World Under Siege
March 23, 2007 11:56 PM   Subscribe

World Under Siege: A teenager's video blog . . . a diary under siege.
posted by augustweed (35 comments total)
 
"Basically my mom's a bitch, but you'll find out more about that later."

OH BOY! I CAN'T WAIT!
posted by Citizen Premier at 12:20 AM on March 24, 2007


This is like daxflame, only a lot worse.
posted by Mr. President Dr. Steve Elvis America at 12:21 AM on March 24, 2007


Daxflame is actually pretty hilarious sometimes. I'm hoping there's a joke I'm missing here.
posted by premiumpolar at 12:23 AM on March 24, 2007


Daxflame is awesome. This post should've been about him!
posted by Mr. President Dr. Steve Elvis America at 12:24 AM on March 24, 2007


I miss Daxflame. Too bad the post about him got deleted.
posted by Sticherbeast at 12:38 AM on March 24, 2007


You know, I was prepared to snark all over this, but daxflame kinda turned me around:
FAST TRACK TO FRIENDSHIP!!
Apology/Jacob tells me jokes
Response, response, response

There's a lot of weirdness and sincerity and humaneness swirling around those posts, and I wasn't expecting it after the "World under siege snow trampoline special".
posted by boo_radley at 12:49 AM on March 24, 2007


Post under siege.
posted by owhydididoit at 12:51 AM on March 24, 2007


ZOMGWTFBBQTUBE and response
posted by boo_radley at 12:57 AM on March 24, 2007


Post under siege.

Done.
posted by Sticherbeast at 1:00 AM on March 24, 2007 [1 favorite]


Don't worry about it.

After watching all the Diary Under Siege videos, I've gotta say the kid's got a sweet, likable charm to him, but it's still like all the other vlogs out there. Gothreaper's much more interesting.
posted by premiumpolar at 1:47 AM on March 24, 2007


You know, the Internet is full of bad writing, but that's perhaps the first instance I've seen of bad talking. Too many stuttering hesitations. It's like he's at a job interview. "I've, er, decided to, er, to create, er, a video, er, blog..." Makes me value professional broadcasters and speakers, just like I value professional columnists more after reading some trite blog entry.

I lasted around 30 seconds into the first of this guys videos. I feel I'm missing the point of this posting but it probably doesn't matter.
posted by humblepigeon at 1:52 AM on March 24, 2007


I am no longer able to tell reality from satire.
THE INTERNET BROKE ME.
posted by seanyboy at 2:17 AM on March 24, 2007 [6 favorites]


I came. I saw a poorly-constructed page with 5 youtube videos haphazardly embedded in it. I left.
posted by tehloki at 2:53 AM on March 24, 2007


Rest of the web.
posted by psmealey at 5:30 AM on March 24, 2007 [2 favorites]


Sorry to snark, but I am utterly mystified at why this sort of thing exists as a phenomennon among today's adolescents. I'm trying to think of something similar that my own generation latched onto ("fanzines? CB radio? etc.), but I can't really get there. What's at the root of this sort of naked exhibitionism on the one side and voyeurism on the other?
posted by psmealey at 5:52 AM on March 24, 2007


That Daxflame guy is a pretty good actor
posted by saraswati at 5:57 AM on March 24, 2007


I made up my mind about the content of the post as soon as I saw the forehead comb-over the guy was sporting.
posted by emelenjr at 6:14 AM on March 24, 2007


I think this is just a Vans ad.
posted by BeerFilter at 7:22 AM on March 24, 2007 [1 favorite]


I am so happy that there was no youtube when I was a teenager so that only my best friends had to listen to me go on about what a bitch my mom was. I mean, yeah she was. She was a miserable human for much of my childhood & when I was a teenager. And admittedly my dad wasn't really a dad at all, he's more like a 6'2" five-year-old that I know. But my proceeding life and relationships have probably been a lot easier since I didn't have to deal with what happens AFTER your family finds out you humiliated them by BROADCASTING THEIR SUCKINESS TO THE ENTIRE WORLD. Dinnertime might get a little awkward, no?
posted by miss lynnster at 7:56 AM on March 24, 2007


BROADCASTING THEIR SUCKINESS TO THE ENTIRE WORLD

That's the essence of the Internet.

For example, you make a Tron costume. You get a kick out of wearing it. So far, so good. It's a private thing.

But then you put a picture online and tell the WHOLE WORLD about it.

It's at this point that I realize I'm as far from understanding human nature as I ever was.
posted by humblepigeon at 8:05 AM on March 24, 2007


I am so happy that there was no youtube when I was a teenager

Seconded. You've gotta break into my fucking basement to read my adolescent thoughts (and decipher my handwriting, which might actually be the more difficult obstacle).

Of course I'm leaving my textual mid-life lying around all over the internet...
posted by nanojath at 8:35 AM on March 24, 2007


What's at the root of this sort of naked exhibitionism on the one side and voyeurism on the other?

Ease of use?
posted by owhydididoit at 9:14 AM on March 24, 2007


Well fortunately I'm old enough to not care now. And to (hopefully) understand some aspects of how the world works better than I could at 14.
posted by miss lynnster at 9:34 AM on March 24, 2007


What's at the root of this sort of naked exhibitionism on the one side and voyeurism on the other?

Ego-stroking, and ego-smashing. Same as it's always been with adolescents.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 9:56 AM on March 24, 2007


Phrases this kid is never allowed to use again: "pretty cool", pretty funny", "pretty rad", and, you know, just the word "pretty" in general.
posted by the other side at 10:38 AM on March 24, 2007


What's at the root of this sort of naked exhibitionism on the one side and voyeurism on the other?

You're assuming that someone's watching...
posted by clevershark at 10:49 AM on March 24, 2007


Sorry to snark, but I am utterly mystified at why this sort of thing exists as a phenomennon among today's adolescents. I'm trying to think of something similar that my own generation latched onto ("fanzines? CB radio? etc.), but I can't really get there. What's at the root of this sort of naked exhibitionism on the one side and voyeurism on the other?

Jesus Christ.

These kind of threads always say way more about the commenters than the subject. When you're done picking on a confused adolescent for trying to express himself, why not head down to the park and kick some puppies? Or maybe there's a retarded man in your neighborhood you can make fun of?

These kids have got it right- grown-ups fucking suck sometimes.
posted by drjimmy11 at 11:23 AM on March 24, 2007 [1 favorite]


Actually, I think it would be great to give the retarded man a webcam.
posted by sourwookie at 11:35 AM on March 24, 2007


Either up the meds or else stop projecting your own bullshit on me, drjimmy11. I was sincerely more curious about the phenomenon itself than I harbor any desire to "pick on confused adolescents".
posted by psmealey at 11:58 AM on March 24, 2007


yeah, im sure the rest of you were SO much cooler at this kid's age. at least he's got decent taste in music. plus in fourth video i think he even put in a secret track at the end. it may be exhibitionism, but give em a break...
posted by Kifer85 at 12:13 PM on March 24, 2007


psmealey
I think it's just that your question really does come across as "stereotypical confused, "damn kids" old man" talk. Phenomenon? You don't remember talking to your friends about your problems back in your youth before wireless telegraphy, horseless carriages, or televiewing devices (I keed, I keed..)?
You don't remember feeling confused and alone as a teen, wishing you had someone to talk to? This kind of thing provides a way for the kid to talk about things, feel important, be an asshole, attack others, etc. All the stupid stuff teens do. There's nothing really comparable from before because it was never so easy and cheap to reach out to millions of people before. Now you can make your own videos and put them on a website with almost no effort or cost. Imagine if when you were younger you could somehow get a radio or TV show at virtually zero cost that you could run any way you wanted, talk about anything, play any music you liked, etc, which required very little input to produce and air. You don't think teens at that time wouldn't have loved that?
posted by Sangermaine at 1:28 PM on March 24, 2007


Am I the only one who didn't feel confused and alone as a teenager? And I certainly don't remember wishing I had someone to talk to. Oh well, I guess I'm making up for it because I feel a hell of a lot more confused and alone now that I'm pushing 30 than I ever did back then. Still got people to talk to, though.
posted by keep_evolving at 2:21 PM on March 24, 2007


MeTa.
posted by owhydididoit at 2:28 PM on March 24, 2007


This is why teenagers should not be allowed to own Macs.

Fucking creation culture.

ZeFrank said it best about what happens when everyone can afford to create.
posted by disillusioned at 3:04 PM on March 24, 2007


I think it's just that your question really does come across as "stereotypical confused, "damn kids" old man" talk

Only if you're hypersenstive to or, moreover, looking for such things. It was a sincere question. While I'm not above occasional nastiness aimed at some of the other posters on the site for slights real or imagined, a brief review of my posting history would reveal that I typically don't take potshots at the vulnerable. I resented being called out for something that was the result of drjimmy's utter miscomprehension of my question. Honestly, with all the other nasty bullshit that such posts invariably attract, it pissed me off to be one that got called out when I mean no harm whatsoever.

As to your other questions "you don't remember talking to your friends about your problems back in your youth before ... You don't remember feeling confused and alone as a teen, wishing you had someone to talk to?

Of course I remember all of that. And I remember writting graffiti on walls and engaging in senseless and stupid acts of vandalism (though never in front of a crowd). What I don't understand is engaging in venting and personal testimony in a medium to which anyone and everyone has access, parents, teachers, law enforcement officials, etc. That was pretty much what I was asking about.
posted by psmealey at 3:35 PM on March 24, 2007


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