Blog #12: Viral Videos

In the article in Video Vortex Reader, Burgess expresses the perspective that viral videos are “the mediating mechanisms via which cultural practices are originated, adopted and(sometimes) retained within social networks.”(Video Vortex) This definition can be supported by the examples presented in the work of Bernhard Drax. Drax shows how real life cultural experiences are being recreated and discussed within the popular social network, Second Life. One prime instance of such a cultural experience that Drax highlights is the recreation of Guantanamo Bay. In order to raise awareness of the culture-shocking experience, Second Life avatars can actually go through the detainment camp and experience the camp similar to how the original prisoners did. Simulations such as this are part of the viral video community which help us to retain our culture and remember past actions and attitudes. One example of these cultural practices originating via viral videos is the Obama campaigns on Second Life. Drax shows how users utilized the site as a means to spread political awareness and discuss debatable issues concerning presidential candidates. Social networks are powerful ways of communication to begin with, and with the addition of video to these sites they are able to relay these cultural messages in even more powerful ways. Furthermore, these videos are called viral because they spread extremely quickly and can therefore communicate their messages to mass amounts of viewers via “spreadability.”(Video Vortex)