Thanks to everyone who asked about our Patreon. I'll put out a full video when I get the time, but for those who want to jump the gun and get on board from the start, here's the link: www.patreon.com/rareearth It means a huge deal that so many have asked us to start an account. I never thought anyone would watch these videos, let alone support them.
The lesson at the end reminded me of a quote from an episode of Firefly that played out the scenario of a thief being touted as a hero. "It's my estimation that...every man ever got a statue made of him, was one kind of sumbitch or another. Ain't about you, Jayne. It's about what they (the community) need." ~Mal
Jayne! The man they call Jayne! He robbed from the rich and he gave to the poor. Stood up to the man and he gave him what for. Our love for him now, ain't hard to explain, The hero of Canton, the man they call Jayne!
I wish you guys had tied in the episode of Jaynestown episode of Firefly as a way of deconstructing how this happens in a condensed timeframe. I know your show is based on reality more so than works of fiction, but Jaynestown is like the perfect microcosm of the phenomena you're highlighting here. Love this series. So freaking much.
Love what you do but never read your credits before. Totally funny! Thanks! "Ive had the rooster song stuck in my head for weeks. Please send help!!!!" hahhaha
I'm born and bred Nottingham, UK and the breadth of fame that Robin Hood has always surprises me. Sure, we have 'The Major Oak' here - where he's said to have lived - along with a visitors centre, a couple of statues and Main Marian's grave. But, really, it's not that massively pushed as a tourism opportunity. A coastal town about 120 miles away - Robin Hood's Bay - pushes the tourism potential far more than his alleged home does! Amazing really.
"They say never meet your heroes, but I disagree. Meet _every_ hero, tear them down, analyze them, and in the end realize that you have the capacity to be a hero too." WOW. I freaking love that. That.... is more inspiring than anything else I've ever heard in my life. Because yea, no matter how much people life heroes up, they are still just people, with flaws and struggles like anyone else. People give up because they think themselves imperfect; not realizing that their heroes aren't either.
Thanks for the videos that make me think critically. There are no easy answers even if easy answers do tend to attract crowds. Set up a Patreon Evan, I'd love to give a little support this type of quality content even if it doesn't appeal to the masses.
Thanks Michael. Maybe over the Christmas Break I'll put something together that lets people support us. I don't like asking for money, but I could definitely use the community spirit to keep this feeling worthwhile.
I feel like youtuber "MR. Beast" is a great sort of modern iteration on the Robin Hood mythos. He's a philanthropist, but almost all his money basically comes from exploiting the algorithms, merch, and luck.
Referring to end titles: yeah, those guys are crazy inspiring (and you too!). Long live the arctic mission, that brought all of you together, right? :3 well done
RatBoy reminds me of the legendary Texas comedian Ron Shock whose career arc was roughly: 1) Seminary Student; 2) Car thief; 3) Army Explosive Expert; 4) Thief/Mobster; 5) Prisoner; 6) Publishing Executive (yowza); 7) Drug-Addled Outlaw Comic. Probably I missed a step or two.
because ratboy (robinhood), is the definition of anti-hero. he is imperfect like most of us, but still maintained "integrity" ..he chose to take on powerful people above him, risking his life in the process.. he even had the heart to share that money to the poor, instead of enjoying it by himself the badboy with principles / f*ck the authority attitude is what most people dream of doing, but never did anyone had the guts to pull off.
In my neighbourhood, a group of people threw stones at and robed a fancy butcher shop that had ridiculous prices, they gave the meat they stole to some of the people in my community. My family was given some sausages.
Wait, so cutting off the head of a thief was not just retribution? Also, Wallace was not a commoner, even in the movie. His dad was one of the Scottish leaders and his uncle was shown to be quite well off as well.
So it was the fact that they paraded the decapitated head through town pissed people off, or was decapitation an unjust way of killing common criminals? I don't think that ordering commoners to commit seppuku was the way justice was done...
It is not about justice, but whether the people see it as just. When the Samurai say they are just and honorable and then do a dishonorable thing by parading his head around, the people lose respect and see who they really are. As with all ruling elites.
As for the Wallace thing: there's a reason real Scots celebrate Robbie Burns Day and not William Wallace Day.... yet the movie made him out to be something other than he was.
Japan actually had two Robin Hood like characters. The other you didn't mention is Ishikawa Goemon. Tried to do the same thing of steal from the rich and give to the poor. Eventually got caught in an assassination attempt on Toyotomi Hideyoshi and was boiled alive with his son. It should be noted though there are many versions of what he was caught for and when he was executed.
I think Ned kelly is a example of the thief who was wronged by those above him. I would recommend doing one on him if you ever come to the land down under.
In Sweden the only similar figure i can think of is Erik Olov Älg, which was pretty recent, the winter of 1867, and isn't that wellknown except in the area where it happened, he was a poacher who shot moose on the lands belonging to forest magnates living in the cities who only hunted for sport, and in that winter there was an unusual amount of famine, so he poached a whole bunch of moose and gave to the poor, but this guy was actually real, although his name was obviously given to him by fame because Älg means Moose, but he had no real surname, but the guy was real there are even pictures of him.
If a 'noble thief' stole a billion dollars and produced a charitable foundation to accomplish the greatest potential good, it would still pale in significance to the potential good of a civilized people who are governed by themselves -- people who raise and oversee civilized, honorable, and accountable leadership. Unfortunately civility is always in short supply, and until humans choose en masse to become truly sentient beings, we may be stuck with hero/thieves as our best realistic option for a long time to come.
Not that I'm not loving all of these gems from Japan that I otherwise might never hear or learn about, but do you plan on visiting other parts of the world for more diverse Rare Earth videos?
Nice series, I'm enjoying it very much. Now, calling Enric Duran a Robin Hood of today, even an example, I think it's too much, and I'm Spanish so I guess I know a little about the story, not much but enough. Long story short, he faked documentation so he could ask for loans in several banks. He got almost half a million euros that way. He then said to be an activist but, really, to me he looked more like something else.
Great content. Amazing content. Just don’t thank people for their likes, it’s desperation embodied. If you make good content, they will like and subscribe.
Haven't we read Eric Hobsbawm and his works on "social banditry", (Primitive Rebels, 1959; Bandits, 1969) - illegal but popular among the lower classes of resistance against the oppressors; a primitive form of class struggle. Pablo Escobar is mentioned but what about the narcorridor narrative ballads?
Loved the addition of showing location and landmark's names, but found this many cuts to movies footage a bit distracting from your story. Still, a great episode as usual! And a shoutout to Destin and others was nice :)
My hero? How about the two entrepreneurial investors from Colorado in the movie "The Big Short" who figured out what was going on and made a killing in the '08 crash....
