# Damn, how many middle age white guys do "edutainment" videos on YouTube? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 11, 2020, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-how-many-middle-age-white-guys-do-edutainment-videos-on-youtube/920351 "2020-09-11T15:51:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-how-many-middle-age-white-guys-do-edutainment-videos-on-youtube/920351/1 "2020-09-11T15:51:29Z")
If there’s any evidence of institutional racism out there, that’s it. Where’s the diversity doing this stuff? There seems to be more of these than porn stars. Maybe I just get flooded because that’s what YouTube thinks I want to see (to be honest, that’s true). ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-how-many-middle-age-white-guys-do-edutainment-videos-on-youtube/920351/2 "2020-09-11T15:56:25Z")
Can you provide some examples of what you’re talking about? ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-how-many-middle-age-white-guys-do-edutainment-videos-on-youtube/920351/3 "2020-09-11T16:13:18Z")
Well, to name a few: [Technology Connections](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy0tKL1T7wFoYcxCe0xjN6Q) [Smarter Every Day](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1VLQPn9cYSqx8plbk9RxxQ) [Captain Dissolusion](https://www.youtube.com/user/CaptainDisillusion) [The King of Random (RIP)](https://www.youtube.com/user/01032010814) [Knowing Better](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8XjmAEDVZSCQjI150cb4QA) [Joe Scott](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-2YHgc363EdcusLIBbgxzg) [VSauce](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6nSFpj9HTCZ5t-N3Rm3-HA) [Tom Scott](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBa659QWEk1AI4Tg--mrJ2A) [Mark Rober](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY1kMZp36IQSyNx_9h4mpCg) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-how-many-middle-age-white-guys-do-edutainment-videos-on-youtube/920351/4 "2020-09-11T16:15:18Z")
> [@Ashtura](#): > > Maybe I just get flooded because that’s what YouTube thinks I want to see (to be honest, that’s true). I think that’s very much the case. I never see the makeup tutorials, for example, because I’ve never watched one and have no interest in doing so. There’s all sorts of videos on YouTube. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-how-many-middle-age-white-guys-do-edutainment-videos-on-youtube/920351/5 "2020-09-11T16:33:17Z")
What are you talking about? What are you actually trying to say? What is the frequency, Kenneth? I ask these things because you didn’t really make any kind of point in your OP and your headline doesn’t help much. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-how-many-middle-age-white-guys-do-edutainment-videos-on-youtube/920351/6 "2020-09-11T16:34:10Z")
> [@Ashtura](#): > > Well, to name a few: A few what? I’m happy for your list, but what is it a list of? YouTube channels, I gather, but what about them? ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-how-many-middle-age-white-guys-do-edutainment-videos-on-youtube/920351/7 "2020-09-11T17:20:26Z")
Edutainment channels run/hosted by white men. Note this is not exhaustive by any means, these are just some of the more higher profile ones off the top of my head. Many lean into science but also general information., There seems to be very little diversity in these types of channels. It’s more observational than a “point”, could as easily be MPSIMS. I thought that was obvious but I guess not. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-how-many-middle-age-white-guys-do-edutainment-videos-on-youtube/920351/8 "2020-09-11T17:35:25Z")
> [@Ashtura](#): > > There seems to be very little diversity in these types of channels. What I’m trying to figure out is how institutional racism fits into this. YouTube channels are self-created. So what are the barriers to a person of color creating a similar channel? Are you aware of any POC whose attempts at such have been stymied? How much have you searched specifically for content created by POC in this area? ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-how-many-middle-age-white-guys-do-edutainment-videos-on-youtube/920351/9 "2020-09-11T17:46:01Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > What I’m trying to figure out is how institutional racism fits into this. “Institutionalized racism” was a bit tongue in cheek, but it seems to me that either diverse content creators aren’t interested in creating such channels, or people aren’t interested in diverse content creators creating such channels. Or maybe something else that I am not aware of. Now, it’s quite possible, which I acknowledged in the OP, that Youtube has an algorithm that isn’t going to promote such channels for me. Not sure. All I know is they seem to be vanishingly rare. ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-how-many-middle-age-white-guys-do-edutainment-videos-on-youtube/920351/10 "2020-09-11T17:47:18Z")
I’m trying to figure out the point of this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-how-many-middle-age-white-guys-do-edutainment-videos-on-youtube/920351/11 "2020-09-11T17:48:44Z")
Fine. Mods, please move to MPSIMS. ---
**Author:** ![Limmin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Limmin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limmin)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-how-many-middle-age-white-guys-do-edutainment-videos-on-youtube/920351/12 "2020-09-11T17:49:35Z")
Maybe my 2 cents could help provide one data point. I watch a lot of YT lately, and specifically many channels about fixing cars / teardowns / mechanics stuff. I have, as Ashtura said, seen (and subscribed to) many dozens of white guy\* channels. Some of these are very popular, with over a million subscribers. I’ve also seen four “white woman” mechanic channels, two very popular, but…just four total. I’ve seen two such channels run by black guys and about three run by Hispanic guys. \*Many don’t show their faces so you may assume their ethnicity based on other factors. Many are quite young, so age ranges from college age to senior citizen, with average age about 35. ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-how-many-middle-age-white-guys-do-edutainment-videos-on-youtube/920351/13 "2020-09-11T17:54:20Z")
> [@Limmin](#): > > \*Many don’t show their faces so you may assume their ethnicity based on other factors. Many are quite young, so age ranges from college age to senior citizen, with average age about 35. Yes, I purposely excluded channels where the host doesn’t show their face. ---
**Author:** ![Limmin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Limmin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limmin)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-how-many-middle-age-white-guys-do-edutainment-videos-on-youtube/920351/14 "2020-09-11T17:56:43Z")
Eventually they pretty much all show their faces. I should amend to “a few don’t show their faces.” ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-how-many-middle-age-white-guys-do-edutainment-videos-on-youtube/920351/15 "2020-09-11T22:02:34Z")
I agree that the set of videos Youtube shows _you_ isn’t in any way a random sample, but I expect that you are correct that white and male are overrepresented among Youtube content creators (I highly doubt middle-aged is\*), simply because starting up a channel like this is a big time investment before it starts paying dividends, and white people are more likely to have the resources to do so. It’s pretty be successful in any creative field without someone else to pay the bills for a while. \*I expect that Youtube creators skew young, you’re just not seeing that because _you’re_ middle-aged and less interested in the kids’ channels. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-how-many-middle-age-white-guys-do-edutainment-videos-on-youtube/920351/16 "2020-09-11T22:26:13Z")
You guys ever notice there’s no diversity in Burglar Alarm commercials? It’s all white guys too! ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-how-many-middle-age-white-guys-do-edutainment-videos-on-youtube/920351/17 "2020-09-11T22:30:05Z")
> [@Ashtura](#): > > Well, to name a few: > > [Technology Connections](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy0tKL1T7wFoYcxCe0xjN6Q) > > [Smarter Every Day](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1VLQPn9cYSqx8plbk9RxxQ) > > [Captain Dissolusion](https://www.youtube.com/user/CaptainDisillusion) > > [The King of Random (RIP)](https://www.youtube.com/user/01032010814) > > [Knowing Better](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8XjmAEDVZSCQjI150cb4QA) > > [Joe Scott](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-2YHgc363EdcusLIBbgxzg) > > [VSauce](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6nSFpj9HTCZ5t-N3Rm3-HA) > > [Tom Scott](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBa659QWEk1AI4Tg--mrJ2A) > > [Mark Rober](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY1kMZp36IQSyNx_9h4mpCg) Four of those listed are 40 years old or less. TKOR died at 38. Did we move middle age when I wasn’t looking? ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2020, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-how-many-middle-age-white-guys-do-edutainment-videos-on-youtube/920351/18 "2020-09-12T04:10:08Z")
You mean, if you hear an American talking, you don’t know if he is black unless you see his face? Is English your first language? At my laptop, the TV is behind me. My wife (not Anglophone) is amazed that I can tell the color of a speaker on CNN behind me with 90% acccuracy. Even though they are highly-educated professionals. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2020, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-how-many-middle-age-white-guys-do-edutainment-videos-on-youtube/920351/19 "2020-09-12T04:46:27Z")
Physics Girl, Scishow, scishow space etc has a variety of hosts, some female, some with genetics that don’t look European at all on my phone screen Sasha at Casually Comics(where do you think I get my comics information?) When she was at Top Ten Nerds there were two other women who hosted videos as well. There are a couple of other female physicists, can’t think of their names, that have their own channels (I’ve watched a just a few videos from them) Oh, don’t forget Caitlin Doughty, for all your mortuary questions or Dr. Pimple Popper, who’s name I don’t actually know. In fact, Dr.s Don Lincoln (fermilab channel) and Neil Degrasse Tyson are the only two middle age or older guys with edutainment videos or channels that I’ve ever seen myself. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2020, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-how-many-middle-age-white-guys-do-edutainment-videos-on-youtube/920351/20 "2020-09-12T04:49:33Z")
When did ‘edutainment’ become a cromulent word? It doesn’t Embiggin us at all. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-how-many-middle-age-white-guys-do-edutainment-videos-on-youtube/920351.md?page=2)