Explore The Depths Of Depressing Comments With The ‘Sad YouTube’ Blog

I think that YouTube comments have changed for the better since the top comments feature was introduced. Now, it is possible to instantly single out those YouTube viewers who have a special talent for humor, aptness, or cogent analysis. Now, a new blog is capturing a new class of YouTube comments that may have otherwise slipped through the cracks. It’s called Sad YouTube, and you can probably guess what it catalogs.

Sad YouTube was started by Mark Slutsky, a Canadian filmmaker who is fascinated by the rare heartbreaking comment he digs up, usually from music videos. Slutsky’s blog showcases emotions besides sadness, as it includes heavy doses of longing, fading nostalgia, and melancholy. The important link between all of the entries is in the way in which we see random people pining after something that is emotionally far away.

It’s hard to imagine a medium besides YouTube where such a project could work. Slutsky released a long explanation about Sad YouTube, where he noted that the website’s anonymity is a key factor that allows users to be open and honest:

“I’ve always been fascinated by the much-maligned medium of expression known as the YouTube comment. Among the usual hate speech and Obama conspiracy theories, you can find these amazing nuggets of humanity—heartbreaking moments from people’s lives recalled by an old favourite song, stories of love and loss, perfectly crystallized moments of nostalgia and saudade, all of which would be lost forever if it weren’t for YouTube’s easy, mostly anonymous commenting system.”

Sad YouTube is a poignant reminder that YouTube isn’t just filled with Gangnam Style parodies and light-hearted comedy. If you feel like you need a little bit of perspective in your YouTube life, Slutsky’s endeavor can certainly provide it for you.