The "old Youtuber blues" typically manifests itself in the comments, with people saying that the videos aren't "real" anymore and that they miss the "old [insert Youtuber name here]". Don't get me wrong - it's amazing to see Youtubers grow over the years. Sometimes, I go back to my favorite Youtubers' first videos and watch them just for fun, smiling both nostalgically and proudly as I witness how far they've come. The first videos are often a straight clip of them talking to a low quality camera for ten minutes; fast forward a few years, and now many of these Youtubers' videos are quality, professional works of art. However, in my personal opinion, some (not all) Youtubers have become caught up in the commercial craze. Their videos have lost that genuine touch and I no longer feel as connected to them as I used to.
I can't help but think about how Youtube is a prime example of how Mcdonaldization has permeated our society, even in the most unexpected aspects. Whereas Youtubers used to film and edit all their own videos, many Youtubers nowadays split up the tasks of making a video. They have a cameraman or crew who films them and someone else who helps edit the video. Yes, this maximizes efficiency and produces beautiful looking professional videos, but it causes videos to lose that raw, personal touch that viewers love. One of the reasons Youtube is so popular is because anyone can watch it. Youtubers feel more "real" than celebrities, because they're just like us, and that's why we love watching their videos. But now, many videos seem to "commercialized". For me personally, it's ironic that the more "professional" videos have actually caused me to lose interest. I love that many Youtubers are so successful, but I can't deny that I miss the days when they just spoke face to face to the camera and it felt like I was in the room with them.
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