A few weeks ago I saw a report in the Icelandic media about a youtube video that a 22 year old dude called Gunnar made as a cyber-loveletter to his female friend Hildur... here are parts of the transcript from the youtube video, translated to English, just so you get the idea of what he's saying:
"She's one of the most special persons I've met I get so incredibly happy being around her. And this is for you because I think I'm falling in love with you. You seem like you've had guy troubles in the past but I hope I won't be like those guys, that is if you want go out with me some time, you know, you can always try. You don't have to be afraid. I don't crack down that easily although I don't look really cool, but you can always change.".
"I know you're getting over a really bad situation with your ex. I'm just saying I'm here and I wanted you to know how I feel about you. I love you"
Here's the original video:


Soon after this video was posted, the news spread about this on the web and someone even started a Facebook group with the title "Hildur, say yes to Gunnar!".... and now, after there have been posted pictures of her on various sites (including that facebook group) and no doubt she has been getting a lot of unwanted attention the last few weeks, he has finally set the record straight about her answer to his "proposal":

He says here:
"She said ' I'll pass'. I've tried talking to her the past week since I published the video and I haven't been able to make her change her mind, so unfortunately it's over."


So what do you think of this? Is he a misunderstood romantic or is he a creepy stalker-type?

If you want my input on the matter, I think he clearly is very shy, but if he wanted to convey his message to her online (not face to face as he's too shy for that) there are better options than posting a youtube video that everybody can see, especially in a small country like Iceland where, as the old cliché goes, "everybody knows everybody". This approach obviously isn't helping his chances with her.

It's kind of like Today's American Idol society. People auditioning who truly have no clue how attrocious their talent really is. I can't sing for crap and I know this but even I can outsing half the people that audition for that show!

I think there is this disconnection from reality, like people have absolutley no clue about anything including whether someone is really interested in them or not and when to call it quits. It can go from innocent to stalker without even skipping a beat.

cyber-romance.

the guy obviously didn't realize that youtube and facebook would propel his love message over the interwebs. For him, it was his playground, his room, where he dared to express himself. He may even feel violated now, because other people ran with his message.

I don't think he's a creepy stalker type at all. Maybe if he'd made 100s of youtube videos directed towards this Hildur, but he just made this one (as I understand it). Seems to me he's just a shy, romantically inexperienced young man who found it easier to express his emotions for this girl via video, instead of face to face. The concept of that certainly isn't that very foreign or hard to understand.

But I think it's too bad that nowadays so much human interaction is conducted electronically: texting, email, facebook, myspace, twitter, etc. There's a lot to be said for something tangible, romantic and personal, like an actual written letter or a card or something (that is if you're too shy or find it too difficult to have a face-to-face talk).

Besides being impersonal, the above means of communication makes it a lot easier for other people to get involved in your personal business, and that's has all sorts of lousy ramifications.
[Edited 4/15/09 16:27pm]