The Effect of YouTube on Polite Discourse
The Effect of YouTube on Polite Discourse would be the title of my psychology thesis if I actually had to do one. I opted to operate as an amateur psychologist instead. The pay is lousy, but we don’t have to invite Phil McGraw to our annual convention, so it’s a good trade off.
Anyway, I have seen enough evidence, without really wanting to, that the effect of YouTube of traditional television has been a huge increase in people behaving badly. The over the top arguing and insulting is becoming quite transparent as an attempt to go viral on the Internet. If you are on the right celebrity list, you can do it with impunity. Your boss will cluck a bit, but the rating you garner will keep you safe.
So YouTube encourages bad behavior among television personalities. But YouTube celebrities by and large are polite. This is because most of them are speaking directly to the viewer rather than other people. Sometimes there is drama, but it tends to be less heated. YouTube comments are a bottomless pit of vile stupidity, but reading them is optional.
