Cyberpunk Dystopian Streamers in China

ParadiseLost

Well-known member
I recently came upon some interesting stories about the state of streaming in China.

The first story was of a popular underpass frequented by female streamers.



This twitter thread shows a video and a few images of an underpass in a major Chinese city that is frequented by beautiful female streamers due to a fluke of how China has arranged its internet.

In China, the internet is designed so that IP addresses are as close to accurate in regards to revealing a person's location as possible (I wonder why?). Additionally, several popular streaming sites recommend streamers according to their distance from the viewer.

You can probably see where this is going - this underpass is an out-of-the-way place extremely close to a wealthy Chinese neighborhood. Each weekend, dozens of girls flock to this underpass with their lights, microphones, and snacks to stream, hoping to attract wealthier Chinese men and get better tips.

This is the life of a low-tier female streamer in China. Interestingly enough, a decent minority of people - both on Twitter and on other communities on reddit where this was posted - were surprisingly supportive or felt that this women were having a good time. I even saw people defend this as a good thing.

In terms of more successful streamers, we have a documentary.

Tthe New York Times did an Op-Doc about the life of a more successful streamer, Jin Hem, a streamer who works for a professional company and manages to pull in $36K-$45K in donations a month.



The video focuses on about how fake it is, and how the woman who are successful are talking almost no time off. Meanwhile many of the top fans are isolated young males who are also deeply unhappy. The New York Times spoke with one young man who lived alone and had donated $75,000 to Jin He.

Now, no one is defending this, which I find interesting when people found the streamers under the bridge defendable, though I would attribute that more to the way the New York Times represents the high end, wealthy streamer than any actual difference in the situations themselves.

If fake relationships twisted by technology isn't cyberpunk, what is? If women hundled under a bridge trying to get rich men's attention on the internet, and adult men so lonely they send thousands of dollars to a woman who doesn't even know there name, isn't dystopian, what is?

I think people are wondering if we're in a cyberpunk dystopia; but I'd say that the real question is how far and how fast we're progressing.
 

Simonbob

Well-known member
If fake relationships twisted by technology isn't cyberpunk, what is? If women hundled under a bridge trying to get rich men's attention on the internet, and adult men so lonely they send thousands of dollars to a woman who doesn't even know there name, isn't dystopian, what is?

I think people are wondering if we're in a cyberpunk dystopia; but I'd say that the real question is how far and how fast we're progressing.

How do people date right now?

Serious question. I gave up dating years ago, perhaps there's good women out there, but I couldn't find them.


There's a lot of people looking, and what I hear is the primary way to date is dating apps. And they're a disaster.
 

colorles

Well-known member
How do people date right now?

Serious question. I gave up dating years ago, perhaps there's good women out there, but I couldn't find them.


There's a lot of people looking, and what I hear is the primary way to date is dating apps. And they're a disaster.

Either have kids and start a family of your own, or be single and celibate. Casual dating is a slippery slope of a lifestyle and a gross one at that.
 

colorles

Well-known member
If fake relationships twisted by technology isn't cyberpunk, what is? If women hundled under a bridge trying to get rich men's attention on the internet, and adult men so lonely they send thousands of dollars to a woman who doesn't even know there name, isn't dystopian, what is?

It's certainly pathetic I'll tell you that. Addictions at play. Drug rehab? How about e-thot rehab. Get your lives back lads
 

Yinko

Well-known member
How do people date right now?

Serious question. I gave up dating years ago, perhaps there's good women out there, but I couldn't find them.


There's a lot of people looking, and what I hear is the primary way to date is dating apps. And they're a disaster.
Dating apps. Talking to women you don't know is considered taboo at present so there is really no option to ask someone out you just met. I've had a few good experiences, and a shit-tonne of bad ones. Everyone I've ever spoken to hates the app system, but currently there is nothing viable to replace it.
 

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