I get that the common response to any situation involving ignorance or lack of knowledge is to get on some kind of computer and “Google it” or “YouTube it”.  I mean, come on, we have all gotten used to having both websites handy to use whenever we need a quick background info or want to catch up on the latest video everyone is talking about.  “Hey, dude, did you see that video of a hippopotamus eating a four year old’s ice cream cone?  No?  Ah, man, you gotta check it out on YouTube.”  “Heeeeey, girl, you gonna come to the clubs tonight and do the dougie?  What?  You have no idea what that is?  Oh my god, Google it!  Now!” 

It makes sense right?  Anytime you do not know something why not just go online and find out what it is.  It comes in handy when you want to catch up on all the latest trends, find out what’s going on in the world, and check out funny commercials and music videos everyone is talking about.  That simple, right?  Just open up a browser and click.  And this works wonders when you don’t want your peers to realize that you have no idea what they’re talking about when they throw words out like “dubstep” and “Kardashian” or “crocs”.  Nothing to it.  Right?

Wrong.

First of all, let me just say that I get it, okay?  I get it.  But here is what I do not get: Google and YouTube do not excuse you from actually opening up your goddamn mouth and explaining to me whatever the hell it is you’re talking about.  When someone asks you a question, telling them to Google it or YouTube it almost comes across as your being too goddamn lazy to explain it, or perhaps you don’t even know what you’re talking about yourself.  Whatever happened to the good ol’ days when people loved telling you stories, when people actually enjoyed having conversations with each other and teaching each other things, you know, verbally, as in - right there in front of you, flesh and blood, opening up that thing called a mouth, and using your words.  Yes, words.  Sound.  Voice.  Articulate.  Human interaction.

I mean, seriously.  Seriously.  I get so annoyed with people always directing me to Google or YouTube when I ask them a question.  One of these days I am going to introduce myself to someone and ask for his or her name and this person’s response is going to be, “Google it”.  I swear to cheese balls if that happens I’ll blow that person’s brains out.  I asked YOU.  Y-O-U.  I am aware that I can Google it or YouTube it, but I want you to explain it to me.  I want your own words.  I want your insight.  I want your conversation.  I cannot have a conversation with a computer (okay, I guess nowadays you can given that Suri chick or whatever the goddamn hell her name is), but you get my point.

I want human beings, not computers.  That is all.

Written by Arthur C. McWilliams IV