It really is interesting and of course kind of sad. She was retired, living alone, a world traveler until the pandemic hit but plunged into isolation after that. While we might think it’s silly, I can emphasize with the appeal this might have to someone like that:

Then, seconds before a match ended, she’d hit her favorite creator with a $13 disco ball or a $29 Jet Ski — if she planned it right — just enough to push them over the edge and win.

The chats would erupt into a frenzy, and the streamer and their fans would shower her with praise. “It’s like somebody on TV calling out your name, especially if there’s over a thousand people in the room,” White said. “It really does do something to you. You feel like you’re somebody.”

I remember my grandma would lock herself in a little room playing Tetris on the Nintendo for literally 8-10 hours a day. I imagine if she had lived to see tik tok, she’d be worse off then the lady in the article.

Hilarious. I can’t believe they actually did a Cash War. I watched a Twitch streamer joke about this a few years before Tik Tok existed

Be! Excited! Be, Be Excited!

Edit: To anyone too young to know, or simply out of the loop, this is from Requiem for a Dream. No doubt you recognize that music; the ubiquitous “oh so dramatic” music. That… Was scored for this movie. This was it’s original application. There’s a reason it’s ubiquitous today. Fuck. The gravity of this movie is bringing me to tears rn and I haven’t seen it in over a decade. If you haven’t seen it, watch it.

Wow even money

We can even obsess over money what an eye opening thought

To scam and steal and do anything for money what a novel idea

Never thought of humans becoming fooled of their money before