MrBeast sensation in the land of Ulugbek: who are our youth following?

The hype around MrBeast in the land of Ulugbek: who are our youth following?

Why did the visit of the world-famous blogger bring thousands of young people out into the streets, while such interest is not observed when figures of science and intellect arrive? The situation in Samarkand is not merely a fascination with an internet star, but has also raised serious questions about the values of modern society, the education of youth, and the phenomenon of fame.

The crowds on the streets of Samarkand, young people rushing to see the famous blogger up close, and videos spreading rapidly across social networks... MrBeast — Jimmy Donaldson, who was in Tashkent on October 9, 2026, headed to Samarkand the following day. Clips of his visit widely circulated on the internet.

At first glance, this seems like a typical scene of modern internet culture. A person with hundreds of millions of fans worldwide arrives, and those who want to see him naturally increase. But there is another side to the issue: what does such hype around a famous blogger mean in Samarkand, a city that historically held a special place as one of the centers of science, culture, and Islamic civilization?

The issue is not that young people are showing interest in a person. The point is how this interest is taking shape, by what values we measure fame, and whose life paths our youth are adopting as examples to follow.

To imagine MrBeast merely as a blogger who hands out money in front of a camera, organizes huge prizes and unusual challenges, would be to fail to fully understand his activities.

Jimmy Donaldson created one of the largest personal brands on the internet. His activity is not limited to YouTube videos: Feastables chocolate products, advertising contracts, commercial projects, charitable initiatives, and the "Beast Games" reality show on the Amazon Prime Video platform are all part of his business empire.

In an interview given to "The Diary of a CEO" podcast in February 2025, Donaldson stated that on paper he is a billionaire, but the funds in his personal bank account are less than one million dollars. He explained that he reinvests most of his income into developing his business and new projects.

This figure itself demonstrates an important truth: the wealth mentioned by the mass media does not always mean cash in a person's bank. The value of company shares and business assets is not the same concept as funds in a personal account.

Explaining MrBeast's success solely by the money handed out is also incorrect. He has accumulated vast experience in studying audience attention, developing video concepts, engaging viewers from the very first seconds, managing a large production team, and turning content into a commercial product. Thus, behind his success lies not just money, but also strategy, marketing, technology, risk-taking, and hard work.

However, right here another question arises: which of his traits are we showing to our youth as an example — his skill in building a business, or the opportunity to become famous by scattering money in front of a camera?

There is also a difference between MrBeast's public image and the controversies surrounding his companies. In particular, in September 2024, a group of participants from the "Beast Games" reality show filed a lawsuit against Amazon and production companies associated with MrBeast. In it, the participants stated that there were issues related to working conditions, meals, rest, medical care, and safety during the filming process. Allegations of improper behavior towards female participants and sexual harassment were also included.

Furthermore, former employees of MrBeast expressed negative opinions about his working style and the environment in the company. Statements by some former employees covered in The New York Times and other publications cited insulting treatment and high pressure during the work process. Donaldson, however, opposed equating demandingness in his company to a toxic work environment.

What conclusion can be drawn from these events? A famous person's genuine appearance in front of the camera is not enough to evaluate all matters in his work activity. What is important is to distinguish between a person's public image and real activities based on facts, and not to measure success solely by money and the number of subscribers.

The gathering of many fans to see MrBeast in Samarkand is not in itself a crime or a sign of moral decay. Interest in a famous person, the desire to take a photo with him, or striving to see a social media hero in real life is part of modern popular culture.

However, if interest leads to disorder, threatens the safety of others, or causes people to forget the rules of etiquette in public places, this cannot be justified by simple fandom.

For centuries, Samarkand has been an intersection of science, trade, architecture, and culture. Its name is associated with the astronomical research of Mirzo Ulugbek, the spiritual heritage of Alisher Navoi, the development of Islamic sciences, and the history of great civilizations.

Of course, today's youth cannot be required to give up modern culture by invoking the names of historical figures. Nor does national pride mean merely boasting about the past. It means being worthy of that heritage through our actions today as well.

Therefore, concluding the event in Samarkand with the easy judgment that "our youth are ruined" is also incorrect. This scene prompts us to think about other questions: why are young people interested in these exact heroes? Which aspect of fame do they see? What are the family, school, society, and mass media doing to direct their interests meaningfully?

In today's digital environment, attention is one of the most valuable resources. Social networks usually allow for the wide distribution of content that quickly catches a person's attention, evokes emotion, and is easy to consume. Big money, unusual trials, unexpected results, and strong emotions — all of these can prompt the viewer to watch the video to the end.

MrBeast knows very well how to use this mechanism. The prizes, competitions, and unexpected events in his videos are not mere coincidences, but part of a content strategy aimed at capturing audience attention.

In this sense, studying his success itself is beneficial. Youth can learn a lot about digital marketing, scriptwriting, video editing, brand building, team management, and entrepreneurship.

It is necessary not only to tell young people whom to respect, but also to explain why they should respect them. Today's world is changing through artificial intelligence, biotechnology, medicine, energy, and space research. Specialists in these fields are the individuals defining humanity's tomorrow.

Our youth need to become acquainted with the activities of scientists, engineers, and researchers working at NASA, Google, Microsoft, and other international organizations, and to study their educational paths, work discipline, and professional experience.

Athletes representing the honor of Uzbekistan in international competitions, artists gaining recognition on world stages, and creators working in the fields of literature, cinema, and music can also serve as important role models for young people.

It is necessary to show the process of years of training, discipline, standing up again after defeat, and self-improvement behind their activities. Because young people often see the victory, but do not see the hardship that led to it.

Doctors, teachers, researchers, rescuers, engineers, and ordinary people whose simple labor makes the lives of others easier are also modern examples of heroism. Not every hero needs to have millions of subscribers. Sometimes a task performed conscientiously by one person can affect the lives of thousands of people.

International investment forums, scientific conferences, media events, and technological exhibitions are held in our country. Within their framework, opportunities arise to communicate with representatives of international business, scientists, engineers, journalists, and experts from various fields.

However, the real value of such visits for youth is not determined solely by the fact that an event was held or that the guest holds a prestigious position. What matters is how much of their experience is conveyed to young people, whether open dialogues and masterclasses are organized, and whether young people can get answers to their questions.

Why does a large crowd gather around a famous blogger when he arrives, while such interest is often not observed when a scientist or engineer visits? Searching for the answer solely among the youth is wrong. Which guest's visit is reported more? Which events are open to young people? How simply is a scientist's complex discovery explained? To what extent are event materials distributed on social networks?

If information about science is limited to boring lectures, while entertainment content is constantly presented with emotion and hype, it is not difficult to guess which way the audience's attention will swing. Therefore, media, educational institutions, and public organizations must search for ways to deliver knowledge to youth in an engaging, impactful, and modern format as well.

It is possible to show a scientist as a hero to our youth too, to tell the story of the human fate behind an invention, and to explain an entrepreneur's success along with how he solved problems. After all, interest in science is not an innate trait; it can also be formed.

Based on the event in Samarkand, opposing interest in foreign bloggers to national values is also not right. In the modern world, openness, acquaintance with other cultures, and international communication are of great importance.

However, in an era when an event, a person, or even a country is judged through videos on social networks, what kind of impression do images that we feel ashamed even to watch create among foreigners regarding Uzbeks and our youth?

Even a person who has never been to India in their life has a certain idea of Indian streets and its population. Before coming to Uzbekistan, MrBeast was in India at the end of September. However, when comparing the reception processes in the two countries on social networks, it was noted that the situation in Uzbekistan was much harder and more intense. The trip to India was organized much more orderly and systematically, and situations such as breaking through fences or the risk of children being crushed in the crowd were not observed there.

Uzbekistan, on the other hand, turned out to be the hardest destination for MrBeast. The blogger himself admitted in videos circulating on the internet that he had almost nowhere seen such a passionate and excessively large crowd as the fans in Uzbekistan. Meanwhile, at Registan Square in Samarkand, because people broke through safety barriers, teenagers ran after cars, and the danger of children falling and being injured due to pushing arose, he was forced to stop filming and leave the city quickly.

There is no basis to evaluate all the young people interested in MrBeast's visit as people indifferent to science or ignorant of national history. One person can simultaneously follow a blogger, read a book, play sports, and learn science.

National pride does not mean rejecting a foreign guest or denying his fame. National pride means knowing one's history, conducting oneself worthily in a public place, respecting the rights of others, and being able to represent one's country properly.

Any guest coming to Samarkand can be welcomed with culture; for this, it is not necessary to run in crowds, forget about safety, or disturb others. The honor of a great city is displayed not only by its historical monuments, but also by the culture of its residents today.

MrBeast's visit to Uzbekistan may remain a few days of internet hype. But the lesson to be drawn from this event should go much further. We must explain to our youth not just who is famous, but why they are famous. We need to direct their attention not only to who is handing out how much money, but also to who is creating new knowledge, who is improving people's lives, and who is bringing benefit to society.

In this, vilifying MrBeast or blaming his fans is not the solution. The solution is expanding choices for young people, bringing figures of science and labor closer to the public, and explaining national and universal human values in a modern language.

Just recently, at the FIRST Global Challenge 2026 international robotics competition held in Incheon, South Korea, the youth national team of Uzbekistan became the absolute world champions. Our compatriots recorded a 100 percent result, without losing a single one of the 16 matches held during the competition. In the end, they won three gold medals and took the highest spot on the podium.

Following the discussions about the crowd gathered around the famous blogger in Samarkand, this victory in Incheon acquires an even deeper meaning. On one side are internet stars who attract the attention of millions of people, and on the other side are our youth who make the flag of Uzbekistan known to the world with their intellect, knowledge, and skill.

Of course, it is not necessary to completely set these two situations against each other. But they remind us of an important truth: we must learn to direct the attention of our youth not only to fame, but also to knowledge, discoveries, and real achievements.

After all, among the Uzbek youth who are building robots today, solving complex engineering problems, and leaving rivals behind in the international arena, inventors, engineers, and founders of technological startups who will change world science tomorrow may emerge.

Therefore, when it comes to whom we show as a role model to our youth, we must also widely promote the achievements of our world champions, scientists, engineers, and inventors. After all, thousands of people may gather to see a blogger. But the true future of the country will be determined by the youth who are acquiring knowledge, building robots, creating new technologies, and becoming known to the world through their own labor.

Most importantly, may our youth not limit themselves to following famous people, but strive themselves to become owners of achievements admired by the whole world. And the victory in Incheon proved that this is not just a dream, but a real opportunity.