MrBallen Traumatizes Tom Segura | 2 Bears, 1 Cave
In this episode of 2 Bears, 1 Cave, MrBallen discusses his transition from Navy SEAL to content creator, detailing how he built a media company with over 80 employees during the pandemic. After facing pushback from the SEAL community about sharing his military experiences online, he shifted his focus to creating content about strange and mysterious stories, developing a distinctive storytelling style that resonated with viewers.
The conversation explores why dark and mysterious content creates such a strong emotional connection with audiences, particularly when stories involve everyday people in extraordinary situations. MrBallen and Tom Segura examine how these stories function as modern cautionary tales, while also touching on MrBallen's experiences in SEAL training and combat, and how these shaped his approach to content creation.
This is a preview of the Shortform summary of the May 5, 2025 episode of the 2 Bears, 1 Cave with Tom Segura & Bert Kreischer
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1-Page Summary
Mrballen's Journey to Youtube Success
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Mrballen began creating videos sharing strange, dark, and mysterious stories. His personal, on-camera delivery style, which involved thoroughly learning and internalizing stories before filming, helped him build a strong connection with viewers. This success led to the creation of Ballin Studios, which now employs over 80 people and has expanded into multiple content formats, including publishing, live touring, and creator management.
The Psychology and Appeal Behind Dark/Mysterious Storytelling
According to Mrballen, dark and mysterious content draws viewers because it creates an emotional rollercoaster, leaving stronger impressions than mundane topics. The appeal is particularly strong when stories feature "regular" people as victims, as Tom Segura notes, because it transforms narratives into relatable cautionary tales that feel personally relevant to viewers.
Mrballen's Navy Seal Experiences and Their Impact on His Worldview
Mrballen's time in the Navy SEALs, including combat experiences in Afghanistan and the intense six-month BUDDS training phase, instilled exceptional mental toughness and composure under pressure. However, his decision to share these experiences online after leaving the service led to significant backlash from the SEAL community. High-profile SEALs, including a chief from SEAL Team Six and a Medal of Honor recipient, demanded he stop posting about his military experiences to preserve the elite force's mystique. This led Mrballen to pivot away from military content and focus on other types of storytelling, ultimately leading to his current success.
1-Page Summary
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Actionables
- You can explore your own storytelling by recording personal experiences with a focus on the emotional journey. Start by jotting down life events that evoked strong emotions, then practice recounting them aloud to capture the essence of the experience. This could be done using a voice recorder app on your phone, aiming to convey the emotions as vividly as possible.
- Develop resilience and composure by setting up a 'pressure practice' routine. Identify a task that you find challenging or stressful, and create a controlled environment where you can practice it regularly. For example, if public speaking is a stressor, you might record yourself giving a speech and critique it, gradually increasing the complexity of the topic or the length of the speech to build mental toughness.
- Create a personal brand by identifying and emphasizing unique aspects of your background or personality in your online presence. Reflect on your past experiences, hobbies, or interests that set you apart and incorporate them into your social media profiles or any content you create. For instance, if you have a hobby like urban exploration, you could share photos and stories of your adventures, highlighting the unique perspective you bring to the table.
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Mrballen's Journey to Youtube Success
Mrballen's journey from military service to Youtube success began with a simple interest in strange, dark, and mysterious content that resonated with a broad and enthusiastic audience.
Mrballen Started Creating Videos During Covid-19, Sharing Strange, Dark, and Mysterious Stories
Mrballen began filming videos early in the Covid-19 pandemic, turning to Google to look for public domain stories with compelling plot twists. He was personally drawn to strange, dark, and mysterious content and started sharing these "spooky stories on the internet," a path he hadn't planned on taking after his time in the military.
Mrballen's Storytelling Gained a Following Due to His Personal, On-camera Delivery
His on-camera delivery, preferred over voiceovers and dark imagery, aimed for a more engaging and connecting experience. Mrballen would thoroughly learn the stories by scripting and internalizing them. He read scripts to understand the stories and then recounted them on camera, often doing multiple takes to get the delivery just right. An early video memory he shares includes a personal detail about filming with a booger in his nose, highlighting the down-to-earth nature that endeared him to viewers.
Mrballen's Success Fueled Ballin Studios, now With 80+ Employees Producing Cross-Platform Content
Ballin Studios, to which Mrballen is central, has experienced significant growth and now has over 80 employees. The company expands its reach by managing other storytelling creators, as well as venturing into publishing and live touring. They have international correspondents, a writers' room, and have released a graphic novel which became a New York Times bestseller. The ...
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Mrballen's Journey to Youtube Success
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Clarifications
- Mrballen's military background played a significant role in shaping his storytelling style on YouTube. His time in the military instilled discipline and attention to detail, which he carried over into his video production process. This background also influenced his preference for on-camera delivery, creating a more engaging and personal connection with his audience. Additionally, his military experience may have contributed to his ability to craft compelling narratives that resonate with viewers.
- Mrballen's early videos during the Covid-19 pandemic focused on sharing strange, dark, and mysterious stories sourced from public domain content. He preferred on-camera delivery over voiceovers, meticulously scripting and internalizing the stories before recounting them for his audience. Mrballen's engaging storytelling style involved multiple takes to ensure a captivating delivery, showcasing his down-to-earth nature that resonated with viewers.
- Ballin Studios produces dark, mysterious storytelling content primarily focused on strange and spooky narratives. The company expanded into managing other creators, publishing graphic novels, and organizing live tours to engage with their audience across various platforms. Their growth includes a writers' room, international correspondents, and a New York Times bestseller graphic novel, with plans for more literary releases. Mrballen's storytelling success on YouTube has led to a diverse ran ...
Counterarguments
- While Mrballen's interest in strange, dark, and mysterious content did resonate with a broad audience, it's possible that this niche may not appeal to everyone, and some viewers might find such content unsettling or inappropriate.
- Mrballen's decision to start creating videos during Covid-19 was opportunistic, but it could be argued that the pandemic also created challenges for content creators, such as increased competition and the need for more creative ways to engage with audiences who were facing screen fatigue.
- Personal, on-camera delivery can be engaging, but it might not be the preferred format for all viewers. Some may prefer voiceovers, animations, or other forms of storytelling that don't focus on the presenter.
- The growth of Ballin Studios to over 80 employees is impressive, but rapid expansion can sometimes lead to challenges in maintaining company culture, quality control, and a consistent creative vision.
- Expanding into areas like touring, novels, and creator management can divers ...
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The Psychology and Appeal Behind Dark/Mysterious Storytelling
Exploring the human fascination with the unknown, this article delves into why dark and mysterious storytelling resonates so profoundly with audiences. Content creators like MrBallen captivate viewers with narratives that engage with life's most puzzling questions, often surrounding life, death, and fear.
Curiosity With Stories on Life and Death
These Stories Play On Our Fear of the Unknown, Letting Us Experience Events We Hope to Avoid
MrBallen brings light to the allure of stories involving the unresolved or unknown, such as the Yuba County Five. The popularity of his YouTube stories suggests they tap into the potent mix of suspense, horror, and the unexpected found in viral content. MrBallen himself notes that content related to true crime and dark, mysterious topics draws people because of the emotional rollercoaster they provide, leaving a stronger, more vivid impression than more mundane topics.
Viral Content Evokes Strong Emotions; Dark/Mysterious Stories Create Suspense, Horror, and the Unexpected
Viewers Are Captivated by Relatable Stories Where Victims Are "Regular" People, Increasing Personal Investment and Fascination
MrBallen's content speaks to an essential truth about storytelling's appeal: the draw of exploring uncharted events and mysteries beyond our current understanding. The emotional engagement is heightened when the victims are "regular" people, transforming the narrative into a cautionary tale that seems applicable to the audience's life. Tom Segura echoes this sentiment, noting the suspense and intrigue that such stories generate.
The ...
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The Psychology and Appeal Behind Dark/Mysterious Storytelling
Additional Materials
Counterarguments
- While dark and mysterious storytelling does resonate with many, some audiences prefer uplifting or educational content that inspires rather than evokes fear.
- The appeal of the unknown is not universal; some individuals may find comfort in the familiar and may avoid content that plays on fear.
- The popularity of stories like the Yuba County Five may also be attributed to effective marketing and presentation, not just the content's nature.
- Not all viral content evokes strong emotions through suspense and horror; some go viral due to humor, awe, or positive sentiment.
- The relatability of victims in storytelling can sometimes lead to voyeurism or sensationalism, which can be seen as exploitative rather than engaging.
- Emotional engagement with a story does not always require relatable victims; sometimes, fascination can ...
Actionables
- You can write your own dark and mysterious short story, focusing on a character that mirrors someone you know in real life to enhance relatability. Start by jotting down traits or experiences that you share with friends or family, then weave these into a narrative that includes an unresolved mystery or event. This exercise not only taps into your creativity but also helps you understand the power of relatable characters in storytelling.
- Create a digital photo collage that represents a suspenseful, unknown event from your life, using images that evoke a sense of mystery and intrigue. For example, if you once lost something important and never found out how it disappeared, select images that symbolize the item, the emotions you felt, and the setting where it happened. This visual project allows you to explore the emotional impact of unresolved events and the allure they hold.
- Engage in a role-playing game with friends ...
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Mrballen's Navy Seal Experiences and Their Impact on His Worldview
Mrballen's Navy Seals Experience Instilled Mental Toughness and Discipline for High-Stress Environments
Mrballen describes the high-stakes and high-pressure environment of the Navy SEALs starting with his intimidating first encounter as a new member at SEAL Team 2. The heavily guarded and secretive nature of the SEAL teams signaled a culture of exclusivity. His recounts included a mission in Zarganshar, Afghanistan, where his team was ambushed, resulting in injuries. These experiences, including seeing combat and nearly drowning, instilled in him and his peers a distinct resilience and mental toughness.
SEAL Training Pushes Candidates to Their Limits, Teaching Them to Access Inner Resilience and Composure in Chaos and Adversity
Mrballen goes into detail about the grueling process of Navy SEAL training, which spans over two years, with a particularly intense six-month phase called BUDDS in San Diego. This phase exposes candidates to severe stress, scrutiny, sleep deprivation, and extreme physical challenges, teaching them to either endure suffering or fail. Tom Segura acknowledges this unique ability of SEALs to access a level of resilience and composure despite chaos and adversity, reiterating the efficacy of their training in real combat scenarios Mrballen survived, such as the aftermath of a grenade detonation.
Throughout his experiences, including chaos in combat, with medics working under fire, he lauds the composure and effective communication exhibited by the team, attributing it to the seasoned SEALs demonstrating calmness, which subsequently taught him to stay composed.
SEAL Culture and Unwritten Rules Discourage Public Discussion of Experiences, Creating Conflict for Mrballen Sharing Stories Online After Military Service
Despite the culture of silence within the SEAL community, Mrballen ventured to share his military experiences online, which caused an internal conflict and significant backlash from the SEAL community.
Mrballen Faced Backlash From Seals For Violating the Tacit Understanding to Maintain Elite Forces' Mystique and Privacy
Mrballen was well aware of the SEALs' unwritten rule to maintain a discreet profile and not to publicize their endeavors. Yet, after his mi ...
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Mrballen's Navy Seal Experiences and Their Impact on His Worldview
Additional Materials
Counterarguments
- While SEAL training is designed to instill mental toughness and discipline, it's important to recognize that these qualities can also be developed through other life experiences and forms of training, and not everyone may respond to such intense military training in the same positive way.
- The idea that SEAL training teaches candidates to access inner resilience and composure might overlook the potential long-term psychological impacts that such extreme stress and adversity can have on individuals, including the development of PTSD or other mental health issues.
- The SEAL culture's discouragement of public discussion could be seen as a form of necessary operational security, but it might also be argued that transparency and sharing of experiences can be beneficial for public understanding and support of military operations, a ...
Actionables
- You can build mental resilience by setting up a 'discomfort challenge' where you deliberately engage in a difficult activity for a set period each day, like a cold shower or a public speaking exercise, to train your composure under stress.
- This practice mirrors the way SEAL training exposes candidates to tough conditions, helping you to gradually increase your tolerance to discomfort and improve your ability to remain calm and focused when facing challenges in your daily life.
- Develop a personal code of conduct that includes when and how to share personal achievements or experiences, especially those that involve others, to navigate the balance between openness and discretion.
- By creating this code, you can thoughtfully decide which stories to tell and which to keep private, respecting the privacy of others involved and the integrity of shared experiences, much like the SEALs' approach to maintaining their group's mystique. ...
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