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I've been thinking some more about Randy Pausch, the Carnegie Mellon professor whose inspirational "last lecture" became such a phenomenon over the past six months or so, and who just passed away this weekend from pancreatic cancer. I've written before about the content of his lecture and how powerful it is, but what I've been thinking about since then is how unique a phenomenon the Last Lecture video really is from a digital media point of view.
I think we take for granted sometimes how much the Web has changed our lives, in both large and small ways, and in some cases in small ways that only take on significance over time. Someone once said that people tend to over-estimate the effects of technology in the short term and under-estimate them over the longer term, and I think YouTube is a perfect example. We've all become accustomed to watching short clips of funny cats or skateboarders slipping and hurting themselves, or occasionally a music video or that kind of thing. No big deal, right?
But then along comes something like Randy Pausch's last lecture, in which the almost irrepressibly upbeat professor and virtual-reality pioneer talks about achieving his dreams, and it becomes not just a viral YouTube hit, but crosses over to become a bona fide "real media" sensation, with appearances on Oprah and ABC and 20/20 and whatnot, followed by a book version of the lecture. But that's not really the amazing part -- the amazing part for me is that it became a phenomenon despite the fact that it is over an hour long. And not just that, but it features a guy doing nothing but talking. No cats. No nudity. No music.
Could something like Randy Pausch's last lecture ever have become as widespread a phenomenon without YouTube and the Internet? I can't see how. Maybe his lecture might have been videotaped and copies of the tape sent around to other professors, or to universities -- or it might have shown up on PBS or the Discovery Channel (most likely after he had already passed away), where a couple of hundred thousand people might have seen it. He could have wound up on Oprah or Charlie Rose at some point, I suppose. But that's just not the same.
Within weeks of his lecture -- which I found out about just days after he delivered it, while reading the always wonderful Metafilter.com -- Pausch's video had tens of thousands of views, and within a month or two it had millions of them (it's closing in on five million now). Even if you assume that not everyone watched the whole thing, I'm willing to bet that a substantial number watched enough to be touched by his message to some extent, whether they want to admit it or not. That is an incredibly powerful thing, when you think about it.
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dan bloom from Juneau, United States writes: You asked: "Could something like Randy Pausch's last lecture ever have become as widespread a phenomenon without YouTube and the Internet? I can't see how. Maybe his lecture might have been videotaped and copies of the tape sent around to other professors, or to universities -- or it might have shown up on PBS or the Discovery Channel (most likely after he had already passed away), where a couple of hundred thousand people might have seen it. He could have wound up on Oprah or Charlie Rose at some point, I suppose. But that's just not the same."
Answer is, IMHO, YES! It was the print Wall Street Journal column by Jeffrey Zaslow that really got the entire thing going, and it was a well - planned PR campaign by the PR people at Carnegie Mellon, all for a good purpose of course. But even without Internet, it would have become a book, bestseller, and reached millions. But the Internet just gave the book ADDED VALUE, so yes in that way, the Net worked wonders.
See the real backstory here about how the book happened, in fact:
http://pbsll101.blogspot.com
Danny- Posted 28/07/08 at 11:05 PM EST | Alert an Editor | Link to Comment
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Richard Noronha from Mississauga, Canada writes: I agree with your statement. It is the first time I sat through an hour long YouTube video and remained fully engaged. I watched it a second time connecting my laptop to my television. I have to admit, the first time I heard about Randy was at the office by the "water cooler", where colleagues had described his recent appearance on Oprah. I think there is something to be said for genuine and relevant content being watched on the Internet and perhaps traditional tv and broadcast networks may find a golden nugget in the whole Pausch phenomenon. As for the book, I did buy it, it certainly was a recap of his presentation, but there were some other interesting experiences he shared that were just as moving and for me it made my purchase worthwhile. I wouldn't be surprised if 30 years from now, one of Randy's kids discover the cure for Cancer or take a run at the White House to help make the world a better place.
- Posted 29/07/08 at 9:09 AM EST | Alert an Editor | Link to Comment
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Jaeda Peal from Buffalo, United States Outlying writes: I felt compelled to say something about the experience I've had while just watching Randy Pausch. I describe it as an experience because to me that is how i felt. When i first saw of Randy Pausch on Good Morning America, I thought to my self, "Now, what is this guy talking about?" I then turned up the T.V. listened in and was glued to the T.V. I thought of him through out my days, since. His strength, amazes me. I was so caught up in my life, and complaining about what was going wrong with me, I didn't think, nor care about the fact that for Someone else it could be worse. And the day when i was Introduced to Randy Pausch, that way of thinking changed for me. I never thought that someone so far from who I would be able to relate to, could, snap me back into reality, and motivate me to do better with my life not just for me, but my son.I have not watched the YouTube video, I'm a reader, I'd rather read the book. I watched the Special tonight on ABC, which was a very interesting and well done program on the Professor. I just loved watching him be himself while enduring all of the negative effects of his illnes, I loved watching the Way in which he loved his wife. Without even knowing them, i can only dream of having a love like theirs. I just wanted to say to his wife and children it seems like an understatement to say i'm Sorry for your loss. I was truely and deeply saddend to hear of his passing. I cried as many others around the World did, As I knew him, and in my own little way I did. So Thank you Professsor Randy Pausch, you have made a differnce in my life, and you will be missed. I'm sure your in heaven now showing all the other angels how to do one hand to hand pushups....lol. See, just another lesson I learned from you Mr.Pausch, how to laugh even when you want to cry! Jae'da Peal, Buffalo N.Y.
- Posted 29/07/08 at 11:00 PM EST | Alert an Editor | Link to Comment
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Lynn Roodbol from Guelph, Canada writes: Why did Randy Pausch have to die at such a young age? He was a brilliant man, and it's makes me sad to think that he couldn't spend more time contributing to society and his beloved family. However, he has provided many lessons for people to learn. The one I choose to focus on is that there are far too many bright lights being extinguished too soon because cancer takes over their lives. Cancer is a disease of aging, but it is invading young lives prematurely and it makes us think we are powerless to stop it. There was an article in the Globe and Mail on July 7th about "Cancer's forgotten generation" which made me think we have to start paying attention to young people who are being diagnosed prematurely between the ages of 15 to 39. I would like to include the next decade as well, because when I was diagnosed in 1986 at the age of 41, I had young children and felt strongly that I was too young to die. It is now 22 years later and I have learned many lessons about coping with cancer. Each person travels their own journey with the disease, but as long as cancer is detected early enough, we can learn to build our own path to healing. We can take charge of our health and help the medical system to help us overcome cancer. I believe that early detection and prevention of cancer are the key lessons to be learned from people like Randy Pausch. Unfortunately, he did not benefit from either one, but he will live on in our hearts and minds as an amazing man who had the passion to reach out and raise our awareness of what cancer can do. What can you do to prevent cancer? There are a number of elements that help to regain and maintain health. The most important of these are: good nutrition, regular exercise, adequate sleep, deep relaxation, and stress management. Cancer societies state that there are 30% to 50% of cancers which can be prevented. If people use early detection and healthy lifestyle choices they could be saved from the fate of Randy Pausch.
- Posted 31/07/08 at 10:14 AM EST | Alert an Editor | Link to Comment
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J K GALBRAITH from Canada writes: It is interersting to not how a couple of posters first saw Pausch on television and how that fuelled more interest. While YouTube can take some credit for increasing his popularity, you cannot dismiss the more traditional media in promoting this story. It would be interesting to note the spikes in YouTube hits related to first the stories in the Wall Street Journal, appearance on Good Morning America, the ABC special and his appearance on Oprah. I suspect there would be a pretty direct correlation between those appearances and increases on YouTube viewings. It is not an endorsement of YouTube but rather an endorsement of how to effectively combine more traditional print and television media with the ability of new media like YouTube.
- Posted 06/08/08 at 5:05 PM EST | Alert an Editor | Link to Comment
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