Why viral videos make for perfect procrastination

Procrastination. It’s a word we all know far too well, especially now that exams are looming ominously close. Right now, apart from the standard hourly plundering of the depths of Facebook and Twitter, my favourite is flicking through YouTube.

What makes the viral video so mysteriously fascinating? What is it that drives us to search ‘funny cat videos’, beyond inane boredom and a love of fluffy critters? Currently topping the Guardian’s Viral Video chart is ‘A Frog Sitting on a Bench Like a Human.’ I can’t imagine that when ‘RoltonB’ uploaded the 43-second clip he was expecting three million hits in three days.

While we may curse the distracting nature of such videos, the viral hit is one of the more brilliantly inane products of the 21st century. They represent a new type of entertainment: free and without commitment (most videos are less than five minutes, perfect for guiltlessly breaking the revision monotony). Comedians such as The Lonely Island have taken perfect advantage of the possibilities of the YouTube video: who hasn’t seen ‘I’m on a Boat’?

There’s something even more satisfying about the amateur video. Classics such as ‘Jesus Christ in Richmond Park’ (aka Fenton), from normal people who just happened to catch these moments of hilarity by coincidence, show how the nature of entertainment has changed. No longer must we sit through an hour of You’ve Been Framed’s annoying commentary.

So don’t feel guilty the next time you watch ‘Slow Loris with a Tiny Umbrella’ or ‘Kitteh puts on silly hat’. It only takes a moment of your time, but there are benefits in the laughs and smiles that may ensue from clicking that link. Nobody wants to be left out when their housemates start singing ‘Ron… Ron… Ron Weasley!’

Viral videos have become part of our everyday entertainment; hell, even part of our culture, and it’s the accessibility of these small but brilliant moments of life that we should celebrate. Yes, it’s a massive waste of time and productivity, but think of all those endorphins you’re releasing, which will ultimately help you relax during this stressful period in your life. You’ll thank me later.