Youtube Junkie

I'll admit it, I'm a Youtube Junkie. But there is something about watching videos of people who aren't famous because they are movie stars, but because there are Youtubers. There is something fascinating about people who generated their own fame by posting videos of their ideas, family, or making a low budget talk show.  Youtube is a weird place, but a weirdly wonderful place. I actually oddly enough feel more connected to the human family because of Youtube. I also feel like many of the perceptions I had of people throughout the world were changed and improved by watching Youtube. Now yes I did not come to these powerful conclusions by watching videos like this

Talking Animals- Klaatu42
Re: Cat Talking, Translation

Nor this, although it did help me to make a text to world connection as it made me think of the Donner Party.

Juliansmith87
JULIAN SMITH-Eat Randy

But things like this did change how I thought about the world

Vlogbrothers
Racism in the United States: By the Numbers

And then these Crash Course gems also hailing from the illustrious (in my opinion) Green Brothers gave me further insight into history, science, psychology

Crashcourse
The Big Bang: Crash Course Big History #1

But I have even learned from people like The Shaytards, who are a great example of family values and living virtuous lives.

Shaytards
Who are the Shaytards?

I definitely know that Fitness Blender an entirely Youtube based fitness channel has made me sore, more than any other workout videos I've ever done, in fact as I write this I am sore from doing one yesterday.

Fitnessblender
Can you HIIT like a Girl?

I know for some reason Youtube is still seen as a place that has nothing but worthless cat videos. Still, I have found it to be an amazing way to connect with our world like never before. And so many of others feel the same, there are charities conducted solely through Youtube, there is activism, education, and of course things to make you smile. There is so much out there and even better stuff than I've included.  It is one of the MOST powerful media tools of the 21st century, and will continue to grow and change how we see video. Eight years ago when I first ventured onto Youtube and I told my friend about my discovery and he replied "You're like Columbus, you just discovered something that millions of other people already knew about."

To finish out, here is one of my favorite youtube videos to date, It's where John Green talks about what it is to be a Nerdfighter, a group entirely created by youtube and supported by it's viewers.

Vlogbrothers
Brotherhood 2.0 February 17 2007