Birds Do Not Sing in Caves 

STORE: horses.land/

there is something cosmically, hilariously absurd having this video get interrupted by a loud burger king ad

To make a title and thumbnail so vague and interesting at the same time is an advanced form of art

Well, this wasn't about birds.

I've never met a horse that knew so much about philosophy, let alone horses. Nice work.

Do not recommend watching this, this was not an in depth, scientific breakdown of why birds do not sing in caves. 😔

My friend ended his life a few years ago. The last thing he put on Facebook was a quote from Thoreau about living deliberately, he read a lot of philosophy. He couldn’t reconcile his values and desire for meaningful life with the reality of modern living, just as this video explores. Miss u always Ben and thank you Horses x

As someone from the Appalachian mountains who now goes to uni in a city, it is horrendous. It truly feels like cities drain everyone of their humanity. We are all stuck in this check of materialism and consumerism and distraction. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this. You articulated that which I have had on my mind for a long time.

When I became unemployed I was cut off from the daily grind of progress. However, I have not gained any insight nor revelation from it: I am merely worried for my future. I would not recommend this to anyone. One must remember that when Thoreau wrote Walden he was independently wealthy and did not need to worry supporting himself, nor a family. For the rest of us the life is not so simple.

It is so comforting to know that I am not simply delusional, and that minds like these have existed for so long, and continue to believe and hold hope for that dawn, so to speak. I cannot explain the helplessness I feel in the presence of all those I love and who love me, as they tell me that the only path forward is "progress" while I try to explain to them that I suffer while contributing to a system that I do not believe in. People ask me "well how else are you to live?" and having no answer to such a question seems to instantly invalidate my struggle to be a part of a world that I find no joy in. Sometimes I really do wish I was ignorant of my ignorance; it would be easier to simply participate. But when they ask "how else are you going to live?" the only thing I can bring to mind is "this is not living for me." I do not understand the idea that I should conform to being miserable and unfulfilled just so that I can continue to be miserable and unfulfilled for the rest of my life. And I am continually asked "well what else are you going to do?" and I think this is the trap that captures so many of us into the belief that we must conform and contribute to what is generally accepted in life, or we simply die. No wonder so many of us when asked this question think "well, I could just stop living." This has been at the forefront of my mind for so long. I have already put forth my refusal to simply end my existence to escape this cycle because I know there is another choice out there for those of us who simply wish to know ourselves, to believe in something better, and have faith in ourselves as the arbiters of our own destinies. In this cycle we do not get a choice, it is always obey or die. At the same time, I must also assert my refusal to feed my time, energy, passion, etc. to a system that sees me as a resource and nothing more. I am not a piece of a machine and no one else should be forced to be so either. I am just sick of the illusion of choice and the idea that cogs which do not fit are no longer of use and do not deserve the same sort of dignity as those who don't question the purpose of it all and simply go along because they can, because they are still able, and still viable for use. I am just not sure as to how I will find my Walden Pond; how I will go about sustaining in a world that sees a choice for the betterment of self and individuality and hope as laziness, and an excuse for my current shortcomings. In this world that I am constantly told that my value lies in my use. I don't want to be valuable anyways. I just want to be alive and appreciate being so. But the general consensus seems to be that my ideology implies that I expect everything in this world to be handed to me and that I should never suffer or feel hardship. I want to feel real suffering and real hardship that actually engages my human mind and empathy. I want to live in a world where I consume the fruits of my labors. My problems stem from living as a square peg that is being insisted upon to cut myself down so that I fit in the round hole but I refuse to shear away what bits of me make me real, make me myself, make me love and appreciate and feel things instead of just blocking out the horrors of modernity and progress just so that I can make ends meet in my own continuous nightmare. I really needed this video right now because honestly, I feel like my flame has been going out, like I might simply delude myself into believing that if I follow all these instructions, do the work, make the money, rinse and repeat, that I would find happiness once achieved. The problem isn't the participation; it's the fallacy that giving in and doing what society prescribes is a simple route to happiness. And finding myself there, fully disillusioned, when I realize that I am still not fulfilled by what I've been told all of my life is the only true way to be, and that I cannot wish for more than that. I know that there is more.

I have watched my father grow old, I have watched his rage turn into sadness and self pity. My mind constantly plays out the fictional scenario where I will say goodbye to him one last time, as I live my life knowing that with each passing day that moment grows closer. Yet, I remain standing upon this earth knowing that the things that weigh down his heart are not my only inheritance. For I know that love and patience and compassion are the best I can do for a stranger that is someone else’s child, and perhaps it is the only thing we can give that truly matters.

I once went up in the Appalachians on vacation. My wife and I stopped in a small shop selling hand made brooms. It was a small cabin off the beaten path on the way to our cabin we were staying in. The brooms there were beautiful. The quality was amazing. We bought one as decoration, in fact. But what stuck with me the most was the words of the father running the shop. "This buisness has been passed down to me by my father, his father, and the father before him. I want nothing more to pass it down to my only son, but he moved to the city, went to university, and took a wife. I'm still hopeful that someday he'll return home and continue out family history." I still think of this situation philosophically. The son can be seen as the farmer who receives the pressure of obligation, however I hope that one day the son sees his father's broom shop as his Walden.

You've become my favorite modern essay writer, this musing was as insightful as the biographies you do. I liked the section on Walden, reading Walden made an impression on me when I was working a miserable corporate job and it gave me the courage to leave it. It shocked me later to read some critics describe Walden as a satire; I believe Thoreau was being frank. "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately"

i found my own solitude from may-october of this past year within a shack in the woods placed in the forests of british columbia. no power, no plumbing, no ease of access to food. similar to thoreau, i went to the nearest town for supplies and to visit a friend or two here and there. during this time i truly realized how meaningless and counterintuitive life in a city and the distractions we place value in truly are. after countless battles with myself over loneliness, frustration, and past regrets, i found what was most important to me. this was my loved ones and the freedom i have to live life and discover myself. i found beauty in the smallest of things: blades of grass, clouds, the air we breath, the smiles of strangers. this life we live is truly a miracle and i wish for everyone to have the chance to find that joy in this world

I am from a small town. I went to SF when I was 16 and needed to find an ATM in. The atm was located on a 40 ft long, bald, wall - monochrome except for the bank logo and, about 15 ft in from the left, an atm. In front of this urban canvas were two things: A line of busy cityfolk with wrankled faces and, right near the blank wall itself, a dead homeless man. The busy people were stepping around and over the body to get to their destinations, inches away from the decay. His organs had already expunged and his death fluids were running down the slight incline of the recently powerwashed sidewalk. It was a wide sidewalk and, avoiding the corpse entirely seemed a simple thing however, they were making a point to get as close as possible while denying his extinction- to make a grotesque point of ignoring him. He was the first thing I noticed. I began shouting and gesturing that there was a dead man there. Dead! Another human dead on the ground, what is wrong with all of you? They seemed to wake up for a moment, sheepish at being caught in their little game of leap the corpse. Cities are true solitude, true disregard.

coming from a stranger it might not seem like much, but what you’re doing here is incredibly wonderful and you should be very proud of it

So many years of clickbait and obvious titles have gotten me used to it, but this video was the freshest breath of air that I've experienced on this site in a long time.

What a strange experience this was. Here I am, unable to sleep due to the stress of what I am doing with my life, doomscrolling youtube. The thumbnail caught me for a split second before I scrolled on, and then I paused. I felt intrigue. I had no idea what to expect, but I knew that phrase about birds singing in caves would stay in my head. So I went back, and clicked it, and it was exactly what I needed to hear. This perfectly sums up my internal conflict with a desire for connectivity while also a desire for solitude. This will probably be one of the most important videos I've seen. Thank you.

I'm fairly certain this is the only essay channel on youtube that entices me so much that I go to the description to find sources, and am met with a pleasant new list of cited reading material. On to the local book store.

22:22 "it will be a great tragedy to work ones entire life for a better world, while ones own backyard remains a mess" Dam.. That line hit me like a fuking freight train..

I can't begin to describe how glad I am that I clicked on this video. I've been feeling the same way, but things are backwards for me. I feel like I was born at my Walden Pond, and every day that passes it seems the world gets closer and closer to pulling me away by force. I am in my mid 20s, I cannot drive, I do not have any insurance, and my teeth are beginning to rot. I am not ready to face this world, as I feel like I've barely had any chance to truly grow up, and I am becoming more and more aware of serious, deeply-rooted mental difficulties that will prevent me from surviving on my own. Without insurance to get a proper diagnosis, and without the funds to get such insurance, I'm not sure what I'm going to do. This video gave me a bit of peace, so thank you.

This video might have radicalized me

Channels like this are the true value of RU-vid: the free, unfettered access to reasoned thought, without the limitation of commerce. Thank you for this video; I'm now a new subscriber.

Babe wake up Horses made a new video

23:23 until the end made me cry because I don’t either but understood and related to all of it

Hi horses I recently found your channel and just wanted to say thanks for doing what you do. I know you mentioned you hadn’t made any impact on the world but for the little time I’ve followed your videos my life has changed for what I believe is to be the better. I’m less hard on myself, more subconsciously open to ideas that I didn’t know I was opposed to, and more intrigued at all facets of myself that I have deliberately and accidentally neglected. You’ve made an impact on me, and I’m certain many others share that sentiment. Thank you

The title and thumbnail give off the vibes of one of those one in a billion books that are talked about to this day. With themes so deep and real they touch your heart and soul forever after you read them.

I’ve been listened all of horses videos on repeat for the last week while at work. Excitement and joy filled my morning seeing I have a new video to listen and work to

bruh how have you been pumping out so much stuff out this year already??? crazy shit loved the Merlin video!

Kinda needed this today, found myself in one of those nameless dark corners of the internet today. Reduced to gawking at some of the horrific things we humans do to one another. Accompanied only by the guilt of knowing I can’t stop any of it, I can only choose to close the tab. There’s a spark of light in what you’re creating here. I find a bit of solace in it. The description of the man at the start (and the situation as a whole) took me as close to that point in time without being there, vividly described and superbly written. I know people say your channels one of their favourite new finds of the year quite often, but your videos (which I listen to regularly in my monotonous line of work) cover such a rich variety of topics and are so well presented that I simply CANNOT go another video without writing a simple (and BEYOND well-deserved) thank you.

Your approach has just given me an existential crisis and life enlightenment simultaneously. In other words: THANK YOU!

So glad I've stumbled upon your channel. You're blissful to listen to. Voive, tempo, scripts. Hits just the right notes for me. Keep up the solid work!

I have been on a journey of self discovery for a while, your videos have given me a lot to think and ponder on about myself and the world around us. Please keep them coming, keep us thinking, and help us remember that not all is lost, we can become more.

I was just watching a video about people not knowing you can eat fruits off of a tree. There were workers eating apples off of a clients tree and client said "hey I don't want to alarm you but your workers are eating apples off of my tree." Employee says "sorry they should have asked before doing that" Client says "no I mean those are not eating apples because they were growing on a tree." And the client didn't realize that's where fruit comes from. They thought it came from the store and those were eating apples.

I love the VHS stock footage, so casual, transient. Neglected yet yearned ❤

Wow this is honestly the most profound channel I’ve ever come across. I share many of the same sentiments towards society & the world, yet you articulate it in a poetic way I could never imagine ❤

Yet another video of yours that made me think, your essays are so thought provoking and insightful, amazing work.

Watched your Q&A vid from a couple of months ago and like many others surprised to find a young man with no more education than my own. As a guy beyond 60 years of age I’m qualified to say , you are wise well beyond your years. Brilliant work, you have a bright present and future if you so desire.

I’m so glad I found this channel, there is no other content that comes even close than the type of content you get here. Thanks for the perspective shift 💯

What a great channel! A real gemstone in the sludge.

Everytime I watch a video from horses, I'm completely blown away. As a youtuber and video essay writer myself, I try to learn from him and absorb as much as I can, then he blows me away again. This is probably my 2nd favourite video after the Marcus aurelius one

The art is too good. I've gotta watch once to appreciate the art and again to pay attention to the content! Another excellent video. I'm so happy you covered Thoreau.

I'd trade everything for a cabin in the woods. Unfortunately my everything is about $97,000 and the cabin in the woods is going for not less than $400,000. I can't afford to Walden.

This video is beautiful. I don’t have much to say, I’m not a poet; but I audibly said “beautiful” once it finished. Truly a masterpiece horses, thank you

This video was life changing for me. Got me to read a bit of Walden. It’s beautiful. Thank you so much for making this wonderful piece of art.

I really enjoy your videos, especially the prose. You’ve gotten me to challenge the way I think and I really appreciate it. Also, I appreciate the 4:3 aspect ratio, as someone who grew up in the 80s and 90s, it feels comfortable.

You have no idea how much I needed to listen to this video today. Thank you so much.

What a deeply, profoundly moving piece of art. Every upload of yours is incredible.

The opening...I saw Comisky Park or whatever they call it now and before u said the word Chicago I already knew. That's my hometown. I love this channel. The quality and the narration is outstanding. 👍

The only channel I click on immediately when I see a new upload

Your writing always makes me want to write again desperately, but only after taking a long walk in my woods and reading some Camus. Really makes me miss school, and reminds me I was creatively and intellectually ambitious once. I'm so grateful for your entire channel.

I love your editing style and aesthetic. It makes me nostalgic for memories I'm not even sure exist.

It was quite ironic to get a work call around the 1035 mark, dragging me back to a focus on the lives we are given and the obligations therein. I am fortunate, the work is work I love. I've been given the rare chance to take the time to find what I enjoy, not just what is thrust upon me. But even when trying to enjoy a piece about solitude and self actualization I am pulled back to this chaos we've created. Going to watch the rest now, this a wonderful and enlightening video so far. Thank you for doing what you do.

The title is fitting. It's not obvious at first, or even at all to probably some people. But it definitely works with what this video is about and who it is for. Thank you. ❤

Your videos have inspired me to start making my own. Love the aesthetics and the vibe - as well as the content of course!

I'm really thankful that you started uploading your videos in a 4:3 aspect ratio, makes it more enjoyable to consume on older displays.

Your work brings me a calm in a modern life of nonstop motion. Thanks, Horses.

If I could give you a Pulitzer, I would. You are one amazing Artist. 🕊️

I am just blown away by this. This really hits home with the way i am feeling and where I am in my life just now. That closing statement is just beautiful. I am really hoping that the dawn will be waiting for me.

Michael, I just have to say man, you have a beautiful mind and your video essays have been a huge inspiration to me. Thank you for doing the work you do ❤

0:00-0:30 made my ears perk up immediately as a Chicago south sider(currently) at work in the Loop

i dont see many mentioning it but i love the 4:3 aspect ratio i honestly think its ideal for most modern devices

So happy to see this channel exponentially grow recently. More than well deserved.

I love you with all my philosophical heart.

There goes not a day by on which you can not wake up and choose what is right yet more demanding, as opposed to wallowing in own laziness

Extremely thought provoking, thank you for making this video as with all of your videos. You have a talent and gift for this.

Thank you very much for your video essays. They are inspiring and always a joy to watch.

this channel is so special. the way you set up dominos then knock them down only to unveil a wonderous pattern is beyond captivating. I truly appreciate you and your videos.

what a phenomenal video... its like an entire semester worth of class but in just 24 minutes. will def need to rewatch more not just for cemented understanding but the artful telling

Thank you. This channel, and this video in particular, is tremendous.

This is the best video ever. It put into words things I've been feeling for a while now. I quit my corporate job because, while it provided security, I felt like there must be something more to life than waking up, clocking in, eating, sleeping, and looking forward to those 1-2 vacations a year. But I couldn't say it so elegantly as this video did. Horses is probably my fav channel on youtube, I love the writing

Damn a new one after 2 weeks? Woah

We buy and sell commodities for profits, ignoring the fact that we ourselves are the commodity. There is no dollar amount equal to any amount of time. One is fictitious and the other an inescapable reality of being mortal. This idea expands into other comparisons, such as the intrinsic and ecological value of a tree does not equate to an abstract numerical value that some profiteer deems it worthy. The entire system is riddled with inadequacy and flawed logic, yet we cling to this sinking ship for fear that we have forgotten how to swim away. I'm glad more and more of these types of videos are surfacing and that these concepts are being reborn into today's zeitgeist. There couldn't be a more appropriate time for this way of analyzing and critiquing the world as it is around us. An ideology we've all been spoon-fed from birth. Nice work ✌️

This channel has helped me through some hard times… love the content!

This is the only page that I accept notifications for. I wish I had a friend like you, I love discussing topics like this. Thanks, friend in my head :)

Yea yea, I read Camus too

The system is a mess. We are slaves to those who are themselves slaves. The blind leading the blind. Everyone at the top feasts while those at the bottom wonder how they'll ever have enough to afford a home. It's not sustainable, and it's not going to last.

My cousin showed me this YT channel and I immediately subscribed. This video went into my favorites.

I love this channel so very much, thank you Michael

Unpopular opinion. Some people do not want help. I lived on the streets for a while. You would be surprised how many homeless people don’t care to live by society’s rules so they live on the streets. We pass people living on the streets and we create our own perception of what we think is happening but some people on the streets do not want help. I met a homeless man once and we were talking, he told me he would get arrested every winter just to get free meals and a place to sleep (his words, not mine). I asked why not go to a home. He said he wanted to live life his way without rules. He wanted to drink and smoke whenever he wanted to without people in his business. Despite what some might think, If you do a full research you’ll find that Americans are the most giving and charitable people to the less fortunate the world over.

One of the big myths in todays society is, imo, the myth that markets promote innovation and that improve the quality of life.. Thats not it, its been repeatedly shown through studies that innovation has nothing to do with markets.. And worse yet, its been proven repeatedly that markets kneecap both of these things instead.. I dunno why i felt compelled to write this, but i did..

this is the content that makes me conscience of my blood flowing and excited for what’s to come from my actions! thank you

This is the single rawest piece of media art I have viewed on this platform. I am very glad to have found it. Thank you, Horses.

We're communal animals that are extremely reliant on each other. Our society, culture, and values are a reflection of who we are in the present and past. We are intrinsically attached to our environments, as we are both are products of and the shapers of our environment. Humans are almost paradoxically impossibly complex beings who are very easy to lead or control. If you see a suffering homeless person and wonder why society did this, then you should ask why didn't you help. Did you consider that it might be hard to help the homeless? Did you consider that they might be violent, dangerous, or belligerent? I'm not implying that homeless people deserve the lives they lead, but you should consider that helping the homeless is not an easy or simple task. As for society at large, did you not consider that the socially oppressed are also the oppressors? In modern society we're so incredibly connected that you can instantly create a new microcosm on social media where your ideas can be shared, heard, and appreciated by others with similar mind sets. Absolutely ironic that you label technology as a limiting factor of human expression, while expressing and teaching your philosophy through reach impossible without technology. Ultimately I think this video presents an insanely self-centered view of life. The whole world doesn't revolve around you. Yes the train arrives at 8 AM, and you get to the train or suffer the consequences. Do you expect society to baby you and carry you through your entire life? You could die an in instant at no fault of your own through accident/tragedy, and your biggest concern is that you feel forced to live a life that you think you may not want. You should be inspired by the fragility of life and the opportunities you have to do something with it. You don't have very much time and spending it feeling lost in a pointless existence is a wonderful opportunity that's afforded to you. Not long ago most humans suffered brutality at the hands of the system with no recourse. You live in a time where you have the ability to build something you can be proud of. You should be fighting every day for a beautiful dream. Whether the train is a prison bus or an opportunity is only down to your mentality. At the end of the day society only gets better when men and women can plant and nurture trees which will never offer them shade. It doesn't matter how connected you are to nature spiritually, you'll still become a part of it one day. It doesn't matter how much life you lived only for yourself fostering human spirit. You are in your right to live as selfishly as you want, but I would encourage people to live for the future. Not their future.

I truly cannot overstate my appreciation of this channel. Your voice, your visual style, and your writing are all phenomenal and simultaneously bring both peace and a quiet longing for more (both more out of life, and more of your work). As a dissatisfied instrument of the system this video so sharply criticizes (I'm an investment banker), I increasingly find myself drawn to someplace quiet. I'm lonely but feel, maybe counterintuitively, that being alone would be an important first step to solving that problem. As far as reconciling your criticisms with your position on the Internet, I think it's quite easy to do. Art for art's sake can and should exist in the system you've imagined. Much like the tree is more than green leaves and brown bark, the essence of the canvas where your art lives is more than the wires and signals that bring it to our eyes and ears. Thank you for another powerful work of art.

This essay really changed and validated the way in which I already view the world. Thank you so much. Love this work!

My hobbies have never been dictated by the market. I do however like capitalism. The idea of milking my own cows makes me sad. I'd rather buy milk than milk a cow. I'd rather buy a shirt than try and sew my own. I'd rather buy a car than build my own. I am grateful to the people who do this and am happy to pay them for their work. They deserve it. Most people feel that way.

Did... Did I just get a merch ad before the video? I already pay for YT Premium. This is new? Hmm... I dun like that too much. I pay to avoid that.

this is a beautiful video man, excellent work. it’s about the simple things in life that truly make like worth living, and i really needed to hear this today. thank you for your invaluable words!

I want to send this to everyone I know, but then again, most of my friends wouldn’t give it more than 30 seconds to hit. You’re the most incredible RU-vid channel in a very long time. It’s truly incredible shit you do.

Excellent video. I really appreciate the time and effort you put into your videos. This one really hit me.

i genuinely appreciate your ability to create, very thoughtful and insightful

Absolutely incredible video. Thank you for citing these sources and explaining them.

I do not posses the rhetoric to express how much this video has touched me. All I can do is say thank you. Thank you for making this.

The title n the thumbnail alone are works of art. This video essay came at such an important time...Thank you for creating this ♥️

Wow never have I felt less free before. But this video is so perfect. From despair at the start to hope at the end. It’s really a spiritual journey through this video.

Thank you. 🦋 As I was contemplating the change-over of the past year to the new, the word "intentional" came to mind. I hope it stays with me for the next many months.

it's crazy how fast your channel is growing not only on subs but on quality, keep it going man!

Incredible, and as always artful, video. Thank you again. Walden taught me one huge lesson, which is that we're always spending something from within ourselves to get something. We're spending our soul when we work in cubicles and offices and influencing or whatever. How much of that soul we wish to spend is up to us, based on the inherent structures with which we were born. Most people spend it freely, and the free market takes full advantage of that, mercilessly. I spent a lot of my soul in my life. And then I decided to stop doing that. There's a way to get it back through one's work.

Your writing is beautiful and moving