People Are Awesome, a video-based social media project, has gathered almost 600 million views on its YouTube channel and is the leading platform for sharing clips of ordinary people doing extraordinary things, according to its website.
The channel is well known for its videos of people jumping from high cliffs, hanging off of cranes, and surfing incredibly big waves, which are activities BYU-Hawaii students said they identify with living in Hawaii.
“If I see someone do it, then I can learn from that. That is a great thing about the Internet. You see people do this crazy stuff and realize it’s possible,” said DJ Magee, a senior majoring in business marketing from Maryland.
The campaign, which was formed in 2011, is focused on celebrating human physical ability and ambition. It has brought together individuals pushing the boundaries of human endeavor.
“Watching people like that makes you aware of what people around you are capable of,” said Magee. “Surfing is my biggest passion right now. I like surfing with surfers who are better than me. It pushes my capabilities.”
Magee’s favorite aspect of surfing is people never get a shot on a wave twice. “Every wave is different. You either push yourself and get it or you don’t. There is no in between. It’s a moment without hesitation. Just do or die.”
Joey Stanford, a junior from California studying math education, said, “Progress is what brings true happiness. It doesn’t mean learning how to do 20 flips off bridges will help you in eternal progression, but it is a form of progression and therefore brings happiness.”
The desire to feel this rush was what Legend Lee Chip Sao, a freshman from Tahiti majoring in computer science, said is the main drive for taking sports to their extremes. “I have a lot friends who surfed big waves in Tahiti. They said they love doing that because they love the feeling of it. They would get wiped out, but they don’t mind.”Sao pointed out God has given everyone a lot of talents.
“I don’t believe there is anyone without a talent. We all have talents and we all have different talents. Doing those things is putting forward their talents. When I see those videos, I am convinced they want to push, reach or even go beyond their limits. It is part of their divine nature. Our potential is always to progress. God’s purpose for us is to progress in every aspect: spiritual, physical, temporal, eternal.”
Magee added the reason he likes People Are Awesome videos is because they show people who take life as it comes and find joy in it. “There are so many different places and so many types of people. There is something on the earth for everybody. It is part of our divine potential to go out and attack stuff like that. We all look at things differently.”
He further likened his viewpoint to the setting of the sun. “When the sun gets really close to setting during the last 10 minutes, you can watch it drop. Nothing I can do will keep that sun from dropping. I can’t hold it in the sky any longer. You can just enjoy the moment while you’re in it, and when it’s gone, you move on to the next minute. Life just keeps moving on.”