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Pillar of Garbage

@pillarofgarbage.bsky.social
1.7K followers 146 following 486 posts

your fifth favourite video essayist www.YouTube.com/c/PillarOfGarbage

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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
I worry @kaltheskeleton.bsky.social cooked too hard for public consumption…
A discord screenshot of a thumbnail concept by KalTheSkeleton of Gus from Alley Cats ripping a fat dookie in Ricky Gervais’ mouth
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Narrator: it was not his Best Thumbnail Ever
Results from YouTube A/B test showing the thumbnail from the quoted post as the worst of three options with 29.9% watch time share
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
me when I run and AI lab & we’re hitting diminishing returns with the LLMs but we’ve got an IPO coming up:
the headline from Dario Amodei’s blog post ‘we must pace the frontier’
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
2026 got me feeling like
meme format from the Simpsons movie with Bart saying ‘this video is the most 8/10 of my life’ (image attached of a recent YouTube video of mine) and Homer responding ‘the most 8/10 of your life so far!’ in front of a collage of negative YouTube analytic readouts
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
I mean come on
two comments from the same user: first ‘this is quite a cathartic video indeed’ then ‘just say you hate democracy and go’
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
sometimes I have thoughts and then sometimes I have Thoughts
screenshot of a sent Facebook message reading ‘I bet for an anteater an ant must taste good as fuck’
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Patreon and YouTube supports can now watch a slightly extended cut of the essay I created for the latest @theessaylibrary.com collab. It’s about a Dr. Who episode! www.patreon.com/pillarofgarb...
A video thumbnail showing Peter Capaldi’s Doctor Who in a space helmet next to text reading ‘Oxygen isn’t about oxygen’
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
next video essay, out of context:
Remy from Ratatouille sat on the bloke’s headfront cover of Samuel Johnson’s English dictionary A drawing of Odysseus receiving the bag of winds from Aeoluspraying hands emoji on white background
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
nice short one then
Word info box reading: page 20 of 20, 12932 words
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Apple Pages search function showing the phrase ‘peak in Darien’ - from the end of Keats’ poem On First Looking Into Chapman’s Homer - is present in my script
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Also: here is a select (physical) bibliography from the next main video. just so you know I haven’t been slacking off
a big ass stack of books: The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind by Julian Jaynes, Homer and his Iliad by Robin Lane Fox, Emily Wilson’s Odyssey, 1177BC by Eric Cline, Stanley Lombardo’s Iliad, The Great Sea. Y David Abulafia, Robert Fagles’ Odyssey, George Chapman’s collected Homer, C Day Lewis’ Aeneid
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
A discord response by pillar of garbage: ‘I think you’re definitely looking at a 20-30% increase in legibility’
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
Text reading CIV VII VIDEO DRAFT, followed by ‘page 1 of 18’
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
the Nothing Ever Happens chud pointing at a passage from Arendt that seems to evoke the contemporary meme
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
what did Hannah Arendt know...
a section from Hannah Arendt's book On Violence with words "arbiter", "covenants" and "sword" highlighted and linked to cutouts of various relevant images from the Halo series
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
just uploaded: a video about death, capitalism, and spider-man. here's the early, ad-free Patreon link: www.patreon.com/posts/marvel...
two books on a table: Capitalism and the Death Drive by Byung-Chul Han, and Where the Stress Falls by Susan Sontag
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
I would also like to get in on this particular ‘I told you so’!
A thumbnail for the video ‘The Disney-Sora Deal Isn’t What It Looks Like’ I posted 3 months ago
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
This month's exclusive video is out now (alongside an early, ad-free release of the next main vid, same link) - we're looking into YouTube's 'Ask Studio' AI and its various flaws + limitations. www.patreon.com/posts/februa...
Thumbnail for my video with text 'New Feature: Generate Misinformation' being clicked on by cursor above blurred background of YouTube videos.
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
next video essay, out of context:
a frame from the Marvel Studios introA frame from Stranger Things 5 showing 11, Kali, and HopperA chart showing falling GDP since 1970an image of media theorist Marshall McLuhan
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 29/12/2025
(shoutout Cap on the PoG Discord for dropping this outta nowhere)
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 28/12/2025
One final update on my Patreon drive & where we're at with the stretch goals before the end of the year. Last time I'll ask for a while, I promise. Still a chance for livestreaming, too! More updates soon 👊
an update to my Patreon roadmap displaying 207 members with 3 days left
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 17/12/2025
next video essay, out of context:
a screenshot of a churchyard scene in Wake Up Dead Mana web chart listing stages of body decomposition & their smells, etc an artwork by Hermann NitschA Japanese cat cafe
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 17/12/2025
Text from linked post reading ‘A Video Essay About Efficiency by Pillar of Garbage

A clever video essay metaphor used to tackle what is lost in shortcuts made in our
everyday lives.’
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 14/12/2025
new bonus video for supporters! we’re getting into why the Disney-OpenAI deal maybe isn’t the big deal it looks like & what the real story here is. also, I made The Best Thumbnail Ever
YouTube thumbnail of me next to Bob Iger and Sam Altman with the words ‘nothing-burger’ above
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
next video, out of context:
Minecraft’s Herobrine creepypastaA still from the Bojack Horseman episode ‘Time’s Arrow’The demogorgon from Stranger ThingsRipley in the power loader in Aliens (1986).
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 20/11/2025
oh hey snap!
an identical email to the one in Lily’s picture, with my channel name swapped out for hers
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 18/11/2025
last one, I promise
YouTube AI prompting me to reply saying ‘I wrote this [reply] myself’
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 15/11/2025
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
this may be a little too on-the-nose
YouTube Ai prompting me to rely ‘us’ ‘I am!’ Or ‘up’ to a commenter asking where I’m from
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 13/11/2025
next video, out of context:
Neal Mohan, YouTube head honchothe goddamn sparkle emojiLores image of Smosh from 2005A GarageBand screenshot
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 05/11/2025
A happy November update on this - first goal is hit! Thanks so much to everyone who’s signed up (and let’s see if we can go any higher!) (also more vids coming soon I’m just sick atm)
An updated roadmap for my membership drive showing I’ve crossed the 200 member goal!
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 22/10/2025
Sharing a happy update on this faster than I thought I would be! It's only been one day and we're already a stone's throw away from the 200 member goal - thanks so much to all new members new and old!!
An update to my '200+ member stretch goals' graphic clarifying that after 1 day I now have 195! Above this, the graphic shows that the
stretch tiers are: <200 members means the channel approach gets rethought, 200 means business as usual continues, 225 means I try out some livestreaming, 260 means I'll release a longer video than ever before, 300 means I do a video sequel, and 350 means I'll do a 24 hour charity livestream.
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 21/10/2025
Hello! If you guys follow me on here, you might know I'm really shooting for 200 Patreon / YouTube members by the end of the year, and have been working on some stretch goals past this, too. (If not, I'll reply with the TL;DR anyway) Here they are!
a graphic with text detailing why I'm shooting for 200 members by end of year, and that I currently have 163 with 72 days remaining. The tiers are: <200 members means the channel approach gets rethought, 200 means business as usual continues, 225 means I try out some livestreaming, 260 means I'll release a longer video than ever before, 300 means I do a video sequel, and 350 means I'll do a 24 hour charity livestream.
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 18/10/2025
what do you want from me YouTube 😭
YouTube box saying my channel subscribers are showing less interest in watching this video
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 08/10/2025
next video, out of context:
a finger pressing the ‘irony note’Natasha LyonneJon Arbuckle (of Garfield fame)‘Always has been’ meme template. Astronauts, etc
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 19/09/2025
next video, out of context:
A chart showing YouTube views droppingA map of BosniaA can of Stockwell’s Baked BeansA teleprompter
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 03/09/2025
the ‘yea’ guy meme
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 27/08/2025
the ‘heartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point’ meme
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 21/08/2025
I keep getting emails from some guy convinced my name is Benoit. starting to get freaked out
Two emails pitching some creator agency type thing which insist my name is Benoit (it isn’t)
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 18/08/2025
Next video, out of context:
The Fantastic Four in Fantastic Four: First StepsBilbo Baggins in LOTR 1Jimmy and Darcy watching a monitor in WandaVisionA three pointer in basketball
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
That being said, I’m still doing better here than a lot of channels that cover queer topics, even in 100% kid-friendly ways. It seems a lot of those channels are getting their whole catalogues blocked. …meanwhile, here’s Matt Walsh’s recent, totally _unblocked_ vid list - including white supremacy.
Matt Walsh’s recent uploads, all of which I’m able to view in ‘restricted mode’… including white supremacist content.
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
In case anyone’s curious what the past year on PoG will look like if you fail YouTube’s maturity vibe check:
A sceeenshot of the 1/3 of recent PoG videos that YouTube hasn’t shadow-age-gated
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 10/08/2025
next video, out of context:
A comic panel depicting Superman’s originA Jarhanpurian boy raises a Superman flag. From Superman (2025)A ruined apartment building amidst rubble and survivors in Gaza.The thumbnail of the Pillar of Garbage PoGcast #19
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
video back up! yay!
YouTube notification telling me my copyright dispute was successful
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 03/08/2025
I knew this would make my AdSense earnings take a hit, but I thought if I could show a higher level of quality, more signups would offset this, at least a little. But in fact, my (paid) Patreon memberships are actually down compared to six months ago.
Patreon graph showing 111 paid members in February.Patreon graph showing 110 paid members now.
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 03/08/2025
In the months since, I’m confident I’ve made my best work. See pic! I’m very happy with these videos! But, again, my AdSense has taken a nosedive - and like I said, this latest video is the first I’ve managed to get a sponsorship on all year.
The 12 videos I’ve released so far in 2025.
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 21/07/2025
next video, out of context:
A painting of Jesus’ Side Wound getting a fingerFerris Bueller asking the audience why they’re still watchingFant4stic’s line: ‘say it again’the cover of Erich Auerbach’s book Mimesis
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 21/07/2025
I always figured it was a nod to the trend of all nouns being capitalised in that period’s English (but it’s still a very odd thing to bring over into a game’s subtitles!)
A page from 18th century English periodical The Spectator in which non-proper nouns are capitalised
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 18/07/2025
i just *know* next video’s 5 minute section on early Christian hermeneutics will have Pillar of Garbage viewers hooting & hollering
a phone camera image of a video script that discusses early Christian figural historicism dryly and at length
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Pillar of Garbage @pillarofgarbage.bsky.social · 14/07/2025
next video, out of context:
the cover photo from Vampire Weekend’s second album
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