Have you ever noticed that whenever we need to recall something, we simply say, “Check it out on YouTube?” if it doesn’t exist there, we think “maybe it didn’t happen” and begin to doubt history. We have become so reliant on YouTube that even when we want to learn something new, we go to YouTube or Google it. It’s difficult to tell whether it is a good thing that we can easily search for something and learn about its details, or it’s bad in the sense that it has made us lazy.
The evolution continues as terms like “YouTuber”, “V-log”, and “Video Editing” have become commonplace in our vocabulary and are now part of our daily lives. If a video is trending on YouTube, it becomes the focus of our attention, as in “if it’s trending on YouTube, then it must be something very interesting” so if we’re talking about YouTube’s impact on our society, we must say its undeniable. What we need to discuss here is whether this impact is beneficial to our society or detrimental to us.
YouTube and Kids:
Starting with today’s generation, children are more aware of these platforms than we are. They are more active on YouTube and have a better understanding of what is trending and what isn’t, who has the most subscribers, who the highest paid YouTubers are, and a variety of other topics. Sometimes watching our children getting so inspired by something on the internet scares us. Of course, it should. Kids are not supposed to get too involved in anything that could affect their personality. And it is certainly cause of concern.
But, on the other hand, there are numerous kid’s channels that help kids improve in extracurricular activities. They provide so many creative activities for kids that help them develop their skills in a variety of ways. Schools have also adopted these patterns in which they try different, creative, and useful activities that help children learn new things rather than the same old boring ones. Many of these kid-friendly YouTube channels have made learning much more enjoyable.
YouTube Knows Everything:
YouTube has solutions to every minor issue. Is there a problem with your vehicle? There is a video about that problem if you search for it. Do you want to learn to play the guitar? If you search for it, you will find several tutorials in which artists will teach you how to play it from the ground up. There is even a man on YouTube who teaches young boys basic daily routine things, like how to tie a tie and how to fix something around the house.
Whereas, on the one hand, YouTube has everything you need to know, not all of that needs to be sufficient or true. Everything we see on TV, for example, is ensured to be authentic by a gatekeeping process. This is not the case with YouTube. Because this is an open platform, anyone can upload whatever they want. In some cases, to gain more views, people upload content with distorted facts and do not even have complete knowledge about the topic. It can take you hours and hours to find an authentic source from which you can get the piece of information you actually want.
It’s a full-time activity or is it something wasting your time?
YouTube is a handy app which makes it more desirable and a go-to platform for everyone. When you have nothing to do, you’ve got plenty of options to get yourself entertained. Once you log in to it, you’ll be there on the platform scrolling through the videos for at least the next 2-3 hours or even more.
Is it worthwhile to devote so much of your time to an activity like this? Well, it’s a tricky question to answer because it depends on whether you’re watching something productive or not. Is it something that can assist you in any way? If YES, then “thumbs up” for making good use of this platform. But if it’s not like that, we are not saying that you shouldn’t use YouTube or spend time on it. Of course, you should take some time out and relax by listening to your favorite music or watching your favorite YouTuber’s latest video. But, don’t you think there should be a limit to that? Do not become addicted to the content you watch.
( Just a suggestion )
A million people have been inspired by YouTube to do something with their lives. YouTube has countless hours of inspirational content, ranging from TED Talks to Q&A sessions with politicians, celebs, and activists. Being the second most popular platform, YouTube has a large audience. It is a learning platform for people who cannot afford to attend schools or universities. For people who have gotten tired of seeking out jobs, it’s a place to provide opportunities. Many people have created their channels after being inspired by their favorite influencers or YouTubers and they are doing great now, and many have tried their hand at video editing and succeeded in becoming good ones.
YouTube, a hub of Talent:
It has given many people a platform to reach out to large brands and get the recognition they deserve. YouTube has uncovered a lot of the world’s hidden talent. Every day, it inspires, amuses, and makes you go “aww”. It makes you wonder what these people would’ve done if they didn’t have this platform to showcase their talent. YouTube has been a platform of equals. Everyone, from a layman to a disabled person, has benefitted equally from here.
There is no clear way to categorize YouTube’s impact on society as positive or negative. Both the things go side by side. Whereas, YouTube allows you to express yourself freely and gives you a platform to share your thoughts on a variety of topics. Many people use it for abuse or to spread hatred and negativity in society.
Hence, this “creative economy” has proven to be a source of opportunities, assisting many people in making money both on and off the camera.
