Undoubtedly, youtube is one of the best innovations on the internet. In conjunction with its pornographic counterpart “redtube,” youtube has become one of the most utilized websites throughout America. Teachers use it for class, stoners use it incessantly and bloggers use it as their visual aid. But, is there a downside to youtube?
An easy attack would be to call youtube a time-consuming monster that eats up your life in 4 minute clips. Well, Facebook has the same effect, and no one complains. So that’s a weak assault.
What I dislike about youtube, is that the chance of doing something situationally original or novel is vastly diminished. Shows like AFV and reality TV are fairly limited in their scope of action. The actions on reality TV are hyperemotional and unrealistic. AFV is wry and slapstick. But youtube, youtube encompasses every part of life, from mouth-pooping to our reactions to mouth-pooping. All of the sudden, cool events that happen to us are less cool, because another person has done it online, and 72,398 people have viewed it. The extraordinary becomes commonplace, and instead of going out to do sweet ass stuff ourselves, we perch ourselves in front of our sleek laptops and watch clips of what we could be doing.
I realize my whiny grievances aren’t novel; it’s the whole “TV turns your brain into mush” mom attack. But, there is some validity to what mom says. Youtube is sweet to the max, but I’d rather be experiencing youtube worthy moments than watch someone else experience them for me. When I start living vicariously through my computer, then it’s time to make machines self-aware, because I’m definitely not.
Ladies, I have a larger than usual hippocampus.
-Mozart
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