YouTube is fixated

Although hot guys working out is an established genre in the current world of content, it usually follows certain rules of lightning, sound, hooks, and duration that are expected of videos to be engaging on social media. So, when our YouTube algorithm went on one of its fixations with Kevin’s Personal Hell, a handsome guy showing himself doing one exercise, with overhead lighting, no intention to explain or educate, in the most arid and straight-decorated space, we were drawn to it.

There is a lot to unpack here, literally. Considering the prevailing ideas in what people call the ‘manosphere’, we are aware that the main reason Kevin’s channel gets traction in the algorithm is that he fulfills the beauty standards of what is considered a masculine body. Yet, there is an unpretentious way to show off, to present himself as an object of desire, that reminds us more of the beefcake models in the 60’s photos, than the super-efficient, enhanced social media fitness model. We might be intentionally ignoring the problematic side here, but we are trying to say that maybe guys in general should show themselves more and enjoy their bodies, regarding shape or a clear goal??

Our favorite video is the watermelon challenge. We’ve seen an increasing amount -especially in some subgenres of porn- of videos that bring us back to our Art School days. Things that can perfectly be video art or a performance (or are already art). We can see it being displayed on a small screen, to make it more voyeuristic, on a wall of a huge, dark gallery room. Also, the channel is called Kevin’s Personal Hell; it cannot be more Sisyphean!

Now and then, our YouTube account dives into a run of recommended videos about oddly specific topics, things we never asked for, yet make perfect sense for us. Here, we celebrate YouTube’s fixations. On this occasion: Rushing On Empty, a two-lads channel dedicated to exploring different ways to do poppers.  

It might be that we clicked on one of their videos that circulates around poppers subreddits, where they are the canonical reference for how to do the sock method, but since then, YouTube insists that we must keep up to date with whatever pseudo-scientific experiment to enhance the huffing experience they do. As YouTube educated people, this is the type of educational material we need in these dark times!

We only wish they would do actual poppers reviews. Tell us about the body, the notes, the aftertaste! With the inconsistency from batch to batch of poppers, we understand it is kind of a useless thing to do. Yet, we still believe a poppers influencer is a gap in the content landscape.

So, thank you YouTube for showing the type of videos one would make after thoroughly roasting their brain with poppers.