Alternative Twitch Streamers Do What the Mainstream Media Don’t
I love horror. Be it in films or games, horror has always been a place for people to step out of line. To do what others daren’t do. One of the most puzzling facets of interacting with people in the United States is how little coverage major international events get in the US. Just this past fortnight, there were landslides in Japan and Europe, an uprising in South Africa, and another one in Cuba. None of the people with whom I spoke last week had even heard of this. Upon checking the major news networks, sure enough, they were all buried under pages of irrelevancies and celebrity gossip. Humanity’s misfits, however, once again comes to the rescue. What one may call “alternative” content creators, including horror Twitch streamers, have taken it upon themselves to talk about these widely under-reported issues. Here are some of my favorites.
DillingerBanks – The Cuban Unrest, Uncut
Dillinger is a bit of a household name in the inner Dread circles, and for good reason. His horror content is top-notch and focused on community building, and giving people a voice. During the past few weeks, he’s also been able to share critical information about the uprising in Cuba, which has resulted in country-wide violence and even a proposed policy change from the US Government.
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Most people have no idea that this is even going on, and Dillinger has certainly caught some flack over it. But I applaud his commitment to sharing news that most stay silent over. And all the while? He’s still one of the best horror Twitch streamers around. Entertainment and information. What more could you ask for?
itsClosure – Fun and Subtlety in Communication
Not everyone is as direct as Dillinger in expressing themselves about social issues, but that does not necessarily make them less of a beacon. Take South African streamer itsClosure, for example. He has continued, more or less, the same schedule he had before. I’m a fan of his Final Fantasy XIV streams, and there’s been a steady stream (he) of those. But peppered in there, are subtle reminders about the unrest in SA. For example, some of his recent videos are titled “Everything Will Be OK <3”.
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One of those has an interlude where he talks about gun ownership and control laws in his country and abroad. It’s not in your face. It’s subtle. And though perhaps less obvious an approach, itsClosure’s community has been able to foster communication on sensitive subjects in a way that is rarely seen on the internet. All of this with a backdrop of amazing games being played by great people.
Wataxxx – Real Life Japan, Not The Otaku Kind
As a watcher of the original vlogging people on YouTube, as well as a fan of found footage films, this choice may surprise no one, coming from me. Wataxxx is a real-life streamer in Japan. This isn’t about glamourizing the country for the West, or even for a Japanese audience. This is a fly-on-the-wall streamer who shows us what’s really like to live in Japan.
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Sometimes, that sees him talk about video editing. Other times, he goes and gets ramen. And yet other times, he addresses nationwide issues such as the Olympics and the mudslides. Really interesting content, very different, and extremely real. In an era of over-production, quite a breath of fresh air.
Alternative Twitch Streamers – The Real Life Alternative
We often complain about mainstream media’s control over what we consume. Be it the latest horror film in a franchise with a gazillion entries, or who wore what to which award ceremony, mainstream media is pretty controlled. But alternative Twitch streamers are here to fill a void of both information and entertainment, and it shouldn’t go unnoticed. This isn’t just a hobby, this is a service with a real social impact. Therefore, next time you’re on the hunt for some truly original content, drop these streamers a visit. You might just learn something new.
