WEBVTT 00:00:00.060 --> 00:00:01.620 So over the last few days, 00:00:01.621 --> 00:00:04.261 people have been tagging me in this video. 00:00:04.262 --> 00:00:06.861 Every spider you've ever gingerly captured under a cup 00:00:06.862 --> 00:00:08.921 and taken outside and released 00:00:09.260 --> 00:00:12.060 died out there. And my first reaction was, huh, 00:00:12.061 --> 00:00:13.701 that's weird. Well, 00:00:13.702 --> 00:00:15.901 I guess the video is just going around again. 00:00:15.902 --> 00:00:18.201 And I say going around again 00:00:18.220 --> 00:00:23.260 because I had already seen and replied to this video in 2024. 00:00:23.261 --> 00:00:24.801 Or had I? 00:00:24.802 --> 00:00:30.821 Because the video that I responded to two years ago was this video. 00:00:30.822 --> 00:00:33.741 Every spider that you've ever carefully put a cup over 00:00:33.742 --> 00:00:34.941 and slid a piece of paper under 00:00:34.942 --> 00:00:37.081 and then gently released outside, 00:00:37.340 --> 00:00:39.380 died outside. Same video, 00:00:39.381 --> 00:00:43.161 different font. But surely that's where the resemblance ends. 00:00:45.620 --> 00:00:48.220 I'm being told that's not where the resemblance ends. 00:00:48.221 --> 00:00:50.421 This was one of my first unfun facts several weeks ago, 00:00:50.422 --> 00:00:52.101 and a bunch of you didn't believe me. 00:00:52.102 --> 00:00:53.501 One of my first ever unfun facts. 00:00:53.502 --> 00:00:56.441 And when I told you, people didn't believe me, 2024, 00:00:56.540 --> 00:00:59.220 several you pointed out, this sounds like something a spider would say. 00:00:59.221 --> 00:01:00.981 2026, they said, 00:01:00.982 --> 00:01:02.981 that sounds like something a spider would say. 00:01:02.982 --> 00:01:05.261 2024. I know it's true 00:01:05.262 --> 00:01:07.661 because I Learned it from a spider scientist several years ago 00:01:07.662 --> 00:01:10.181 I met at a party. And I know that that is ambiguous 00:01:10.182 --> 00:01:12.761 as to whether that was a scientist who studies spiders 00:01:12.780 --> 00:01:15.600 or a spider who went to CO. 2026, 00:01:15.601 --> 00:01:17.741 I didn't make it up. I Learned it from a spider scientist, 00:01:17.742 --> 00:01:19.421 and I am 98% sure that 00:01:19.422 --> 00:01:21.981 That meant that she was a person who studies spiders, 00:01:21.982 --> 00:01:23.581 not a spider with a PhD. Okay, 00:01:23.582 --> 00:01:25.981 Charlotte, so a content creator is replaying his greatest hits. 00:01:25.982 --> 00:01:27.541 Who cares? People do that all the time. 00:01:27.542 --> 00:01:28.781 It's douchey and unoriginal, 00:01:28.782 --> 00:01:31.781 but it's not immoral. And I don't disagree with that part. 00:01:31.782 --> 00:01:34.561 But here's where I start to run into a little problem. 00:01:34.562 --> 00:01:37.541 First time Alex used that script in 2024, 00:01:37.542 --> 00:01:41.201 his video got somewhere in the ballpark of 9 million views. 00:01:41.260 --> 00:01:44.940 And I got tagged so many times by anxious people 00:01:44.941 --> 00:01:48.721 wanting to make sure that they weren't doing inadvertent arachnocide, 00:01:48.940 --> 00:01:51.300 that I stopped everything that I was doing 00:01:51.301 --> 00:01:53.641 while visiting a friend in Canada 00:01:53.660 --> 00:01:56.660 to make a reply video. And in that video, 00:01:56.661 --> 00:01:58.781 which lasted about five minutes, 00:01:58.782 --> 00:02:01.081 to make sure everybody had all the facts, 00:02:01.140 --> 00:02:03.060 I explained that, yes, 00:02:03.061 --> 00:02:05.101 there are some species of spiders 00:02:05.102 --> 00:02:09.141 that have been habituated to living alongside humans indoors, 00:02:09.142 --> 00:02:10.461 and if you take them outside, 00:02:10.462 --> 00:02:12.261 they will very likely die. 00:02:12.262 --> 00:02:15.781 However, there are many, many, 00:02:15.782 --> 00:02:19.981 many, many more species of outdoor spider 00:02:19.982 --> 00:02:24.001 who will die if they do not get taken back outside. 00:02:24.140 --> 00:02:26.420 Remember, not all spiders build webs. 00:02:26.421 --> 00:02:29.581 And it's very common for those species to end up inside human houses 00:02:29.582 --> 00:02:33.701 because they accidentally tracked prey or a potential mate inside. 00:02:33.702 --> 00:02:37.861 It is perfectly fine to take a wolf spider or a grass spider 00:02:37.862 --> 00:02:41.301 or a jumping spider back outside whence they came. 00:02:41.302 --> 00:02:43.061 If you ever see an orb weaver, 00:02:43.062 --> 00:02:44.181 you know. Orb weaver, 00:02:44.182 --> 00:02:45.881 They're the Charlotte's web spiders. 00:02:45.900 --> 00:02:48.820 They're the spiders who build the webs that you think of 00:02:48.821 --> 00:02:50.961 when you think of spider webs. 00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:53.740 If you ever see an orb weaver in your house, 00:02:53.741 --> 00:02:55.261 please take her back outside. 00:02:55.262 --> 00:02:57.061 She is very, very lost, 00:02:57.062 --> 00:02:57.661 and in fact, 00:02:57.662 --> 00:03:01.861 she we'll starve to death if she doesn't get back out there. 00:03:01.862 --> 00:03:05.181 Now, when I explained this the first time in 2024, 00:03:05.182 --> 00:03:07.621 my video got something like 300,000, 00:03:07.622 --> 00:03:10.141 330,000 views, which is pretty good. 00:03:10.142 --> 00:03:13.101 It's not 9 million views, but it's pretty good. 00:03:13.102 --> 00:03:17.021 And I assumed that eventually Alex would probably see it, 00:03:17.022 --> 00:03:18.541 would probably make its way back to him. 00:03:18.542 --> 00:03:20.981 But he never replied, he never commented, 00:03:20.982 --> 00:03:22.141 he didn't reach out to me, 00:03:22.142 --> 00:03:23.721 he didn't make a video about it, 00:03:23.820 --> 00:03:25.900 but guess no indication that he had seen it. 00:03:25.901 --> 00:03:27.261 He moved on with his life, 00:03:27.262 --> 00:03:31.301 and I moved on with mine. Which brings us to the other day 00:03:31.302 --> 00:03:35.341 when he made almost exactly the same video verbatim, 00:03:35.342 --> 00:03:39.061 except for a couple of new things. 00:03:39.062 --> 00:03:41.881 Corporate needs you to find the difference between this picture 00:03:42.020 --> 00:03:45.460 my Roman Empire is that there are species of spiders 00:03:45.461 --> 00:03:48.541 who have become habituated to living inside 00:03:48.542 --> 00:03:52.941 alongside human beings since at least the Roman Empire. 00:03:52.942 --> 00:03:55.141 And this picture. Other humans agree. 00:03:55.142 --> 00:03:58.061 Most house spiders have evolved to live inside human structures 00:03:58.062 --> 00:04:02.481 since the Roman Empire. This picture are incredibly relatable 00:04:02.540 --> 00:04:04.100 and that they, like us, 00:04:04.101 --> 00:04:07.001 have forgotten the wild. And this picture. 00:04:07.002 --> 00:04:07.901 You don't know how to live outside. 00:04:07.902 --> 00:04:08.781 If You take them out there, 00:04:08.782 --> 00:04:11.961 they will die. And I find that very relatable. 00:04:12.980 --> 00:04:15.080 They're the same picture. Yeah. 00:04:15.620 --> 00:04:18.340 Can I prove that Alex Falcone, 00:04:18.341 --> 00:04:20.221 a person so pathologically unoriginal, 00:04:20.222 --> 00:04:22.561 he routinely plagiarizes himself, 00:04:22.780 --> 00:04:25.860 not only saw my original correction video two years ago 00:04:25.861 --> 00:04:27.421 and conveniently ignored it, 00:04:27.422 --> 00:04:31.181 he actually lifted content from that video 00:04:31.182 --> 00:04:34.341 and regurgitated it in his do over from the other day. 00:04:34.342 --> 00:04:36.741 Without ever intending to acknowledge my existence? 00:04:36.742 --> 00:04:42.681 Of course not. That would be a fallacious claim on the other Tarsus. 00:04:42.700 --> 00:04:45.940 Alex never let the facts get in the way of his good time. 00:04:45.941 --> 00:04:48.281 So why should I let them stop me? 00:04:48.282 --> 00:04:50.461 What would I have Alex do about this? 00:04:50.462 --> 00:04:54.121 Well, I think he answered that pretty succinctly himself the other day. 00:04:54.220 --> 00:04:55.020 You know, 00:04:55.780 --> 00:04:56.980 again, just say, 00:04:56.981 --> 00:04:57.941 thank you for your service, 00:04:57.942 --> 00:04:59.701 Charlotte, and let them wander on. 00:04:59.702 --> 00:05:00.501 Hi, Alex. 00:05:00.502 --> 00:05:04.141 My name is Charlotte, and I have not yet been thanked for my service. 00:05:04.142 --> 00:05:04.621 Now, look, 00:05:04.622 --> 00:05:06.561 I acknowledge that this is very stupid. 00:05:07.340 --> 00:05:09.620 This is a very silly argument to be having. 00:05:09.621 --> 00:05:10.701 This is incredibly trivial. 00:05:10.702 --> 00:05:12.421 We all got bigger fish to fry. 00:05:12.422 --> 00:05:14.261 So why do I care? Well, 00:05:14.262 --> 00:05:15.981 I'm so glad you asked. First of all, 00:05:15.982 --> 00:05:18.981 I deeply resent any creator who deliberately misleads 00:05:18.982 --> 00:05:21.701 or manipulates their audience into a state of anxiety, 00:05:21.702 --> 00:05:23.441 knowing that anxious people react, 00:05:23.560 --> 00:05:26.380 reactive people engage. And engagement gets you paid. 00:05:26.381 --> 00:05:27.901 The aristocrats. And I really, 00:05:27.902 --> 00:05:30.501 really have no fucking patience for creators who, 00:05:30.502 --> 00:05:32.641 after being publicly corrected, 00:05:32.780 --> 00:05:35.880 just Double down on being loud and wrong. 00:05:35.881 --> 00:05:37.541 But even more than either of those, 00:05:37.542 --> 00:05:40.661 um, I'm just one of many creators on this app who, 00:05:40.662 --> 00:05:44.061 through education and enthusiasm and leading by example, 00:05:44.062 --> 00:05:47.201 have worked really hard to encourage our audiences. 00:05:47.420 --> 00:05:49.980 You, to do hard things, 00:05:49.981 --> 00:05:54.061 to ask hard questions, to challenge your own world views about things. 00:05:54.062 --> 00:05:59.381 And arachnophobia is one of the most pervasive phobias in the world. 00:05:59.382 --> 00:06:01.941 And even if you're not actively phobic about spiders, 00:06:01.942 --> 00:06:04.381 a lot of people are nervous or anxious about them 00:06:04.382 --> 00:06:05.981 or don't understand them. 00:06:05.982 --> 00:06:08.801 And a lot of people feel that they make progress 00:06:08.860 --> 00:06:11.140 towards feeling more comfortable about spiders. 00:06:11.141 --> 00:06:13.621 The first time they managed to put one in a little cup 00:06:13.622 --> 00:06:14.701 and take it outside. 00:06:14.702 --> 00:06:19.041 My friends text me all the time when they have done this successfully 00:06:19.100 --> 00:06:21.780 for the first time, even when their hands are shaking. 00:06:21.781 --> 00:06:24.661 And when you come on here and tell people that 00:06:24.662 --> 00:06:27.101 not only was that the wrong thing to do, 00:06:27.102 --> 00:06:31.461 but they've probably done more harm than good in doing that, 00:06:31.462 --> 00:06:35.781 you have undone the progress that we have made and they have made. 00:06:35.782 --> 00:06:39.981 There is no sure way to stop someone from trying 00:06:39.982 --> 00:06:43.021 than to give them a fucking reason not not to try. 00:06:43.022 --> 00:06:45.221 Well, if I'm just gonna kill them anyway, 00:06:45.222 --> 00:06:46.581 then why bother? 00:06:46.582 --> 00:06:49.461 I know I should probably just leave them alone in that corner, 00:06:49.462 --> 00:06:52.501 but I can't tell the difference between a good spider and a bad spider. 00:06:52.502 --> 00:06:54.261 Or A house spider and outdoor spider. 00:06:54.262 --> 00:06:56.821 So fuck it, I'm coming after them with the shoe. 00:06:56.822 --> 00:06:59.061 Both times Alex posted that video, 00:06:59.062 --> 00:07:02.541 I got tags and texts and DMS followers, 00:07:02.542 --> 00:07:03.421 and from friends 00:07:03.422 --> 00:07:07.021 who were very concerned that they had done something wrong, 00:07:07.022 --> 00:07:09.581 including people whose hands I have held, 00:07:09.582 --> 00:07:11.401 both virtually or literally, 00:07:11.540 --> 00:07:16.120 as they have correctly taken outdoor animals back outdoors. 00:07:16.220 --> 00:07:18.900 And he didn't do it because he was trying to teach you something, 00:07:18.901 --> 00:07:21.621 and he didn't do it because he was trying to help these animals. 00:07:21.622 --> 00:07:23.421 He did it because he thought it was funny, 00:07:23.422 --> 00:07:26.061 and because he knew that you were gonna be too worked up 00:07:26.062 --> 00:07:28.021 to ask any other questions about it. 00:07:28.022 --> 00:07:30.381 And while every spider enthusiast and entomologist 00:07:30.382 --> 00:07:33.421 is doing damage control that nobody is going to see, 00:07:33.422 --> 00:07:34.301 he can sit back 00:07:34.302 --> 00:07:37.861 confident in the knowledge that that Paypal deposit on May 15th 00:07:37.862 --> 00:07:40.181 is gonna look pretty, pretty fucking good. 00:07:40.182 --> 00:07:42.101 You know what? I know that nobody's watched this far, 00:07:42.102 --> 00:07:43.461 and I know that nobody gives a shit, 00:07:43.462 --> 00:07:45.101 so I'm gonna go ahead and wrap it up. 00:07:45.102 --> 00:07:46.861 Uh, in his latest video, 00:07:46.862 --> 00:07:49.181 Alex says this. You care about the spider's lives, 00:07:49.182 --> 00:07:50.861 or you just want to appease Spider God? 00:07:50.862 --> 00:07:52.701 All you have to do. Ignore them. 00:07:52.702 --> 00:07:54.061 Let them be. Actually, 00:07:54.062 --> 00:07:56.201 if you want to appease the spider gods, 00:07:56.460 --> 00:07:59.100 and there are more than one, Alex, 00:07:59.101 --> 00:08:04.001 they are legion. And their many lidless eyes are always watching. 00:08:05.700 --> 00:08:08.940 Don't get on the worldwide web and tell lies. 00:08:08.941 --> 00:08:11.341 About the children of Loth Ungoliant, 00:08:11.342 --> 00:08:17.521 Shelob and Anansi, for they have sent me their most annoying Avatar, 00:08:17.580 --> 00:08:21.000 and I know some pig when I see one.