes the public posting of videos worthwhile. Making YouTube videos public grants the creator the potential to positively influence others.

Overcoming Fears and Doubts

She then addresses common fears like judgment and rejection, pondering whether she would even value the opinions of those who might reject her over her content. Lauren also contemplates professional consequences, such as admissions committees rejecting her, if they were to watch her videos.

Acceptance and Actualization

Lastly, Lauren talks about the importance of accepting oneself and the liberating feeling that comes with embracing the part of herself that creates content. She concludes by urging those who desire to create YouTube content to do so, as it would increase their happiness and likely have a positive impact on the overall happiness in the world.