The class discussions that we had today about Youtube and their rise in 2005 onward. I had never given much thought to Youtube or what Youtube was or how Youtube got started. I just remember Youtube from my own experiences. 2005 just so happened to be a time were I was developping into my own preteen years, much like the internet was. I had moved past the CD Magic School Bus and Carmen San Diego video games and was moving towards the more expansive territories of the internet.
To me Youtube was a treasure trove; an encyclopedia, entertainment station, music hub, a how to guide for just about anything, and a way for ordinary people to be famous. I learned how to apply my make-up, not from my mother, but from the original Youtube Make-Up Gurus like Michelle Phan, JuicyStar07, AllThatGlitters21, and Bubzbeauty. All of these women proceeded to gain not only international fame and recognition from their Youtube channels, but proceeded to launch their own fashion, cosmetic and even created their own brands simply from their Youtube channels.
Even celebrities, like Justin Bieber, have roots in Youtube; using the ease and access to large numbers of people to get themselves recognition. Comedians like Fred and Shane Dawson that started uploading videos as simple hobbies, launched entire television series due to their tremendous followings on the internet.
I think the most intriguing affect that these original Youtubers had is they created a community. Thousands of people from all over the world upload their videos to Youtube. Typing in a simple search about any topic reveals a plethora of videos that can take hours to sift through. People have engaged the original Youtube stars and have followed suite, eager to start their own Youtube adventures.
But as I think about this now... I can't imagine media presented to me in any other way. The short five to seven minute clips seem so natural to me. It's the way the entire media industry is turning to as well. People are looking to make themselves a brand instead of becoming a part of something bigger.
It seems that we are a part of a Youtube Generation that is ever looking for media and videos to consume and inform. I learned cooking and nutrition, not from my parents or in school, but from Youtube health channels. People I know have been able to take their cars apart and fix them because of informational videos on Youtube. It's being implemented in classrooms, and in some ways, is more effective than the actual teacher (depending on the teacher of course). In what other ways is Youtube going to revolutionize me and my generation? I can't help but wonder.
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