So...
I've watched, over the past few months, dozens of YouTube videos a day it seems so that may have something to do with my "YouTube burnout" (if it is one) but it seems as though YouTube videos especially teach you nothing, certainly not compared to written content or articles or even books. I have the videos on in the background when I'm doing something. I have tried to put more focus to actually, well, consuming the content or media in a way that's more mindful and where I am edified. Maybe I'm trying too hard, but a lot of what I'm watching seems a bit superfluous or whatever.
All art or content or products have this problem, to a point, I think, but at times, it seems that videos are either there to sell me something (bad, at least in my case, because I like retail therapy) or maybe "hook me" into something (not necessarily bad, perhaps, as it can be pretty innocuous and even fun, depending on what they're motivating you to get into, such as a hobby).
And I have to say:
I'm starting to see this in documentaries to, to a point.
I feel like visual media has this problem a lot.
And yeah, I know it's a "D'oh!" moment for me because, honestly, of course they're a bit sparse on details or info compared to, say, books and written text.
But...
I feel like I'm not getting stuff out of it? Like, I ask: "What are they hiding? What are they not showing?"
Am I just paranoid? It's one thing to contemplate this sometimes, but every time I watch a video now?
Maybe I am just burnt out on YouTube LMAO!!
(I will say that one thing I miss are videos that are 2 to 5 to 10 to maybe 20 or 30 minutes long instead of these LONG videos that seem, erm, "useless," from my point of view.)
Pick a youtube video where you think you are learning something... and then write a bullet point essay on it by hand from the perspective of things you are interested in (or even just general critique), with further questions for research in the margins or in parantheses.
If you wanted to make a regular thing about this then get a blank/lined/square (squared is sometimes better for diagrams and what not) notebook, leave the first two pages blank for the contents section. Every page gets a number and you title the essays - write that title in the contents page with with its corresponding page number so you have a reference - and as you write your essay you can reference other essays you have done.
This will slow down how much youtube you watch, you will be more selective about what you watch, and you will find learning/retention accelerate. And hopefully get rid of the burn out feeling.
Then you can write essays on your essays (say a theme or a new idea or analysis you have picked from parts of other essays). And if you feel any of them are good enough then upload them to say substack or medium etc. Then critique those essays you have written, let's say in 6 months time.
With stock footage and videos, and even AI (or personally shoot videos/animate), you could turn the essays into youtube videos yourself.
Or you know... don't watch youtube :)