Streamimg supper? Twitch launches 鈥渟ocial eating鈥� channel
By Lynne Bell
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听听听听听听听听听听听 The live streaming platform Twitch began as a broadcasting service for gamers. People who played video games online could demonstrate their playing prowess live and interact virtually with fellow gamers and well, anyone who cared to watch.
听听听听听听听听听听听 Since then, Twitch aims to expand and its offerings will include streaming live comedy, music, art creation, and other performances-including 鈥渟ocial eating.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 And what is social eating? Did you think social eating only includes quaint customs like having breakfast with your kids, lunch with a friend, or Sunday dinner with your family? Well, of course it does-but if听 you check out Twitch, you can also interact with people-and watch them-while they eat.
听听听听听听听听听听听 According to Twitch's 'Frequently Asked Questions' page, the main purpose of social eating on Twitch 鈥渋s to enjoy food in a social setting, much like going out to a restaurant with your friends, providing interactive entertainment around mealtimes for anyone watching.鈥�
听听听听听听听听听听听 Most of the content Twitch streams on its social eating channel is so far, pretty chill, featuring folks nibbling on nachos and the like while gaming or listening to music. (Editor's note: Can't I rent a teenage boy for that?).And although the 鈥渟ocial eating鈥� trend first took off in 麻豆视频 Korea, where it's referred to as muk-bang (translation: eating broadcast), Twitch's version hasn't yet morphed into an eating star system-similar to 麻豆视频 Korea's- where streamers consume literally thousands of calories in front of their adoring fans and between bites, chat with and answer questions from, their admirers.
听听听听听听听听听听听 Admittedly, without having done exhaustive research on this topic (I suspect I'm not part of Twitch's target audience), the idea naturally grew from Twitch's origins in streaming online, interactive gaming.
听听听听听听听听听听听 It seems like a natural next step that if you're engaged in a video game that can run indefinitely, you might get a little hungry. And if you know people are watching, you probably become more relaxed with the idea of an audience, so what's a few nibbles between (online) friends?
听听听听听听听听听听听 As with most social media platforms, there are positives and negatives and the question seems to always come back to a chicken or egg conumdrum. In the case of Twitch's social eating streaming for gamers, is it better that someone who is immersed in virtual gaming for hours at a time is getting some semblance of social interaction with like-minded folks? Or is encouraging online eating as part of gaming only enabling someone to fall deeper into virtual life while real life is passing them by?
听听听听听听听听听听听 As I look outside during a Saskatchewan summer day, I know which side of the argument I fall on.
听听听听听听听听听听听 But hey, I'm not part of Twitch's target audience.
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A place in this world for social eating online
By Kelly Running
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听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 What the heck? Alright so, Lynne brought to my attention the live streaming platform, Twitch. Originally it was a broadcasting service for gamers to show off their skills and abilities. If you needed to figure out a way through something in a game or get tips, it was the place to go. Since its start it has expanded to offer a variety of topics: comedy, music, art, and social eating. The latter of which boggles my mind.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 The idea is that you have your meal, while sitting in front of a computer watching someone else eat theirs, and yes you two can chat. Social eating developed in 麻豆视频 Korea where its purpose was to enjoy food in a social setting, the same way you would go out and eat with your friends, but using a different medium.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 However, these people watching each other eat aren鈥檛 even friends. They鈥檙e strangers you can just tune into online and see what鈥檚 going on.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 In this day and age I realize that it can be difficult for single people to socialize while they eat. I know myself, I鈥檓 often so busy that I can鈥檛 seem to find a time that works with others to eat, so yes I often eat alone. Is it the worst thing in the world? No. Instead of visiting while I eat I鈥檒l read a book or watch Youtube/Netflix videos.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 I, however, would not be one visiting with a random online watching them eat. If I did video chat with someone while it was meal time it would be with my own friends鈥� Which I think we did one day or just talked about doing it because we thought it would be funny to make the same food and then video chatted for supper.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 For some people though perhaps this is a thing, eating with strangers via a video conference.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 And as I understand it, this is more than just a few bites here and there while doing a walkthrough of a favourite video game. I understand that the live streaming within this new subsection is dedicated to eating as there鈥檚 already a subsection for gaming and a subsection for cooking鈥� so logically I guess eating in front of a camera fell into place.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Call me old fashioned but if I catch you on the phone eating, then I tell you I鈥檒l call you back later鈥� I don鈥檛 ask to watch you eat and question you while you chow down on your food about whatever it was I called about.
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Yet, maybe in a world which focuses so intently on the internet and being plugged in this is important. For people in big cities, how do you meet and make friends with others? It must be difficult, so perhaps socializing online, eating together through this medium gives them comfort? I know myself and I like alone time, I don鈥檛 need to be with someone 24/7, but other personalities require being in groups and socializing as much as they can within a day.
听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听听So, although I can鈥檛 see myself using it, perhaps it is something that in a world where so many people are plugged in they鈥檙e not really connected and are looking for something more.听
