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This is gonna be one of those long, pretentious, self-absorbed entries. Just like the others I suppose.
I’m on a break from YouTube. Not because its ‘too-stressful’ or because I’ve got ‘personal problems’; as are the common claims to absence on YouTube; I just haven’t been bothered. Months will fly by with YouTube being an exciting, exhilarating, major influence in my life; all thoughts video ideas; my life dictated by copyright. But then, ultimately, as with most over things in my life, I’ll go through periods of total apathy towards my ‘internet-life’, becoming entirely despondent to practices that once thrilled me. I’m in one of these ‘troughs’ right now.
YouTube is total self-absorption, and I, personally, easily get bogged down by this. It’s important just to take a step back from time-to-time. Ground-myself. I’m not famous. Even the biggest YouTubers aren’t famous, and it’s the definite hierarchy on YouTube, amplified by ego and pretentiousness, that infuriates me. People thinking what they’ve done on YouTube is exceptional, but wearing that grin of insincere modesty, “You can be like me too!”, and although this blog is entireley self-centered, that irritates the fuck out of me.
It’s a website, and however big a part it plays in peoples lives, and however much people deny it; it is separate to reality. Most people wouldn’t have a clue who Smosh or LisaNova are, or even what a vlog is; which is why I think its important not to get wrapped up in YouTube, and to take a step back.
YouTube ‘fame’ therefore, stands for very little, people, me included at one point, think that if they’re big on YouTube they’ll have media jobs thrown at them; when thats not the case. The Media see YouTube as a novelty, something they dont really understand, but still something they want to compete with. Upstaged is a prime example. The BBC saw YouTube and its success, and thought they could match that by engineering they’re own community on their own website. However what they failed to realise is the obvious, that, the majority of people who use YouTube are vloggers, and vlogging as a medium doesn’t work on a stage for 6 hours. Don’t get me wrong, I thought YouStage did well, and any contention regarding fairness and talent, was entirely the fault of the BBC, but it shows that YouTube is only YouTube when its on YouTube.
*sighs* Im having difficulty expressing myself here; I suppose what I want to say is, YouTube wont make you famous. It might help you, and it certainly helped me see my potential talents, but it wont get you a job alone. Which is where I come in; lately I’ve been hanging on for opportunities to arise from YouTube, opportunities that may or may never come. And I need to decide whether to step-back and get on with my life; or to dedicate myself 100% to getting a media job, whoring myself out to every production company I can find, de-moralisation and disappointment lurking round every corner.
However, what I need to do is just see YouTube for what it is, continue to do what I do, maybe start a bit of stand-up comedy and student radio, and see what happens…
