There is plenty of questionable content circulating the Internet. From lolcatz, to the grape stomping lady, to Chris Crocker’s desperate plea begging the world to “leave Britney alone!”, there is an abundance of hilarious, albeit useless, information cluttering the cyber world. Amid the random viral videos and blogs are a few noteworthy personalities who have reshaped what it means to be an Internet success by turning their knack for making witty observations into a career. The rapid rise to fame of Elon James White and Christian Lander, the stars of a recent Distinguished Lecture Series, shows how the Internet can actually be used for intelligent discourse on socially relevant topics.
Although anyone with a webcam and a basic understanding of YouTube can create a popular video nowadays, few Internet sensations create anything of substance. Becoming an Internet star often does not require masterful planning and high production quality, nor does the content need to be thought provoking. Sometimes Internet fame can be purely accidental. One minute you’re singing your favorite song on a table in front of your webcam, and the next thing you know you’ve taken a nasty tumble and the video leaks onto the Internet. Pretty soon you’re a YouTube sensation and Tyra Banks calls, begging you to appear on her show (Fact: This really happened). Clearly the most popular web content does not necessarily speak to our intellectual sides. If somehow an alien civilization discovered Earth, and the only clue about our planet was the “Definitive List of the 99 Things You Should Have Already Experienced On the Internet Unless You’re a Loser or Old or Something,” they would sincerely doubt the existence of intelligent life on our planet.
However, there are a few individuals who are shaking up the status quo by producing refreshingly intelligent content that still manages to reach a large audience. Both Lander and White have found their niche with their websites, which are hybrids of comedy and social commentary. Each one brings something new to the Internet, proving that the web is not just a medium for today’s “America’s Funniest Home Videos” wannabes.
Lander’s popular blog “Stuff White People Like” has something most popular Internet sites do not: subtlety. The name of the website can be misleading for those who do not take time to read beyond the first few posts. Despite the namesake, the blog is more about class than it is about race. The title of the blog could have easily been “Stuff Upper Middle Class Hipsters of Any Color Like” but that would kill the comedic effect and the irony — something “white” people value very highly (see post #50). Each post is essentially a lighthearted mockery of those who, like Lander, strive for authenticity by eating organic food, driving a Toyota Prius and attending grad school. As Lander admitted in his speech, the quest for authenticity has a lot to do with privilege. There is a very self-aware undertone to Lander’s writing, and he openly admits that the reason “white” people like him are able to care so much about being authentic is dependent simply on one factor — money. Those who carefully read Lander’s blog recognize that oftentimes our differences are more about what privileges we have. Although Lander’s SWPL was created mostly for comedic purposes, his blog and lecture bring an interesting new perspective and open the topic of class differences for discourse.
White, on the other hand, takes a much more in-your-face approach to discuss equally important social issues. In his short online video series “This Week in Blackness,” White is vehemently committed to breaking down stereotypes surrounding race by calling for an end to “dumb shittery,” Although he asserts he is just an average black man and says things people should already know, the truth is we do not live in a post-racial society and many offensive stereotypes do still exist. He does an excellent job of pointing to the ridiculousness of certain outdated attitudes toward race. White’s videos are a pleasant contrast to most of the meaningless blather on YouTube. He proves that an Internet video can be both entertaining and articulate, all while discussing important social issues — something that is truly groundbreaking.
For both Lander and White, the Internet was the perfect breakout medium to showcase their talents. With the opportunity afforded by the Internet, each of them has been able to create clever, socially relevant content that has led to unforeseen mainstream success. Their stories may not be typical, but these two gentlemen should be looked at as pioneers in an age where everyone is looking for his 15 minutes of fame online. With their recent success, it should be apparent that perhaps the Internet does have some potential as a credible medium, rather than a random showcase of our society’s oddest attributes and guiltiest pleasures.
Holly Hartung ([email protected]) is a sophomore intending to major in journalism.
