It would be hard to imagine that someone who appears on a screen, can make anyone who might have felt so insignificant in what seemed to be an infinite world, feel so special. Youtube used to be something for families to share not-so-private home videos but overtime matured into a viral online platform, which can now be used as a tool to earn money. More than 1 billion people visit youtube (.com) each month and over 6 billion hours are watched in a month- this is almost an hour of view time per person on earth. Never in history, has social media has been at it’s highest and as this is the virtual age. A student who participated in a survey relating to this topic even says, “I use YouTube more than I use the TV just because everything on there is just so real and I can relate to it.” But growing this extensively in such a rapid amount of time, how has it possibly impacted our already technology-obsessed generation?
Praniti, a participant of a questionnaire, said in the survey that, “Youtube hasn't specifically impacted me apart from making me happier, but I know that there are lot of people whose only reason to live is youtube as youtubers support them more than their own families. There are also several cases in which people were suicidal but lost all intentions to end their lives because of it. Honestly though, I don’t think people understand this about youtube.” This shows that youtube has touched people’s hearts in a way television can’t and should be more recognised for it.
You might wonder if anyone else has related to this. An anonymous, girl, aged 10, tells us the story of how she got hooked onto Youtube after finally grasping the meaning of the videos posted- The house is quiet as the night exhales it’s gentle wind through the gap of an open window. A girl’s eyes well up with tears as she collapses onto the bed sinking into the mattress causing the comforter to puddle around the hunched outline of her trembling body. No one could know what she was going through. She raises the hinge of her laptop. Who could ever understand what she was going through? No one. Click, tap. Well, maybe someone now. Casually landing on Youtube was something she went through before but this time it was different. She finally found a person who understood her, Zoe Sugg. Through Zoe’s teenage years she had frequent anxiety and panic attacks but she overcame them and now helps people understand that it’s nothing to be ashamed of if they suffer from it. Understanding Youtube and all it’s goodness is like opening a present. It may take some time to unwrap but once you open it, all that time of unravelling will be worth it. That’s what Youtube is, something that will always be there for you for the free price of a click away.
This story relates to so many people because at any moment, any girl or boy can find any types videos. From beauty videos to gaming commentary, any person, even one with the most diverse and unique personality, will find some source of comfort, laughter or clarity in at least one video as about 100 hours worth of ideas are uploaded every minute! Mainly, this is the compound reason people take so much interest into the videos of youtube, because the people uploading them are ordinary people. Those who make YouTube videos for a living are called ‘Youtubers’ and some are even more adored than some celebrities. Viewers are infatuated with their geniality, humour and charisma. The fact you can find all these qualities in one short video online, feels like it will always be there to comfort you. Especially for those who feel rejected in reality, watching youtube is a brief escape from your life like how Harry Potter left his old life to venture into a life where he felt like he belonged and was accepted.
In fact, Youtube holds a massive conventions for the devoted viewers like Youtube Fan Fest. People, predominantly girls aged 13 to 19, were rushing hastily to queue up in front of the bulging barricades pressed against each other. A smooth, velvet red carpet placed perfectly onto the cemented ground of Scape Playground. The fans, hyperly excited, were shaking on the little pieces of ground they claimed as their territory; the small chunk of space they had were surrounded by other viewers standing their ground making sure no one would take their area. Intense- the one word to describe the whole experience. Some of the girls perched themselves comfortably onto the floor waiting for nearly 6 hours under the scorching sun just for the 8pm show. These people committed themselves to see the people who exhilarated them through a video, the people who impacted their lives for the better.
Not only do viewers get affected by the impact of youtube, so do Youtubers: Bethany Mota, who is one of the most famous youtubers with over 7 million fans in her arsenal, started youtube when she was being cyber-bullied by people she thought were her friends; the rest is history. With over 550 million views collectively on her videos, she is taking the world by storm. From her beaming clothing line to winning a ‘Teen Choice’ award, this teen superstar flipped her life around. Tyler Oakley, another beloved youtuber who is one of the most ‘active’ LGBT community members, collaborated with Prizeo (.com) and raised half a million to donate to the Trevor Project which is a suicide hotline. ‘Prizeo' is an online fundraiser where celebrities can choose a charity of their choice then use the site to promote it and raise money for it; ‘Prizeo has also work with other reputable youtubers in addition to Tyler. Tyler has inspired dozens of lives not only through the Trevor Project, but also has built confidence in so many people who are still too afraid to ‘come out of the closet’ all through a screen. Tyler and Bethany were just normal people who found their voice online when they thought no one could hear them. Just imagine how you can change your life like they did. Speak up and let your voice be heard.
by Sofia
This story relates to so many people because at any moment, any girl or boy can find any types videos. From beauty videos to gaming commentary, any person, even one with the most diverse and unique personality, will find some source of comfort, laughter or clarity in at least one video as about 100 hours worth of ideas are uploaded every minute! Mainly, this is the compound reason people take so much interest into the videos of youtube, because the people uploading them are ordinary people. Those who make YouTube videos for a living are called ‘Youtubers’ and some are even more adored than some celebrities. Viewers are infatuated with their geniality, humour and charisma. The fact you can find all these qualities in one short video online, feels like it will always be there to comfort you. Especially for those who feel rejected in reality, watching youtube is a brief escape from your life like how Harry Potter left his old life to venture into a life where he felt like he belonged and was accepted.
In fact, Youtube holds a massive conventions for the devoted viewers like Youtube Fan Fest. People, predominantly girls aged 13 to 19, were rushing hastily to queue up in front of the bulging barricades pressed against each other. A smooth, velvet red carpet placed perfectly onto the cemented ground of Scape Playground. The fans, hyperly excited, were shaking on the little pieces of ground they claimed as their territory; the small chunk of space they had were surrounded by other viewers standing their ground making sure no one would take their area. Intense- the one word to describe the whole experience. Some of the girls perched themselves comfortably onto the floor waiting for nearly 6 hours under the scorching sun just for the 8pm show. These people committed themselves to see the people who exhilarated them through a video, the people who impacted their lives for the better.
Not only do viewers get affected by the impact of youtube, so do Youtubers: Bethany Mota, who is one of the most famous youtubers with over 7 million fans in her arsenal, started youtube when she was being cyber-bullied by people she thought were her friends; the rest is history. With over 550 million views collectively on her videos, she is taking the world by storm. From her beaming clothing line to winning a ‘Teen Choice’ award, this teen superstar flipped her life around. Tyler Oakley, another beloved youtuber who is one of the most ‘active’ LGBT community members, collaborated with Prizeo (.com) and raised half a million to donate to the Trevor Project which is a suicide hotline. ‘Prizeo' is an online fundraiser where celebrities can choose a charity of their choice then use the site to promote it and raise money for it; ‘Prizeo has also work with other reputable youtubers in addition to Tyler. Tyler has inspired dozens of lives not only through the Trevor Project, but also has built confidence in so many people who are still too afraid to ‘come out of the closet’ all through a screen. Tyler and Bethany were just normal people who found their voice online when they thought no one could hear them. Just imagine how you can change your life like they did. Speak up and let your voice be heard.
by Sofia
Hello Sneha,
ReplyDeleteI really agree with you about how everyone can be related. Youtube is a great way that people use to express themselves to other people in the world. Even though Youtube is not always used for the right things but Its also used for great things, as you talked about Bethany Mota and Tyler Oakley. I am very happy that you talked about this interesting thing, it is massive how people spend lots of time in youtube, maybe wasting time, but learning and experiencing.
Regards,
Romina Igartua, ASFG 8th Grade, Guadalajara, Mexico.