The medium, the message, the lessons…
YouTube is a great tool. I’m jealous of this younger generation sometimes, growing up with the relatively inexpensive and widely accessible means of production right at their fingertips. When I was a pre-adolescent, I used to sit in my room and dream of writing and telling stories that vast numbers of people would get a chance to see. Today, pre-adolescents can sit in their rooms and with the click of a mouse record audio and video and within seconds their stories are accessible to millions around the planet.
Such was the case of one DaPhamily – a screen name; I don’t know his real name, nor his real age (though a colleague estimated him to be about twelve, and that seems accurate enough to me). But he posted a video on YouTube a couple of weeks ago on the occasion of nude photos of Vanessa Hudgens being posted online.
You’d think it was Christmas morning the level of enthusiasm that he exudes. Not to mention the display of blatant sexism and sexuality that would be disturbing under normal circumstances and is even more so on the face what appears to be an innocent, little boy.
His video can be seen here:
YouTube – New Vanessa Hudgens Topless photos!!! over like 10!!! August 2009
There are almost two thousand comments, and many of them are disturbing bordering on reprehensible.
However, YouTube also allows the posting of video responses. Since I didn’t have the luxury of the means of production as a teen, I’m trying to make up for lost time by making use of them in adulthood, and I posted a video reply in which I try to impart some thoughts to this young man that he might not have heard from an adult before.
My response can be seen here: