Happy birthday to you, YouTube.
It’s been five years since the video sharing Web site YouTube exploded onto the scene of the World Wide Web.
For me, YouTube is one of the easiest ways to pass time and get distracted from everything I’m supposed to be doing. One quick, “Oh, I just want to see what everyone is talking about,” or “I have to re-watch that clip from last night’s episode of such-and-such show,” often turns into an hour or two of sitting at my computer enthralled by the endless number of videos.
I know I’m not the only one, either. All anyone has to do is log onto his or her favorite social networking site, and he or she is bound to find post upon post that link back to videos from YouTube.
Aside from the distraction that it is, YouTube has become a fantastic asset to classrooms of the 21st century. Professors can quickly bring up the site for a five-minute clip to enhance the lesson of the day. My professors this semester have utilized the site multiple times. In one class, YouTube allowed us to relive the breakdown of the Berlin Wall through a segment uploaded to the site.
In 1950s American Film and Media, my class is able to travel back in time to a cherished decade in the history of this great country week after week. By incorporating clips from YouTube into lectures, professors are able to make their class periods more interesting and more memorable.
YouTube has had a significant effect on the pop culture of the new century. Videos quickly go viral, and the site is even featured in some of the most popular shows on television today.
In only five years, the site has exploded onto the scene. When YouTube is consistently referenced on prime time television shows, the success of the site is pretty obvious.
On a recent episode of “The Big Bang Theory,” one of the main characters drunkenly gave a speech. The following morning, he was able to watch a clip of his foolish speech, because someone had posted a video of the embarrassment on YouTube, showing just how much of a pop culture outlet the site has become.
TIME celebrated the anniversary of the Web site by posting the 50 greatest YouTube hits. The top 50 include everything from the “Evolution of Dance” and Justin Bieber to “David After Dentist” and Miss Teen South Carolina.
No. 1 on the list? “Charlie Bit My Finger.” Who doesn’t love the video of the two British brothers? I certainly do, and I’ve personally enjoyed repeating “Charlie bit me,” “that really hurt, Charlie” and “it’s still hurting!” time after time after time.
In its five years online, YouTube truly has become a phenomenon for education and entertainment, making it a lot easier to learn in class — not to mention a lot easier to avoid doing homework.
What’s your favorite YouTube video? Let me know at mmattox@asu.edu
