i aggree. we must come togethor and smash the al qaedas heads in with sledge hammers. there going around cooking children and blowing themselves up in mosques that celebrate the prophet’s (peace be upon him) birthday. there a threat to humanity and there a threat to islam. let’s not forget along the way that israel is a terrorist state and that bush is completely evil

—from commentary about a YouTube video.

This video, in fact:



Sometimes, I spend hours reading conversations on YouTube. The cultural and/or international clashes are enlightening, though often incoherent in a literalist sense.  That is, one can read between the lines, follow the trends, see what the world is thinking.

In this respect, wedding video to international dialogue may prove the most powerful force of globalization.  So much subtlety occurs between the lines — in fact, so much that is subtle occurs without the participants even realizing the scope of what occurs.

It is interesting to see that the most common English word — well, I’m guessing, without having done a study; but the most common English word world-wide seems to be FUCK.  It is a very funny catch-all, with many meanings “between the lines”.

Also interesting:  The way homosexuality so often enters into any confrontational conversation on YouTube.  Once upon a time, a mention/comparison to Nazis or Hitler was a sign that the conversation was over; now it’s fags, faggots, gaaaaaaaaaay, etc.  World-wide it seems.  This is significant.  (I once began a series on homosexuality and globalization…but became distracted from finishing it by the OODA, which needed exploring in more detail before I could finish the series.)

One thing I’ve never written or spoken in conversation, which seems quite relevant, but which I’ve often thought:  If someone were to ask me which American celebrity has done the most for “gay rights”, my answer would not be Ellen DeGeneres or Rosie O’Donnell, or any of the slew of celebrities who have come out of the closet and/or have advocated for gay rights.  Those two, and others, have done much, and I wouldn’t demean them or lessen their roles — however, the real answer (and I truly believe this) is:

Jerry Springer.

Yep.  That’s right.  His show, as trashy as it was, nonetheless opened America’s eyes to the cheap and tawdry side of America, in which gays, lesbians, straights, bisexuals, and persons of every race and of both (and more?) genders were equally represented.  One could no longer speak of homosexual depravity without acknowledging the depravity of heterosexuals.  Homosexual pedophiles?  Well, there were many incestuous heterosexuals, heterosexual pedophiles, adulterous heterosexuals, heterosexual swingers and prostitutes, and so forth as well.  Etc.  I don’t believe people realize the extraordinary effect Jerry Springer had on America.  Regardless of his true motives — whether for money or fame or any other thing — he served a key role, perhaps the key role (especially given the many imitators who have followed him) in opening the stage for dialogue vis-a-vis gay rights, gay equality (the good and the bad), and so forth.

And I wonder, really, if YouTube is serving the same purpose, for issues relating to race relations, cultural relations, international relations, as well as gay rights.

Something to think about.