While dissecting some of the latest streaming drama involving many Texas-based content creators, Asmongold issued a reminder to his chat: streamers and their chat are not friends.
This isn’t the first time a streamer has spoken out about the parasocial relationships that can form between content creators and their viewers. Usually, it’s a declaration issued by streamers to their chat, reminding them not to get attached to the people they see on their screen. Asmongold flipped that statement around, however, reminding his fellow streamers that their chat is not their friend.
“There are a lot of streamers that develop a parasocial relationship with their audience,” Asmongold said. “They think their audience should care; they think that people should listen to them, or give a shit about their problems… it’s pathetic.”
Asmongold said that streamers are primarily entertainment for their viewers and that entertainment can be “at the expense of the streamer.” While content creators don’t necessarily enjoy this dynamic, to Asmongold, it seems that this relationship is only a natural part of online content creation. People want to be entertained. Sometimes, that entertainment can be cruel. And if they’re no longer entertained by a streamer, they’ll find another one.
To this end, Asmongold noted that it was important for streamers to “dissociate” themselves from their online persona. This way, they’re not surprised or taken advantage of if and when their audience moves on or expresses enjoyment in difficult situations for the streamer.
While Asmongold’s statement might seem like it assumes the worst in people, there’s also value in protecting yourself in parasocial relationships, both as a streamer and as a viewer.
