YouTube, TikTok, and Twitch change our culture and here’s 10 reasons to prove it
All sorts of new cultural phenomena have poured out from YouTube, TikTok and Twitch. It’s an example of how media allows people to create new culture and spread it. From new slang words to Internet celebrities, these examples would not have had the cultural impact they had without social media.
1. Rizz
Rizz is a noun that means you have style, charm, or attractiveness; if you have rizz, you’you might be charming or attractive. It went viral on TikTok, and as a result, I hear high schoolers use this word semi-frequently and I definitely heard a lot more usage when this word was new; “rizz” has managed to change our everyday language (well, for Gen Z at least) in a way only possible with the vast reach of social media.
2. Minecraft
One of the most played video games of all time. The mere mention of Minecraft is enough to trigger nostalgic memories in a lot of people. Minecraft doesn’t even have traditional advertising or marketing. It got popular in 2011 when YouTube videos were made that were just people playing Minecraft. From then on, YouTube has continuously played a role in Minecraft’s popularity. People enjoyed YouTubers who made Minecraft content, and you’ll find no shortage of people who watched Minecraft videos in their childhood. With over a trillion views on YouTube and over 300 million sales, there’s no doubt that Minecraft has had a significant cultural impact, and even less doubt that YouTube played a significant role.
3. MrBeast
MrBeast is a YouTuber who makes videos with outlandishly large amounts of cash. From challenges with massive cash prizes, to donating for good causes, his videos rack up millions of views and can easily hit over 100 million views. He’s also launched his own chocolate called Feastables to compete with other chocolate brands. He has also come under lots of controversy for enough things that you could make a listicle out of it. Regardless, the public is aware of everything that he has done (good and bad) and he’s now a household name, known by many kids. YouTube plays a critical role in his growth; his videos go viral regularly to the point where other YouTubers copy the premise of his videos (challenges, outlandish numbers, etc). It’s safe to say he’s made a massive cultural impact on the world.
4. Technoblade
Technoblade was a Minecraft YouTuber who died from sarcoma. He was reowned for his skill in playing Minecraft and for his unique personality. When he announced that his sarcoma diagnosis, the Minecraft community flooded him with support. When he died, it had a ripple effect that is still felt today. Major news organizations reported on his death. People built many tributes to him, all with his signature phrase “Technoblade never dies.” There is no doubt that his cultural impact was enabled by YouTube; without it, he would not be the household name he is today, and his legacy would be nothing without the hundreds of tribute videos that people keep posting on YouTube.
5. Dream
Dream is a Minecraft YouTuber famous for his “Minecraft Manhunt” series, where he tries to complete the game before the other players hunt him down and kill him in the game. His videos have millions of views and he has a strong fan base (that gets out of hand sometimes.) Minecraft Manhunt evokes images of close calls and incredible tricks, and he’s a household name within the vast Minecraft community. YouTube gave him a platform where his videos could go viral, and they went viral. Without YouTube, the world would never know Minecraft ManHunt.
6. Dream SMP
A flag from the Dream SMP
The Dream SMP, started by Dream, was a Minecraft world that a lot of Minecraft content creators played on, including Technoblade. It had a major roleplay and story element, which was a major differentiator from other Minecraft worlds that other content creators played on. The Twitch live streams and YouTube videos went viral. The content creators involved had tens of thousands of viewers watching the same Twitch live streams concurrently. Many YouTube videos were made about the storyline, which contributed to its exposure online. Major news outlets published articles about it. Even if you weren’t into Minecraft, you probably heard about the Dream SMP one way or another. YouTube and Twitch played an instrumental role in spreading the Dream SMP’s influence. It was a major cultural event that everyone was excited about.
7. Among Us
Among Us is a video game that went viral during the pandemic when Twitch streamers played it. It’s a relatively simple game: you have crewmates who have to do tasks, and imposters who try to prevent the crewmates from doing tasks by killing them. A few words used to describe in-game details made their way into slang, like “sus” or “sussy baka”. Among Us had a huge cultural impact while people were in lockdown, and Twitch played a significant role in making it go viral.
8. Lethal Company
Lethal Company is a video game that went viral in late 2023. The premise is you have to explore planets with hostile life to gather scrap material until you meet a quota. It went viral because of the sheer insanity that can happen, mostly from monsters attacking you out of nowhere. Of course, clips of this made their way onto YouTube, and they went viral (people like watching other people get jumpscared in really dumb ways.) Only with YouTube’s reach could those clips go as viral as they did.
9. Fortnite
Fortnite is a third-person battle royale game, where the goal is to kill other players until you’re the last team standing. This used to be wildly popular more than 5 years ago, and Fortnite videos would be everywhere on the YouTube front page. You would constantly hear about it in the school hallways. Everyone was talking about it and was aware of it. And how could you not be aware of it? YouTube is used widely by kids, so of course kids would be seeing Fortnite videos left and right; it’s the cool thing. No other platform could spread Fortnite like YouTube did.
10. Phasmophobia
Phasmophobia is a game where you have to hunt down ghosts. It’s a horror game, and it’s basically Ghostbusters in video game form, except the ghosts can actually hurt people. And they do it a lot. This went viral after YouTubers and Twitch streamers played it. Like Lethal Company, people enjoy watching other people get jumpscared and panic (as sickening as that might sound). Clips went around YouTube and people watched Twitch streamers get jumpscared live. Obviously, Phasmophobia wouldn’t have went viral if it weren’t for YouTube putting clips in people’s front page or Twitch allowing people to watch a streamer’s live reaction.