This is not Black Mirror; this is real life.
In an age where the power of technology helps us connect, are we as isolated as ever?
People’s Republic of Desire, a documentary film, exposes the baffling reality of how virtual relationships are replacing real-life human connections through China’s video-based social network YY—a hugely popular gathering place for over 300 million people in China. From the super-rich, who lavish virtual gifts on their favorite live-streamers to the very poor, many of them migrant workers in urban areas searching for cheap entertainment and a way to feel connected.
Disturbing and provocative, People’s Republic of Desire explores the strange world of these live-streaming “showrooms,” where the most popular stars can earn hundreds of thousands of dollars a month from adoring fans who “tip” them with digital gifts paid for with actual cash. Is this a virtual dystopia, or a chance for a second life? What are the consequences for all of us when human connections are put up for sale to the highest bidder?
