Throughout your time on the internet, at least once you have most likely -- willingly -- followed or consumed the content of someone you did not like. "Hate watching" is one of those online phenomena that is too complex to dive into on a whim. But let's explore this question for now: Why bother?
There could be a lot going on here, and every individual person is different. However, consuming content made by (and often prominently featuring) someone you don't like could actually have very little to do with them. It could have, instead, everything to do with you.
Let's say you've just started watching the vlogs of someone you already know you don't like. You don't agree with their political stance, like the way they talk about issues you care about, or want to be associated with them in any way. Yet you find yourself completely unable to stop watching vlog after vlog. What's happening to you?
A few things, probably. But it's quite likely that deep down, you're seeking a twisted form of external motivation fueled by spite. You don't think this person deserves all the brand deals, money, and followers they have. So you begin to wonder: If I do what they do -- without being a terrible person -- could I have the things they have but don't deserve?
We don't always watch people's content because we enjoy it -- we watch because we want what they have, and secretly want to know how to get it. Maybe we want their power or influence, their paycheck, or even just their shoe collection. It's the same reason people used to flip through physical magazines to look at their favorite celebrities. What we see is not attainable -- or is it?
Of course, we might just be watching because we want to know what controversy this person might get into next. Like I said, it could be anything -- or many things at once.