Before watching the Generation Like video I did not think that Likes had a really big effect. I though of likes of simply a easier way to say I like something rather than commenting. It is a faster way to say I agree with the content I guess? compared to constantly commenting on everyone’s post. I also did not think that what I liked really mattered because I did not think that people actually looked at it. It was interesting that likes matter outside of the individual because i thought the amount of likes only mattered to the individual.

I think that what the company’s are doing is actually really smart, in the video it said that they are using us to advertise for them. It is smart because this lowers their transaction cost, they don’t have to really pay us and we are willing to do it for them. Having people normal people who have a lot of followers and likes is what the companies are aiming for. Normal people are able to reach other normal people we feel a closer connection to them than to celebrities. Having someone that we follow or subscribe to tell us a product makes us think oh they a average Joe like me, maybe I would like that product also. Also many people that do reviews start out by doing it on their own so their review is more genuine compared to actual advertisement. Tyler Oakley also said that although he is being sponsored he wants to keep the reviews real because he knows that people want a genuine review. And if he were to just advertise, people will be less interested and maybe unfollow/unlike him.

I also loved the comparison to the Hunger Games because it does seem like the Hunger Games. You have to present yourselves to the public usually in an entertaining form like singing or funny videos. And in order to stay in the game we need to get likes the only difference is that we are not forced we voluntarily put ourselves on the internet. You can find out a lot about a person by going on their Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram and Twitter. Our followers and likes is like the qualification for the companies to find us and put us in the “games”.  Another thing I think that likes and followers do is it widens the filter bubble that has been created for us. Like in the video when someone that you follows does a video with another person you start to notice the other person and explore more. In turn we are widening our filter bubble in our own ways.