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YouTube: The Pinnacle of Human Accomplishment

We’re proud of you, YouTube.

Just five short years ago you showed up on the scene, ready to provide a platform for average people to express themselves. We watched, awestruck, as new worlds of art and culture opened before us. We laughed, we cried, we cried even more. You held up a mirror to us all, and showed us the raw passion we hold as human beings. You showed us new levels of nuance and symbolism in our entertainment. You gave us hope for humanity.

Now, five years later, you have surpassed 2 billion views a day. Congratulations, YouTube. You deserve it.

If YouTube has touched your life, leave your favorite video in the comments and share its wisdom with the rest of us.

Image: YouTube

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Comments

  1. Bob says:

    Juvenile, but ridiculously funny.

  2. Vox QUINDARO says:

    Donnie HOYLE’s, “You Suck at Photoshop”:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_X5uR7VC4M

    There are twenty (20) of ’em.

    For added fun, figure out “Donnie’s” true identity.

  3. Simon says:

    Little Superstar is a classic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx-NLPH8JeM

    This new video of the 2-year-old smoking will be probably become a Youtube classic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ0aZu25L_Q

  4. Drew says:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM-pW0yEzFc

    THIS ONE!!
    its long, but you watch two hour movies bitches. its so great..

  5. Kevin says:

    I Hate Nature, sincerely David Attonborough.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13QAPq0236Y

  6. Commander of Awesome says:

    The Best YouTube Video Never seen!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvOflGqVTLI

  7. Sarah says:

    YouTube has the potential to touch a friend of mine’s life–he’s currently fourth (out of five) in a video contest where the top three videos split $100K. So close! What’s frustrating for me is even if I try to be objective, I still think his is far and away the best of the finalists.

    His vid:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OehpD3E_Bcg

    Contest site:
    http://www.freeenterprise.com/take-action/video-contest/

    His vid’s apparent political platform (?):
    http://voteforsandwich.com/

  8. Mark from Chicago says:

    Great tune for Berserk the game.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0kWqjDUu7o

    Admin: Prior to this post, I pasted the wrong link, please delete my last post if you get a chance so I can absolve myself of public humiliation and embarrassment.

  9. Mark from Chicago (Blackhawks FTW!) says:

    This jingle for an Atari game cracks me up. I love feel good songs about a robot apocalypse.

    http://www.bestoldcommercials.com/atari-berserk-commercial-grandma-grandson/

    “Take that, turkey!”

  10. Deltus says:

    The pinnacle of pop music achievement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ED_pU2oDnug

  11. Oh yeah, but the Agents of S.O.R.P get the win for Emo Assault Squadron…though Zach’s Legend of Zelda a Pain in the Ass is nerdtastic!
    This crewe had an entry for a while on Food Network for a Welch’s commercial contest. They did a post-apocalyptic bit where they made off with the jelly and left the baby as a decoy for the zombies ’cause they could “always make another one”. It of course didn’t win, but was xlnt to see it embedded at the foodtv site!
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkDhh1pfG-4

  12. Sorry…I apologize in advance if it sticks in your head…but I do just LURVE this:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx1XIm6q4r4&feature=fvst

  13. stubby says:

    I initially read the title as “You: The Pinnacle of Human Accomplishment”. Needless to say I am disappointed.

  14. NeuroMan42 says:

    Out of all the many clips and videos I have seen over the years… this is my favorite by far. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mqAZ06dwKU&feature=player_embedded The many warm memories of my old school days with my C64.

  15. Josh F says:

    Couldn’t decide between the two:

    Real Mario Kart
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MytfhzcSF-Y

    Little Daft Punk (Little Big World + Daft Punk)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xscOOhHmGC0

  16. Anthony says:

    grape lady falls is still my all time favorite. from the funny wind-knocked-out-of-your-lungs noises, to the shitty morning show hosts it cuts to… genius.

  17. Patti says:

    Ok, this is a video my friend Stephen made of himself eating a Weird Al cookie which I hand decorated with melted chocolate. I sent it all the from Michigan to California!! This is the most fun 10 minutes of Weird Al music and Stephen eating the Weird Al cookie! I laugh every time I watch this! Thank YOU, Stephen! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1vZD14Bttg

  18. Heather says:

    I found a video I was an extra in from 1992! It aired on MTV but I never saw it, found it a few weeks ago. It cuts off before the end of the song-but the last shot is of me. It has extra special sentimental value because when the shoot was done, I had a blind date-we’ve been married for 15 years now. It’s like my very last few hours of single freedom captured for posterity.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GViXO8bZDz8

  19. Chris says:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLk5nXnLzxw

    It really doesnt get much better than this.

  20. Lars says:

    For me it’s not any particular video, but the entire Vlogbrothers channel.
    I really enjoy John & Hank Green’s videos

    http://www.youtube.com/vlogbrothers

  21. Molly says:

    Yes, not every gay man is sassy.
    But every girl’s life would be a lot better… IF. She had a Sassy Gay Friend.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwnFE_NpMsE

  22. Mary says:

    What better outlet is there to promote whatever business you’re in and your talents than youtube.
    Interrupting
    Flossing
    Shaving
    Picking your nose and wiping it on your shirt
    Cutting your toenails
    Farting – very loudly
    All these things are what NOT to do at a bookreading/acoustic show

    http://bit.ly/ayUVD9

  23. Gigiware says:

    har to translate but sure as hell funny. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqYLXMz9foI (it involves balls)

  24. my_leisure says:

    Kitty is Very bad Mystic
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bTbAsmPOKo

  25. Horacio says:

    Thanks for naming your pet sponge after me. (mine’s the spanish translation)

    This is my favorite user because he uploads full Radiohead concerts in HD!

    http://www.youtube.com/user/austinbrock

  26. Twilly says:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2o4W4-ULjM

    this is great,very silly but thats generally what i’m looking for on youtube

  27. Caroline says:

    I usually go to YouTube to find old TV shows or commercials, mostly because my brain starts to wander about random things I once saw. That said, I have to share what I recently thought about after listening to the Rob Zombie guest spot on Nerdist Podcast. Oh, Chris Hardwick and your old Singled Out days! I loved the open sarcasm towards the contestants. Apropos!
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcPv-Cj1b6Q&feature=related

  28. countingku says:

    I’m going to go with something new and adorable, Iron Baby:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyoA4LXQco4

  29. Mel says:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JFG7fuN6dQ

    I’m going to choose my dog, because I can.

  30. Marcus says:

    Most likely the funniest video I have seen
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE3KdcTgrno

    And this is definitely the coolest one.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcR7U2tuNoY

  31. Al says:

    Growing up I always thought I knew what I wanted to be, when I finally graduated and started working in my field I was very severely dissapointed. I started visiting YouTube on a regular basis maybe about two or three years ago. At first I mostly just visited it to watch any old music video that may had made it’s way to it. Eventually though I came to discover a community of people who actually performed any range of different genres. At some point I began to think I should try to do the same. I never really had any friends, people to hang out with, I’ve always kept to myself. I’m not a very confident person in public. So while others use the anonymity of the internet to behave in what most would call “trolling”, I’ve been doing my best to use it to get myself out of my shell. The YouTube’s still young enough to be silly but maybe being silly isn’t that bad.

    The link I’m sharing is one of my own videos, where I actually had the guts to go out in public in just about one of the craziest outfits I’ve ever made: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1Q9TQicl-s

  32. 1chord says:

    Meltdowns online are the greatest invention.
    Especially when you play them off.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqAypbgaUKM

  33. Maura says:

    I like using YouTube to find British TV shows that don’t air in the US. This is QI, hosted by the ridiculously awesome Stephen Fry:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0KnfPwbr_U

    If it weren’t for YouTube, I’d be downloading torrents and getting the malware I deserve for being a pirate!

  34. drinkmoxie says:

    actully my bad this is my current fave but don’t know how to erase my last one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TywmpMQYojs&playnext_from=TL&videos=UAHE87DfboM

  35. Nicole says:

    BLOOOOOOD-AH!
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ib0Tll3sGB0

    And just for shits ‘n’ giggles, the remix:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYbB6AYCqzA

  36. Dan says:

    YouTube is a good way to kill time, yes. However. sometimes its been very helpful to me. My best friend can get quite depressed at times. YouTube has many cute videos that helped cheer her up in her darkest hours. Cheers YouTube, you sometimes make life a little brighter

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kgqF8BFZoU

  37. eddie says:

    here’s a Mexican viral for ya’. the music sucks but this is the best quality version i could find {: )
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBFvu4FiYds&feature=fvst

  38. Jerrad W. says:

    Best video I have seen in a long time:
    FreddieW – Chrono Trigger
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nQzs48Tt9U

  39. Chris Hardwick says:

    Currently, YouTube is the cornerstone of my career. I rely on it to feed myself, my family and my pet sponge, Horace. I salute you, YouTube! When I think about your being only 5 years old, your content makes a lot more sense to me…

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYW6C44zo24