aaa-+Jordan+M+Civic+Hero

=**John and Hank Green: Leaders in Nerdfighting** = 

(Heart image by Mashable [])

In 2007, brothers John and Hank Green started a series of video blogs as a part of a personal challenge to each other. They agreed that between the two of them, they would stop communicating via text-based means of communication: no text messaging, no IM, and no email. Additionally, for the entire year, they would alternate and post YouTube videos every weekday as a means of staying in touch. As a result, they formed a closer relationship as brothers, formed and fostered an online community of viewers, and even pushed the limits of what YouTube, as a medium, could allow them to do. Since then, the Vlogbrothers have played a large role in building a smart, resourceful online community that values learning, helping others, and staying informed.

The year-long project, entitled Brotherhood 2.0, lasted the entirety of 2007. After the project ended, the brothers eased up on the no-text rule, and started to post at less frequent intervals than every weekday. However, they still vlog regularly and consistently. Go to the YouTube vlogbrothers channel now, and you will still see updates from John and Hank three times a week.

Though their work through vlogging is admirable, John and Hank Green might resist being called heroes. Their abilities to reach large audiences, organize cooperation from their legions of followers, whom they call “nerdfighters,” to produce public good and their commitment to doing so are qualities of a civic hero. However, John and Hank are quick to give credit where credit is due and admit they couldn’t have accomplished many of the things they’ve done without help from the nerdfighters. More accurately, perhaps, they are simply leaders in nerdfighting.

The Brotherhood 2.0 project helped viewers get to know John and Hank, and the two brothers also got to know each other better as adults. Brothers who live as far away from each other as Indianapolis is from Missoula, Montana don’t get to interact with each other on a regular basis unless they make an effort. Initially, the show wasn’t really about anything particular. The brothers would talk about whatever they felt like; they would show and discuss new haircuts, they would show images of the dog, make jokes, or talk about books they were reading. In a radio interview, John Green pointed out that “There's an intimacy that goes along with letting Hank know what I did today. And for many years in our relationship, there was no opportunity for us to go through the things that we did each day with each other…” After that first year ended, they both expressed appreciation of what it had done for their relationship.

As the series went on, the audience grew and responded. Through YouTube, a public site, anyone with an internet connection could have watched these videos and, in fact, many people who never knew John or Hank personally did and do watch them. It probably helped that John, a young-adult author, had published two books already at the time. But when Hank posted a video of himself singing a song he had written, “Accio Deathly Hallows,” on July 18 about the upcoming Harry Potter book release, it made the front page of YouTube. From this point on, the brothers realized they may have acquired more viewers than either of them expected.

While they have both at times expressed appreciation for the interactive nature of YouTube, they have also utilized it in a big way. The viewing community of Vlogbrothers videos eventually became known as “nerdfighters:” people who fight //for// nerds. Nerdfighters work to reduce the general amount of “world suck,” and increase the amount of “awesome” in the world. In other words, they do works of good and try to make the world a better place. “A nerdfighter is a person who, as my brother, John, is so fond of saying, is on the inside, instead of bones and organs and stuff, is actually made of awesome. Now, we know that these nerdfighers are made of awesome because they do awesome things,” Hank states during a recap in a 2007. 

They fight //for// nerds. These two developed such a loyal audience that YouTube has since made them business partners. In other words, what these brothers started out doing on their own time just for each other, then continued for the community that had evolved around them, turned into a career. It’s true that John still writes books and Hank still works on his blog, EcoGeek, but getting compensation has allowed them to devote more time into making better videos and using YouTube more effectively. Watch a video from 2007 and then compare it to one that just came out: you’ll notice a difference.

In December of 2007, near the end of the Brotherhood 2.0 project, the vlogbrothers gathered their followers and made a drastic effort towards a civic cause. On December 17th, Hank gave a public service announcement as well as an announcement about a new charity project the vlogbrothers had organized. John, Hank, and the nerdfighters had come together in a collaborative effort against world suck entitled the Project for Awesome (or P4A in internet shorthand). The Vlogbrothers had challenged YouTube users to make a video with information about a charity of their choice to upload on December 17th. Then, on the day of the event, the nerdfighters launched a campaign of watching, commenting, and clicking the thumbs up on all of the Project for Awesome related videos. The goal was to get the YouTube front page filled with Project for Awesome videos (clearly indicated by a Project for Awesome thumbnail on the videos’ still shots), thus making this cause nearly impossible to ignore by visitors to the site.

I admire the project for several reasons. One reason is it makes charities accessible. Most people support multiple causes and would like to do some kind of good for the world, but narrowing down how best to spend their time and resources can be a daunting task, especially since most charities are nonprofits and have to make hard choices about how much money they really want to put towards advertising when it takes away from the cause. Through P4A, a large audience of people can easily get educated about a number of charities by people who have already placed their time and trust in these charities. Many P4A participants are also regular video bloggers, so it is easy to access other videos that person has made if you want to get a sense of where that point of view is coming from.

But the best part about the Project for Awesome, in my opinion, is that it encourages involvement on the smallest level. Within a large group of people who act as a collective, this can make a big difference. “The nerdfighters wield great power,” Hank points out in 2007 first Project for Awesome video, “because they are many, and they work together to do things like this ‘project.’ The project is to take over Youtube.”

It doesn’t take too much time to watch, rate, and comment on some videos promoting interesting causes, but if everyone does it, then they can get enough attention to fill YouTube’s front page. During last year’s Project for Awesome, YouTube showed their support for the project by placing a red heart next to their regular logo on those days in December. <span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">

<span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Aside from the Project for Awesome, the vlogbrothers occasionally do question days where nerdfighters leave questions and John answers them. One year, John discussed a news story each Monday. Other times, Hank, who studied chemistry in college, has done an informational video about a scientific concept he thinks is important but commonly misunderstood. Once in a direct response to one of these, John, who went to a liberal arts school, spoke about a piece of literature he deemed important, and also spoke about why he thought it was important. This past summer, John made a multiple video long series about the French Revolution.

<span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">These things spark discussions among online Nerdfighter communities, some initiated by John and Hank Green, and others created by Nerdfighters seeking each other out online. Young people who have a lot of time to spend but not a lot of money or power to make change now have a group resource to give them some power. In January 2011, when riots started making news in Egypt, John made a video to discuss the history of the situation after many nerdfighters asked him to. These nerdfighters had already heard the news and knew what was going on, but wanted someone to discuss the situation in a way that could help them understand it more complexly, and trusted John Green to do so. After giving a quick summary of the situation, John pointed out that “the story of Egypt’s political situation is really shiny and interesting; that’s why we’re all paying attention to it. And in a few months, it won’t be so shiny and interesting, and there will be something new shiny…hopefully Egypt will make the difficult transition to a real democracy. The way that we can support that is to continue to pay attention to their story even when it’s not so shiny anymore.” Since John agreed the issue was important, he responded, and gave nerdfighters his thoughts about the cause, and how they could support it.

<span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The point is, John and Hank didn’t do any of this alone. They had a lot of help and a little bit of luck. After all, John’s name as a YA author, a public figure, probably gathered a little more attention than someone else’s would. Hank’s Accio Deathly Hallows video came out just before //Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows// was released, meaning the video was extremely timely and related to a topic that was already popular, garnering an extraordinary amount of attention that many video bloggers deserve, but few are lucky enough to get.

<span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The most inspiring thing to me about this project is the perseverance and commitment these two brothers have to something that they believe is worthwhile. They really did go the entirety of 2007 with a new video each day and without textual communication, with only a few minor slip-ups. They were rewarded with a loyal following of viewers, and eventually a partnership with YouTube, as well as support from YouTube in their endeavors.

<span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Clearly, once they realized what a large following they had gathered, John and Hank Green took responsibility for and utilized the fact that they had an interactive audience. These two brothers did not have to do this and it was never a part of the initial challenge they had set up for themselves. It is admirable that they took it upon themselves to maintain the community they had built and in doing so, made significant strides in the fight against world suck. They provided and continue to provide an opportunity for young people who might have an internet connection but not much other power in their lives the opportunity and encouragement to educate themselves and make a difference.

<span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">You can watch some of the videos which specifically helped inform this post below (in chronological order): <span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">1. Week 1 Condensed <span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">This video, compiled by the vlogbrothers, shows the highlights from the videos that made up their first week in the Brotherhood 2.0 project.

<span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">media type="youtube" key="y3DEfiurcTE" height="315" width="420"

<span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">2. July 18: Accio Deathly Hallows (no spoilers) <span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">This is the first vlogbrothers video to gather a large amount of attention.

<span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">media type="youtube" key="CvvFiZyEyTA" height="315" width="420"

<span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">3. Re: July 18: Accio Deathly Hallows <span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Hank responds to the attention garnered from the Accio Deathly Hallows video.

<span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">media type="youtube" key="HC4bVW8OFtM" height="315" width="420"

<span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">4. Project for Awesome: Explanation and Humane Societies <span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Hank's 2007 Project for Awesome announcement video, wherein he explains the project for awesome and also pitches for his chosen charity, humane societies. <span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; line-height: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; overflow: hidden; text-indent: 0.5in;">media type="youtube" key="gQQOeT6ld3A" height="315" width="420"

<span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">5. Ecosystem Services 101 with Hank <span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Hank goes skiing and teaches John about ecosystems while he skis. <span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">media type="youtube" key="N2whWWYSh6M" height="315" width="560"

<span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">6. Froghoppin' with Gatsby <span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">John goes on a ride he is terrified of, called the Froghopper, and teaches Hank about The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and the value of a liberal arts degree. <span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">media type="youtube" key="kQ3sSMAgS0Q" height="315" width="560"

<span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">7. Revolution in Egypt: A 4-Minute Introduction <span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">John discusses the possibility of revolution in Egypt, including a very short history of and explanation for the conflict. <span style="color: #801919; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">media type="youtube" key="Pn9x4LCQ5I0" height="315" width="560"

<span style="color: #953c28; font-family: Georgia,serif; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Works Cited

<span style="color: #953c28; font-family: Georgia,serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">"All Things Considered." //NPR//. 20 Jan 2008. Radio. 10 Oct 2011. <http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=18272166>.

<span style="color: #953c28; font-family: Georgia,serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Vlogbrothers, auth. "Ecosystem Services 101 with Hank." //Vlogbrothers Channel//. YouTube, 11 Jan 2010. Web. 31 Oct 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2whWWYSh6M>.

<span style="color: #953c28; font-family: Georgia,serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Vlogbrothers, auth. "Froghoppin' with Gatsby." //Vlogbrothers Channel//. YouTube, 13 Jan 2010. Web. 31 Oct 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ3sSMAgS0Q>.

<span style="color: #953c28; font-family: Georgia,serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Vlogbrothers, auth. "How To Be a Nerdfighter: A Vlogbrothers FAQ." //Vlogbrothers Channel//. YouTube, 27 Dec 2009. Web. 31 Oct 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyQi79aYfxU>.

<span style="color: #953c28; font-family: Georgia,serif;"> Vlogbrothers, auth. "July 18: Accio Deathly Hallows (no spoilers)." //Vlogbrothers Channel.//YouTube, 18 July 2007. Web. 31 Oct 2011. < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvvFiZyEyTA&feature=relmfu>.

<span style="color: #953c28; font-family: Georgia,serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Vlogbrothers, auth. "Project for Awesome: Explanation and Humane Societies." //Vlogbrothers Channel//. YouTube, 17 Dec 2007. Web. 31 Oct 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQQOeT6ld3A&feature=related>.

<span style="color: #953c28; font-family: Georgia,serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Vlogbrothers, auth. "Re: July 18: Accio Deathly Hallows." //Vlogbrothers Channel//. YouTube, 25 Jul 2007. Web. 31 Oct 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC4bVW8OFtM>.

<span style="color: #953c28; font-family: Georgia,serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Vlogbrothers, auth. "Revolution in Egypt: A 4-Minute Introduction." //Vlogbrothers Channel//. YouTube, 31 Jan 2011. Web. 31 Oct 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn9x4LCQ5I0>.

<span style="color: #953c28; font-family: Georgia,serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Vlogbrothers, auth. "Week 1 Condensed!." //Vlogbrothers Channel//. YouTube, 23 Jan 2007. Web. 31 Oct 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3DEfiurcTE>.