Blog #11: Reflecting on Today's You Tube Video

Today’s video was created by Mike Wesch. For those who do not know who Mike Wesch is, he is a famous anthropologist. Anthropologists study people and their cultures. Some of them study ancient people and their cultures, but Wesch studies people in the present day and today’s culture. This video we watched was from a presentation he gave to the Library of Congress. In the video, he discusses You Tube, its formation, and how it became so prolific.

It’s really rather fascinating because, according to Wesch, You Tube might have been a little slow to take off, but it quickly surpassed all television stations in regard to hosting videos. I can believe this too. I’ve often wondered why it seems like TV shows are all the same, why it seems like there is nothing to watch on TV (except for reruns). According to Wesch, this is due to the fact that more You Tube videos have been created and uploaded than TV shows.

When I watched Wesch’s presentation, he talked about how You Tube became popular. This was interesting. Since You Tube is on the Internet, it is essentially world wide. One video was created in America, it sparked interest across the world, then someone in another country saw it. All of these viewers created similar videos (on the same idea), and SHAZAAM! Before anybody has a chance to blink an eye, You Tube has become a phenomenon.

Another thing Wesch talks about, that I think is important, is the first vlog. Wesch has students who take his Anthropology course upload vlogs onto You Tube. I’d like to incorporate something like that in my class eventually. The thing about first vlogs that is so interesting is that they exemplify the argument Wesch makes about audience collapse. First time vloggers tend to know that their audience is the world, but they don’t know WHO in the world is their audience. Thus, they often have audience collapse. Audience collapse is associated with lots of giggling, forgetting to introduce oneself, recording in a private area (like the closet or bathroom), and starting and beginning several times.

First vlogs are VERY interesting. That’s the reason I required my students to write their descriptive essays about first vlogs.