Author Topic: The YouTube generation  (Read 4227 times)

The YouTube generation
« on: 18 May, 2015, 07:49:18 am »
Was at my sisters yesterday and her youngest "The Dermonster" who is 3 1/2 decided he would like to sing us all a song. He then gave us a 10 minute rendition of am Indian Raga complete with hand movements. Just when you thought it was over it went on for another "verse". All the words were nonsense (he doesn't know any Hindi or Urdu or probably any kids with an Indian background) but he had the tune off. Apparently he has cracked the code on his middle brothers iPad and loves listening to music and a random click trail on YouTube had shown him this raga and he was very taken with it. I predict a future as the first Irish Catholic Bollywood star for the little fella as he is very dramatic and keen on dancing as well.
Its amazing what kids get exposed to these days compared to when I grew up, they have all the cultures of the world at their fingertips.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: The YouTube generation
« Reply #1 on: 18 May, 2015, 08:17:19 am »
I understand how YouTube and all things digital are very alluring to young peoples but it seems to be at the expense of everything else: the outdoors, face-to-face interaction with real people etc. We have a 15 year old who doesn't seem to think anything worthwhile exists outside her bedroom. I'm not sure it's going to end well.

Re: The YouTube generation
« Reply #2 on: 18 May, 2015, 08:55:32 am »
Ah I don't know really. Same sisters middle kid 8 was proudly showing us the end of season "team player of the year" trophy he had got for football and that wasn't school football he goes to after school and a Saturday football club. The eldest (11) is hardy ever in the house unless its raining he's always out hooning around with his mates on their bikes and scooters.
I seem to remember spending the years 15-17 mainly in my room back 30 odd years ago reading or listening to records or the radio. Its an awkward age too young to drink too old to be a kid any-more.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: The YouTube generation
« Reply #3 on: 18 May, 2015, 09:08:06 am »
Hmmm, I hope you're right!

Cudzoziemiec

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Re: The YouTube generation
« Reply #4 on: 18 May, 2015, 09:23:53 am »
And didn't Adrian Mole not only spend all his time in his room but also paint it matt black? Long before the internet.
I predict a future as the first Irish Catholic Bollywood star for the little fella as he is very dramatic and keen on dancing as well.
I'd say you could be right, except I wouldn't be at all surprised if there already is one!
Quote
Its amazing what kids get exposed to these days compared to when I grew up, they have all the cultures of the world at their fingertips.
Yes. But I don't think it's quite the same as actually knowing those Hindi/Urdu etc kids in person. Though with that also, the world is changing.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: The YouTube generation
« Reply #5 on: 18 May, 2015, 09:41:04 am »
Yes. But I don't think it's quite the same as actually knowing those Hindi/Urdu etc kids in person. Though with that also, the world is changing.

I agree but living in York that tends not to happen. North Yorkshire isn't very multicultural unlike West Yorkshire. When I was at school (left in 82) one of my friends was the only Asian kid out of 800 pupils. There were no black kids at all. It's a little bit more diverse these days but not massively (mainly eastern Europeans, which is the second influx as a lot stayed after WWII).
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: The YouTube generation
« Reply #6 on: 18 May, 2015, 09:44:59 am »
Yes I suppose you're right, I read Adrian Mole and as a teenager I spent a lot of time stuck in my bedroom indexing Practical Boatowner!

Thing is we eventually worked out that living like Harold Hughes was essentially very dull so boredom eased us out of our bedrooms whereupon we discovered a world full of excitement. Nowadays YouTube and digital stuff is so good and so exciting will the current crop of teenagers get sufficiently bored to venture out?

I recently saw a t-shirt that said "I went outside once, the graphics were shit!"

Wowbagger

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Re: The YouTube generation
« Reply #7 on: 18 May, 2015, 01:44:45 pm »
I understand how YouTube and all things digital are very alluring to young peoples but it seems to be at the expense of everything else: the outdoors, face-to-face interaction with real people etc. We have a 15 year old who doesn't seem to think anything worthwhile exists outside her bedroom. I'm not sure it's going to end well.

I don't think that is a new phenomenon. ISTR that my sister was like that when she was that age. She's 63.
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Re: The YouTube generation
« Reply #8 on: 18 May, 2015, 01:59:08 pm »
I spent most of my teenage years in my room and unlike the outdoors and face-to-face interaction with 'real people' it didn't do me any harm.

Except unless I was making things, playing with the cat or sleeping, it wasn't really in my room.  It was exploring other times and other worlds.  Learning how things worked.  Discovering music.  Making friends with other LGBT people from the safety of a another continent.  That sort of thing.  Books and radio and FidoNet rather than books and Youtube and Minecraft, but I don't think the technology makes that much difference.

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Re: The YouTube generation
« Reply #9 on: 18 May, 2015, 06:44:42 pm »
I thought this thread was going to be about those who upload their own shows to YouTube and earn pocket money or even a good living from it - a fascinating modern phenomenonemon, I think.  (Revenues are falling as more and more people use adblockers, but YouTube is considering alternative income means).
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Re: The YouTube generation
« Reply #10 on: 18 May, 2015, 07:16:50 pm »
I have two children. One seems lost in the virtual world. The other is v old school - practically lives outdoors and refuses to carry a mobile phone (which is v annoyingly retro when you get separated and lost on a bike ride (she's fast) and she has the house keys as happened at the weekend). I worry for the former. Mrs P worries for the latter.