PewDiePie Opens Up On His Robbery
In December 2019, Felix "PewDiePie" Kjellberg revealed his residence in Japan had been robbed. This happened not long after the area around his UK home flooded, making it a difficult time for PewDiePie and his wife.
PewDiePie responded to the robbery in a very on-brand way: sharing images from Reddit that made him smile in the aftermath. The event might have soured his outlook on life; instead, the streamer insisted in a new video it actually helped him make some choices regarding his lifestyle. In short, it prompted him to rethink his attachment to material possessions.
"I had previously been decluttering in my house but now I finally shifted to a new gear," PewDiePie told fans. "I got rid of anything I didn't want ... all items that had barely any sentimentality ... If any item lacked value or utility, I sold, donated or just got rid of."
He also noted that he was dismayed by the reactions of people online when the news of the robbery came out. There were certainly plenty of fans who sent their well wishes and who worried about him and his family. However, there were also plenty of people who found the event hilarious.
As PewDiePie puts it, some individuals considered the situation a cause for celebration as a streamer they do not like was affected in a negative way. Others didn't care because of PewDiePie's money and the fact that he could just buy new things. Oddly, the thieves left behind all of Kjellberg's expensive video equipment, including his laptop and his camera, instead targeting his wife's belongings in the break-in.
"They took 90% of my valuables, from my jewellery [sic], to luxury goods and special items I've been collecting over the years," wrote Marzia. "It's all gone."
This isn't the first time the couple has had their privacy invaded. A few years ago, PewDiePie posted a video in which he implored fans and parents of fans to stop coming to his house. This was apparently a frequent occurrence since he had come into the public eye.
"I lived in six different locations and I've had 'fans' come up to each and every one of them," Kjellberg explained. "Just because I have an audience, it doesn't mean I have to be okay with bad behavior ... Don't get me wrong, I love meeting you ... but if you do come to my house, I will not greet you and I will not take a picture with you."
After this robbery, it's hard to blame the streamer for being even more cautious about interactions like this. When someone has already put so much of their life into the open like these two have, it seems important to keep as much privacy as you can.
Since PewDiePie posted his video finally opening up about the robbery, there has been an overwhelming fan response. More than a few users on Twitter have stepped up to defend him against those making jokes or gloating over the idea of the streamer being robbed. One fan felt the people celebrating PewDiePie's misfortune should feel like "clowns" given the bulk of everything that was stolen belonged to Marzia.
"How would you feel if you were robbed and people said that's good and you'll be fine?" tweeted another.
It's interesting to consider how long the streamer waited to address the break-in in any serious fashion. Obviously, it's a stressful situation and the reactions on the internet probably soured any hopes he had of explaining how he felt to his audience. In his latest video, Pewds breaks down part of the philosophy that he's been reading. It seems his newfound approach to materialism was partially inspired by Greek philosopher Diogenes, who lived a famously minimalist lifestyle.
This also offers a little more insight into the break that PewDiePie took at the end of 2019. After years of consistent streaming and uploads, Pewds announced his intention to step away for a bit to recharge and spend time with his wife. For a short period of time, his fans got to know what it was like to be on an internet without PewDiePie, including his longtime editor and collaborators like Jacksepticeye. Naturally, some didn't like it one bit.
After making some very poor choices over the years, it's encouraging to see Pewds taking this negative incident and attempting to turn it into something positive. Hopefully, he'll also get some measure of the privacy he's after and continue his journey of self-reflection.