For my paradigm shift analysis, I intend to decipher how different trends on YouTube affect its viewers. From the app’s debut in 2005 to now, YouTube has experienced three different eras in its short time. The website began as a platform for creativity with anyone being able to have their videos become popular, but dynasties quickly appeared. The emergence of YouTube stars came around 2012 with people like Jenna Marbles capturing subscribers. Finally, YouTube reached its third stage with the popularity of vlogs and lives of real people. I think these three eras can be labeled as comedy, loyalty, and drama. Of course, there is some overlap as fans can be loyal to Jake Paul or find comedy in Shane Dawson’s vlogs, but, overall, the foundation is one of the three categories.
However, just stating the genre of YouTube video is not a story. With my Ted Talk I want to tell the story of how the trend affects the viewers. The intended audience for current YouTube stars is preteens, teenagers, and even some young adults. When the videos focused on comedy, the viewers were more light-hearted. When the videos focused on loyalty, the viewers were more loving. Now, as written in the article Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?, the depression rates among people in this age range have skyrocketed. I believe it connects to the focus on drama in YouTube videos. When the intended audience sees how drama can attract people, they try to incorporate drama into their own lives. The allure for drama is affecting viewers. Because the trend could be influencing viewers to this degree, I think the idea needs to be explored.
Although I want to focus on the generation’s reaction to the YouTube era, I want to broaden my boundaries to including how YouTube came about. The rise of technology contributed to YouTube coming to fame. I also want to research why YouTubers starting making videos and how they rose to high ranks. I think understanding the background of YouTube and its royalty will help to show the paradigm shift.
I think the shift of YouTube is a unique topic because people our age have actually lived through all of the shifts. I remember what YouTube was first like, and I’ve seen it change over the years. A lot of shifts occur over decades, so people our age don’t have that first hand experience with it, like we do for this one. I really like your topic!