Is it really hate?

As a frustrated and talentless musician I enjoy the chances I get to play with people, though at present I'm no where near confident enough to play for people live, I don't even play to family, just the band and then only on the understanding that we're all pretty crap but getting better.

But a few people have been suggesting I check out younow.com which is basically a live youtube. I've had a look at it recently not least because my collegue Dino, an avid performer and skilled guitar player, has been on there a lot and people keep mentioning it to me so I've checked it out a few times.

But frankly I can't get my head around it, its mostly full of show offs and camera wannabe's performing to 0-30 people on line, via very bad audio and visual stuttering that would bring 80's video phones to mind.

The talk channels are also equally bizzare, with ...well lets not describe them, if you want to see a range of "interesting" people with nothing to talk about talking about nothing, then head over there. But what bothers me most is the fact they have a voting system...if the viewers like you, they click like and you get another minute of psuedo fame if they don't you get voted off. Simples! (I love those meercat ads)

Great, democracy at work, the court of public opinion making its mark...that is, until you start to listen to the rants the people come out with..it seems you're not actually allowed to dislike something, that makes you a "hater"?

Given that the range of performers are extremely eclectic, ranging from talentless to talented, deluded to amazing, shit to, well you get the idea, there has to be some acceptance that some people are just not going to like what is being "played"!


But no, people get voted off and get straight back in the queue to perform, starting off by bitching about the haters. Some going as far as to suggest some form of organised hatred responsible for their demise. I can't get my head around it, since when did not liking something make you a hater? If something pops up on my Ipod on a shuffle that I'm not in the mood for have I become a hater for hitting the skip botton?

If I'm watching a band/act and they are crap or boring or not really my thing, do I really have to stand there and wait for them to finish...The concept is really rather strange..It seems performers have a right to be annoyed because people don't want to listen them, and therefore are haters..is that right??

No..its idiotic, if anyone chooses to perform in whatever medium, even crazy internet based ones, they must accept that not everyone is going to like it and the listeners have a right, to "choose" not to listen to it..if that means hitting a dislike button to move then on then thats cool. It does not make them "haters".

I won't be signing up to younow, at least as long as the system is so shitty, it'll probably implode in a few months anyway, once the "performers", who feel they have a right to be listened even by those who don't like them, get into an excalating war with their "haters". They'll probably nuke them from orbit...its the only way to be sure.


Ahthankyew

ps bloggers new editor seems to have a few kinks it needs to work out formatting is all over the place..