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Finally, if you care more about your teenagers than about being right you could share this letter with them. You could also try to find out what they’re learning from me that seems to be attracting their attention. After all, it’s not always that easy to get through to teenagers.

Tell them I said Hi.

So that was that.

Within the same 30-minute period, however, I also received two other letters, each of which might shed some light on the reasons Ms. [redacted]’s teenagers find my YouTube videos, etc., compelling. I obtained permission from the writers to use what they wrote, after it was properly anonymized (so some identifying details, irrelevant to the gist of the material, have been changed).

The first of the latter two letters was from a student in Turkey. He wrote:

I’m not even sure if this is your legitimate email address, or that you’ll even read my message. But I just wanted to say to you that listening to your speeches helped me a lot. I’m a 23-year-old male student in Turkey. I’ve read all your books and watched all your videos. I’ve had serious mental traumas inflicted upon me by those I called my closest. I have no real friends left, and no one to care for me. I’ve been falsely accused of rape, and was cheated on by the love of my life. I’ve been severely depressed for a year and a half. I’m using five antidepressants, tried suicide, and was in fact declared dead at one point for one minute.

I’m living my life just for the sake of living, and nothing else. I just wanted to say thank you. You really helped me a lot. I wish I could meet you in person, but I know that’ll never happen. You don’t deserve the attacks or backlash from the media that you get. Please keep doing what you do. You are helping too many people that need it the most.