this post was submitted on 08 Oct 2023
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Never got the appeal of paying to watch internet randos faff about to begin with, so screw streamers in general?
It's like watching sports, except you also have someone cracking jokes and being effectively a stand-up comedian.
But also, you're assuming people always actively watch, which is not always the case. I tend to play a game on my main stream, while having a stream (or vod) open on another.
In addition, it's also a bit like hanging out with a friend and watching them play. It's basically sharing stuff and experiences with others, which is fun, even if you're not a direct participant.
...and also, as the other commenter mentioned, there are games which you don't really want to play, but are still interesting to watch.
The term that wraps all this description up succinctly is "parasocial relationship" and it is not a healthy coping mechanism.
it can be parasocial, but it doesn't have to be. Neither does it have to be a coping mechanism. I still watch streams even if I get plenty of social interaction. I like streams specifically because I don't have to be social, and can just relax.
But yes, of course, it can be problematic, and it's important to be aware of that. Especially since there are some content creator that exploit that phenomenon. That's bad. But you can apply similar criticisms to video games, how they can exploit our psychology and make us addicted or want to spend money etc etc. Doesn't mean all games are bad, or gaming is bad, either.