Reading and Writing in a Digital Age

Viral media has progressed exponentially from the time of “those funny e-mails you get from all your co-workers,” and “that video of the dancing baby someone caught on their cell phone’s camera,” reaching a new level where those that achieve viral status are usually conferred the title of Celebrity, for things that can be heavily disputed as to holding actual merit. The informing power of the internet – now in a global state – has the ability to transform a typical teenager  – usually musically inclined – into a national or global superstar overnight, and with little more than a few clicks of a mouse. The prestige of the viral hit, however glorious it appears, does carry interesting ramifications for those who find themselves auto-tuned for an audience of millions, or those whose work is taken from a small town paper to the front lines of major news outlets. What power do these people hold now that they’re sensationalized? Have they inadvertently stripped serious topics of their credibility?

The most common example of the limits of the viral video is evident in the “OH MY DAYUM” video. The parody video has views in the millions, and even Daym Drops’ original video has peaked the million view threshold. The statistic ends there. Every other video on that channel barely averages a tenth of the views found on the parody and the original; it’s as if “OH MY DAYUM” was Daym Drops’ “one hit wonder,” and that his work – unless it all be auto-tuned into a song – isn’t interesting enough to keep the audience’s attention. What’s interesting about the creation of this video is the number of covers that it spawned, some exhibiting a great deal of musical talent and creative skill. It’s just like what Clay Shirky described as “Cognitive Surplus,” where the spare hours and talents of the global community are utilized in one form or another in an effort to share. In a way, the viral video has allowed countless individuals to find their fifteen minutes of fame, and in the case of the covers, it allows a spotlight to be shone on talented individuals that would normally receive much less recognition for their abilities.

In the case of Marilyn Hagerty, we see how genuine sincerity and a humble review can appeal to an audience who has become accustomed to negativity and mean-spirited snark. There’s nothing extraordinary about her review, but at the same time its genius is in its honesty and simplistic style. This is the example of the viral hit that should be viral: a nice story written by a nice woman from a nice town. Nice. It brings a smile to the face of someone who reads it in the midst of a hectic workday; a few minutes of happiness that bears no negative effect or consequence.

But what happens when a viral video seems to laugh lightheartedly at a topic such as sexual assault? The interview of Antoine Dodson and his sister is a earnestly informative news story, regardless of how silly their antics may have been on camera. At the bottom line, Dodson is concerned for the safety of his sister and others in the community, nothing more. By turning his plea for others to be safe, as well as comments from his sister describing the attack, the story becomes desensitized in our eyes – a trend that’s been on the uprise in our media over the past few decades. Sure, its admittedly a funny song, but one needs to realize that he’s technically “singing” about an uncaught rapist in the area, and how he was almost successful in an attack. The parody video, as well as series like Auto-tune The News, breeds connotations the words of people like Dodson are to be seen as a laugh, as if he’s a cartoon created solely for our amusement. Its hilarity even convinces some that his words are false, because they’re so outrageously funny that they can’t be true. What saves this viral sensation from becoming an ominous foreshadowing of a completely desensitized world is Dodson’s actions following his “rise to fame.” By claiming control over his own brand, he’s allowed himself to use his fame to remind people of the true issues at hand, and retain at least some gravity of situation.

We live in a viral world. Say cheese.