Many of us would admit to spending too much time online. I'm better about it now, but as a teenager, I spent many summer hours on a site called YouTube. Looking back however, I don't believe my time watching videos was entirely wasted. Not all of them go viral, and in fact many of the videos I watched growing up were made for small but loyal fan-bases. Overall, I learned a few things from watching people's lives unfold.
Perspective
My favorite YouTube success story comes from a daily vlogger named Shay Butler. In 2009, Shay started to make videos with his family on a channel called the Shaytards. Since then, much has happened for the Butlers. Their channel has over 4 million subscribers, many of whom have watched their daily vlogs consistently since the start. I can remember watching their videos as a freshman in high school, and being captivated by Shay's positivityand confidence. He had a way of making ordinary things - the laundry, school shopping, making dinner - fun. In 2009, Shay was not in great physical health, and important financial decisions were being worked on. He received comments from people criticizing him for being obnoxious, for his parenting decisions, or for simply putting his family on YouTube in the first place. Looking back, I realize that I didn't notice the criticism. In my eyes, this was a man of success; he had a beautiful family and good friendships, and he lived each day with a smile on his face. In 2014, Maker Studios - a company that Shay co-founded in 2009 - sold to Disney for $500,000,000. He and his wife, Colette are now millionaires, and their story has been called a great example of the American dream. Shay has had some weird ideas over the years, but that's what makes him likable. H'es a child at heart, and there are times when that pays off.
Never Too Big To Fail
Alex Day, in my opinion, was one of the best vloggers to ever grace the internet. He was witty and entertaining, as well as a good musician. In 2011, his single "Forever Yours" made it to number 4 on the iTunes charts in the UK, without the use of a record label or formal promotion. It got some media coverage that support from his audience was enough to an unsigned artist that high in the charts. In 2014 he had a career, a loyal fan base, and a book deal . . . but then the internet learned that he had done some bad things. There was a big conversation in the YouTube community about sex and consent, and unfortunately Alex was not the only one caught for manipulating women. It was difficult to watch his quick decline, but it's obviously something he earned for himself. I learned through watching him duck out of any online presence for six months, that everything you get can go away much much faster than you anticipate. Present success is no guarantee of future success, and believing that something is too big to fail can be very dangerous. Oh yes and also, don't manipulate a person into anything they don't have an interest in doing. That's never okay.
Open Mind
I watched a lot of people on Youtube talk about themselves, their world views, and their methods of coping with daily problems. Many of them lived in different parts of the world from where I was raised, and had been taught different things. I didn't always agree with who I watched, but I also didn't become a troll in the comment section. There's a weight that comes with hostile comments, no matter the size of your ad-sense account or the number of videos you've uploaded. More is accomplished by those who contain their frustrations, hear another person speak, and respond in a calm way than by those who don't. A person's opinion is just that; the opposite thought doesn't need to be taken as a personal attack.
YouTube went online in 2005. Eleven years later, it doesn't appear to be losing its popularity. The trends of use have changed, and the types of videos that get made are different, but it's enjoyable. I don't watch YouTube like I used to, but now and again I'll watch a vlog or two. It's a fun way to pass the time.
