Beginning in 2025, I've started posting more content on my Patreon, which means I haven't been uploading on YouTube as often. There's a very good reason for this that I wanted to share with everyone.

The biggest issue is that YouTube doesn't allow me to fully spread my wings and be the creator I strive to be for my dedicated fans. Since the beginning, I've been subjected to restrictions and removals of my content, whether it was past videos I filmed with friends or recent ones I filmed by myself, and this pattern of attacks continues to this day.

To offer some recent examples, the five minute breath-holding video I filmed in August of 2024 was demonetized for being a "harmful act" according to a human YouTube moderator, despite it being a lifelong talent of mine that I was safely sharing with the world, above water where nothing harmful could happen. There are self-described escape artists on YouTube who film life-threatening stunts of their heads locked into glass tanks filled with water, yet these don't have restrictions and I see ads running on them.

Then one of my recent shoeless driving videos was restricted for containing "nudity" by a human moderator -- not because I was actually naked, since I obviously wasn't in a YouTube video -- but because my feet were bare, they decided to abuse the nudity policy to attack the video. I personally find it crazy that you can label something as nudity when the person in the video isn't actually nude, and I doubt I'm alone in feeling this way.

I also had a Short I filmed on Christmas completely removed by a human moderator because I sang karaoke to a parody song with vulgar lyrics. Even though YouTube is full of vulgar songs and sexually-explicit music videos, my 60-second singalong of an an explicit song was deemed inappropriate and I was issued a warning over it. I also had to take a sexual content policy class with extreme examples that had nothing to do with singing along to an explicit song, which is supposed to be protected, artistic content on YouTube. For emphasis, these are all human decisions, not machine/automated ones.

Then there's the decisions made not too long ago on some of the wrestling and brethling matches I filmed with friends in the past. Three of them were restricted because a human moderator marked them as containing "graphic dead bodies and/or scenes of domestic violence." I can assure everyone that nobody died in those friendly wrestling matches and there was no domestic violence occurring since those were friends of mine that were just playing around, but this bizarre policy violation being chosen seems to shed light on the moderator having homophobic intent in falsely labeling the videos as so. There was no option to appeal these decisions, but it wouldn't have made a difference anyway.

Yesterday, one of my workout Shorts was deemed not suitable for advertisers by a human moderator. No reason was given, and no legitimate reason comes to mind as to how a video of a person working out at a home gym could be unsafe for ads when there's far worse videos on YouTube with ads running on them, and some of YouTube's ads are actually sexual in nature and have drawn criticism because of it.

YouTube claims to be inclusive and all for the creators who make them money through advertisements, but some of their employees haven't extended that courtesy to me. I personally don't consider a history of "sexual content" restrictions of videos I filmed with my friends because we happen to be the same gender as inclusive, nor do I feel cared about as a creator when my talents and attempts at creative ideas are being restricted and removed for ridiculous reasons.

I barely made $1,000 in YouTube ad revenue for 2024. Nobody can live off of an annual income of $1,000, which is why Patreon is even more important for me to continue being able to film for my fans and spread my core message of love and acceptance to everyone who's positively impacted by it. Custom video commissions and selling my clothing also makes this possible, and my new Patreon video Shop for behind-the-scenes Extras has been helpful as well. Patreon was actually started by someone who saw how unfair YouTube was in paying creators on their platform and wanted to offer a more genuine way for them to connect with their fans.

I removed several stompdown videos from my channel a while back and have since recently reposted them to my Patreon. I don't film adult content, but that hasn't stopped employees of YouTube from treating it as so, whether it be in homophobic attacks on videos of my male friends and me having fun on camera, or accusing me of being naked simply because I'm not wearing shoes in a video. These extreme decisions are meant to discourage me from continuing to be myself and film the content my longtime fans enjoy watching; it's a passive-aggressive way for intolerant employees of a big, private company to put their personal feelings into professional decisions and try to ruin the livelihoods of people who's identities and outlooks they don't accept or agree with.

Big tech is what it is, and my attempts at reaching out to YouTube using their customer support channels yielded no understanding or empathy. My appeals are always denied, and I always end up getting canned responses and apologies for the limitations the support agents have in regards to decisions made by the internal teams, who you aren't allowed to communicate with. And with so many creators and the staggering volume of content uploaded daily on the platform, higher-ups are only concerned with the huge profit that YouTube continues to make.

I will continue posting on YouTube as it's been an outlet for me for 9 years now, but I'm not going to be posting content that will put me in a position where I'm walking on eggshells in fear of retribution from their employees. I'm too grown to play a childish game with power-abusers who want to treat me like a scourge when I'm trying to spread love and acceptance while entertaining people along the way. In the end, it's not worth the stress nor the paltry sum that Google pays me for the ads they actually allow on my content.

I want to say a big thank you to everyone who's been supporting me on Patreon. To everyone else, if you're able to financially sponsor me, it would really mean a lot, especially if you're someone who's life I made a positive impact on, whether it's helping you understand your own identity or making your day with my sense of humor or motivating you with my fitness videos.

There are 3 tiers on my Patreon. The $6 tier is for general support, but you'll also get to see some of the posts I make every month at that tier. The $12 tier is for private posts, which means you'll get to see photos and videos exclusively shared by me on my Patreon, as well as view some of the past posts on my page. The $25 tier will allow you to see every post I make on my page, including ones exclusive to this premium tier, as well as all the past photos on my page.

Here's the link to my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/thenodeohero

I also have a new Shop on my Patreon where you can now directly purchase videos using any payment method and without having to email me for the links. You need to have a Patreon account just so you can input your card/bank/payment account information, but you don't have to be pledged to a tier in order to buy videos from the Shop. You will automatically receive the videos upon purchase.

Here's a link to my Shop: https://www.patreon.com/c/thenodeohero/shop

I post on Patreon several times every month, and I'm also constantly adding new videos to my Shop. I plan on continuing to be more active on my Patreon, so please consider supporting me there because I always give extra to those who go the extra mile for me. I understand money may be tight for some, and I'm certainly not rich myself, but I will enrich your lives as best as I can as an independent creator and alternative individual who loves and cares for the community I stand for and speak up for. Custom video commissions are always available as well, and you're welcome to email me anytime you'd like to get one from me.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, thank you kindly to everyone who supports me, and stay tuned for more content, because despite the pushback I get from some employees on YouTube, I'm not going anywhere, nobody can stop the passion I have for us as a community, and I won't let anything divide us or deter me from my goal on making a positive impact on our world.

I love you guys! 💚

Hey guys! Patreon has a new Shop feature, so I've began adding my latest behind-the-scenes Extras videos to it so you can now purchase them directly without having to make a pledge on Patreon or email me for the links.

There's also bonus footage and cut content available in my store, including assorted Patreon exclusives and breath-holding battles that didn't make it onto my channel.

Here's a link to it: https://www.patreon.com/c/thenodeohero/shop

If you're using a phone to view the Shop, you have to click on the title of each video to see the thumbnail and description of it. They automatically display fully when viewed on desktop computers.

Warning for iPhone users! If you purchase anything from the store using the iOS Patreon app, Apple will charge you an additional fee for your purchase. If you have an iPhone, access my Patreon store using your phone's internet browser instead of the Patreon app.

If you have an Android phone, you will not be charged anything extra for using the Patreon app. There is no extra fee when using a desktop computer, either.

Thanks for shopping at The No Deo Hero Store, and enjoy your exclusive, convenient content!

How we doing, folks? Primal Instinks HERE, and I'm proud to announce that my channel now has a new most-watched video! That's right, "Stinkpit Gladiators" recently overtook the #1 most-viewed spot in my YouTube catalogue, and it's also the first video on my channel to achieve over 200,000 views and has the most likes to date, with nearly 1,500 likes at the time of this writing.

The first "Abs of Steel Contest" from 2016 was the most-watched video on my channel for years and held that position with no sign of being passed, until a special video I filmed in 2020 slowly grew in popularity over the years and eventually took the crown. Ironically, "Stinkpit Gladiators" was age-restricted and demonetized by YouTube shortly after being uploaded, but it still managed to find an audience who love it and its quirky, gross humor; so much so that it's now the most popular on my show!

In celebration of its top-view status, I wanted to share the story behind the filming of it. I was hanging out with T-Wrex and Lord Rubix, two former featured friends of my show who participated on camera with me for several years until they left to start families with the women in their lives, and we were hanging out in my bedroom at the time. Rubix was sitting on my bed, and I went to put him in my "stinkpit dragon sleeper" signature move for fun.

Rubix laughed and resisted the surprise attack, saying "hey, we're not filming! We don't do that off-camera." In response, T-Wrex grabbed a camera, began recording, and said "now we're filming!" and that's where the video fades in and begins, after Wrex said that. It was an impulsive, spur-of-the-moment video, which is a variety I'm still a fan of and utilize to this day! What happened next is Rubix gave in and allowed himself to be "stinkpitted," and the three of us then took turns putting each other in "armpit locks" and laughing about it while taking turns filming it.

I originally planned to offer this video as a behind-the-scenes Extra (paid content) because I feared YouTube would take issue with it and strike it down in a homophobic manner, based off prior ridiculous decisions they had made against videos in the past I had filmed with my male friends. Seeing as it fit too well with the "no deodorant" humor of my show, I ultimately decided to post it on the channel anyway and title it "Stinkpit Gladiators" since it looked to me like the three of us were battling it out against each other using our individual odors, seeing as none of us were known to use deodorant on a regular basis (and in my case, never use it at all!).

My fears were confirmed when YouTube age-restricted and demonetized the video shortly after uploading it, claiming it was "sexual content" despite it clearly being filmed from a comedic and entertaining standpoint by close friends. I had faced homophobic attacks from YouTube employees in the past, and this was sadly nothing new for my friends and me to experience. I appealed the decision but was instantly denied, confirming that the company stood by the homophobic attack, and I decided I had to let it be.

Despite the effort to suppress the video, it still managed to break through in views and be recommended and shared across YouTube and the internet as a whole, and fast forward to today, it's now the most-viewed video on my channel! It just goes to show that when you keep your head up and fight back against hateful attacks, you still have a chance to shine and make an impact on the world, and this video is proof of that.

The gross humor of "Stinkpit Gladiators" was inspired by the shows I watched when I was a kid: re-runs of "The Ren & Stimpy Show" (I'm wearing a Ren & Stimpy t-shirt in the video, which I sold to a fan years later who bought it from me), and shows like "Rocko's Modern Life" and MTV's "Jackass." You can see where that combination ended up yielding a video like this with my friends: you take the wild antics of the Jackass crew, which was a group of young guys doing weird and gross things to each other for comedy and entertainment, and you add the strange and gross humor of those two Nickelodeon cartoons, and the resulting idea is a video of three male friends who don't use deodorant making each other smell each others armpits for laughs and raised-eyebrow reactions!

It was always interesting to me how the "Abs of Steel Contest" was the most-viewed video on my channel for so long, though not surprising since it was a popular challenge video that was trending on YouTube back in 2016 when I filmed it with T-Wrex. While I was proud of my performance in that video, withstanding the full weight of the heavier T-Wrex on my abdomen for a grueling 60 seconds, I didn't necessarily like the fact that a video that wasn't my own original idea was the top viewed. I equated it to me being a musician and having my most popular song be a cover song when I had plenty of well-established original songs out there. 

But now that "Stinkpit Gladiators" is #1, I'm a lot more proud to see that my impulsive decision to put a former friend of mine in a stinky headlock turned into a hilariously gross and sporadic event that so many people around the world have watched and enjoyed! "Stinkpit Gladiators" deserves the crown on a channel like The No Deo Hero!

Thanks to everyone who's seen this video and help it achieve record-breaking status. For everyone out there wondering, "will Primal ever film a video like that with anyone else again?" ... The answer to that question is actually up to you guys! My short answer is "yes, absolutely," but in order for there to be a sequel, it would require other people agreeing to come by and film it with me on camera. So in other words, if you guys want a "Stinkpit Gladiators 2," one of you is going to have to travel to me so we can film it!

You don't just meet people on the street or in grocery stores who are going to want to be publicly filmed with someone's armpit in their face and vice versa, so you guys would have to be brave and step up to the pit -- I mean, plate -- and participate if you want that to happen. Until one of you out of there does, we'll still have the original masterpiece to continue enjoying, but a sequel would be absolutely epic if anyone came forth to honor it.

To all the stinkpit fans and fellow gladiators out there: raise your armpits in a toast to the new champion video on my channel with the most views: STINKPIT GLADIATORS!

Ever wonder why I have artwork of rats on my channel and website or why I refer to myself as rat-like? This blog will explain.

The intellectual side of me loves wordplay. The English language is like a playground for my tongue, and we all know how words have multiple meanings, especially in slang or satirical senses. The word "rat" has plenty of connotations, though the mafia/jailhouse context of it does not apply in this scenario.

I see life as a fun, albeit limited-time adventure with many opportunities for emotional experiences to enjoy. We all like to feel happy and loved, don't we? I'm no different! I seek happiness and pleasure in life in a moderately hedonistic manner. Rats are considered pleasure-driven rodents in the animal kingdom, and this is exploited whenever they're used in labs for testing by offering food or pleasurable brain stimulation as a reward for their complacency and desired behavior. Though we currently rule the planet, humans, as warm-blooded mammals, are also members of the animal kingdom.

If you know me and what I like, you know how to get my attention and tempt me. You know what makes me squeak for joy! Imagine a rat standing on its hind legs with its nose twitching and its eyes wide, seeking the prize that's been presented before its senses. I figuratively picture myself having that characteristic sometimes, and comparisons like this are why I included the "it" pronoun on my channel along with he/him since I accept and embrace that animalistic side of me as a human.

I also see life as a rat race which you need to scurry around to get "cheese" (money) in in order to survive. Even though I get to film videos from home and sell my clothing for a living, which to many would be considered living a dream, I'm still competing with a lot of other guys on the internet who offer similar opportunities to fans and admirers around the world.

Why should people give me the cheese instead of the other hungry animals/artists out there? I'll tell you why, and it brings me to my next reasoning behind the "rat" label: my sincerity, passion, and individualism, which I relate to the timeless subculture known as punk.

Ever shopped online and seen a label that says "small business owner?" I'm like one of those. It's always nicer to support small businesses instead of putting more money into greedy corporations with questionable ethics, isn't it? I'm very independent and DIY (do-it-yourself) like a punk rocker. You can say The No Deo Hero is like my own independent record label where I'm the sole owner who does everything himself, including running the label (channel, website, Patreon) and writing and performing all the songs (filming the videos and custom commissions).

In DIY punk spirit, I record and edit the videos, upload and title everything, choose the thumbnails, respond to all the comments and emails, and along with my YouTube channel, I also operate this official website and manage my Patreon with no help from anyone or any brand-boosting marketing company. No paid product endorsements exist on my show, and I'm constantly ignoring emails from online merchants trying to get me to advertise their product for them in my content in exchange for a small commission percentage of each sale I convince my fans to make. Yeah, no thanks. Everyone skips past the paid advertisement part of creators' videos for a reason.

Rats are often associated with punk rock as the symbolism goes with the art style and independent ethics of it. I enjoy being viewed or referred to as a "punk rat" on account of my DIY ethics, passionate natural beliefs, and strong individualism. I also stand up for alternative identities like my own and find counterculture movements inspiring for that reason. It's no wonder I chose the mohawk as my hairstyle, which I cut and shave myself in those same DIY beliefs and ethics.

I also work out five days a week at a home gym, which makes me a gym rat. I purchased the weights and equipment myself so I could exercise and freely film my workouts from the comfort of my own home. It may be a home gym, but you're still a gym rat if you spend five days a week in it!

The term "ratty" also means dirty or unclean, and in self-deprecating humor, I refer to myself as an unwashed rat because I don't use deodorant, shampoo, body soap, or toothpaste on account of my natural outlook and minimalist lifestyle. People would generally regard this as unhygienic and consider me vermin or a plague on society because of it, just like most people tend to view rats in a negative sense since they can be invasive, are known to frequent dirty places like sewers, and can spread disease. Of course I still wash my hands every day, brush and floss my teeth daily, and rinse my body with water in the shower every other day, but I reject the chemical body products.

Before my filming became full-time for me, I used to wait tables part-time at chain restaurants. My co-workers may have noticed my natural smell, but this stinking rat made good cheese every night he worked! I even had several employees privately tell me they admired my natural scent, both male and female. One of my managers also hesitantly asked me if he could have a pair of work boots I had mentioned I was done wearing, and I gave them to him at work after I bought new ones because I understood where he was coming from, just as everyone at work understood and respected me, even if a few friends there teased me for having body odor. My family also knows about my hygiene and income choices and they basically have a "you do you, as long as it's not harmful or illegal" attitude about it!

Then there's the artwork. I hired a few artists to create artwork of an anthropomorphic rat (which one of the artists actually designed for me with my input) who serves as my official mascot. After a lengthy decision, I named him Cheesus Brodent -- his first name being a combination of "cheese" and "Jesus," and the last name being a portmanteau of "bro" and "rodent." In other words, he's a rodent bro who's reverently admired for his identity and what he does for his fans in exchange for their cheese (money) as support!

I also grew up watching cartoons with anthropomorphic characters who have stereotypical qualities of the animal they're drawn as. A rat will typically be portrayed as a sneaky rascal or punk, or as being gross or unfairly liked simply for being a rat, though he's loved by those who actually know him inside and are able to see past his ratty qualities.

Speaking of anthropomorphic, I've received a few comments over the years asking me if I'm a furry or outright calling me one because of the animal posters on the walls of my house or the artwork I use on my channel banner and website. While I have no judgment toward furries, I don't identify as one. I don't go to anthro-cons, I don't actually identify as a rat, nor do I have a rat fur-suit hanging in my closet. Again, nothing wrong with being a furry in my eyes, but I don't meet the qualifications for it, and being a fan of anthropomorphic cartoons and artwork alone doesn't make someone a furry. I would proudly admit I was one if it were true!

The rat is my spirit animal in the sense of natural living and pleasure-seeking. I also aim to be non-confrontational and prefer to steer clear of trouble, but I stand up for myself and fight for what's right and for my survival. The term "ratty" even carries an informal definition of someone being bad-tempered, and I admit I can be a temperamental person at times. It runs in my family so I gotta live with it! I've also caught myself being selfish when it comes to things like comfort and pleasure, though I strive to never be an angry or greedy rat.

We're all in this rat race together, and I'm happy to lead the pack by being a voice for the alternative, like-minded masses of our world, and I'm ever-so thankful for the years of continuous support I've received for it! 💚

Rock on! Today marks the 9th year of me filming as Primal Instinks, your No Deo Hero!

It's surreal to think that the comedy, athletics, and entertainment channel I started back in October of 2015 as a mere hobby and fun social media venture to have with friends would grow to become so much more. It evolved into what I now consider my calling in life, a personal venture I make every effort to fulfill to the fullest.

Today my channel is a platform for me to express myself openly and honestly on, speaking about often-stigmatized topics like alternative identities -- including my own. People tend to keep their personal interests to themselves for fear of judgment or not fitting in, but I've always walked my own path in life and will continue to do so without allowing judgment to stop or shame me. Taking an educational and psychological approach to harmless interests has made listeners more comfortable in their own skin and more understanding of who they are.

After opening up about myself, many people from around the world who found my channel reached out over the years to relate to me and commend me for standing up and speaking out for folks and communities who don't have the courage or capability to do so. I will continue to be your No Deo Hero, inspiring and empowering you with uplifting vlogs, healthy living, and a more natural and minimalist lifestyle. And of course I'll continue to make you laugh and entertain you in the same eccentric way I always have 😁

I am who I am and wouldn't change it for the world, nor would I change the wonderful fans I have who's support has made it possible for me to dedicate all my time to this video venture full-time in order to have the most profound impact on those who could benefit from it. The window into my private life remains wide open for the betterment of the like-minded community at large.

As is customary with my show, video commissions are always available, behind-the-scenes extras are always available to purchase access to, my Patreon will continue to have regular private posts made on it by me, and I will continue filming on my YouTube channel so that the seed I planted nine years ago will continue to grow and inspire the minds and hearts of more people around the globe. I have grown and learned over the years as well and couldn't ask for a better connection than the unique one I have with my fans -- YOU!

Thank you for your continued love and support, and here's to nine years of The No Deo Hero with many more to come! 💚

Wow! Thank you so very much for an amazing August 2024. It means a lot to see my hard work, dedication and passion pay off every month like this. The No Deo Hero show and my loyal audience has become my life, and I always do my best to be as prolific as possible when it comes to content.

Seeing a 68% increase in monthly views is incredible. It's wild to think that so many eyes are on me on a regular basis! Haha. But you guys know I love it, and that I love you 💚

The financial support I've been receiving behind the scenes has also continued to increase each month, and this means the world to me. This is why I've decided to dedicate MY world to filming videos and being someone for everyone out there who can use a positive role model in their lives.

If you're interested in supporting me, custom video commissions are always open (email me!), I share private posts each week on my Patreon, and there are plenty of behind-the-scenes extra videos detailed on this website you can purchase access to -- and if you're a US fan, you can purchase worn clothing from me as well!

Thank you again for proving to me that this is my calling in life and that I survived several brushes with death for a purpose, and that purpose is to be an alternative voice for like-minded people from all around the world. You guys are the realest!

Hey guys. Primal Instinks here, and I wanted to put my thoughts into writing once more. I filmed a few videos recently where I lamented about how people haven't been making efforts to hang out or even keep in touch with their friends for the past few years now, and unfortunately it hasn't gotten better since then -- it's gotten worse.

We all have to work for a living and have our own responsibilities and crosses to bear, and some people are more introverted than others (which is a legitimate personality type and completely fine), but the clear culprit for the social decline of extroverted people is, ironically, "social" media and the internet. To illustrate my point, I want to take you back to when I was a kid.

As a Millennial, I still remember my first cellphone. It was a flip phone, and it did everything it needed to do. It didn't have apps or high speed internet on it; it made calls, sent texts, and took photos. I only used it for what phones are supposed to be used for it, and in no way was I addicted to it.

There was also this cool computer messaging program at the time called AIM, which stood for AOL Instant Messenger. You created a username for yourself, added your friends by their usernames, and then you could send messages back and forth. That was it. There were no "likes" or subscriber counts, and no "feed" designed to ensnare you into a doom-scrolling social media addiction. AIM was truly designed for friends and family to keep in touch and to embrace socialization between people.

One of the first social media sites that existed when I was a kid was MySpace. Like AIM, MySpace was created with socialization in mind, but it also added artistic expression. The site's tagline was "a place for friends." You uploaded a few photos, picked a background song and design for your profile, and wrote a biography about yourself, which included listing your favorite bands and movies etc. You could add others as friends, leave them comments, and send them direct messages.

Again, there were no likes, follower counts, or live feeds on MySpace. Tom Anderson, the former President and a co-creator of MySpace, genuinely wanted to give people a place to express themselves and meet others with similar interests and hobbies. He also created it as an alternative to another early social media site that forced people to use their real names on it. MySpace didn't require you to disclose your personal information for online privacy reasons.

Then came Facebook. After MySpace was sold to a big company and became littered with ads and changed for the worst, Facebook overtook it in popularity. This new social media site had a noticeably different approach -- requiring people to use their real names, using police-type technology to scan the photos they'd post, and constantly asking who was in each photo and where they were taken. It was no surprise to eventually learn that Facebook was mining the personal data of its users and selling it behind the scenes to marketing companies, along with placing targeted ads on its website. I even learned that after you "delete" your Facebook account, it disappears from public view, but they continue to store, and likely sell, all your metadata long after you're gone.

Basically, Facebook took the sincere approach of MySpace and twisted it into a greedy, shady, money-making scheme. They monetized the concept of friendship like a profit-first corporation. As we know, additional and similar popular social media sites and apps followed, and today people are pressured to sign up for all the major ones or be left behind online.

There's a reason I only have an account on YouTube and nowhere else. Before it was bought by Google, YouTube's slogan was "broadcast yourself," and it was all about random people (non-celebrities) filming home videos of themselves and expressively their artistic creativity in video form. As a homage to its original intention, I keep my content simple and homemade without high-production editing or annoying product placement endorsements. I keep it as original and independent as I can while maintaining enough income for myself to get by. I truly aim to express myself and make a connection with my fans, and to make a positive impact on their lives and the world we live in. And yes, YouTube has an algorithm, but it mainly recommends me awesome new music which I personally love it for.

The irony of "social" media today is that people don't use it to socialize or make new friends like it was originally created for. These days, it's all about getting people addicted to feeds and algorithms so they'll continue spending time on them and driving profits for the companies who own them by use of ads and personal data collection. They use "likes" and follower counts to goad people into competition, and they offer a small fraction of payout in terms of revenue sharing as further incentive.

Here's another example of what I mean. I momentarily had a Snapchat account where I added friends and co-workers from a restaurant I used to work at part-time before I began filming videos full time for a living. Oddly, few people I added as friends posted stories or photos on their accounts, and they didn't read or reply to messages I sent them much, but I noticed in the "views" list they would always look at my photos and watch my video posts all the way through. In other words, the only thing they used their account for was to look at what other people were posting, including posts from random celebrities and influencers they followed. They didn't actually converse with friends or try to make plans to hang out. Suffice to say, I deleted my Snapchat account and never looked back at it.

I've also known people who admitted to me they were addicted to scrolling on social media sites like TikTok every day and had been struggling with it for years. Their social lives had been replaced by an endless quest of regularly scrolling for a dopamine rush. Instead of creating memories with new friends or spending time with their existing ones, they were dependent on getting pleasure from the phone in their hand. Kids don't even go outside to play anymore because they're given phones at such a young age and become addicted to them early on. And we all know when people say they're "busy" these days, there's a good chance they're actually just scrolling on their phone, and it's hard to believe they really missed your calls and messages when they're always on their phone whenever you manage to see them.

This was already a big problem for humanity, but it got worse when a virus was unleashed on the world and people were forced or demanded to leave their jobs, avoid social interaction, and isolate themselves in their homes. While the sickness was real, the political hysteria of it compounded the existing decline of socialization, and some people are still stuck in the mind state that being around others or leaving their home is a dangerous thing. People also developed deeper internet addictions while holed up in their homes that they didn't recover from.

Now, with the rise of AI (artifical intelligence technology), social interactions are even more at risk. People are chatting with AI bots instead of other people because they're designed to be so lifelike with their conversations. People can also create artwork and music using AI, which puts original artists and musicians at an unfair advantage. Do we really want to live in an artificial world run by computers and robots? I personally don't!

So what does the future hold for socialization? At this rate, it's not looking good. As technology continues to rise, socialization continues to decline. The world is becoming less natural and more artificial as time goes on. Like any addiction, technology has a strong grip on humanity, and backed by billion-dollar corporations, it will continue to squeeze as much free time and sanity out of you as it can at your expense.

But only if you let it.

Wow! Thank you so much for 10,000 subscribers. On June 3rd, 2024, my YouTube channel reached this incredible new milestone and I'm very humbled by the amount of interest and followers I now have. What an amazing coincidence too that it occurred during Pride Month, when I have always spoken up for people with alternative identities and interests.

I've always said that being a YouTube creator was never a numbers game for me in terms of subscribers, likes, and view counts. The numbers that mean the most to me are the amount of people that I make a positive impact on -- the lives I change for the better, the minds I open and enlighten, and the good feelings I instill in those who find me online. That's what truly matters to me, but I'm still very happy to know that so many people enjoy and appreciate me enough to have clicked the subscribe button and show me support.

It means even more to me since my content isn't trendy or mainstream. I'm an underground video artist who handles everything myself, including all the filming, editing, operating of the channel and this website, posting on Patreon, and responding to the YouTube comments and business emails. I've never partnered with any company to help boost my channel or inflate my numbers like many mainstream YouTubers do. I've also never accepted or filmed any paid product placements or brand deals. Everything about The No Deo Hero is as proudly 100% independent and DIY as a true punk band that never sells out.

With so many people on YouTube signing their brands away to big companies promising them viral views and major marketing support, while shilling random products in the middle of their videos and trying to get you to buy them so they can earn commissions on them, it means the world to know that so many of you are supporting an independent brand that's completely operated by one person -- me. I will never sell out to the unending stream of companies that continuously email me trying to lure me in with their sales pitches. If I do mention a product in a video, it's either because I'm making a comedy skit about it (like with the handheld toilet bidet I bought on a whim) or trying to pass on useful information to other people who could benefit from it (like with the mesh gnat-protection headgear that has helped me).

I don't need any of that. YOU guys are my sponsors. You make this possible by showing me years of unwavering support by making time to watch my YouTube videos, commissioning me for custom videos, purchasing access to behind-the-scenes extras, pledging to my Patreon, and buying clothing from me. By selling my own clothing directly to my fans, I also get to avoid the mainstream merch method of selling overpriced t-shirts with my brand name on them through a third-party company who takes a chunk of the profit. Instead of going that inauthentic route, I wear the clothing myself and then mail it to my fans, continuing the independent nature I've always maintained with my show.

Thank you again for supporting an independent, freelance video artist and content creator. I'm living a dream by having the opportunity to do this full time and make a worldwide impact on all of you instead of working a local job and making a greedy corporation rich like I did before. This adventure is 8 and a half years in, and I have no plans of stopping or slowing down. In fact, this motivates me to passionately continue even more, so stay tuned because there's so much more on the way.

Sending 10K's worth of love and support right back atcha,

Primal 💚

An additional special thanks for the new record view count for another month in a row!

We all have favorite songs, shows, and seasons of nature. Are yours the same as mine? That's the purpose of this blog post, to share my favorite things and see how we happen to compare in terms of personal enjoyment. Here we goooo!

Quotes:

"Find your lane and stay in it."

"You get in where you fit in."

"The world is round for a reason." (Another way of saying "what goes around, comes around")

"If it doesn't make dollars, it doesn't make sense."

"The lion never loses sleep over the opinion of a sheep."

"My words will either attract a strong mind or offend a weak one."

"If you ski out of your league, you're gonna have a bad time."

"As long as you're having fun."

Color: Green, and I also like the combination of black and red

Seasons: Autumn and summer

Holiday: Halloween

Subculture: Punk

Food: Peanut butter

Drink: Water

Accent: Australian

Animals: Rat, raccoon, possum, kangaroo, dinosaur, and human

Birds: Anhinga and seagull

Insects: Mantis and dragonfly

Band: Alice in Chains (my favorite album of theirs is Facelift)

Singer: Layne Staley

Musician: Kurt Cobain

Icons: Kurt Cobain and 2Pac

Punk rocker: Dee Dee Ramone

Rappers: 2Pac, Snoop Dogg, Suga Free, Insane Clown Posse, Andre Nickatina, Cellski

Songs: "King" by Fireball Ministry, "Descent" by Fear Factory, "Burial at Sea" by Throwdown, and "Cowboys Do More Dope" by Rebel Meets Rebel (currently -- these change)

Unknown/lostwave song: The Fallen King (the band's name is unknown)

Psychedelic song: Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow by Strawberry Alarm Clock

Most iconic and influential band: The Ramones (my favorite album from them is Animal Boy)

Movies (non-animated): Thirteen Ghosts (2001), Jumanji (1995) and Little Nicky (2000)

Movies (animated): Spirited Away (2001), The Fox and the Hound (1981)

TV Shows: South Park, The Simpsons, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Rick and Morty, Futurama, Looney Tunes, The Ren & Stimpy Show, Rocko's Modern Life, Superjail, Home Movies

YouTube channels: Xploshi, Lumpy Touch, Wizards with Guns

Actors: Jim Carrey and Adam Sandler

Book series: Dragonlance by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

Digital artist: Ratmeat (Texas freelancer who designed my rat mascot Cheesus Brodent)

Sport (to play): Basketball and wrestling (hockey is the only sport I like to sometimes watch along with skateboarding)

Video game company/consoles: Nintendo

Video games: Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, Earthbound, Mother 3, The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX, Spyro the Dragon 1 & 2, Skyrim, Wonder Boy in Monster World, Super Metroid, Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Smash Bros.,  and Super Smash Bros. Melee

Video game character: Reptile (Syzoth) from Mortal Kombat

Pokémon: Scyther, Charizard, Mewtwo, Meowth, Treecko, Inteleon, Krokorok, Zarude, Druddigon, Archen, Watchog, Ursaring, Bidoof

Mysteries: The "Upsweep" recording by the US NOAA's Sound Surveillance System in 1991. Originating from a remote region below the Pacific Ocean, this is one of few strange sounds detected in the depths of the sea that hasn't formally been identified. It varies seasonally and was loud enough to be picked up by the entire ocean sound recording system.

The Boy in the Box, Joseph Zarelli -- a cold case murder mystery of a 4-year-old boy that occurred in the Fox Chase neighborhood of Philadelphia in 1957. He was finally identified in December 2022, many years after I had learned about the tragedy of what happened to him.

The 1977 UK television broadcast interruption by alien representative Vrillon of the Ashtar Galactic Command. If only the world had listened to his warning...

Hey everyone! I hope your weekend is going great so far. I need to share an announcement about transaction fees that applies to using Cash App and Patreon to support me. Please be sure to read this entire post so there's no misunderstandings, and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

For years, I've been paying the transaction fees for the payment processors I use to receive financial support from my fans. These fees may be small on an individual basis, which is why I've always just paid them myself so far, but over time they accumulate to become a substantial amount. While Cash App only charges one small fee per transaction, Patreon charges more because they include both platform and processing fees, as well as a currency conversion fee if someone pledges to me in a native currency other than US dollars.

My Patreon tiers have already been adjusted to include these platform and processing fees. Again, this only applies to new pledges and will not affect you if you're already pledged and remain pledged at the time of this writing.

I've also updated the tiers for viewing behind-the-scenes Extras and using Patreon to pay me for a custom video commission, ranging from a general commission to the more private ones. Those tiers now all include the platform and processing fees if you choose to use Patreon to commission me for a video.

Cash App payments for video commissions and behind-the-scenes Extra videos will now include a 2.75% fee for every transaction. Here's a handy guide that calculates it for you.

For total payments ranging from:

$10 to $35: the transaction fee is just $1

$40 to $70: the fee is $2

$75 to $100: an additional $3 will be added

$150: the fee is $5

$200: $6

For example, if you want to purchase access to one behind-the-scenes Extra using Cash App, which costs $20 for one video, you will need to send $21 altogether for it. If you want to send $50 for a general commission, the total cost will be $52. It's a small amount for everyone to pay, but it makes a world of a difference for me in the long run and ensures I can continue to put my full-time focus into providing content and making a positive impact on the lives of my many followers.

Amazon gift cards do not have transaction fees but I would prefer they only be used as a last resort because they don't go to my bank account like Cash App and Patreon payments do, which means I can't use them toward my monthly living expenses. I will still happily accept them though, and I do have items I buy from Amazon regularly like protein powder and vitamin supplements so it still helps a lot!

Thank you for taking the time to read and understand this post. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at [email protected] and I'll be happy to answer them. Thanks for your continued support and stay tuned for more!