the machine is (changing) us: youtube culture and the politics of authenticity

by by Michael WeschMichael Wesch Kansas State University Kansas State University

mediatedcultures.netmediatedcultures.net

1984 A.D.

Media Ecology

Media are not just tools.

Media are not just means of communication.

Media mediate our conversations

Media change

Media our conversations change change

“We shape our tools,and thereafter our tools shape us.”

- Marshall McLuhan

the conversationsthe conversationsof our cultureof our culturehappen herehappen here

the conversationsthe conversationsare controlled by feware controlled by few

the conversationsthe conversationsare controlled by feware controlled by few

and designedand designed for the masses for the masses

the conversationsthe conversationsare always entertainingare always entertaining

the conversationsthe conversationsare always entertainingare always entertaining(even the serious ones)(even the serious ones)

the conversationsthe conversationsare punctuated byare punctuated by

30 second commercials30 second commercials

the conversationsthe conversationscreate our culturecreate our culture

the conversationsthe conversationscreate our culturecreate our culture

of irrelevanceof irrelevanceincoherenceincoherence

and impotenceand impotence

“What steps do you plan to take to reduce the conflict in the

Middle East?”

“Or the rates of inflation,crime, or unemployment?”

“What do you plan to do aboutNATO, OPEC, the CIA, etc.?”

“I shall take the liberty of answering for you: ...

“You plan to do nothing.”

“You plan to do nothing.”

- Neil Postman 1984

“The public has adjusted to incoherence and been amused into indifference.”

- Neil Postman 1984

25 years later ...

“What we are encountering is a panicky, an almost hysterical, attempt to escape from the deadly anonymity of modern life ... and the prime cause is not vanity ... but the craving of people who feel their personality sinking lower and lower into the whirl of indistinguishable atoms to be lost in a mass civilization."

“What we are encountering is a panicky, an almost hysterical, attempt to escape from the deadly anonymity of modern life ... and the prime cause is not vanity ... but the craving of people who feel their personality sinking lower and lower into the whirl of indistinguishable atoms to be lost in a mass civilization."

- Henry Seidel Canby 1926

Assembly line

It's a one-wayIt's a one-wayconversationconversation

You have to be on TVYou have to be on TVto have a voiceto have a voice

You have to be on TVYou have to be on TVto be significantto be significant

The MTV GenerationShort attention spansMaterialisticNarcissisticNot easily impressed

“in the midst of a fabulous array of historically unprecedented and utterly mind-boggling stimuli ...

“in the midst of a fabulous array of historically unprecedented and utterly mind-boggling stimuli ...

whatever.”

“in the midst of a fabulous array of historically unprecedented and utterly mind-boggling stimuli ...

whatever.”

- Thomas de Zengotita

A brief history of “Whatever”

pre-1960s: "Whatever. That's what I meant." Late 60s: "I don't care. Whatever." 1990s: MTV Generation – the indifferent "Meh."

“I find it hard.It's hard to find,

oh well, whatever,nevermind.”

“I feel stupid,and contagious.Here we are now.

Entertain us.”

flattering

A brief history of “Whatever”

pre-1960s: "Whatever. That's what I meant." Late 60s: "I don't care. Whatever." 1990s: MTV Generation – the indifferent "Meh."

A brief history of “Whatever”

pre-1960s: "Whatever. That's what I meant." Late 60s: "I don't care. Whatever." 1990s: MTV Generation – the indifferent "Meh." Late 90s - present: "Whatever. I'll do what I want."

the search for identity and recognitionthe search for identity and recognition

the search for the authentic selfthe search for the authentic self

the search for the authentic selfthe search for the authentic self

Charles Taylor's “Ethics of Authenticity” (1991)Charles Taylor's “Ethics of Authenticity” (1991)

Two Slides:Two Slides:

Charles Taylor's “Ethics of Authenticity” (1991)Charles Taylor's “Ethics of Authenticity” (1991)

Two Slides: Two Slides: towards ...towards ...

Charles Taylor's “Ethics of Authenticity” (1991)Charles Taylor's “Ethics of Authenticity” (1991)

Two Slides: Two Slides: towards ...towards ...

1. “self-centered modes of self-fulfilment”1. “self-centered modes of self-fulfilment”

Charles Taylor's “Ethics of Authenticity” (1991)Charles Taylor's “Ethics of Authenticity” (1991)

Two Slides: Two Slides: towards ...towards ...

1. “self-centered modes of self-fulfilment”1. “self-centered modes of self-fulfilment” 2. “negation of all horizons of significance”2. “negation of all horizons of significance”

Charles Taylor's “Ethics of Authenticity” (1991)Charles Taylor's “Ethics of Authenticity” (1991)

Two Slides: Two Slides: towards ...towards ...

1. “self-centered modes of self-fulfilment”1. “self-centered modes of self-fulfilment” disengagementdisengagement 2. “negation of all horizons of significance”2. “negation of all horizons of significance”

Charles Taylor's “Ethics of Authenticity” (1991)Charles Taylor's “Ethics of Authenticity” (1991)

Two Slides: Two Slides: towards ...towards ...

1. “self-centered modes of self-fulfilment”1. “self-centered modes of self-fulfilment” disengagement disengagement 2. “negation of all horizons of significance”2. “negation of all horizons of significance” fragmentationfragmentation

Charles Taylor's “Ethics of Authenticity” (1991)Charles Taylor's “Ethics of Authenticity” (1991)

Two Slides: Two Slides: towards ...towards ...

1. “self-centered modes of self-fulfilment”1. “self-centered modes of self-fulfilment” disengagement disengagement 2. “negation of all horizons of significance”2. “negation of all horizons of significance” fragmentationfragmentation special interest sound bite politics special interest sound bite politics

Charles Taylor's “Ethics of Authenticity” (1991)Charles Taylor's “Ethics of Authenticity” (1991)

If the conversations of our cultureIf the conversations of our culturenow happen here ...now happen here ...

Why this matters ...Why this matters ...

not controlled by the few not controlled by the few not one-waynot one-way created by, for, and around networks, not massescreated by, for, and around networks, not masses transform individual pursuits into collective actiontransform individual pursuits into collective action makes “group” formation “ridiculously easy”makes “group” formation “ridiculously easy”

(Paquet/Shirky) (Paquet/Shirky)

Why this might Why this might deeplydeeply matter ... matter ...

We know ourselves We know ourselves through our relations with others. through our relations with others.

New media create new ways of relating to others.New media create new ways of relating to others. New media create new ways of knowing ourselves.New media create new ways of knowing ourselves.

1,728,000 minutes/day

Over 1,000x faster than you can watch

493,714 videos/day

493,714 videos/day(just on YouTube)

1,000,000+ online videos per day

over 99.9% irrelevant to you (estimated)

Who is on YouTube

(percentage of videos featuring people of different ages)

viewed by less than 1% of Americansviewed by less than 1% of Americans

60s: “I don't care. Whatever (you think).”60s: “I don't care. Whatever (you think).” 90s: “Whatever. (I don't care what you think).”90s: “Whatever. (I don't care what you think).” Future: “I care. Let's do whatever it takes ... by Future: “I care. Let's do whatever it takes ... by

whatever means necessary.” whatever means necessary.”

Toward a new future of “whatever”Toward a new future of “whatever”

by michael weschassistant professor of cultural anthropology

Kansas State University

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and translated in over 15 languages ...

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