Is YouTube....bad?

[Cadaverous Pallor]

In LSPE's wedding thread I got a bit derailed on a conversation with NA that I thought I'd bring out here.

To me, the fact that anyone from anywhere (who has an internet connection) can currently publish their creations in a format that anyone from anywhere (with an internet connection) can instantly see is beyond awesome. This includes - writing, painting, sculpting, filming, you name it.

Obviously if you allow the masses to be heard, there is going to be some crap in there. There are going to be plenty of people who feel talented who really aren't. But to me, that is only a minor side effect of the awesomeness of pure freedom of expression and the ability to be heard.

I was surprised to hear that people might think that totally democratized content was a bad thing. That because there's crap in there, YouTube is not great. As if Hollywood is made up of only wonderful projects? Never mind that you don't have to pay 10 bucks to just see someone else's (possibly crappy) creation.

Anyway - I want to know what you think. I don't think the free internet is to be taken lightly. I see it as a revolution of the most liberating type.