5 thought-provoking YouTube series

Want to challenge your own thinking and really get your mind going? These 5 thought-provoking YouTube series are the best place to explore a bit of philosophy, sociology, and psychology, as well as just learning something new.

The School of Life

The School of Life is a collective of psychologists, philosophers and writers devoted to helping people lead calmer and more resilient lives. They share videos on a range of topics from religion to culture, social connections, and personal growth. See what they have to offer here.

Middle Ground

A brilliant series from Jubilee that brings two people from opposing or differing views together to discuss a topic and see if they can find ‘middle ground’. There are plenty of deep and interesting topics covered including Men’s Rights Vs Feminism, Israel Vs Palestine, Atheists Vs Christians and more. Watch your first debate here.

Like Stories of Old

If you love storytelling, this channel offers an interesting and in-depth look at the media we consume and why it makes us feel a certain way. From gaming to movies, every story is evaluated using philosophical and sociological theories to bring greater meaning to the entertainment we love. Check it out now.

TED Talks

You’ve probably heard of TED Talks by now. It features the best talks and performances from the TED conference, where the world’s leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes or less. There’s a video on every topic you could think of, making it the perfect place to get lost in thought. Find a talk here.

Kurzgesagt

Discover and learn about the world through the perspective of ‘optimistic nihilism’. These empowering videos are beautifully animated to create visually stimulating learning experiences. Topics cover everything from aliens to disease to loneliness – so there really is something for everyone (if you can get over your existential crisis). Take a look here.

We hope these great YouTube channels inspire you to explore the world from a different perspective. After all, as French philosopher René Descartes once said, ‘I think, therefore I am’.

Team SMARTY