Looking Up

Spending my evening flitting between Youtube and my Facebook, I stumbled across a video shared by a friend that I thought relayed an important message for a generation where technology becomes a replacement for face-to-face interaction. This video, "Look up", has over 700,000 views on YouTube and a very interesting discussion going on in the comment section about the pros and cons of social media and the new world of technology that we are engrossed in.

Firstly, I have to give a huge applause to how the creator of this outstanding video communicated his ideas, using a moment where a human interaction lead to a whole life with a stranger imagined out but one which could have been easily snatched away by our reliance on technology. Of course, it is dramatised and we sit there and feel that it is highly unlikely that we would miss out on such a huge part of life simply by looking up directions on Google maps rather than asking a stranger, but I feel like it emphasises many of his other points. I remember a life where children weren't just plonked in front of a TV as their source of entertainment, and I regularly lament the fact that I don't go out and just explore the world as I used to as a child, with a love of the outdoors, for playgrounds and for imagination. I hugely dislike the fact that iPads in particular are being bought for children's use rather than them building a fort, picking up some drawing pencils, or creating their own games with friends which leads to crucial development. In my own adult life, I have turned to scrapbooking to escape my default actions to check my various social medias or to watch TV that I don't even enjoy simply because I haven't thought imaginatively of anything else to do.

I have experienced times where I have sat down with a friend for coffee and the conversation quickly turns to things that we saw on Twitter or Facebook rather than actually discussing things in our hearts. Worse, I have sat down with friends only for them to check those apps rather than speak to the person sitting in front of them, with the only involvement on my part being listening to things that they are reading from their feeds. The title, "Look up", is apt for this situation, and something that I often want to scream at people this happens because I feel dehumanised, replaced by a communication facade.

He also makes the point that social media is where we "show our best bits, but not our emotion", and in many ways I wholeheartedly agree. There are the odd few that are almost that bit too honest over the internet, but largely we paint pictures of ourselves that we want others to see whether we are aware of it or not. We become a person without much of a personality. Too many times I have been obsessed with recording a moment to share rather than simply experiencing it and enjoying the company of those around me, whether that be in the form of an Instagram, a tweet or a Snapchat story. I also agree that social media creates a feeling of loneliness: how many people sit on Facebook for hours, with many people online chatting, just not to them? Even then, the chats are full of distractions from the six other tabs open in your computer as you shop for a new pair of shoes, look up a holiday, scroll through twitter or a news website (or even write this blog...). You are rarely given full attention and with delayed replies and the inability to read someone's face or tone of voice miscommunication is frequent and conversations can trail off with no official ending.

However, I also see the benefits of it. Twice I have done a 48 hour blackout from technology: my social media, my phone, my laptop. I also didn't speak for those 48 hours, so this 21st century fast was probably one of those most isolated I have ever felt because I had very few ways to communicate, and in that time I longed for just one conversation over text which could quell that loneliness. I have seen the rise of vlogging and the amount of people who find community in comments sections of blogs and weird corners of the internet. I just wonder if this community comes at the expense of friendship which involves eye contact and real 'lol' moments rather than the constant sound of typing on a keyboard and emoticons replacing any form of body language.

Something that I know I need to do is to communicate more, especially at a time where all the friends I have had for years are scattered across the country: this just made me realise the value in doing it face-to-face, to look up and make time and not use technology as an excuse to be lazy with the friendships that I have.

What are your thoughts?

-Antonia

VlogMash Vol.1

One thing that I won’t readily admit to people is that I have a small addiction to watching Youtube. Many people who are not part of that community (which, to my shame, mainly consists of 13-17 year old crazy pubescent fangirls) think that this involves watching viral videos, laughing at people falling over and the like. But actually, my Youtube habit has become so frequent that it has replaced the amount of TV I use in many respects and has broadened my appreciation of many new different types of mediums such as short film. The kind of youtubers I watch vary from sketch comedians, daily vloggers, filmmakers and the general ‘vloggers’. 

While many of the videos I watch are purely for entertainment, some of the Youtube community use their influence in amazing ways. Recently, a channel called JacksGap (a channel which was started by this lad called Jack to document his gap year, who was later joined by his twin brother, Finn) moved from making videos trying to get Americans to guess what British slang meant, to stylishly documenting in four installations the Rickshaw Run across India he, his brother, fellow Youtubers and friends did in Autumn 2013. Together, they raised a six-figure sum for Teenage Cancer Trust. Many Youtubers have also made videos talking about their issues with depression, anxiety and the like, and by doing so have helped many to feel less alone if they are struggling with these issues. They have in many ways become celebrities, especially those who have embedded themselves into so-called ‘old media’ alongside their channels, such as and men behind the channels ‘danisnotonfire’ and ‘AmazingPhil’, who have become DJ’s on Radio One on Sunday evenings (and even won an award for it!). In other words, the world of Youtube has become pretty impressive and there are ordinary people who, through their own hard work, have created jobs for themselves in a way which no other generation has.

To celebrate this, and indulge in my own obsession a little, I have decided to include a few of my favourite videos in occasional posts under a few titles. This first post will have a range of videos probably made over the last year and really are videos that have stood out among the thousands that I have probably watched.

1) The One that made me cry with laughter

Yep, this is the ‘AmazingPhil’ that I mentioned earlier. This is one of the videos that I have honestly watched multiple times and I never fail to crack up at this poor man’s desperate past, the atrocious grammar (which I have to admit that I used) and the way that people of such a young age used to use the word ‘hun’ or ‘babe’. I used those words more when I was 10 or 11 than I ever did as a teenager or young adult. There are two more videos of similar comedy gold and I genuinely find Phil a hugely endearing character who I can't help but watch.

2) The Role Model

Louise, known as SprinkleofGlitter on Youtube, is very much a role model to many. She is a person who in past vlogs has told a beautiful story of how she came to faith in Christianity through an Alpha course and this faith shines through in her personality, the way she treats others so visually online, and videos such as this which I believe are hugely important. I do believe that this video even got onto the news and I remember avidly sharing it around for awareness of many who I have known that have hurt themselves. I am glad that her well-rounded videos and positivity is entering the lives of such a young audience, as well as these important issues. She is also not afraid to admit her moments of completely tomfoolery (see one of her most recent videos about having a breakdown after meeting Kylie Minogue) and it is for her normality and humility that I continue to watch her.

3) The Short Film

Ah, KickthePJ. I could literally have given you any of his short films. They are full of vivid colour, crazy imagination and are generally barmy. His films are generally extremely entertaining, humorous and yet incredibly well done and presented. Many of them also include a rather swish voiceover. Even his vlogs and the way which he puts his take on the ever-growing ‘tag’ trend on Youtube -which has become so incredibly boring unless done creatively- makes him completely unique on the Youtube scene. I mean, who does a tour of their toilet (known, quite seriously, as the “Toilet Tag”) and makes it engaging and even fascinating?  

4) The Inspiration

This one makes me angry as well as hugely inspired simply because this is the work of 16-year old Bertie Gilbert who decided to drop out of schooling post-GCSE’s to concentrate on honing his love for film. His shorts are interesting and are clearly influenced by Wes Anderson in many ways, and are pretty refreshing to watch compared to the formulaic blockbusters that are thrown in the faces of the gullible public every year. This video is more of an experimental video and doesn’t, by Bertie Gilbert’s own admission, have a particularly meaning or story. The fact that these moments were just edited together in some kind of homage to old movies and this forgotten state of Britain, yet was published on this hugely progressive media and interpreted by thousands in the comment section, is considerably clever, bold and brave.

5) The NewTuber

Oh, Aniamags. Having been subscribed to you for a year now, I have watched you grow to nearly 10,000 subscribers through your wit and general sass. Moving from videos where she used to joke about the guy she killed and analysing lyrics of popular songs -exposing many of them to be completely incomprehensible all the while- to her latter day videos talking about whatever takes her fancy. While many might see her videos as a little bratty, she has an on camera satire and presence which is pretty unique from others that I watch. Her latest videos remind me of when Youtube was a smaller community and videos did literally used to be talking to a camera without a script, amazing lighting, a fancy apartment fire in the background and perfect articulation that puts most television presenters to shame. They are authentic. And recently, she posted the above video bravely opening up, if only a little, about eating disorders. Which makes her, like, cool.

Hope you enjoyed this post! Do you have any videos or youtubers to recommend me? Any videos that have struck you, helped you or inspired you recently? Let me know in the comments!

-Antonia