User blog:SpanishSpy/Alternatehistorypt: Or, Why I have lost faith in Youtube Alternate History

If you go onto Youtube and search "Alternate History", you will come across several videos by the user "alternatehistorypt". His channel can be found at http://www.youtube.com/user/alternatehistorypt. Being the most profilic AH writer on Youtube, one would think he is committed to the genre, and following genre standards.

This assumption is sadly mistaken.

AHPT (As he will be referred to) flagrantly violates the common rules that are said to define good AH. His videos read like an 8-year old, hyper on candy, which has somehow obtained a massive historical encyclopedia. Pratically all of his videos contain some gaping error that would make many professional AH writers cringe.

Here is a list of his various violations of genre standards:

Non-Neutrality - In the beginning of each AHPT video, there is an annoyingly long title card proclaiming:

" THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL VIDEO, JUST AN ALTERNATE HISTORY EXERCISE NOT INTENDED TO OFFEND ANYONE. Enjoy! :) "

This title card is a lie. AHPT loudly and arrogantly declares his support for Socialism, a bias which is apparent in his timelines. In many videos, after an apparent conclusion, it is stated that the people are angry with whatever government has taken power, and start a massive socialist revolution. This revolution then established a utopian "Socialist World Republic", which he proclaims lasts forever. He even does this in videos having nothing to do with a communist power, such as http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuHU-jc9SLk&feature=related: an American Civil War-based timeline. Here, and in so many other videos, he demonstrates his hypocrisy.

Timelines that were blatantly not thought over - Most of AHPT's videos have POD's that are very vaguely defined, such as http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prXG6h07f68. No explanation is given to the fall of both bloc's, only serving to advance his farfetched history. This use of "somehow" is increasingly prevalent throughout his videos, being the base of whole timelines, such as http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M-wcfbE33Y&feature=channel_video_title. Again, no explanation - a major flaw.

Timelines which had absolutely no work put into them whatsoever - Many of his early videos, such as http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OWQiqrPv0g&feature=channel_video_title, aren't even timelines. Simply title card with music.

Unwarranted ASBs - In http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlhkaJPuE6w&feature=related, Portugal takes Japan, implausible already. But then...Psychics. Yes, Psychics. I don't have to say anything more.

Unwarranted Optimism - In http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-NKZNiS8RM&feature=related, Rome and China expand to encompass most of the world between them. It is stated that there would be no slavery in those expanded empires. Both were slaveholding societies, and conservative ones at that.

Being Distracted Many of AHPTs videos end in the ending shown here, starting at 1:43: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak6cqf3vd3Y&feature=related. This shows he hardly takes AH seriously, or at least sees it as a fun little diversion, unworthy of serious consideration.

Thus ends my rant.

Is there any hope for AH on Youtube? There is some, if you know where to look. But, it seems that AHPT will dominate the AH Youtube scene for the foreseeable future. Look elsewhere for good AH.

Thus ends my ranting, raving blog post. I am sorry if I come off arrogant, but I was more than a little annoyed at his violations of good practice.