So, I had seen Myra West’s famous YouTube video about not having any friends on my suggested for a while, but I just didn’t really think about it. I finally watched it the other day, and I immediately resonated with her so much. I went on to watch some more of her videos, and I absolutely adore how authentic she is and how much effort she puts into these for her viewers. This is the kind of content creator that people need to celebrate more than those who just show off how rich they are.
She does show things from her daily experiences, she talks earnestly from her experience, and she tries to offer helpful advice to people about things like making friends and dating. She does not act like a victim, either. She really is just trying to earnestly understand her experiences and trying to help others understand theirs, also.
She actually said in one of her videos that she wants to help other people and that she loves to hear that her videos have helped someone. Her videos have already helped me quite a bit with my own confidence because they remind me that I’m not the only one struggling with modern dating or struggling with being insecure. The frustration that she expresses in these and other videos is totally understandable in a world where people can be so judgmental and dismissive to people, sometimes after only seeing them for five seconds online.
One disclaimer I have is that I don’t want to be negative about any content creators unless they are being gross or something. However, it seems like people praise YouTubers and streamers who don’t actually offer content that is helpful to us as humans. I sometimes feel like I am watching a character when I see some Youtubers. Some of the popular ones seem unreal in some way, especially the ones that do dumb stunts, spend tons of money and do “hauls,” or make their entire channel be about drama. I guess there is nothing wrong with “tea” channels; they can be calming to listen to. However, they do not always offer positive, helpful content. Now obviously, I watch some of these, or I wouldn’t be able to comment this. So, I’m not saying don’t watch them. My point is that I just wish we praised channels more that are trying to be helpful to other people.
And I don’t mean by way of “virtue signaling” or moralizing. Myra just talks about what she has seen or experienced, and she kind of just chats with her audience. I love channels where it feels like I am just going to sit down and let off steam with a friend, which is definitely what Myra’s channel feels like. She does not heap judgment or act like she is better than anyone. She just keeps it real.
Another aspect I noticed about her videos is that, while she doesn’t heap on effects or filters, she does put in editing effort. Some of her videos are just a single shot of her sitting in her car, which is perfect for that the videos do. However, she does other videos such as her “This Is Me at 25” video in which she edits many shots and pieces of footage together in a very artful way. I would love to see her make an actual film-length work because some of her camera work, transitions, and choices of shots are perfect. I feel like she could end up doing something pretty huge. Her channel is already top tier, though.
I saw someone post something critical about videos like the “no friends” video; I cannot remember if they mentioned her or not. We have indeed seen the “no friends” theme from a few other Youtubers, though they usually seem to be more obscure pages. I don’t see the sense in being critical in such a video. I think it speaks to people wanting to visit difficult topics and offer comfort to those like me out here who really do struggle with making friends and dating. It inspires empathy, too, something that I feel is lacking more and more with younger generations. All you have to do is look at the comment sections of some of these to know that people resonate with them.
One other similar video that I watched was from a YouTube page called “Girl in a Blue Dress,” who has not posted in over two years now; her last video was June 4, 2022. (I hope she is doing okay and that maybe she will post again one day.) If you watch her “no friends” video, just be prepared; she gets very upset, so it might be triggering for some people. However, like I alluded to earlier, people were so sweet and kind to her in her comment section. I saw that and felt hope for the universe. It has been a while since I have watched her videos, to be honest; she only has about four or five videos in total on her page.
In terms of both of those YouTube channels, I saw a person trying to simply reach out and do something for humanity. So, I highly recommend both channels.
Talk soon! :)
-Josee