Taming the id

I've occasionally touched on this in the past, but one nice thing about blogging in this (electronically) written format is that it avoids what I call the "unrestrained id" found in other forms of social media.

This was on my mind when I was listening to the interviews in Josh Strife Hayes' YouTube video I posted about yesterday, particularly how streamers are basically caught in the moment when they comment on something that they're asked about while streaming. It also jogged my memory about a comment that Kaylriene made about Taliesin and Evitel, and how he was a fan of their YouTube videos until he saw some of their livestreams, and then.... Oh well.

A huge part of why I don't like being on Twitter* or livestreaming is that the immediacy of the apps means that there's no time for contemplation before committing to a comment. You see something, you open your mouth (or your keyboard/smart phone), and out it goes. The only restraint is that little voice in the back of your head saying "NO DON'T!!!!!" as you hit "send" or just let those words come out.

Even in a conference call at work there is a thing called a mute button, which comes in awfully handy when you're in a meeting and to save your blood pressure from skyrocketing you let loose with some invective. Not necessarily aimed at anyone, just blowing off steam, but...

"Bumpuses!!!"

And if you've ever actually missed that the mute button was off, and you say anything, it's one of the more embarrassing things that can happen to you.**

Still, the lack of filter beyond your own internal one can become a huge liability if you can't keep your mouth shut. And let's be honest: a lot of the appeal of watching a streamer isn't just what they're doing, but what they're saying. It's all unfiltered, and a livestream only tends to encourage that lack of filtration. 

***

Is it the shock value that people want to see, or something witty and clever? 

Reaction videos are just that --a reaction-- and people will watch them more than regular videos put out by the same person. Asmongold admitted as much in Josh's video, where he spends a lot of time putting together a "how to do X" video and it only gets a fraction of the views than a "TBC Classic is better than Shadowlands" video. It's a shame, really, but I guess people are coming for the drama and the affirmation that they're right (or the YouTuber is wrong).

Maybe I'm just an old fuddy duddy or something, but I fail to see why the immediacy is needed so much. In a world where your reputation --and online even more so-- is everything, why risk it in an emotional outburst? Why risk being rounded up and crapped on by an internet hit squad because you couldn't keep your mouth shut?

From where I sit, it's not worth it.

#Blaugust2022

*For the record, yes, I --as Parallel Context's Redbeard, not for me as, well, me-- do have a Twitter account. I never use it, as I only created it for a very specific reason (to DM someone), and it sits there, unused. So if you ever pinged me on a Tweet, I'd never see it.

**No, I did not curse. I asked my youngest if she needed a ride to something. Still, it was plenty embarrassing.