Why Rust Cohle Is Still My Hero 10 Years Later

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Күн бұрын

When I first saw True Detective back in 2014, Rust Cohle became a sort of folk hero to me. But why is a pessimistic philosophy and heroic action so admirable? A video essay.
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00:00 - Intro
02:51 - Philosophy
05:12 - Action
07:13 - Truth
11:06 - Acceptance

Пікірлер: 914

@jamesanthonyify 8 ай бұрын

For me, the last sentence of the show summons who Rust is. "Once there was only dark, if you ask me the light's winning." He chose to became light when he had all reasons to be swallowed by darkness and evil. He refraimed his own nihilism.

@Jammyfish 7 ай бұрын

This comment deserves at least 100 likes 😁 👍

@imsurfingontheearthimasurf5975 7 ай бұрын

The thing is Ligotti, the author of "Conspiracy against the human race", the book from which rust's philosophy is basically ripped, he says in the book that he hates it when someone expresses pessimistic sentiments (usually in an essay, or a book, but it can also be a tv show), and then ends it with something positive, "hopium" to use internet lingo. I imagine he was pretty annoyed with that last line of the show lol.

@davidwong6069 6 ай бұрын

@@imsurfingontheearthimasurf5975 The last line is pretty bad, it feels like it was added after a test screening where a bunch of people complained that Rust didn't have a happy ending or something. I try to write the bad line off as the character just feeling pretty good because he's all hopped up on a bunch of medications from being in the hospital.

@tedwojtasik8781 6 ай бұрын

Cohle was a Stoic / Realist at heart that life had turned misanthrope and pessimist. But...deep down he was actually optimistic and hopeful. I think in the end he had hope for the world as a whole, but knew he was damned, not by some god, but by his own conscience for what he did to his child.

@TonyEdwards1010 6 ай бұрын

@@tedwojtasik8781love this. Please explain further for selfish reasons for me.

@Zbychu347 8 ай бұрын

This show really changed me. At first, it changed me negatively, because pessimistic ideas and dogmas that it consists of overwhelmed me. But after a while I saw that this story is actually optimisstic. Moral of that story is: when darkness prevails and overpowers you, become the light source, that will get you through it.

@brucesekliar5824 8 ай бұрын

yeah...this took me 2 years..a continuous slow process

@shingnosis 8 ай бұрын

Bravo. Read some of Nietzsche and the Übermensch, it's not easy reading, it's not easy to digest. It takes some time, maybe a lot. And Nietzsche was probably a bit crazy. But the essence of it is that we must learn to create meaning, we must learn to be good men. And that this task is especially important in this new age of materialism and nihilism.

@jingalls9142 8 ай бұрын

@@shingnosis the other day I witnessed a kid being mean to a cat. And all I could think after putting the fear of Satan into that kid was Fredrick and the horse. It make more sense than it ever did prior.

@hgbugalou 7 ай бұрын

This is exactly how I saw things. Personally I think life is more or less pointless at a universal level but you can bring your own meaning to it and be the guiding light as you said. You can make the differences in the world you want to see.

@hllndsn1 7 ай бұрын

Nonsense. Time is a flat circle. Nietzsche's eternal reoccurring is the only true metaphysics. Nothing optimistic in the suffering of those children. Rust is Will personified. His child dies. In a meaningless universe he pursues purposelesy the killer of other children (and the occasional pahramacy robbery). He surrounds himself with death by choice. He embraces a traditional view of evil while being completely athiestic and acknowleding the conciousness is a cosmic error (we are the bad that keep he worse me away from the good- read- weaker men) He contemplates the choice, the Will, to act in a way that will lead to meaningless death. That his athiestic contemplation of the cross. He is Nietzsche's Ubermensch personified. He is Will personisifined. In a universe where consciousness is a perversion, where mankind should be universally snuffed out, he hunts the the killers of the very perversion he considers a universal aberration. He is an Absurd Masterpiece.

@mralowen 7 ай бұрын

The first season of True Detective is special. I was blown away at how good it was. I had never seen a TV series that was that well made.

@teomanyldz8074 6 ай бұрын

you'll like mindhunter

@InwardAdventure 6 ай бұрын

@@teomanyldz8074 all due respect mate, mindhunter doesn't come even close to true detective's first season.

@wildblueberry7 6 ай бұрын

@@InwardAdventureyeah nowhere near its level

@Warkenshin 6 ай бұрын

Mindhunter wishes it was like true detective.

@kensou2828 6 ай бұрын

1st season might be the best one of all time

@hansblitz7770 8 ай бұрын

I am a cop in Ohio and know a detective that is a lot like this dude. He got nicknamed after him and didn't know what we were talking about until he saw the show years later. All he said was he doesn't like Matt McConaughey.

@celiacresswell6909 8 ай бұрын

Wow! That guy is dry

@Flooding474 7 ай бұрын

That’s a very _Rust_ response.

@suprafastmafc 7 ай бұрын

go figure 🙃

@brandonmorel2658 7 ай бұрын

ACAB

@pablogabriel2621 7 ай бұрын

Kmon brow, we need the Instagram this man

@jaredgreen3231 5 ай бұрын

You didn’t mention Rust’s daughter once. Her death in many ways drove his pessimism. He holds such a deep and endless love for her and I believe allows it to drive his actions amid a life devoid of meaning when she died.

@richardharte2563 3 ай бұрын

Yep, there's no mention of that fact that Cohle has somewhat of a disassociation complex due to deep-seated trauma, both from the tragedy he suffered but also because of his work as a undercover narco. He didn't simply adopt the world-view that he has. There's nothing to glorify here.

@karly9476 3 ай бұрын

Yes! I think a lot of people forget that he is also grieving

@BAGG8BAGG 2 ай бұрын

He even fashions an idea of existence that allows the death of his daughter to be a mercy rather than a horror, if life is meaningless torment bound to repeat then dying before you really know pain is the greatest gift for a soul.

@LightandMemorable 9 ай бұрын

I’m still up for the whole “walk hand in hand into oblivion” thing if anybody wants to do it

@bryanroshan7787 9 ай бұрын

Is there gonna be beer? If it oblivion we're heading for then id want my last drink to be lone star

@jb-xc4oh 9 ай бұрын

Go for it, I'll take a hard pass on that...!! LoL..

@jb-xc4oh 9 ай бұрын

Some great lines in that movie but they are just words, the product of some screen writer's imagination.@@bryanroshan7787

@spencerlb 9 ай бұрын

Gonna take a few more billion for that

@antimatteranon 8 ай бұрын

be patient and wait for the nukes to fall. or the grid to fail. sooner or later one of the two will happen and you get to watch everyone slowly perish.

@brothajohn 8 ай бұрын

I believe it’s hands down the greatest single season of Television. Breaking Bad, The Wire, and the Sopranos come very close

@xancypillosi9497 4 ай бұрын

Facts

@Jackson... 2 ай бұрын

I'd say The Wire s4 and Sopranos s6 are as good or better than TD s1, but those shows have the benefit of an entire show's worth of seasons to stand on. TD s1 is hands down my favorite single season of television ever, absolutely perfect

@xancypillosi9497 2 ай бұрын

@@Jackson... wire s4? Which one was that ?! Not the school one I hope

@YokerBoy 2 ай бұрын

Cobra Kai season 1

@FSociety651 Ай бұрын

@@YokerBoy😂you must be joking mid cobra isnt even top 100

@user-xh1zu5os9r 7 ай бұрын

I’ve been a detective for 7 years. After working undercover for 2 years, divorced, then working a child abuse case that broke me… I found myself exactly as you describe. The world IS fallen as exemplified by these ritualistic child trafficking cases. I was non religious. I found out evil was real. Then while in the belly of a beast, I was suddenly called to belief. I just saw this series last year while at a residential rehab for first responders. Back at work now and doing much better. I am subscribing for sure. Great analysis.

@corbetcrey 7 ай бұрын

Glad you are doing better, man :) Qucik question: from the perspectiv of a detective how this series recreates real police work? I live in Europe, and work in corporate world so I will love to hear your view on this subject.

@user-xh1zu5os9r 6 ай бұрын

This season was very accurate. In California in a major department you’d get a team of about 6 detectives on a case like this. More help to chase down leads and follow up. That doesn’t include the crime scene team (not detectives) and the crime lab employees to process all the evidence. Another accurate show is Bosch. The most accurate is old Dragnet. Avoid anything on CBS because it’s all drama engineered for women. Not sure about East Coast police shows because that’s a whole different world. I wouldn’t know what’s accurate.

@corbetcrey 6 ай бұрын

@@user-xh1zu5os9r Thank you :) And I love "Avoid anything on CBS because it’s all drama engineered for women." I always thought so ;)

@taniaearle4457 5 ай бұрын

Well it is an Anthropology series! Someone described series one as beginning in Hell and looking out. Series 3 flaked. Yet to see number 4, I suppose that's where we bump into the characters funding this.

@nettewilson5926 5 ай бұрын

Maybe it’s easier for you or adaptive for you to feel and think this way. I think evil and good exist solely in the minds of humans. We project these ideas onto the world: we view the world through these psychological projections. We embody these ideas into myths of good god(s) and evil ones. But nice misogyny: it fits with Christinsanity, which is how you cope, I suppose.

@krejziks3398 8 ай бұрын

4:39 "If the only thing keeping the person decent is expectation of divine reward, then that person is a piece of shit." Damn, i was trying to put that into words since forever, thank you.

@j.j.negrontv1111 7 ай бұрын

I mean, that’s such a low IQ position. Nobody in this world does anything good purely from altruistic motives. Everyone seeks a reward, even if that reward is simply a clear conscience or social validation, both inherently selfish. It’s laughable to think that it makes someone a better person simply because the reward they crave is not “divine”.

@krejziks3398 7 ай бұрын

@@j.j.negrontv1111 found one

@PlumpLumps 7 ай бұрын

@@j.j.negrontv1111 If the ONLY reward they value is divine reward - and they would otherwise look at other sentient beings as disposable - then yes, they are pieces of shit. You can replace God with government. If the ONLY thing keeping me from killing someone is that the government would throw me in jail if I did - then I am a piece of shit. Societies collapse and governments dissolve - some people loot and murder, and others help people out. I think it's pretty obvious group A are pieces of shit, and group B are cool. If, in a modern day society where the majority of people are religious and expect divine reward, you could flip a switch and make everyone realize there is no god, everything else staying the same, a number of those people would succumb to nihilism, go dark, and start murdering and acting generally shitty. Come on dude.

@Vincent_Stevens 6 ай бұрын

@@j.j.negrontv1111 You clearly didn't understand what the character tried to express

@j.j.negrontv1111 6 ай бұрын

@@Vincent_Stevens Maybe you could explain it?

@dishcleaner2 7 ай бұрын

Rust showed up for me when I first lost my faith too. I couldn’t believe a character like him existed on a mainstream tv show. Some of the best writing ever.

@jacksonmeeks9313 7 ай бұрын

“The closer we get to truth, the further we get from meaning”. You put this really well. I think that once someone reaches this point it can be so jarring that there might even almost be some desire, in a way, to go back to the comforting prior beliefs.. Also, I very much appreciated your description for what it feels like to lose one’s childhood religion. I think you described the experience really well.

@t2nexx561 6 ай бұрын

This doesn’t sense to me, meaning is the implication for action and what better act, that is called for then under the guise of truth

@AAW961 8 ай бұрын

Cohle is a believer who doesn’t know it, Marty is a disbeliever who doesn’t know it, believing is actions even if the mind cannot put together the philosophy of said belief.

@johnradovich8809 7 ай бұрын

Well put!

@hgbugalou 7 ай бұрын

I really hope if there is a God it can see things like this and not punish good people for lack of faith like described in most religions. We tell people to judge others by the content of their character. I hope whatever God there may be (which I do not believe in myself at current time) can see things like this too.

@buddhastl7120 7 ай бұрын

@@hgbugalouwhy hope? Have faith. It takes a man to have faith. Be one. Of course there is a creator.

@videt7459 6 ай бұрын

@@buddhastl7120 "Of course there is a creator." Gotta love it when deluded people confidently assert that their delusions are reality. As for "it takes a man to have faith", not only have you missed the whole point of section 2 of this video, you're also relying on absurd gender ideology. Woman or man, it takes a person of intelligence and courage to face the idea that when we die we don't go to some big party in the sky. The whole reason religion is popular is that it's a comfort for humankind's biggest fears. It's their fuzzy little security blanket, like scared toddlers. Believing in an omnipotent protective sky daddy makes you far more a child than a man.

@ginbejury 6 ай бұрын

Yes.

@gregalee 7 ай бұрын

One thing to keep in mind is the life journey of Rust and his character's arc of self-discovery. When we meet him in the series he is at a point of nihilism after having hit rock bottom in his deep cover narcotics infiltration, itself a flight from self spurred by the tragic loss of his child. As they are driving at the outset of your video, his philosophical statements that upset his partner so much in the car are classic depressive nihilism. He believes in nothing and thinks the noble thing is to give up on existence. The character arc throughout the show takes the nihilism as its beginning and progresses to a point where he accepts that the noble thing for someone who has had so much taken from him is to protect others. His reason for being becomes toward the end of the show nothing but to confront and defeat a manifestation of pure evil. In this, he reaches the purest state of what a police officer should be. Having been touched by evil in his own life, having seen it over and over again as a police officer, he is stripped of his own innocence, but he uses the awareness brought by his tragedy to serve others, selflessly, and protect them and their innocence from the horrors he is all too familiar with. This is why, at the end of the show, we see him portrayed, nearly destroyed by the forces he confronted and ultimately defeated, looking very much like a Jesus figure in the hospital. The message of the show is that only the spirit of self-sacrifice matters. All the trappings of formalized religion distort this essential spirit into messages put out by the powerful to bend others toward their will. Rust's journey is one where he sort of backs into being a cosmic savior figure. Like the best leaders in politics are the ones who are conscripted to it rather than those who seek out power, the noble saviors among us become so by meeting challenges that arise from circumstance. They are volunteered into it by life, becoming so because their personal morality cannot let them take any other, easier path. They do not seek it out, it finds them. This is Rust's archetype.

@thesurvivorssanctuary6561 7 ай бұрын

Thank you for confirming something important for me. Morality is the issue, and the enemy.

@keerthanach1106 6 ай бұрын

ur explanation is nothing short of Freudian s psychoanalysis..👍👍

@gregalee 6 ай бұрын

@@keerthanach1106 that's interesting. I have never read a single word of Freud's writings or theory. That says a lot about our culture and how widely adopted his ideas are.

@Kustobouyaka 6 ай бұрын

Very well said

@keerthanach1106 6 ай бұрын

@@gregalee yeah true..Freud basically says that we live either for pleasure or avoid pain..n different humans adopt various kinds of strategies based on their childhood,society and experiences..very few can actually resist the temptation of doing harm to others or themselves in that process. N very less great minds can overcome all this n contributes to the welfare of majority..as u said in ur explanation...i teach psychology...fan of Dr.Sigmund Freud..(from India)

@jakebugeja4573 9 ай бұрын

I'm so glad someone made this video. True detective is dangerously influential. And that's a good thing: it's hard to accept that these notions might be true but they are too compelling and convicting to ignore.

@chilibeer3912 6 ай бұрын

This for me is the best single season of any show I’ve ever watched. And thanks to this reminder I’m about to watch it again

@joeburke2323 3 ай бұрын

Agreed! The combination of the quality of writing and acting is unmatched.

@nxsmotorsports 8 ай бұрын

Watching season 1 in 2014 as each episode aired was a journey. Nearly 10 years later, I watched it again. Life has changed; I've grown, I've loved, and I've lost. I appreciate this masterpiece even more with an evolved understanding of life. This was an excellent analysis and made me appreciate the writing, editing, directing, and acting even more. You have a very keen eye for detail, and you revealed the subtle nuances that I witnessed but did not consciously notice. Thank you for your insight. Phenomenal work!

@awakeenlighten2298 8 ай бұрын

Great video! "Human life moves only in one direction - toward disease, damage, and death. The best you can hope for is to remain stagnant or, in certain cases, return to a previous condition when things weren't as bad as they've become for you." - Thomas Ligotti

@evwell3988 6 ай бұрын

Conspiracy against the Human was an inspiration for the series according to the director. I think it bailed on Ligotti-esque line of thinking towards the end. I hate that his short stories have not been made into shows or films, especially Gas Station Carnival.

@cynamonstudio 7 ай бұрын

My dear friend once told me that he thinks that depressed people are the only ones that see true nature of reality. Beacause if you think of life as a whole you may come to conslusion it is a painful and meaningless experience. I spend most of my time deceiving myself that it is otherwise, however deep inside I know it is true.

@xking21 7 ай бұрын

You do not know how much i needed to hear this. I have had clinical depression due to lower back pain since 18 years of age (now 26) and that was my conclusion; life is pain and meaningless. But when you suggested at least you spend your time pretending or deceiving yourself otherwise it just made me happier and calmer like i was once in the past. Thank you, seriously.

@ep103103 6 ай бұрын

@@xking21Life is inherently meaningless. But the "inherently" in that sentence is the operative word. It just means that there is no pre-set already defined meaning prescribed for you in life. It is your choice, to find what you find meaningful, and dedicate your life to it. The actions you take will live on to affect or not affect others, as you choose. And the importance of that is up to you. And just like how we choose meaning, we can also choose what we focus on. Life is painful, and difficult, and it will not let us ignore it. But you can choose what to focus on, the positives, or the pain. You can choose which memories to replay. I don't think that's self-deception. I think that's just taking ownership of this strange experience we've been placed in, and taking into our own hands the responsibility for how we are going to let ourselves experience it.

@lifemusic1980 3 ай бұрын

Well said. I think about depression like this as well.

@watchfighting571 2 ай бұрын

Only thing getting me through every day is the fact that as cohle says, i bear witness. And we only get 1 life so might aswell see it through.@@ep103103

@JiaqiWu-dx7hk 7 ай бұрын

Rust Cohle is to me one of the best-written character, like Matthew said himself when playing it, he can't wait what Cohle is gonna do next and he's always wondering about that when reading the script. The way you edited the video is so engaging and story-like, I love this.

@AndrewMiE 2 ай бұрын

Matthew M is easily one of the best actors to ever be on the screen. I know people that can’t stand him and I just don’t get it. He can play any role he wants. Very hard for actors/actresses to be as versatile as he is. It’s truly amazing.

@theresnothingthere 9 ай бұрын

i don't know what to say. you said everything there was to say. i feel exactly the same as rust. i lost the love of my life a few months ago. after that nothing was the same. and i know that nothing will be. but i accepted it. i know my whole life will be pain, sadness and loneliness. i know it because i understood and chose it. just like rust. "now i live in a little room, work four nights a week, and in between i drink. and after all these years, there's a victory in that." i can sincerely say today that Rustin Cohle saved me. thanks for this, man. take care.

@manuelklitschke3230 9 ай бұрын

Keep your head up man theres still good out there for you. I know I sound like the typical "dont give up" blablabla but I also had a very turbulent life so far myself. I was so close to achieving my dream life, but now I barely scrape by. But what I learned for myself was gratitude for the things I have and really noticing the good moments when they happen. Lately i was sitting on a balcony with my mom, we both had a beer and we were watching into the stars. None of us said a thing. This was really a good moment and we both knew it. I never payed attention to such moments, because I always was chasing bigger things in my mind.

@theresnothingthere 9 ай бұрын

@@manuelklitschke3230 i feel you, man. sincerly. i see what you mean. but... i tried. i tried to fix it. i tried... to fix her. i couldn't. i know that i can't go back, and i can't repeat the past. that's hurt... deeply. she wasn't just a "girlfriend" ... she was my wife. the love of my life. i have some moments like what you had with your mom. but it doesn't change anything. but it's ok... now i know who i am. after all these years it... means a lot for me. hope your mom is ok. take care of her, she's... precious.

@manuelklitschke3230 9 ай бұрын

@@theresnothingthere I think I can relate to some extend with you, I also was with a women who I thought would be the mother of my kids and the women I would grow old with. I really loved her aswell, we were passionate lovers and best friends at the same time. But it also didnt work out and I kinda knew from beginning it never really had a realistic chance. (like I told previously I barely scrape by and she comes from a very rich family) It was a nice fantasy of us both but not fit for reality. I still think about her every day. You are not alone with this struggle my friend... Atleast I have no regrets, I think I would just do it all over again with her in the same way, I said all I wanted to say to her and did all I wanted to do, and it still didnt work out so It was not in my power. And maybe it wasnt in your power aswell, so you can let go of any regrets. I hope you can find peace with the past

@theresnothingthere 9 ай бұрын

@@manuelklitschke3230 i have no words... thank you man, for everything.

@noahsmith5715 8 ай бұрын

@@theresnothingthere everyone lives and dies it dosent matter whether you’re alive or dead those feelings won’t change

@Direfloof 5 ай бұрын

The idea of the “debt” Marty and Rust owed being born from the lie they told about the shootout had completely gone by me. I sort of concluded that it was about the two of them giving up on each other for so many years. Great analysis.

@michaelvossen7253 4 күн бұрын

I believe Rust was talking about the debt that he and Marty owed to the world. Because Marty executed Reggie Ledoux and cut off a huge lead, Errol Childress remained free and continued his brutal murders. Rust must have felt guilty about leaving the case unsolved after learning more people went missing during his absence. He needed Marty's connections and investigation skills to help him find the killer's identity.

@rinzler666 6 ай бұрын

I watch true detective season one once or twice a year. My all time favorite TV series.

@lifemusic1980 3 ай бұрын

Same

@Hellgrinde 4 ай бұрын

Definitely an amazingly well acted character. Probably MMs best role ever. At least in my opinion.

@joeburke2323 3 ай бұрын

Easily his best. One of best acted characters ever to hit the screen.

@joenorway47 4 ай бұрын

People like Rust exist in every sector of the real world - but just as with Rust, you almost never notice them or their amazing work because they dont care about the recognition

@Okijuben 7 ай бұрын

Your opening statements about the experience of losing one's faith are so precise, so tangibly heartfelt, it was like a gut punch; followed by the instant relief of hearing someone describe this pain which so many of us have lived through. Thank you. Great video. Subbed.

@joelerk6298 6 ай бұрын

I never thought a TV series could change my actual day to day thinking

@ancogaming 7 ай бұрын

A pessimist is simply a realist dealing with experience.

@StormX6 7 ай бұрын

When this show came out, it made me realize how great of an actor Matthew Mcconaughey is. I couldn't find Mcconaughey in his performance at all, rather, Rust Cohle seemed to be an actual character you'd meet and hate to agree with.

@johnjames-glover4630 9 ай бұрын

An intelligent and inciteful look into one of the most complex characters we've ever seen on TV. Great job! Best wishes from England.

@gluehuffer6955 8 ай бұрын

This is a really well made video. It speaks to the greatness of Season 1 that we are still thinking about it after all these years and care enough to make/watch video essays.

@Combsfilms 9 ай бұрын

I never use comments on youtube but this so well put together & thought through! Such an incredible show and I related to much of your perspective/story. Well done brother

@the_projectionist 9 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for this comment! Responses like this are why I make these videos in the first place. It's good to know someone out there has had a similar experience.

@xhulio4124 7 ай бұрын

Really good job man, a good place for all the Rust Cohle's of the world

@AnthonyDukesConsulting 7 ай бұрын

⁠@@the_projectionisthear hear! This is a profound video you’ve made. Thanks for taking the time and attention to do so. I haven’t watched the show, only YT clips, and this video seems to clearly encapsulate it. Thanks again

@bakoUnbroken 8 ай бұрын

True detective season 1 is just one of my favorite things. What a great video you made, so articulate, so well thought through. Great job!

@Euph0rical 9 ай бұрын

This was a wonderful video! I just watched True Detective around 2 weeks ago, & have been searching for video essays about it. Happy to have found your channel! 😊

@user-hi3ms6xw7q 7 ай бұрын

Rust always struck me as an embodiment of Kant's Categorical Imperative. His actions are dutifull to the morality of being. He is selfless in his actions (as you say in the video) not because he wants to do good but because it's the right thing to do. Even though his trauma (death of his daughter) has transformed him into a nihilist, he stil acts according to principles which he cannot relinquish since this would mean the destruction of his values which you could argue, is all he has left.

@estabon345 6 ай бұрын

Really glad you made this video, amazing commentary into a show that I saw long ago but resonated with me deeply. Continue doing what you are doing. You enlightened me.

@JohnJohn-mb1li 8 ай бұрын

Subscribed a little less than half way through. The precision and timing of the beauty of the original content, is unmatched. Great work.

@chrisjenkins7591 6 ай бұрын

Well done. I'm now on the my 9th viewing of this series. Saw it first in 2020. Best show ever.

@that_heretic 9 ай бұрын

I mean, I still think human consciousness is a tragic misstep in evolution. Very well written show.

@jb-xc4oh 9 ай бұрын

Yes, its just a figment of some screen writers imagination.

@Thor-Orion 8 ай бұрын

Yeah, your kind (terrans) was far better as mindless slave monkeys.

@gozorak 8 ай бұрын

There are no missteps in either the universe or the natural world.

@jamesmaybrick2001 8 ай бұрын

@@gozorak Thats obviously nonsense.

@jamesmaybrick2001 8 ай бұрын

@@jb-xc4oh Wait, are you seriously claiming that True Detective was written by writers? Bugger me sideways, i might never have known. Thanks for that announcement.

@IdesofJuly 8 ай бұрын

Very thought provoking video, really appreciate you giving me a new lens to view the show through and some interesting perspectives on life to juggle with

@michaeladams7035 9 ай бұрын

Man, this video is fantastic. It really connects with me because I, too, grew up deeply religious and during my time of questioning I watched this show. Watched it again as an atheist and it connected to me on a level I can’t put into words. Hope your channel grows, I subscribed to help in my little way.

@NahidHasan-bo9bt 7 ай бұрын

I was going through a hard time for the last few weeks. You reminded me of how I felt about Rust when I first watched True Detective. Thinking like a "realist" helps when I am facing the monster of great odds in front of me. Thanks, man.

@Velosciraptor 9 ай бұрын

This channel is a rare gem, don't ever give up bruh.

@jocsanabdala9456 4 ай бұрын

I came into the show under similar circumstances brother. That last scene was moving to the core. Thanks for making such an insightful video on a crazy piece of art man. I appreciate it!

@nirelotus 6 ай бұрын

Thank you for this. I can feel and observe the concepts and theories about Russell and Marty but you actually put it into words.

@Kestrel66 8 ай бұрын

My favorite season of television. I was depressed and impressionable when I seen the first season. It really made me realize shit isn't all about me. We're a speck in the cosmos and we only mean something to each other. Do what you like to do and what makes you happy because you are not here long, and it won't mean anything when you're gone.

@Kestrel66 8 ай бұрын

I forgot to mention this is a very well executed video. Hit the nail and all that.

@davidburns6284 7 ай бұрын

Well said. Each human is one amongst billions. No one person is all that special. Do what you enjoy, indeed, and don't worry about what others are doing or what they may think of you.

@jasonziter 5 ай бұрын

The first season of this show is a work of art. Plain and simple. Crafted so well. I've never seen anything so perfect and I don't expect to see anything this well written and acted ever again. Absolute unicorn of a show, which is why I'm so blown away when I encounter someone who hasn't seen it. I feel like I'm giving an amazing gift when I lend them my Blu-Ray box set to watch it.

@ericksonlm 4 ай бұрын

Great edit with the interviews and all, man. Also, very interesting that McCoghnauhey also seems Rust as a superhero because in this day age having a deeper sense of reality is truly a heroic trait. Great video.

@davidburns6284 7 ай бұрын

Very well done. What an incredible character and one of the best shows I've ever seen. I'm always searching for more shows like this first season, but there is very little that even gets close to this level of excellence.

@matthewryan2060 7 ай бұрын

Rust Colhe and Arthur Morgan are my two favourite characters ever written.

@Ltchg 4 ай бұрын

strong agree

@KamilDevonish 7 ай бұрын

McConaughey's performance was unbelievable. It really shows the power of acting when an actor takes words on a page that seriously. That Emmy for Best Actor was the most unbelievable category of performances in TV history (McConaughey, Harrilson, Cranston, Spacey, Daniels, Hamm). The monologue in the car drive always made me wonder about my own life. Rust says he lacks the constitution to end his life in the face of the truth that he knows. And I always wondered: what is the point of acknowledging a truth if not to act upon it? What does anyone get out of that? Rust seems to be satisfied by being right. But him being "right" doesn't make him happier or sadder - doesn't make anyone smarter or dumber. It reduces to a sort of inconsequentialism that one might consider nihilism which again runs counter to how much he tries to make the world a better place. Doesn't some part of actually knowing a thing rest in believing it enough to act on it? If he knows the right thing to do is for humanity to cease to be - is he convincing other people of the same? Is he doing his part, ending his own existence - and making it sensible to others to follow suit? Without marrying thought to action, dropping 'truth-bombs' without acting on it makes a person "sound desperate" as Hart astutely points out. It makes you sound like you're trying to convince yourself more than someone else. It sounds like you don't totally believe it yourself. I remind myself of this whenever it seems like I'm trying too hard to convince myself of something.

@AnkitChoudhary-st2is 6 ай бұрын

Summed up really really well!! I think when we see life from this POV, that we are here to act the story, no matter good or bad, it will happen anyway and after this acceptance, you really start to appreciate the tiny moments of happiness and glory and peace no matter how often it happens you won't look for equal balance you won't care to balance.

@SmokeTheHolyChalice 2 ай бұрын

Excellent, just wonderfully organized and communicated. I thoroughly enjoyed your insight and found your expression of what is undoubtedly a foreign and, understandably, for most folks, a complex philosophy or outlook on the meaning of existence and our place in it refreshing and quite moving. It is something I wish I found more of on these sites. The intermingling of film clips, precisely chosen to compliment your analysis was well thought out and executed. Unfortunately, it is as rare as it is poignant, and I wanted to let you know it is recognized and appreciated

@Pineapple-ti3wm 9 ай бұрын

Man you just helped me to put my vague perspective of cohle into words That even I couldn't have done this perfectly

@kelly8095fews 9 ай бұрын

My search history: “Alexandra Daddario + cake” But seriously loved this, sweet video! (cake pun)

@dilsmnsh 6 ай бұрын

Thank you for making this. I had struggled to describe my feelings on how I related to Rust. This was spot on.

@CurioNomad 3 ай бұрын

This was a perfect encapsulation of my feelings on Cohle. Thanks for the analysis and clarity into one of my favorite characters of all time.

@TheShanky2000 9 ай бұрын

Thank you for the breakdown, amazing to see your insight on it all. There's an element of channelling one's nihilistic thoughts into a purpose for existence which seems to be the same archetype for every anti hero. Not that they chose to be that way but end up being that way because of what they realize/become

@SierraCharlie9 8 ай бұрын

I was 18 years old when I got introduced to Rust. You can Imagine what kind of an impact a character like Rust can make on a teenager. He has stayed in my psyche ever since.

@b.p.879 5 ай бұрын

This is one of the best TD essays on youtube.

@John-vp1ej 4 ай бұрын

'The closer we get to truth, the further we get from meaning'... My good sir, you could not have nailed it any more perfectly. Plus the conclusion of the vid was also an immaculate choice! Exceptional work all round, thanks so much! 🙌🙏

@animalmother556x45 8 ай бұрын

….watching this show when it was new was…awesome. I don’t think I’d ever seen something that gave me so much to contemplate. Watching it now that I have a child…and understanding the depth of the love I feel for him…I now completely understand how and why Rust was changed so dramatically after his daughter’s tragic death. And then the loss of his marriage. I would never EVER be the same again if I lost by young son. Jesus.

@davidrobinson8954 2 ай бұрын

I think about this all the time. I don’t know how anyone would ever recover from that and not just fall into nihilism. The love for a child is something else.

@milesteg8183 8 ай бұрын

“To bear witness.” This single line summed up my entire waking life. Why do anything when it’s all for nothing? To observe it. That’s all. Somehow, we are all registering and processing data, for some overarching project, that we can never possibly understand. Some people call it God. Others, spirituality. Some point to the absence of meaning as being the meaning. Whatever name we give it, the need is the same: Observation. Data collection. Testing. No matter what you believe, or how you feel today, your data is necessary. Don’t give up that primary function: Living.

@corb5654 4 ай бұрын

This video is really insightful. Thanks for reviewing what is possibly the best single series of television ever made. Subscribed. If this is the art you bring to KZfaq, then I look forward to the future for your channel.

@jggmlegal 6 ай бұрын

Amazing video! Love your analysis and interpretation of this perfect character and love this masterpiece of a season. Thank you!

@GabrielKnightz 9 ай бұрын

We are like beads on a string. Twirling, tumbling and falling ever forward, trapped on an inherently predetermined path strung by the primal forces of cause and effect. Every atom in it's place playing out an atomic pool game. A cog within a cog within a cog in an indifferent, mechanical world mindlessly ticking forward. There is no purpose, no meaning and no choices. Only self inflicted delusions. Our lives are dust, settling gently amongst the chaos of nothing. This is the final and absolute truth.

@the_projectionist 9 ай бұрын

Alright, alright, alright

@antimatteranon 8 ай бұрын

so fuck the rules. let's go wild.

@1rd2th3st 8 ай бұрын

i doubt that

@troyriser8074 8 ай бұрын

I was an atheist for most of my adult life and then something significant happened, and now I'm not. But yeah, I know that struggle for meaning. and truth. Your essay is marvelously done. Good for you.

@rust719 7 ай бұрын

Same here brother. You need a crutch to go on.

@mikewilson8600 5 ай бұрын

Really appreciate this vid. BPD kind of feels like what you described at the end of the video and being borderline this character became my hero.

@nicholascrockettfilms 6 ай бұрын

Great video essay. I share your admiration for this show. Pizzolatto created such a special character when writing Cohle.

@muhammadtahakhanniazi8634 9 ай бұрын

I really liked this video. Your choice of words and the way you explained and conveyed everything was just on spot. Rust choles character has made me think alot about religion and the world 🌎 in itself. I think these types of characters are very complex and to get to know and understand them is really interesting. This character was well made. I really liked every bit of this shows first season.

@superduperpriya 9 ай бұрын

So well articulated man. Ive been binge watching everything related to True Detective season 1, cannot stop watching the clips, something just stuck inside me. The eerie music, that feeling of loneliness, the feeling of being aloof has captured me. Im liking this. Idk why. Im a true blue extrovert yet im finding solace in this weird separation from world. This show does something to you. And you've worded everything so beautifully. ❤

@RustCole01 8 ай бұрын

I think a lot of people can appreciate the simple wisdom put forth by Rust. Human beings constantly suppress their true feelings. Rust states his true feelings in the bluntest possible way, with no regard for self preservation. And his blunt opinions are very much in line with most people's self-censored beliefs. It is liberating to hear someone articulate ideas that most people are too polite to espouse in public. So, I have no idea what your political/social beliefs are, but I feel as tho I have quietly gone along with certain social agendas that have prevailed over the last 2 decades. Starting with something like men and women being physical equals. I think polite people, like myself, just weren't all that eager to argue against that idea. So we go along with it. Then, 12... 15 years later, there is a preposterous argument taking place about whether trans women should be allowed to play women's sports. Now, I still don't care to dive into these arguments, but the reality is, we pandered to the 1st idea and didn't speak up until we arrived this far down the line. Now, rational people are having to admit that they never actually believed that men and women were equals on a physical level. But because that belief festered for so long, it has somehow become difficult to explain to people how absurd this current situation is. And the worst part is, I can state some of these obvious truths in a comments section.... but I would probably clam up in a social setting because there could be actual consequences for speaking out. I think that is the element of Rusts character that people find so appealing. He disregards his own self preservation in the name of his principled beliefs. It's hard not to admire someone who has principles. But as an aside, people like Rust do not actually exist in the real world. You can't really function in the modern world as the "strong, silent type".

@superduperpriya 8 ай бұрын

@@RustCole01 I'm in loss of words. You've actually articulated it so well. Every words resonates with me. Even today my political views are quite different from people so in order to keep my friendships alive and stable, I request them to stray clear of these topics altogether. Absolutely Rust cannot exist in a world like ours (without being cancelled every minute)

@Rogue-xr4tz 4 ай бұрын

This was a very done video essay. Thank you for sharing it. I’ve always found this character morbidly familiar. I see those same traits in the reflecting pool of my own shadow work.

@donnarose3704 2 ай бұрын

I don't know if you'll read this - but it sounds like when you left your faith you experienced derealization. It shares lots of similarities with an existential crisis, but is its own thing - a disassociative response to a traumatic thing. It can be long term, episodic, or a once off experience. I had it a few years back, and knowing that others do too and that there's a word for it really helped.

@tedwojtasik8781 6 ай бұрын

As someone who has studied philosophy and theology extensively, I loved the character of Cohle and what he represents. Behind all of his negative philosophy of the human condition, he is just a man in extreme pain due to what he did to his own child. It's all a mask really, created by a highly intelligent man trying to make sense of his own life after experiencing perhaps the greatest loss and greatest sin any parent has suffered. This is a man so in pain, so broken he has created his own hell, his own reason for it, and ultimately makes it his reason to live. To live only to serve his own punishment upon himself.

@isakregal1879 5 ай бұрын

He didn't do anything to his own child. Sorry if you imagimed that. His bleak world view could partly be explained by hanging out with cartels and seeing the worst of humanity as a homocide detective.

@tedwojtasik8781 5 ай бұрын

@@isakregal1879 You are correct. What happened is his daughter was run over by a car and killed but does not give specifics. This also led to the disillusion of his marriage and the impetus of his nihilism.

@probusexcogitatoris736 7 ай бұрын

I really resonated with this video. I have thought a lot about this topic. I have come to the conclusion that I am a realist at heart. In other words, my core ideology is not based upon emotions. In fact, my core beliefs give me a lot of distress. But, I behave like an optimist. Gandalf is a hero of mine. He spends his life on Arda fighting against evil and serving Eru Illúvatar. At the same time he says to Pippin at gates of Gondor that "there never was much hope, just a fools hope". Gandalf was a realist but behaved like an optimist. That is my ideology!

@cgsqueff 6 ай бұрын

This is excellent content. Thanks for putting it out. Keep going 👏

@dacho707 7 ай бұрын

you're making me watch it again, and again, and again, and again, forever

@Jason-ww3xi 8 ай бұрын

I say this on every Rust Cohle video I come across, but to anyone who doesn't know much of his worldview is based on the writings of a little appreciated author called Thomas Ligotti.

@patrickhenry7721 7 ай бұрын

Ligotti's 'The Conspiracy against the Human Race' in particular if I'm not mistaken. I see common threads running through 'The Last Messiah' by Peter Wessel Zapffe too.

@Jason-ww3xi 7 ай бұрын

@@patrickhenry7721 Yeah. Also Reggie Ledoux mentions the black stars, which are a prominent image in a story by Ligotti called Teatro Grotteso. Dude is out on his own. His entire oeuvre is very fractal and repetitive, like the swirls that constantly show up in the series. I've also come across passages from Emil Cioran(who I discovered through Ligotti's praise) that are almost verbatim words out of Cohle's mouth.

@patrickhenry7721 7 ай бұрын

@@Jason-ww3xi Interesting, I'll have to look into 'Teatro Grotteso'. Emil Cioran is largely unknown, so I'm always surprised when I see that name appear, 'The Trouble With Being Born' and 'A Short History of Decay' are superb. I'd be interested to know specifically what Rust quotes from Cioran.

@Jason-ww3xi 7 ай бұрын

@@patrickhenry7721 It's hard to recall as Cioran is very similar to Ligotti in that he uses hypnotic repetition to consolidate his positions. Plus he works almost exclusively in aphorisms. I'm pretty sure the passage I'm thinking of is in All Gall is Divided. Teatro is just a story in a larger collection also titled Teatro Grottesco. His tales of 'corporate horror' - notably Our Temporary Supervisor - are beyond sublime. Some of the best stories I've ever read.

@bowieupland6112 8 ай бұрын

One of the best series ever made.

@VishalGaud 7 ай бұрын

The might be one of the best, if not the best, short video essays about the show. And that's really something considering the fact that TD S1 prompted an avalanche of video essays.

@pollutedwaters8126 2 ай бұрын

Phenomenal video. Articulated so well that perspective some of us arent able to shake. Still trying to figure out how to integrate it 🤙

@a_legitimate_salvage 2 ай бұрын

Inside every cynic lives a broken hearted idealist.

@krzysztofw3033 Ай бұрын

😢

@emknight84 6 ай бұрын

I always viewed rust as a stoic of sorts carrying on in spite of the nature of the universe. He knows the corruption and horror for what it is. He is deeply troubled by it and makes him unable to live like most people. But he knows that it is his burden to bear so that others don’t have to know the truth of the world. He accepts that he can take it while others can’t and that it is his role.

@Melody_Raventress 9 ай бұрын

Thank you for this. You made me cry.

@FlymanMS 6 ай бұрын

What a superb take on a superb show. I'm glad this vide got recommended to me and many others.

@FireballVFX 8 ай бұрын

Well put. Rust is definitely is the most realistic Hero, not like Marvel or DC champs

@littleponygirl666 8 ай бұрын

I think for a normal person a lot about Rust's personality can be explained just by reading about schizoid personality disorder. Rust sure as shit nails a hell of lot about my general character progression in me as a schizoid. The only major difference is that I'm not as cool.

@MartinPeel 6 ай бұрын

why do you believe their label of you? To see more than one side of things within yourself isn't illness - it's part of this reality. Rust isn't cool for many, he is for us, progress along the path and do what you can. It's a struggle but maybe you'll get the chance to do something worth existing for.

@littleponygirl666 6 ай бұрын

@@MartinPeel I don't consider it as illness per se. I just find it a really convenient way to communicate my general personality with only a few words.

@doctornazgul547 8 ай бұрын

Beautifully done sir.

@aristotlewasnotafanofplato3661 6 ай бұрын

This was a great video analysis, and earned my subscription. 14:24 onward captures the essence of what many Cohle (and True Detective) fans genuinely identify with.

@jamisondaniel68 8 ай бұрын

Rust Cole is what a superhero would be in reality

@jessewatkins5059 8 ай бұрын

It’s because he ignores regular society willingly. He’s disassociated. This character resonated with me so much I became a PI for a while but realized that I don’t care enough about other people lol.

@WhitePony-zu5pi 6 ай бұрын

Imagine Rust Cohle with legit superpowers encountering Homelander… holy fvck…

@UntoTheDepths 6 ай бұрын

@@WhitePony-zu5piexcept Homelander isn't what a super powered being would be in reality. The Boys confuse "realism" with "dark and edgy"

@lifeisberserk9566 5 ай бұрын

Hancock

@CinemacrestStudios 8 ай бұрын

This is a beautiful video. When you described your personal atheism and spiritual journey at the beginning it reminded me a lot of my own journey. I was wrestling with Cohle's ideas for seven years straight. They haunted me at work and in daily family life. His ideas borrow directly from Arthur Schopenhauer and Friedrich Nietzsche, so it's not like they're 100% original. But they ARE original in the sense that Pizzolatto fused together probably fifty different characters and several specific philosophies into one man. Cohle is a Frankenstein's monster in that way. The way you tied in the Job narrative makes me wonder if you saw my videos on the show: "True Detective - Lovecraft and Theology" parts 1-3. I hit on the Job comparison more heavily and dive deep into the hidden HP Lovecraft references. Give it a watch if you haven't! I would love to know what you think. Anyway, you have earned a new subscriber. I look forward to seeing what you produce next.

@SmoughTown 2 ай бұрын

Great video mate - I've always felt a liking for Cohle; I felt like I respected his world view and the way he acts but couldn't put my finger on it. You nailed it, great job - thanks for finally spelling it out for me.

@TheNitroPython 3 ай бұрын

I love this essay. I too have a similar reverence for the show and anytime someone is able to give me the feeling the show originally did I appreciate it. thanks my guy subscribing now.

@Dapryor 8 ай бұрын

Rust’s story is supposed to be a cautionary tale. You can go too far down that line of thought and it can really mess with your life.

@michagarbacz6445 8 ай бұрын

Could you elaborate on that??

@derekhurst9 8 ай бұрын

I relate with Rust and do believe in this comment. I didn’t recognize Rust wanting to end his life when he removed the knife from his stomach until I’d seen the show at least ten times. He’s smart enough to know that he’d bleed out quicker by removing it. He saw the case to the end and wanted it all to be over.

@Dapryor 8 ай бұрын

@@michagarbacz6445 Yeah, I think a lot of people relate to how the character feels. Especially if you’re an intelligent person, it is easy to fall into cynicism and look at the world through a real dark lens. What I mean by ‘cautionary tale’ is that Rust is an example of what can happen if you allow yourself to live in that headspace for too long. It’s easy to let yourself fall into a dark place and see everything as meaningless. But that worldview can ruin your life and Rust is an extreme example of what that might look like.

@Dapryor 8 ай бұрын

@@derekhurst9 I didn’t recognize the knife part. Great catch!

@dzemilmehovic5271 8 ай бұрын

@@derekhurst9yea there are couple of details like that showing how he wants it all to end. As he said he aint gonna just outright kill himself or smt, but he will do everything he can to help that. His drags when smoking are alot bigger and longer than normal, if i remember well he also doesnt ever put the seatbelt when driving, and as u said pulling out the knife knowing he will bleed out more are good examples of that

@UltimoPucho 7 ай бұрын

"Death is powerless against you if you leave a legacy of good behind." Batman #650 At a very young age I suffered from an illness that almost cost me my life, I saw people, the ones I most loved, die. It could be said that I accepted at an early age the fragility of life and the absence of meaning in this world, and he who walks among death is not afraid of the reaper. I personified the philosophy on which the character of Rust is built for a long time, today I have a different perception, but that character marked me with fire, that is why he is also one of my favorite characters. "One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious." C. Jung I am Rust, and Rust is also many other people. Rust is the antihero, the sage, the caretaker, the rebel, the hermit, in some sense, people who identify with him have these archetypes more or less developed. His characteristics are: lone ranger, dangerous, cynical, accurate, silent, thoughtful, introspective, critical, full of contradictions but above all real. When one begins a process of individualization, as C. Jung treats in his work: introspection, meditation and shadow unification are constant processes, the influence of the outside world is decimated, the elaboration of an individual code of conduct results in a unique human being, an expression of the soul, and what Rust shows from this is that the truth, no matter how cynical, violent and hopeless it may be, ends up being a high-caliber value. "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you." F. Nietzsche Rust is the person who entered the abyss, saw what was inside, did not allow himself to be absorbed and when he came out, he understood that his duty was to be a beacon of light. The way he sees the world, the veil of what is false and superfluous no longer has any influence on his life. There is him and his purpose, which ultimately is: death is already assured and the sacrifice of life will be in pursuit of a greater ideal, to serve in the battle against darkness, the same darkness that he possesses within him and does not allow it to replicate itself in the world. "World needs bad men. We keep the other bad men from the door." Rust Cohle Following the previous concept, Rust conceives of himself as a bad man on the mental plane, but he expresses and acts as a good man on the physical plane (with certain contradictions). You are what you do, and a good man is as good as he is bad, he has both parts integrated, he can be as kind as he is dangerous, he knows what he is capable of and externalizes it in the world in pursuit of a code of conduct. Rust's work positions him as the last wall which stops truly evil people from inferring in society. And who would be the really bad ones? It is perhaps in this definition, who has an imbalance between the extremes who is far from being good. If you are too good, you are a fool, too innocent, easy prey. If you are too bad, you are a psychopath, a murderer, a rapist. In the middle, you have a man who is capable of acting for good or evil but controls himself, the same concept is explained in martial arts. The problem lies in unconsciousness, who is really bad does not consider himself bad. "Those whose minds are established in equality of vision conquer the cycle of birth and death in this very life. They possess the flawless qualities of God, and are therefore seated in the Absolute Truth." Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 5, Verse 19 This is why the construction of the character is so endearing, our hero is a dark hero, and what we value is his sacrifice, he is a representation of the dark Christ, almost like an alter ego that oscillates between Rust persona and Rust detective, in some aspect, he shares the same characteristics as Batman and if anyone played Dark Souls, the legend of Artorias and the unsung hero has similar characteristics. What gets to the core of these characters is that they are mirrors of our own human condition, and the eternal struggle, the greatest battle of humanity, is always the same: light vs darkness. As for you, Projectionist; I didn't know your channel, you gained a subscriber and I congratulate you for the content you are making. Top tier, my friend.

@yonaswoldu6975 7 ай бұрын

I like your analysis. As c.s Lewis pointed out 'No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good' the idea of good and evil walk hand in hand. you have to integrate your shadow as carl jung would say you have to integrate your evil side since most people think they are good and vice versa.