So I Went Viral On LinkedIn...

Summary

The speaker addresses a YouTube comment accusing them of faking an accent, sparking a viral LinkedIn post. They reflect on identity, the importance of being true to oneself, and the challenge of developing a thicker skin to criticism. They emphasize their mission to empower software engineers through their content, encouraging a focus on creating meaningful work rather than dwelling on misunderstandings.

Takeaways

• 🙌 The speaker received overwhelming support after sharing a LinkedIn post about a YouTube comment that criticized their accent.
• 🗣️ The comment accused the speaker of faking an accent, which the speaker found impactful due to its implication of inauthenticity.
• 🌐 The speaker clarified their identity, stating they were born and raised in the United States with Indian immigrant parents, and they are proud of both their heritage and the culture they grew up in.
• 🔥 The LinkedIn post went viral, sparking conversations and receiving messages from many who have faced similar assumptions about their identity.
• 🤔 The speaker reflected on the ease with which people make snap judgments about others' identities based on appearance and accent.
• 🌟 The post resonated because it touched on the core issue of identity, which is central to how everyone operates and identifies themselves.
• 🛡️ The speaker received advice to develop a thicker skin and not let such comments distract from their goals, which is a common sentiment among content creators and entrepreneurs.
• 🎯 The speaker's goal is to help software engineers advance their careers through sharing experiences, and they aim to stay focused on this mission rather than on being judged.
• ⏳ The speaker encourages reflection on how to spend one's time, suggesting that it's better to focus on creating and building rather than feeling misunderstood or upset.
• 📈 The speaker has plans to expand their reach and help more software engineers, both on and off YouTube, and invites the audience to join them on this journey.

Q & A

What was the main issue raised in the YouTube comment that the speaker addressed in their LinkedIn post?

The main issue was that the speaker was accused of trying to put on a fake accent and not sounding authentically American.

How did the speaker respond to the negative comment about their accent?

The speaker responded by affirming their American identity, stating they were born and raised in the United States, and expressing pride in both their Indian heritage and American culture.

What was the reaction to the LinkedIn post the speaker made about the YouTube comment?

The post went viral, and the speaker received hundreds of messages and comments from people who shared similar experiences of dealing with assumptions about their identity.

Why did the speaker believe their LinkedIn post resonated with many people?

The speaker believes the post resonated because it touched on the core issue of identity, which is central to how people operate and how they are often judged based on appearances.

What was the advice the speaker received from other YouTubers and entrepreneurs regarding negative comments?

The advice was to develop a thicker skin and not let such comments distract from the speaker's goals, as they are a form of feedback that can help build resilience.

What is the speaker's primary motivation for creating content on YouTube?

The speaker's primary motivation is to help accelerate the careers of software engineers by sharing their experience and the experiences of others in the field.

How does the speaker plan to deal with future negative comments or judgments?

The speaker plans to focus more on their goals and the impact they want to make rather than on how they are being judged by others.

What is the speaker's message regarding the importance of identity and self-expression?

The speaker advocates for a world where people feel safe and empowered to express their opinions and thoughts, regardless of their appearance or background.

What is the speaker's reaction to the feedback about developing a thicker skin?

The speaker appreciates the feedback and sees it as a reminder to stay focused on their mission and not be overly affected by the opinions of others on the internet.

What are the speaker's future plans for helping software engineers, as mentioned in the script?

The speaker has plans to help software engineers both on YouTube and off, through various initiatives, with the aim of creating meaningful content and resources.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Identity and Authenticity in the Spotlight

The speaker begins by expressing gratitude for the support received following a viral LinkedIn post about a YouTube comment that accused them of faking an accent. The comment resonated deeply because it questioned their authenticity. The speaker clarifies their identity, stating they were born and raised in the U.S., and they take pride in both their Indian heritage and American upbringing. They reflect on the importance of identity, noting how quickly people judge others based on appearance and accent, and advocate for a world where everyone feels safe and empowered to express themselves regardless of their background.

Keywords

💡Accent

An accent refers to the particular way a person pronounces words, often influenced by their geographical or cultural background. In the video, the creator discusses receiving a negative comment about their accent, suggesting they were faking an American accent. This keyword is central to the video's theme of identity and authenticity, as it highlights the assumptions people make about others based on how they sound.

💡Authenticity

Authenticity is the state of being genuine, real, or true to one's self. The video's creator emphasizes their authenticity by stating that they are being true to who they are, despite the criticism they received. Authenticity is a core theme in the video, as it ties into the broader conversation about identity and the importance of being oneself regardless of others' judgments.

💡Identity

Identity refers to the characteristics determining who or what a person or thing is. The video script discusses identity as a core aspect of how people perceive themselves and others, and how it can be influenced by appearances and assumptions. The creator's reflection on identity is a central theme, as it relates to the broader message of self-acceptance and the challenge of overcoming stereotypes.

💡Support

Support, in this context, refers to the encouragement or assistance given to someone. The video's creator expresses gratitude for the overwhelming support they received after their LinkedIn post went viral. This keyword is significant as it underscores the community's role in validating one's experiences and providing a sense of belonging and encouragement.

💡Viral

To go viral means to spread rapidly and widely through the internet, typically in the form of social media posts or videos. The video script mentions that the creator's LinkedIn post went viral, which led to a surge of messages and comments. This keyword is important as it illustrates the power of social media in amplifying personal narratives and sparking broader discussions.

💡Reflections

Reflections are thoughtful considerations or contemplations on a particular subject or experience. The video's creator shares two reflections in response to the feedback they received. These reflections are integral to the video's narrative, as they provide insight into the creator's thought process and the lessons they've learned from the experience.

💡Assumptions

Assumptions are things that are accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof. In the video, the creator discusses how people make assumptions about their identity based on their appearance and accent. This keyword is crucial to the video's message, as it highlights the dangers of snap judgments and the importance of questioning assumptions.

💡Heritage

Heritage refers to the traditions, achievements, and beliefs that are passed down from ancestors to后代. The video's creator is proud of both their Indian heritage and the American culture they grew up in. This keyword is significant as it ties into the broader theme of identity and the value of embracing one's cultural background.

💡Empathy

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. The video's creator calls for a point where everyone should feel safe and empowered to share their thoughts, regardless of their appearance. Empathy is a key concept in the video, as it relates to the need for a more compassionate and understanding society.

💡Discrimination

Discrimination is the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or gender. The video script indirectly addresses discrimination by discussing the negative comment the creator received, which was based on their perceived accent. This keyword is relevant as it connects to the video's theme of identity and the challenges faced by individuals who do not conform to societal expectations.

💡Resilience

Resilience is the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. The video's creator is advised to develop a thicker skin, implying the need for resilience in the face of criticism. This keyword is important as it speaks to the video's underlying message about overcoming challenges and maintaining focus on one's goals despite external negativity.

Highlights

Received overwhelming support after a LinkedIn post about a YouTube comment.

Comment accused the speaker of faking an accent and not being authentic.

The speaker was born and raised in the United States, with parents who immigrated from India.

Proud of both Indian heritage and American culture.

The way the speaker talks is natural and not a fake accent.

The LinkedIn post went viral, resonating with many who faced similar assumptions.

Identity is a core aspect of how people operate and is often judged based on appearances.

The goal is to create a space where everyone feels safe and empowered to share their thoughts.

Received advice to develop a thicker skin and not let comments impact personal progress.

The importance of focusing on one's goals rather than on being judged by others.

Started making YouTube videos to help software engineers accelerate their careers.

Encourages reflection on how to spend one's time: feeling misunderstood or building something meaningful.

Plans to focus energy on building and creating, rather than on negative feedback.

Has a lot planned to help software engineers both on and off YouTube.

Invites everyone to join the journey of helping software engineers.

Transcripts

as you can tell from the title the past

few days have been pretty crazy and i

wanted to thank everyone number one for

the overwhelming support that i received

and number two i wanted to share a

couple reflections

for those of you who don't know

i made a linkedin post two days ago on

tuesday morning about a youtube comment

i received and the comment basically

said that i should stop trying to put on

a fake accent and stop trying to sound

american and i've gotten plenty of

negative comments on my content before

but this one did stick with me a little

bit longer because the implication is

that i'm faking it or i'm not really

being authentic to who i am in my

linkedin post i shared how i was born

and brought up in this country whether

you think i look like it or not i am

american my parents immigrated here in

the 1980s from india and i'm proud not

only of my indian heritage but also of

the american culture that i grew up in

and the fact of the matter is that the

way i'm talking right now is the way

i've always talked

immediately the post went viral and i

got hundreds upon hundreds of messages

and comments about people who also

shared that they had dealt with similar

assumptions i wanted to share two

reflections first i think the reason the

post resonated with so many people is

because i'm talking about identity which

is core to how we all operate

it's so easy to make a snap judgment

about someone's identity based on what

they look like and we create stories

about here's who they are what they

sound like or even what they value

ideally by talking about this we can get

to a point where no matter what you look

like or where you are

you should be able to feel safe and

empowered to share your opinion or your

thoughts my second reflection is that i

got a bunch of comments from other

youtuber friends or friends who are

starting companies which is basically

that i should develop a thicker skin

that this is a distraction and i can't

let a comment like this impact me to the

extent that it clearly did

and i think that is a really amazing

feedback

and it goes to the question of

why are you doing what you're doing

for me i started making videos on

youtube because i felt like i could

meaningfully help accelerate the careers

of software engineers by sharing my

experience and the experience of the

people around me i want to be more

focused on what i'm trying to achieve

rather than how or if i'm being judged

by random people on the internet

we all have this precious time where you

could actually create something

meaningful and so it's worth reflecting

do you want to spend that time

feeling misunderstood or feeling upset

or do you want to get back to building

and i want to focus my energy on

building and creating

whether you found me through the viral

linkedin post or you've been part of the

journey for a while i have a lot planned

with alex to help as many software

engineers as possible both on youtube

and off youtube i hope you'll join for

the ride

you