YouTube. A mating ground of creativity, eclecticism and adorable cats. I’ve been on it since I got my first computer in 2008, and since then, I’ve been amazed by the amount and quality of content that people on this website could produce. One of the greatest and most unique things about YouTube is the fact that it can cater to literally any interest that anyone could possibly have. This, really, is why it’s so popular. Want to learn how to knit? YouTube. Want to listen to mostly any song ever recorded? YouTube.
My gateway drug into YouTube was through Kyle Landry, a talented teenage piano player from Massachusetts. One of his songs, Dearly Beloved, was from a video game I loved to play at the time (Kingdom Hearts), and it struck me the second I listened to it. I was hooked. I watched every single one of his videos, and even put them on as I fell asleep at night. I was continually inspired with how hard he worked at perfection, and ultimately, it inspired me to work harder on my musical skills. Still to this day, Kyle Landry is my favorite YouTuber.
After a while though, I decided to venture out from this one channel. At around this time, Beauty Gurus were starting to surface. I started watching those videos too, as I do to this day. I got into vlogs, watching one a day as they filmed it (I primarily watch CTFxC and it’sJudy’sLife now). Vlogs are fantastic because you really do feel like you’re living their life with them, but not in a creepy way of course. You grow with them, even though you’ve never met. It’s a very YouTube centric and original platform, as far as I know, and I’m not sure what my everyday life would be like without it.
My deepest connection to YouTube lies in a video I stumbled upon accidentally. One day about a year and a half ago, me and my brother were on YouTube, and came across a very strange video called “Cooking With Dog”. Thinking that it was some strange, sadistic video of a woman cooking her dog, we of course clicked on it. Instead, we found a sweet Japanese woman and her eerily well-trained poodle Francis teaching us how to make a cake. Well, the dog didn’t do much but “narrate” the cooking video, but still, it was so strange and adorable that we couldn’t stop watching. My brother watched every single one, and decided he wanted to start making the recipes based on the videos from Cooking With Dog. Over time, he became very good at it, and is now training to go to the Culinary Institute of America. All because of a little 5 minute video about a woman and her dog in a kitchen.
In the end, YouTube is a cornerstone of my life. It’s where I learn, and where I relax. The people on it have inspired me, and others around me, to do better, and to be better. This may all sound cliche, but it’s true. Though it may be just another website on the big ‘ol Internet, it still affects people every single day, with every single video.
I love your story about your brother’s path to discovering his love for the culinary arts. In my post, I tried to emphasize just how deeply YouTube affects contemporary life for digitized citizens, but you’re anecdote really captures the essence of what I was trying to say. YouTube’s effect on modern culture is very real! Without it, who knows if your brother would have found his passion for cooking.
Wow, that’s really cool that Francis inspired your brother. I’ve never heard (read) a story like that. I do agree that vlogs connect you to people in a way, but sometimes I fear for the people who spread messages of hate through the medium.
Awwww… I really love YouTube’s ability to bring people together. Feels like its a social ritual now whenever I meet up with friends after a while: “Let me show you this awesome video…” Great story about your brother!
That is a very well trained dog! I am amazed that it didn’t try to lick the frosting. Best of luck to your brother!
It’s great that you found a YouTuber that you love. It’s even better that YouTube allowed you to want to better your music skills. I think that is what is most interesting about what the internet, especially Youtube, can do. We see things on there and we think to ourselves, “Hey I want to do that too!” or “Maybe I could see if I’m good at that!”
I definitely use YouTube almost every day too – crazy how much it has changed the way I use the internet. Also great story about the dog inspiring your brother to go to the Culinary Institute of America – testament to the fact that YouTube really can change lives!
I’m obsessed with dog videos, so I like that you talked about one in your reflection! And that it inspired your brother to cook!
I love that your brother was inspired to cook from a Youtube video. I think that Youtube is an inspiration for a lot of people, and gives people a place to follow their dreams, as well as see others who have chased after the same dreams. Great job!