So, a few days ago I posted my first ever “booktube” video. I didn’t feel nervous about posting the video (even though it is slightly awkward) because I knew that I hadn’t told anyone that I was going to post it. No one I know follows the booktube community or watches booktube videos so I knew that I was pretty safe and that no one I knew would see the video. BUT I wanted to post about the video on Instagram – and a friend of mine does follow me there.
Suddenly I was nervous. I started thinking twice about posting the picture or including a comment about the video in the caption. What if she laughed at me for having a YouTube channel? What if she watched the video and thought that I was being ridiculous? What if she told people about it?
This made me think – why was I so shy about sharing the fact that I wanted to make YouTube videos? Why am I so nervous to tell people that I have a blog? Why do I feel silly every time I post on Instagram or Twitter? Why has the world made me feel that by having a blog or YouTube channel or interacting on social media makes me a desperate wannabe?
We are living in a digital age. Social media has created so many opportunities for us to build brands, meet people and get involved with things we are interested in. I love books and I love talking about books. My friends and family don’t really share my obsession so I have started making booktube videos. That seems logical in this day and age. Yet people will still act as if its ridiculous to be active on social media platforms. I have heard friends say: “Oh my gosh, how embarrassing would it be if one of us had a blog!” Why?
We seem to fallen victim to the cult of the celebrity. A few people have become famous from making YouTube videos or writing blogs or even just from tweeting about their lives. That’s great for them but it seems to have made us all think that those platforms have become just for a reserved few and if you make YouTube videos or write a blog you are clearly just trying to copy them. Essentially, the message is that you’re desperate. But that’s crazy. The whole point is that those media platforms are accessible to everybody. The whole idea is that they provide a way for anybody and everybody to express themselves and maybe find a community of people with similar interests. In this day and age, maybe we should be querying why some people don’t have blogs.
I posted that picture on Instagram. I included a mention about my video in the caption. The world has changed a lot and is still changing. I want to engage with it. I want to try things and have fun with the new platforms that we have been provided with. And who knows? Maybe something good will come of it. At least I am trying and I am learning. Isn’t that the whole point?
Odd One Out There 