Now introducing a new portion of Solstice Satisfaction, curiously titled “Solstice Unsatisfied”. I hope the title has your minds in question, because it’s simple: in Solstice Unsatisfied, I (and sometimes others) will be commenting on and expressing our opinions on topics that I feel strongly about, or topics I am “unsatisfied” with. See what I did there? Now, as these will be opinion pieces, it is germane to note that these opinions expressed solely belong to those who express them and not to anyone else. As always, if you have an opposing opinion and would like to comment, feel free to use the comment section or alternatively use the Feedback page.

Today’s topic is one that I feel either people strongly support or strongly disagree with: the use of YouTube and/or other forms of social media to gain worldwide fame by humiliating yourself. A common example of this would be one posting a video of themselves on YouTube singing despite the fact that they have absolutely no singing ability whatsoever.

YouTube hosts a lot of humiliating videos that have shot the entertainer to worldwide fame, but at what cost?

As a decent human being – at least I’d like to think I am – I completely support being yourself and expression and all of that. In saying that, there are some things you were just born not to do. I love to sing and loudly sing whilst in the shower and even when I’m just casually walking around the house; I sometimes even sing my greetings to people. In saying that, I am tone deaf and have the worst pitch and could not decently sing a song to save my life so I keep the singing to myself and to my family and close friends. I know my limits when it comes to my singing ability or lack thereof.

So why do I see people putting videos of themselves up on YouTube singing when they are completely flat, are just as tone deaf as I am and sometimes even scream out in anger when they can’t hit a certain note? (I hope everyone understood that reference) These people tend to use replies “F*** the haters” and “Haters are my motivators” as an excuse to defend what they may or may not believe is actual talent and because everyone and their dog chime up and watch these videos and leave comments on them, their video views skyrocket and their “fame” goes through the roof – but all for the wrong reasons. These people don’t hate you, they think you’re a terrible singer and don’t want to subject themselves to such aural torture.

It literally infuriates me that these people make themselves targets for the cruel Internet trolls out there by uploading such idiocy and do absolutely nothing about it because they truly believe that they are talented when it is clear that they aren’t Celine or Mariah. What they are doing is basically asking to be trolled and then when they are, they complain about being bullied. Yes, some of the things that trolls these days say are completely out of line and should be monitored by YouTube, but to stop them in the first place, these people should keep their un-talent off a public viewing forum like YouTube.

A good example of this is Rebecca Black and her song “Friday”. The song gained an enormous amount of attention: the music video on YouTube garnered a large of views and the term “Rebecca Black” was trending worldwide on Twitter for well over a week. Her song Friday shot her to fame, yes? That may be the case, but it made her look like a downright fool with lyrical curiosities like “Party and party and yeah! Fun, fun, fun, fun.” Black faced a colossal amount of backlash from trolls and critics alike who blasted her for her attempt at music making. While I do not support trolls comments even in the slightest, I can’t help but think that Black may have subjected herself to such harsh criticism by publicly posting the video despite its terrible lyrics and off-pitch singing. If you can’t sing and you have the absolute worst lyrics known to mankind, then you should probably keep video evidence of these things off of YouTube.

Another instance with which I will absolutely not hold back on is Giovanna Plowman, AKA “The Girl who Ate her Own Tampon”. Words cannot express how much I detest this girl, and professional jealousy has absolutely nothing to do with it. I would much rather be a nobody and sail on through life as a nobody than be famous for doing something as stupid as eating your own tampon. This foolish act has shot Plowman to fame where she has made outlandish comments saying that people are jealous of how famous she is and that she has her own agent and other barbaric crap. Miss Plowman, are you REALLY that proud of yourself? You’re only famous because people are laughing at how filthy you are and will raise their children to be everything that you aren’t. No one will know her as Giovanna Plowman – I literally had to Google “what was the name of the girl who ate her own tampon” just to get her name – they will know her as just that. The feral girl who ate her own tampon. Life as a nobody sure seems tempting.

I will admit a small tinge of jealousy to those who have put awful singing videos of themselves up on YouTube which made them famous and in turn has made them a celebrity of sorts, like Rebecca Black who has been seen hanging out with celebrities and featured on other celebrity medias like Katy Perry’s “T.G.I.F” music video. But other than that, I do not support the initial act in the slightest. I think it’s an absolutely pathetic way to get attention for a person who is so starved for said attention that they are willing to humiliate themselves on a worldwide media outlet.

My suggestion? If you want public attention and want fame, put yourself out there exhibiting a talent that you actually have. I believe I have a talent in writing and alas, here I am writing on SolSat. Don’t make yourself the butt of everyone else’s joke just for the sake of a million video views or a few thousand likes on Facebook. Your dignity and your pride is much more important than that. Don’t sell your soul to the devil that is fame.

Comments are welcome.

– by The Black Widow