Spectacles Overpower Root Messages

Like Caroline, I am relatively amateur when it comes to sites like youtube and myspace.  Even so, I regularly check my Facebook profile and am guilty of "Facebook stalking".  I have never been particularly technologically savvy, but the ease of use of these sites encourages me to visit them.  Their accessibility enables millions to produce their own videos and post them for the internet-using public to view.  This capability gives a voice to everyone with internet and a camera, items that are easy to acquire for most people in developed countries.  While everyone is given a vioce, there is no guarantee that anyone will listen.  That's why the individuals who have become famous for their youtube posts generally make a spectacle to draw a crowd.  Hotforwords is a good example.  While she seems to be a knowledgeable person with a true interest in word origin, her overtly sexual display is the reason that she receives attention.  The problem with this is that viewers are not there for the information, but the show.  Marina capitalizes on her sex appeal, which further undermines her intelligence.  If her intent is to share knowledge, then she has failed.  If it is, instead, to become a youtube star, then she has succeeded.  Herein lies the difficulty in garnering true power on the internet.  Often in order to gain attention for an issue, the issue is lost, trumped by the spectacle created to gather a crowd.