Empathy according to Edith Stein, streamers and vtubers

Abstract

Parting from the new mediums and technologies for entreteiment generated by streaming platforms, as well the phenomenological research of Edith Stein, it is proposed to aply the concept of empathy, according to the text On the problem of empathy, to the relationships created with streamers and vtubers. It is sought to discus, phenomenologically speaking, how empathyc actions are possible on the internet. This is done with the purpose to find the limits of empathy, on one side, while identifying the posibilities of interpersonal relationships onlina on the other side. To achive this, the work of Stein will be analized, while the concept of empathy, it's limits and posibilities, will be characterized. Later, the characteristics of streming, and it's conection with parasocial relationships, will be explained. Lastly, the theory of Stein will be applied to online relationships to answer how empathic acts are generated in this type of interacions. This will allow to identify the new limits of empathy, and to conlcude that this new ways of entretaiment are a legitimate source of empathic experiences.