Viral Fame: Dr. Randy Pausch And The Internet

Randy Pausch’s last lecture at Carnegie Mellon, in the tradition of hypothetical last lectures given by departing professors, has, at this moment on September 19, 2008, been viewed on YouTube 7,012,407 times.  Not bad for a video that’s 1 hour and 16 minutes long!  Numerous other YouTube videos of Dr. Pausch have been viewed in the hundreds of thousands of times.

I can’t help thinking what would have happened if Dr. Pausch had given his lecture 20 years ago.  Before the Web, before YouTube, before blogs, before “viral” media.  How many of us would have even known who he was?  How many of us would have been inspired by his clarity of vision, his love of life?  How many of us would have been inspired to donate to Dr. Pausch’s designated charitable organization, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network <www.pancan.org> as he had requested? 

YouTube was integral to making Randy Pausch a celebrity.  Where would be the awareness of a life well lived, of a disease worth fighting, and a way to do it without the internet?  There was simply no mechanism in this world to transmit Dr. Pausch’s message as rapidly and as true to the source as we have in 2008.  Say what you will about the very real dangers of the digital age, digital media has certainly brought us closer together, and raised humanities level of enlightenment. 

What lessons can we draw for this amazing viral internet event?  For starters, a powerful message can travel the world in stunning speed.  Second, a coordinated plan isn’t always even necessary.  Third, with a coordinated plan, the reach of a video can be huge, and the quality of the viewer’s attention can be very high.  (If someone is watching a video on YouTube, rather than just running the television, chances they’re paying attention are pretty good)  In the end, though, it all comes down to compelling, worthwhile content.  That is the ultimate lesson.  Provide something of value, like Randy Pausch did.  That’s the place to start.