Maybe its because I don't externally show my excitement for things, but most of these people's reactions seem forced for the camera. Is it just me?
There are definitely some people who put on a show for views, because those videos get attention, and that can be a big draw to want to make something that feels like it's worth watching. I think that that's generally in the minority of people whose reactions you'll see online., I think that the whole reason that "Reaction Videos" in general blew up over the last few years is that it satisfies two things in a particularly unique way:
1) Safe, Vulnerable Connection: It allows individuals a way to emotionally fully express themselves while distancing themselves from the judgement of others that can often come from doing so in-person. While the Comments will occasionally attract negativity, by and large this is mostly an expression of genuine passion and other people reaching out to each other with excitement. This is especially poignant because a lot of individuals who do YouTube and other things like that don't have the same ability to reach people who are like them in their day-to-day personal lives. Personally, I'm always a wreck when I see exciting new things that I'm passionate about like new trailers – but I always watch them alone or on select occasion with a VERY small select group of people. That way, when I see them a second time or watch them around other people, I'll be able to manage how overwhelming the emotional sensation is for me in order to react at a level that's what most other people experience, because that also reinforces the first point. This is also why the people who make reactions are the same types of people who usually also watch reactions, which helped to fuel them gaining popularity and become something that's more "safe" and less point-and-laugh judgmental (not that that doesn't happen on occasion).
2) Unfiltered Emotional Outlet: Having somewhere to "be yourself" like that makes it easier to manage other things when you're someone who can find emotions extremely strong and often overwhelming. Note: This is an experience that's amplified by
the three main traits that come along with ADHD, and because of how it checks all of those boxes. I think that it's something that a really significant group of people who tend towards that type of media and online interactions identifies with really strongly, and differences in how that expresses itself is likely the range between "overly-talkative-and-absolutely-cannot-stop-bouncing-around" going all the way to the "completely-speechless-and-tearing-up-uncontrollably" type reactions that you'll see. For most people who find doing/watching reaction videos cathartic, this is also an outlet to not have to hold back on that, and to be able to really just let themselves fully experience the absolute emotional tidal wave that hits your brain without worrying about needing to control your response for others.
(I love these types of videos and also have found the explosion of that sort of medium really fascinating, and have been digging around at what makes them so compelling to me for a long while just out of my own interest).
X 
