One of the most show-stopping presentations at this year's Personal Democracy Forum was undoubtedly Kansas State University Professor Michael Wesch's presentation entitled "The Machine is (Changing) Us: YouTube Culture and the Politics of Authenticity". The presentation was so moving and powerful that attendees were brought to tears over the power online video has given us to literally change lives and change our society. Here is the presentation:
BIO
Dubbed "the explainer" by Wired magazine, Michael Wesch is a cultural anthropologist exploring the impact of new media on society and culture. After two years studying the impact of writing on a remote indigenous culture in the rain forest of Papua New Guinea, he has turned his attention to the effects of social media and digital technology on global society. His videos on culture, technology, education, and information have been viewed by millions, translated in over 15 languages, and are frequently featured at international film festivals and major academic conferences worldwide. Wesch has won several major awards for his work, including a Wired Magazine Rave Award, the John Culkin Award for Outstanding Praxis in Media Ecology, and he was recently named an Emerging Explorer by National Geographic. He has also won several teaching awards, including the 2008 CASE/Carnegie U.S. Professor of the Year for Doctoral and Research Universities. 
