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There is a growing culture of reaction videos on YT. People watch other people watching and reacting to stuff. That never sat well with me. And I always wondere
by thisisit 9y ago
There is a growing culture of reaction videos on YT. People watch other people watching and reacting to stuff. That never sat well with me. And I always wondered - are people so alone or insecure that they need to watch other people's "reaction" to feel better? Given the rise of reaction channels on YT, I guess the answer is resounding - Yes.
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- ghostbrainalpha 9y agoI often wonder if "Kermit The Frog reacts to 2 Girls 1 Cup" was the sole reason reaction videos became a trend. I guess the answer is resounding - Yes.
- tdb7893 9y agoPeople are naturally social and people's reactions can be interesting and fun. I don't watch reaction videos but I know at least that my friends are really funny when reacting to things in person so it's unsurprising that an Internet personality can be also.
- psyc 9y agoYes, a lot of people are insecure. They need people to agree with them, and feel like them. Validate them. They need to see people the same gender, color, size and shape as them do things.
- hrktb 9y agoI don’t know for most viewers, but I assume the bread and butter of these videos is to see reactions of people you don’t get to see otherwise. For instance a kid watching a Charlie Chaplin movie for the first time, a US veteran play Doki Doki Litterature Club, or an indian gramma watching Baby Driver. It shouldn’t be predictible nor relate to you in particular.
- WhompingWindows 9y agoI don't think it's about insecurity. I think it's that YT is usually consumed alone, and having someone with whom to share a reaction enhances the experience. For me, it's about emotional contagion: if others are laughing, you're going to laugh more, too. So, pile on top of this a charismatic personality that attracts people, and its entirely sensible you have commentators/reactors to video game streams or live streams, rather than just the base content which is devoid of social experience.
- jotux 9y agoThis isn't really new, right? Laugh tracks and live audiences have been used in radio/tv since the 50s for the same purpose.
- Lionsion 9y agoThe point of a laugh track is to make the show itself appear funnier; the laugh track is in the background, invisible. I think what he's describing is different, more like focusing on the laugh track itself and ignoring the show.
- majani 9y agoDon't forget the reaction of the reaction video.