1Dime Radio Burnout & the Online Left (Ft. Sisyphus 55)
Sep 10, 2025
Ben Tomas, known as Sisyphus55, is a YouTuber and PhD student in clinical psychology who dives deep into the complexities of the online Left. They discuss audience capture, the pressures of algorithms, and the perils of content burnout. Ben shares insights on balancing YouTube with academia, while exploring the brand-like nature of LeftTube. The conversation also touches on the nuances of online activism versus real-world action, and critiques the influencer dynamics that overshadow critical discourse. It's a thought-provoking exploration of identity politics and the challenges of meaningful engagement.
01:23:49
Philosophy Needs Systemic Context
- Ben shifted Sisyphus55 from existential self-help to systemic critique after reading left-leaning existentialists.
- He argues philosophy should pair individual responsibility with institutional and social analysis.
From Rural Alberta To Political YouTube
- Ben recounts discovering Žižek and Zizek–Peterson debates as gateways from existentialism to political critique.
- He moved from rural Alberta to Montreal, which broadened his political and cultural outlook.
Burnout After YouTube Became Business
- Ben described balancing a PhD in clinical psychology with YouTube and losing joy in creation as it became a business.
- He used audience responses to decide to make fewer, more intentional videos and set a one-year deadline for change.
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Intro
00:00 • 3min
From Existentialism to Political Critique
02:42 • 8min
Audience Composition and Avoiding Audience Capture
10:50 • 2min
The Online Left as Brand and Identity
13:07 • 3min
Balancing YouTube with Grad School
16:01 • 3min
Creator Burnout and Why Breaks Help
18:37 • 3min
AI, Animation, and the Limits of Automation
21:59 • 3min
Streaming, Hot-Takes, and the Attention Economy
25:27 • 3min
The Leftist Industrial Complex and Contained Opposition
28:37 • 8min
Can Online Activity Equal Real-World Action?
36:20 • 3min
Why Do We Desire Our Own Repression?
38:54 • 4min
Psychoanalysis, Drives, and Political Explanation
43:22 • 9min
Deleuze vs. Zizek: Diagnoses and Proposals for Change
52:12 • 8min
Transference, Mentors, and Parasocial Dynamics
01:00:17 • 1min
Influencer Infighting and Gaza Discourse
01:01:21 • 3min
Hierarchy, Power, and the Limits of Anti-Authority
01:04:20 • 4min
Neoliberalism's Left-Wing Roots and Capitalism's Transformations
01:08:24 • 3min
YouTubers, Incentives, and Class Position
01:11:20 • 4min
Brand Awareness and Intellectual Coherence
01:15:34 • 2min
Personal Radicalization and COVID's Impact
01:17:22 • 4min
Promoting The Revolution Won't Be Streamed
01:21:35 • 2min
Outro
01:23:10 • 39sec
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Get access to The Backroom (70+ exclusive episodes) and support 1Dime Radio: https://www.patreon.com/OneDimeIn this episode of 1Dime Radio, I’m joined by Ben Tomas of Sisyphus55 - a major philosophy YouTube channel that has been around for quite a long time. Ben and I discuss the online Left, audience capture, and creator burnout. We dive into how the platform economy shapes political discourse, why “LeftTube” often functions like a brand, and what it takes to create thoughtfully without becoming a hot-take machine. We explore burnout vs. purpose, streaming as pseudo-activity, theory vs. practice, and get a little bit into psychoanalysis & political philosophy. In The Backroom on Patreon, Ben and I discuss our political maturations, psychoanalysis as a toolkit for left politics, and how postmodern theory became an entry point for many while class analysis got sidelined. We also chat about the Canadian political landscape (Quebec and Alberta Separatism), on what a constructive, civic-minded nationalism could look like. Last but not least, we talk about the so-called “masculinity crisis.” Timestamps:00:00:00 The Backroom Preview: Fascist Phisyogamy00:02:32 Backroom teaser & what we dig into behind the paywall00:03:41 Who is Sisyphus 55?00:04:57 Content craft & workflow — scripts, editing, and avoiding the hot-take grind00:06:52 Grad school & clinical psych insights for creators00:10:52 Audience capture and algorithm pressure00:13:11 The online Left as “brand” — incentives, identity, and discourse00:18:22 Creator burnout on YouTube00:33:41 The Revolution Will Not Be Uploaded 00:40:23 Desire & repression 01:23:05 where to go from here & The Backroom transitionGUEST:Ben Tomas (Sisyphus 55) — philosophy/psychology YouTuber; clinical psychology PhD student; creator of The Revolution Won’t Be Livestreamed series• YouTube: @Sisyphus55• Patreon / socials: search “Sisyphus 55”• Recommended starting point: The Revolution Won’t Be Livestreamed (series)FOLLOW 1Dime:• X/Twitter: https://x.com/1DimeOfficial• Instagram: instagram.com/1dimeman• Main channel: https://www.youtube.com/@1Dimee• Substack: https://substack.com/@tonyof1dimeOutro Music by Karl CaseyGIve 1Dime a 5-Star Rating if you enjoy the show!