John Green is an outstanding human being. As a young adult female, I’ve read and bought every one of his books and have seen every video posted on Vlogbrothers, the YouTube channel he runs with his brother. But besides this, are several other reasons he is an outstanding human being. This is not to say that his brother Hank Green, who does basically everything with him, isn’t an outstanding human being. I personally relate to John more, and thus I put the focus on him.
For one, he always talks about the importance of understanding mental disorders. He has frequently talked about his own mental problems, but not in a way that leads me to feel sorry for him, but in a way that makes me understand a different perspective. While the focus on mental disorders has increased, having someone openly talk about their own is admirable. He wants to help others understand these issues, so that we can better understand each other. To me this is rare, because mental disorders are used as an excuse not to do things you don’t want to, which he routinely does so he can do all that he has set out to do. He travels around the world, both for his writing and so he can descrease world suck.
Secondly, he focuses on creating a we, instead of an us and them. This means he wants us to see each other not for what we look like but for what we do and how we contribute to society. I’ve changed my perspective on so many things because he made valid arguments and informed statements about the “us and them” mentality. I personally feel like a better human being because I no longer keep that mentality. He explains other religions, cultures, and even simply a different way to look at a situation so that we can remove bias and focus on what is actually there. He encourages his viewers to contribute to what he’s said, and correct him if it needs to be correcting.
Lastly, he encourages us to help others, in any way we can and tells us to use our words. He runs the Project for Awesome (with his brother hank) which helps to raise money to give to several charities. He encourages us to support developing countries by supplying businessmen with small loans that get paid back 99% of the time! He often talks about communication and how important that is, which is something so few people talk about now. Whether it be with dating, school, or a conflict, he has repeatedly told viewers to use their words to resolve their problems.
I love John Green and what he contributes to the world. So few in his position are open, truthful (both about what they do and don’t know), and listen when they get a response from their audience. If he could handle the stress, I would proudly vote for him for president. But for now, he shall remain a nervous author, who makes videos in his basement, never forgetting to be awesome.
