To most the notion of having one’s entire life on display to anyone with basic computer knowledge and access to Starbucks Wifi is vastly unpleasant. Why would anyone in their right mind have the desire to share each of their triumphs and failures day to day with a potentially hypercritical anonymous crowd? This may seem to be a completely undesirable notion, but there happens to be an entire facet of online life narratives dedicated to the art of video blogging. Video blogging or “vlogging” in essence is the idea of individuals recording themselves (and those in their lives) simply existing in their natural form. From bed head to weddings the rapidly growing community of “vloggers” are opening up their lives to the world, allowing anyone and everyone to live vicariously through them. Considering the concept of Vlogging is essential a selfish act, is Vlogging actually a force a vapid self indulgence? Or is it a selfless act of exposing one’s intimate moments to the sake of entertainment of the audience. Maggie Griffith a Ph.D. candidate in the Communication Department at the University of Illinois at Chicago argues “that Vlogs enable self–presentation by facilitating an ongoing negotiation of identities, not necessarily in a diary–oriented way”. Vlogs can act as more than social outreach, but a individual form of self reflections. Through the act of recording ones day to day life, Vlogging can promote an opportunity for self reflection and personality improvement. Vlogging acts as a mirror of self awareness and fosters many opportunities for the improvement of self through observation. Conversely Griffith states that “other vloggers present themselves, whether intentionally or not, in narcissistic ways through unwarranted self–promotion or self–absorption”. Vlogging has such a strong focus on self that is can easily manifest into an outlet for extreme self absorption, a playground of indulgence for egomaniacs everywhere. Though that is only one perspective to the argument, another one of the positives of Vlogging is it’s basic inclusive nature. Anyone with a video camera can toss their hat into the Vlogging ring, adding to the rich, diverse community. From bachelors struggling through the horrors of dating, to the birth of children and the joy of simple living, Vlogging has fostered a truly unique form of life narratives, one in which the possibilities are endless. Whether the Vlogs are rooted in vanity and egomania or simple used as a form of self express, Vlogging continues to flourish with every view.
Griffith, Maggie and Papachariss, Zizi. “Looking for You: An Analysis of Video Blogs.” Temple University, (2007): n.pag. Web. January 4 2010
Link to “Looking for You: An Analysis of Video Blogs” http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2769/2430#p3
Link to “Shaytards” a Vlogging family’s birth of their child…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEyfCz2CTH8
Link to another Vloggers wedding…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZObTMLwUEx8