YouTube! The internet's greatest weapon to combat procrastination. Perhaps the internet's greatest tool to facilitate procrastination, but either way, the YouTube is a destination where as of late, I have been noticing a lot of crap...and they've been representing me...and you.
The 21st century North American young Jewish adult has many liberties, in some cases, an excess of disposable income that our parent's generation could never have dreamed, and in even more instances, a disconnect with their Jewish identity. Maybe it's just a complete disregard to represent themselves, or us, with some integrity or class.
I am not saying there is a correlation with the growing negativity towards western society and the Jewish influence in media, but after watching a few of these vids, ask yourself this question:
Are these Jews representing themselves or us as community of North American Jews with integrity?
1) 'Pursuit of Jappiness': 260,000+ views
Created by some Michigan Jewish Student
Created by some Michigan Jewish Student
My take: This attempt to gain popularity backfires into a spoof gone bad. Its fine to enjoy the finer things in life and live in a bubble, but there is no need to go to this length to promote your lifestyle of excess and shamelessness. I want nothing to do with Michigan anymore.
'Throw the Jew Down the Well!!': 4.5 million+ views
Created by 'Borat' (Sacha Baron Cohen)
My take: Although Borat is successful in demonstrating that anti-Semitism is alive and well in a southern US town, he fails to consider the millions of Jews that have been persecuted by like-minded individuals in the past, and how insulting this is to them and their relatives. It is a hilarious glimpse into the world of ignorance and intolerance, but at least Baron Cohen is a proud Jew and we all know this, so I have mixed feelings about this video being so widely disseminated.
'TurBaconEpic Thanksgiving': 37 million + upload views
Created by Epic Mealtime
Created by Epic Mealtime
My take: Some funny Montreal Jews currently cleaning up the Canadian YouTube rankings and seemingly on a path to comic stardom in hollywood amongst a 'funny or die' type production network. These guys are funny and creative and there is no way around that, however, they have an opportunity to rep fellow yids in a positive light, will they harness their influence, or wrap it in bacon...time will tell.
I think what some JewTube sensations are not grasping is that our image is fragile. I'd have to say, it makes it easier to use Israel as a scape-goat for the distaste some people have towards Jews, especially since our image is constantly being re-defined by our most ridiculous public online figures through online video.
It's not all bad on YouTube though. We obviously must go to bat for our Jewish homeland at the end of the day. Here is a few viral video success stories (IMO), where Jews have positioned Israel and themselves in a better light through the use of YouTube:
Hillel Neuer (UN Watch): 500,000+ views:
My take: This guy is one of my heroes. I wish this video had as many million views as Epic Mealtime is garnering these past few months. This speech at the UN will go down in internet video history.
'Size Doesn't Matter': 500,000+ views
Created by: Anonymous
Created by: Anonymous
My take: One of the most daring and intelligent online Israel-based PR videos since YouTube was created. I tip my hat to the Yids who made this happen and continue to drive change in public opinion and support for Issy - visit: www.sizedoesn'tmatter.com.
So if you're into the viral video game and the ones that depict Jews as less than favourable, or, the ones that make a case for the legitimacy of Israel; please do a mitzvah:
Give 15 Minutes of your time on Monday, March 7th, 2011 @ 1pm (EST) to listen to a live-streamed webcast of the father of captured soldier, Gilad Shalit, Noam Shalit:
@ >>> http://www.magbitcanada.org.il
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