Giving Up Youtube

I did not really discover Youtube until my freshman year of college. Then all of the sudden a new world was open up to me. Music I could not find elsewhere, clear footage of live performances from my favorite bands, and funny videos focusing on video games, movies, and TV shows. Like many other people I know, I found a few channels that I dedicated my time to watching. Recent channel favorites include Honest Trailers/ Screen Junkies, TeamFourStar's abridged parody of Dragonball Z, and the Nostalgia Critic's critical reviews of movies.

As the Arctic Monkeys once said: "We can't take our eyes of your t-shirt and ties combination".

Recently, however, I have resolved to give up these favorite videos and the rest of Youtube all together. With the aid of potential rewards (which I am still trying to figure out) I hope to not only give up Youtube for the next 10 days, but for the next 100 days, 1000 days, etc. 

This is because I have just found too much of my free time being WASTED on online videos. Even when doing mundane things like folding my laundry, cleaning, or getting ready in the morning, I would have my laptop open and would try to find something to distract myself. Even on days when I have other things going on, I would rather sit in my room and watch online videos rather than focusing on my work or using my break times for things like reading, writing, or even socializing.

Pictured: Current social life

A big part of my struggle to free myself from Youtube videos has not just been overcoming my general laziness, but it also been this feeling inside of me swelling up. I have this feeling of wanting to be productive. I have this burning desire to use my free time for a worthwhile effort. Some of these desires require me to be on my feet and physically invested, other activities may require me to sit down and be mentally/emotionally/spiritually invested (cause you don't have to be physically active all the time in order to be productive). The point is that there are so many different things I can do in this world and I do not feel like I have enough time to do it all.

There are so many books worth reading, so many cinematic masterpieces worth watching, so many places to see around the world. I can relearn to play the saxophone, become a guitar hero, and even learn an unusual instrument like the bassoon (cause why not)! I can become the next world renowned Shakespearean actor. I can learn to paint landscapes like Bob Ross. I can make a pilgrimage on El Camino de Santiago. I can get in shape and do parkour. I can write the next breathtaking young adult novel series that will eventually be turned into a dozen movies that earn $100 million each even though there were only six books in the series.

At least I'll be in good company, right?

Shoot, I don't even have to do any of that stuff to be productive. I can volunteer at a soup kitchen or walk the streets giving food and blankets to homeless people at night. I can visit sick people in the hospital or visit prisoners in jail. I can go to a poverty-stricken country and do manual labor for people in need. I can help a church in need of repairs, either by physical means or financial means. I can go to a city and preach the Gospel to people who do not believe in God.

The problem is: I don't do any of this stuff right now! I'm used to being so busy watching 10 Nostalgia Critic videos in a row or watching all of the Honest Trailers and not making any time for something more worthwhile.

Pictured: Me being busy watching videos.

I have a problem and I know it. I'm calling myself out! I'm working on controlling myself so that I can be more productive in this life and I can make more of a difference.I know I wasn't created to stare at a screen all day for no good reason.

Here is what I was created for: "He said 'Master, you gave me five talents. See, I have made five more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master's joy.'" (Matthew 25: 20-21).

Talent=Coin money in this case.

I was given gifts by God. I was made to share those gifts with other people, to help them and to glorify my Creator. I do not necessarily have to read every great book ever written, watch every fantastic movie ever made, or travel to each beautiful part of the world to share and use my gifts. God has called me to be faithful to Him and to use my gifts in a multitude of productive ways.

Would it hurt to watch a Youtube video every now and again? No, not really. However, to help myself maintain self-control and to use my gifts properly, I am taking this opportunity to step away from the online videos and focus on many more important things in life. 

Now to stay on the computer and write my next four blog posts