I know, seemingly trite, it's only a lawnmower fix. But to me youtube is much more than that. It's the conversation, a human voice, the ability for us to reach out and to help and be helped by each other. And to save us from all the cons out there that would have charged me $100 or more. It was a simple fix.
My lawnmower cord jammed in the middle of my yard. Mine is an older lawnmower and I have been wondering just when it might gasp its last breath. I had already decided I would invest in a new one because the local "lawnmower repair guy" is now a famous rip off artist. I keep waiting for his sign come down.
A search on youtube immediately provided me with what I needed to know. My blade was locked because of some caked on, seemingly petrified grass. I scraped it off, hand turned the blade, and finished my lawn.
But back to the bigger point. Communicating with each other. Hearing each others voices in YouTube clips. Helping each other. Sharing the wisdom of our elders. Sharing what we have learned about life, about people, and about the world.
I don't know about you, but I feel increasingly isolated. I am one of the aged "won't hire me" generation so I don't work. My younger friends are all working 2 or three jobs to just stay poor as none of the jobs provides full-time work or a decent wage.
I live in one of the newly built housing areas where our electric automatic garage doors literally swallow us up when we get home.
Parents are afraid for their children, so it is rare to see groups of kids in the neighborhood playing. The garages swallow the kids, too.
When I moved into this home, the neighbor across the street dropped in to see me and let me now about the other neighbors. I will never forget the accolade she shared:
The neighbors are great, they stay to themselves and take good care of their yards.
I got the message.
I know I am not alone.
How many here feel isolated?
Here's the problem, this isolation might be my own fault.
I gulp to share this but I think I have a raging case of social anxiety/phobia. There, I said it outloud.
Unlike some, I can step over my fear and get things done, but honestly, people today scare the heck out of me.
For example, just the other day, as I raised my hand, smiling ear to ear, to an oncoming driver in a parking lot to protect my grandchildren as we crossed, the woman became enraged and screamed some extreme profanity at me that would make a sailor blush. A three year old angel was holding my hand. How did that affect her? That young women's rage, more than her ignorant words, definitely hiked my blood pressure. I could feel it. I wondered if she was crazy enough to run us down!
I think assaults like this accumulate over time. Will good people withdraw while bullies are emboldened?
As an quintessential average American, I know I am not alone.
Apparently social anxiety is on the rise, especially among women. Gee, I wonder why....snark.
There's a report that 30% of women worldwide are sexually assaulted. This is not new news at all. One in three have been sexually assaulted for decades.
Nearly 1,000 Bangaldeshi women all fell ill at the same time this past weekend. Health officials concluded it was because of mass psychogenic illness, not the dirty water they have to drink while working.
Could mass psychogenic illness be like a Hundredth Monkey Effect, as they all succumbed simultaneously?
Do many Americans suffer from mass psychogenic illness?
So thank goodness for youtube and social media. At least we can help and hear each other on YouTube without feeling frightened by the encounter.
Being able to share and show we care is a saving grace in my book.
And thanks to the lady who made the "how to fix my lawnmower" video, wherever you are.
Thankfully I watched the whole video before embarking to fix my lawnmower, btw.
Without social media, can democracy survive an isolated, fearful, socially anxious, surveilled citizenry? Or will we increasing huddle in our own homes, venturing out for work, food, and gas only?
Will fear replace democracy like this clip from V for Vendetta demonstrates?
And, yeah, YouTube can also be used for negative purposes BECAUSE we are a free-speech Republic.