It's the 21st century. It's 2016. Both technology and the internet have taken hold of our planet, and it doesn't seem as if it's letting go in the near future. Now, depending on the type of person you may be, this could mean one of two things.

1) This is the beginning of the end. Apple is taking over the world. Technology will soon become living, breathing, and kill every single last one of us. Basically the Terminator, but in real time. We're doomed.

or

2) Nah dude, that's chill.

I consider myself as type #2.

I may be a little biased because I have no recollection of a day when the internet didn't exist. But nevertheless, from the perspective of a 19, soon-to-be 20 year old, technology is probably the greatest asset we have. It allows us to become notified of the latest problems plaguing our nation. It completely eliminates ignorance by informing us on personal perspectives of situations that would never cross our minds otherwise. It allows us to connect with different people, different cultures, different lives all around the world.

Obviously everyone loves their bookfaces and tweeters and whatever else those darn kids do these days, but there's one website that I consider one of the most amazing leaps forward in the era of technology and innovation. YouTube.

Please slap yourself in the face if you haven't already heard of it

YouTube is a website filled with millions upon millions of hours of video content that can be uploaded by anyone and everyone. Founded on February 14th, 2005, YouTube has grown from a dinky little unknown website into an empire of endless possibilities.

Unfortunately, especially for the older generations, there's a sort of stigma that YouTube is just idiotic videos and bad song covers. While a decent percentage of footage is exactly that, videos of cats do not define this domain.

To me, YouTube is so much more. YouTube is change. YouTube is hope. YouTube is inspiration.

I know how cheesy those statements sound. DEAL WITH IT.

But it's true. Over the years, YouTube has accumulated a number of "internet celebrities," a mass of vloggers who have essentially taken the internet world by storm. Tyler Oakley, Grace Helbig, and Lilly Singh are all examples of phenomenal, life-changing YouTubers. While primarily responsible for providing a short couple minutes of entertainment, many of these videos provide insight on and different perspectives of real-world issues, or utilize their platforms to raise money for worthy causes. These are real people who live their every day lives, and instead of getting swallowed up in the fame of being an internet celebrity, they are using their success to change the world.

Do you still think YouTube is just dumb videos?

YouTubers are committed to connecting with their audience. There's such a direct and immediate connection between a YouTuber and the viewers. They post a video, read the comments, take those comments, and make a new video based on what people want to see. There's something so genuine about the way these people interact with the rest of the world, something so special and unique about these individuals that record themselves in their living rooms. They try to start a conversation, talking about topics that other people might not feel comfortable discussing, or introducing a new way of thinking that one might not have thought about previously.

Taking it one step further, YouTubers touch lives. On December 8th, 2014. I had the pleasure of watching one of my favorite YouTubers come out to the world. And then, exactly a year later, I saw him reflect on the past year since doing so. I never loved two videos more. During a time when I was struggling to come out myself, I saw the first video, and slowly learned that it was okay to accept who I was. Then, a year later, I watched the second video, a 12 minute and 38 second story that finally influenced me to come out myself. And I'm just one person. I'm sure there were thousands of others who have the pleasure of saying the same. I looked up to this man, as many others do, I'm sure. I related to his story. I knew what he was going through. I felt it. It was genuine. It was real. And I never felt more connected to someone I've never met.

Sometimes I wonder, what would my life be like without YouTube? Would I have come out sooner? Later? Would I be as informed on issues in the modern world? Would I feel like the world is changing for the better?

I might be reading too much into things, but I think the existence of YouTube has impacted the world more than we think. The sooner we realize this, the sooner we can move forward. Conversations are starting every minute. Lives are being changed every day. And we all have YouTube to thank for these accomplishments.

All it takes is a video camera, a script, and 6 minutes to change the world.