Tag: sympathy economy
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When pain becomes profit: Inside China’s growing ‘sympathy economy’ in livestreaming
Introduction: turning suffering into sales Across China’s bustling livestreaming landscape, a new type of commerce has emerged: the sympathy economy. Hosts share intimate, painful stories—loss, hardship, resilience—and viewers respond with engagement, support, and purchases. What began as entertainment has evolved into a structured pathway for monetization, where emotional narratives are as valuable as the products…
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When Pain Becomes Profit: Inside China’s Growing ‘Sympathy Economy’ in Livestreaming
Introduction: The new economy of empathy Across China’s social livestreaming platforms, a subtle but powerful dynamic is unfolding. Viewers are not just buying products or watching for entertainment; they are responding to personal narratives—stories of hardship, resilience, or vulnerability—that trigger emotional engagement and financial support. This is what researchers and industry insiders are calling the…