An anthropological introduction to YouTube

i remember when i watched this video and it still had 1000 views...now its already millions great job mike!!

Thanks for this video. At last, somebody who actually understands what YouTube is all about & the many possibilities it brings :)

Wow, I can't believe I saw the whole thing. I am fairly new to the YouTube culture so about a third of the what he used as examples I've never heard of. He illuminated some things for me. His presentation was insightful and entertaining though not a complete one but it WAS just an introduction.

you retarded socialist buyer fuckface

haha

you wont get countedanyway biatch

Well, I really think it comes down to what you think an anthropological introduction to YouTube should include. As an anthropologist studying participatory digital culture, what would you focus on as an introduction? Would you focus on how mind numbing and awful YouTube culture can be, or would you focus on the rituals and communal participation that would be notable to an anthropologist? No two people are going to have the same experience on YouTube because everyone has differing interests.

To answer your question, I recommend checking out Rocket Boom's "Know Your Meme" videos, in addition to the Onion's "Good Video Contest" (paraphrased, but the search will get you there), which pretty much says the same thing this lecture does, though more succinctly, at least. But terms like 'participatory digital culture', etc. are kind of redundant, in that you really can't have a culture without participation. Unless I'm really missing out on something. But your last point is the kicker:

Despite how it seems to be portrayed, here, there really isn't anything unique and unifying going on in youtube to distinguish it as a 'culture'--like shared tastes, taboos, ceremonies, moors, common practices, and so on. Ultimately, what it all comes down to are all these droning anthems and montages all merged together in order to try and inflict this sentimental idea that, Yes, through Youtube, We are connecting, again!

wow siick vid xD i cant stop watching it

Yush, try this: .stephenfry(dot)com/2009/11/19 /social-media-force-for-good/ (later, not perm yet) or follow stephen on twitter, a phenom itself.