The Art of Brotherhood

Not too long ago I bumped into the brothers John and Hank Green on youtube.  The brothers banded together for the year 2007, made a pact to only communicate via non-textual information and they vlogged their way through the entire year.  

Now, I know it must sound dull, but this is one of the most profound and meaningful uses for the Internet that I have seen thus far.  Here we have two men, who apparently didn't know each other that well at the beginning of the project, and as the year moves forward as viewers start becoming interested not only the incredible pace at which Hanks speaks, not in Johns quirks and crazy eyes as he travels through the year finishing the revisions on his book, "Paper Towns" but in the sheer knowledge and silliness shared between the two of them.  Here are two grown men who think it's OK to refer to their wife and sister-in-law as "The Yeti."  

And somewhere between the songs about anglerfish and Helen Hunt, and videos of John devouring blenderized happy meals and smearing peanut butter on his face as he discusses Rwanda, something happens.  They become just two guys going through their daily lives, but doing so in a way that is just a little bit more fun, a little bit more honest, and a lot more intelligent, and the viewer is invited to participate.

I won't pretend I was there for the beginning, but the development of the fan-base and continued recruitment of the self proclaimed "Nerd Fighters" is apparent in all of the immense offspring that the brothers Green have managed to sprout.  Fan sights, tribute videos, video responses... they're ALL OVER THE INTERNET.  Search for "Peeps" in youtube and just try to find a video that isn't showered with spock hands, kids chanting "Nerd Fighters" and doesn't give a shout out to John and Hank.  

To see siblings using new media to do something that's real, honest, and intimate... There's no fancy makeup for the camera, no magical editing.... it's not reality TV... it just IS reality.  I think this is what we need more of right now.  It's like saying "Wake up... everything around you is waiting!"

I'll only speak for myself, but I know what I seek the most out of life is meaning.  I want a brotherhood, a connection, and if I can't have it with my own peers I can at least use the Internet to find like-minded people to connect with.  I want an age of intelligence where silliness is celebrated, and people can disagree but still respect each others opinions.   

You don't need to watch all 462 of their videos to realize that's the idea.  

They've got all the strife, soul, and worldliness of Picasso's "Guernica" with all the glitz, love, and familiarity of Klimt's "The Kiss".

It's Art.

Sure I can't react to them on their composition, form, light, color, design, or even by their concept, but what I can react to is their ability to make me transcend my emotions.  This is not the movie magic manipulation achieved by the addition of those heart-string-pulling songs at just the right moment.  When I watch these videos I'm moved, over and over and over again and while I struggle to put my finger on why, I reject the idea that there's anything wrong with my reaction.  Why isn't youtube a legitimate creative outlet?  

I could go on, but I wont.  Investigate. Indulge. 

Introduce yourself to something new.  

http://www.youtube.com/user/vlogbrothers

http://www.youtube.com/user/maureenbooks

http://whoisamy.wordpress.com

http://www.DFTBA.com

http://www.ecogeek.org