Anandam Kavoori is Professor of Telecommunications at the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. He is author of the book “Reading YouTube”, which is a
user friendly guide to the most known example of participatory culture which is YouTube. In this engaging and accessible book, Kavoori guides his readers skillfully and with an expert vernacular sensibility through the different genres of storytelling and practices of participation that make up YouTube’s popular culture. Along the way, he provides compelling evidence that close, careful textual analysis and can help us to understand the wider dynamics of cultural change in the digital age.
The chapter I found most interesting and relatable in Kavoori’s book was titled “A Viral Childhood”
in this chapter Kavoori examines the ways in which YouTube is molding the participatory experience of watching babies, from babies laughing, singing, biting, and talking, to their first visit to the dentist. In this chapter the most identifiable video mentioned in this chapter was the “Charlie Bit My Finger” video which records the traumatic yet funny experience of a little boy whose brother bit his finger. This video is perhaps the defining video for understanding how the concept of a viral childhood is being participated in,
which is what makes this such an important culture because so many people
participate. The lines “Charlie Bit me, and that really hurt Charlie”
are one of the most recognized and popular lines as well as the video
that has been viewed by millions. From these sing entities ideas and behaviors
have been generated known as memes.
Other examples include the
video “The Monsters Are Gonna Kick My Ask”, which is funny video of five year
old girl expressing her concerns over monsters attacking her; however her
mispronunciation of the word “ass” is what makes this video funny to watch. On
my site you will find several memes pertaining to children viral videos some
are self-generated and some have been posted by other participants in this
culture known as viral childhood participation.