Friday, October 28, 2011

The sadness of the community...

So I'd like to begin this post with a little memo that has little to do with the post. I never EVER left permanently and just needed some time away to get away from the hate comments, and need to reply to them, and honestly neutralize the situation by taking away the subject of the hate. So I came back earlier than planned in honour of Dolloween (Who could miss THAT?) to upload my movie soon. Also I'm babysitting right now, the kids are asleep and I'm utterly bored... So now on to the point of this:
Lately we've all noticed 2 things:
1) The recent outbreak of people leaving YouTube.
2) The recent campaign of anti-quitters who swear to stay forever.
So I was on AGlovejess's channel this afternoon, and I was pretty sad to read that she's gone forever-ish. We were friends from the beginning but of course I still talk to her, but I miss having her around. We were the first generation. Back in the old days that so many of you missed out on when there was hardly 1000 of us and we were all fairly close, little kids who made crappy, and yet hilariously fun videos for ourselves and our friends. It was lovely. To be honest, I'd thought I was super popular and famous when I had 300 subscribers. That was a HUGE deal way back when. Anyways, We had made a valid point that related to so many of the girls who had left recently. Although she LOVED YouTube, and us, she has just grown apart from her dolls. As we get older, depending on the heavier workload we get in school, the sudden parties, more intense after school activities, we find ourselves losing the time we used to have to make videos, and as we use our dolls less, and less, we also lose that magic that they used to come accompanied with. It's sad, but you can't blame anything for beginning to like something less than you used to. Most girls that left would never sell their dolls, as they still love them, just not in the same way. These girls begin to love them for the memories, the connection to their childhood, and just the fact that our AGs are actually quite adorable, instead of the "I want to use my dolls all the time and make videos with them and buy them things" that most of us have. There is no set age for this transition, and some of us never lose this magic at all, but many girls do. Usually this begins in high school, as scary as it is. But remember, you don't have to go through that if it's not what you want. Girls only go through that because they feel it will make them happier, so if you're happy with your dolls, be all means, continue with them! I am. Anyways, the reason we're seeing so many girls leave is because I guess you could say, they've graduated. YouTube can be related to school in many ways... So back in 2007-2008, the first AGTubers started, and we were the only ones until around late 2009- early 2010, when everything really sprang up. We were the originals, and many of us at the time were just kids. I was 11, and lots of girls were 12-13. As time went on we were all loving it, and many of us really picked up views for simply being around so long and popping up to people because we were few. Therefor, people noticed us all. So time goes by, and like Toy Story taught us (tears to Jessie...) kids move on and begin to like new things. Not for any reason,just because they do. So a lot of these old "famous" girls are leaving because well, like their channels, they're old too. So theres a wave of graduates, all moving on at once because that's the stage of life they're in. Not all of them are doing it, but many are. It's sad, and it seems like a lot, but if you think about it, it's just a generation passing. I love so many of these girls, and it breaks my heart to think of AGTube changing this way, but it's time for new girls to love what they do, make something amazing, and I suppose, replace their incredible, and near irreplaceable videos. I'd never want a single one to leave, and I too was an advocate for the anti-quitters movement, but if it's what makes them happy, no matter how upsetting it is, we have to let them live their lives. They only get 1. Now this doesn't mean quit whenever. If it's over bullying or because you THINK you're too old, then don't go. We're a strong community and will support our sisters who are fighting off lowlife scum, and if you simply believe you're too old, or leaving because of your age, that's not the right reason. Leave if you aren;t happy here anymore. Not because you're too old. You're never too old until you feel as though you'd be happier gone. Nothing makes AGs immature, so don't let them fool you into believing that. What makes them so immature? NOTHING! If you love your dolls, and you love what you do, never go. Ever. We all need you here. So I thought we were falling apart, but as I think about it, we're not. The older channels are just stepping don for the new ones to move in. It makes me sad because I basically grew up on YouTube watching their loveable videos, and I slightly fear that it won't be the same but this gives all you quieter channels a fighting chance. Put in effort, make incredible videos, follow advice given, and just make something that is as good as what they've done, so we can all be happy and continue watching. I'm going to miss having the girls I started with around but if they feel bad here, I won't hold them back. So girls, let's pick it up, quit judging people and make AGTube the amazing, happy place I came to. Just work hard on your videos. We can all do something incredible, so let's do it. So to any of you old friends, I miss you a ton, and visit occasionally, and to the newbies, do something great. You all have talent. Life continues to roll and move on, and we can't stop it just as we can't stop a ball from rolling down a slippery slope, so let's just make the best out of what we have. We'll never get these moments of moping back, so let's not mope. Let's be happy about what's here, and just make it perfect. I won't be leaving in the near future, and I don't condone anyone else doing so, so everyone on breaks, let's all get back to what we love and just start something beautiful. Nobody should leave if they don't want to. Yeah, I took a break, but honestly, it settled flaring drama as I hoped it would and now I'm back and better than ever. No more breaks. No more bullying. No more forced leaving. Love.
-Ali

16 comments:

  1. I so agree Ali! :D I love my dolls still and i'm 13 years old! :D i would post more videos but my computer freezes when i edit :\ i'm trying to work with it though.. Luckly i'm getting a new computer for Christmas :)

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  2. Very, very nicely said Ali! I'm not on AGTube but I LOVE watching everyone's videos. I make my own doll videos and recently put my first music video on my blog. When people at my church find out I like dolls they're like, O.o but I don't care. Dolls are my passion. I'm 15 and I KNOW that I will never stop loving dolls. I'm already looking forward to playing AGDolls when I have little girls of my own. I won't be able to take my dolls with me to college (Mom says people will try to steal them) but I will look forward to the time when I visit home and can change them into different outfits and can do their hair differently.

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  3. I'm not leaving because i don't like my dolls. I'm leaving because of criticism from other ag youtubers. I get so much hate... Especially in the ever so terrible Channel comments.
    -Marissa Tollygirlzrock

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  4. i agree. i had an old channel that i had one friend on and one video. i deleted it because i really hated the name. i was and still am at that age where i love my dolls and i'd rather play with them. 2 seconds after i closed the account i realized my mistake and opened a new one. puppylove222222 turned into aglove221 and i honestly hate that name to but its better than my old one. i'm 12 currently and i wouldn't call myself a newbie because i joined back in 2009 with that old account. i so wish you were the first AG channel i found instead of she-who-mustn't-be-named because you are still around and i find it easier to relate to you because you don't have a million dolls and your still around. i have so many good ideas for videos i have written down. now i'm just waiting to have enough money for the camera i want. you are my true inspiration and you always will be.
    i'm glad you came back just in time for dolloween :)
    ~Abby

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  5. Me agree! But now I have to think of something new for agtube connect cause you basically wrote what I was going to say... Oh well <3

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  6. What an inspiring post! Makes me want to go out and make the best videos possible, not that I don't do that already, but well you know. And to all the little girls out there, you can still love your dolls, make movies with them when your an adult. I've never grown out of dolls, and probably won't. So let's get started, well right after this crazy weekend, because for me I won't get a day off to film anything. We have a Halloween preschool day at work.

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  7. I also wish they did not leave. I am 10 years old and I know I seem young but I am mentally 13. I DONT HAVE A PROBLEM! I just am a old girl. with my friends it is hard to hide my dolls. One of my friends is COMPLETELY opiset from my. SHE HATES ANYTHING GIRLY! SO I have to hide my dolls and I hate that. I dont like being mad fun of. I know dolls arnt humans but it feels like it. When I dont have a friend their there for me. I LOVE YOU VIDEOS Ali.
    ~Denika
    <3

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  8. Our Blogs Are two different blogs,mine is fashion your is dolls,however i have 4 AG Dolls,&' I'm still in love with them,but haven't even tried AGtube again,My cousin &' I Thought we grew up...we started when we were 7 &' 8, i used to be aggirlz52 but,i was never really famous she had over 100 subscribers i only had 20 but,i loved playing with dolls,sje closed her account &' I Closed mine,but i'm thinking of starting again because this has inspired me so much... I Will continue reading your amazing blog! it's one of my bookmarked pages. :)

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  9. I love reading your posts :) I swear Ali, you're like an AGTube philosopher! You have the best advice :)
    -charlotte

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  10. oh, Ali. You are so wise and intelligent. I never would have looked at AGTube in such a way that you have. I guess you are right about the new generation moving in. I have been watching AGTube videos since about 2008. I decided that I would throw myself out there and be a part of it in January of 2009, on my very first account, with my very first video. I felt so proud that I had that video up and that I was a part of the community. I loved the community back then and I am just as upset to see the people who inspired me to be everything I am today. I completely agree that if they aren't happy, then they should leave if they want to. Thank you for giving a totally different point of view to all of this. It makes me feel better about seeing these wonderful inspirations leave.

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  11. Thank you Ali...
    when I saw your video posted I was so happy. I was ok with your break because I saw the bullying but everything was boring with out you!

    thank you for everything you have done.
    thank you

    sincerly,
    Seeha

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  12. thank you for posting this because i thought you were really angry with agtube and i was starting to get worried that youd quit
    so now im not afraid and im happy for agtube because that unfortunately and fortunately is what is happening
    (this is dollproductions04)

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  13. I'm thirteen and I love all twelve of my dolls, and I have decided to expand my doll group and start buying different KINDS of dolls. Of course, I probably WON'T make videos for my dolls, as I've only made two videos, so I don't really consider myself part of the community. I'm just an observer of it. I watch the videos and like them, so I AM kind of sad when I see someone good just flat out LEAVE and quit making videos. :'(

    ~Miranda

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  14. Ali, that is one wonderful way to explain the world of dolls! I have more things than ever to distract me from playing with my dolls, but most free time I get I will talk, play, or film with my dolls. Thank you for posting that blog and taking your time to entertain us with you wonderful videos. :)

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  15. I completely understand! Dolls are a way of expressing yourself, not a sign of immaturity;)
    I got my first AG doll when I was 4 in 2001. Now, 10 years later I still enjoy my 6 dolls! Though I don't put up videos (yet!) I still love to use then for art:) I use them for hair styling and such instead of photography though!
    Keep on being awesome Ali and don't pay attention to what the haters say. As long as you've done the best that you can do you'll be fine:)

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  16. I'd die if you left agtube. you were the first agtuber i ever discovered.I remember when my freind and I were 7 and watching your videos. we basically told everyone in our second grade class,you are a loser if you dont have and ag doll. I'm 11 now and i'm begging my parents for another doll.But my mom said im too old for dolls. now i try to show her your videos and show her that i can still love dolls because i do.

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