[Handprint4469]

Of course it's a fake story. It's a tried and true method of farming karma: write the most rage-inducing (read: engaging) story you can possible come up with, post it on r/AMITheAsshole (or similar ragebait subreddit), and just watch the upvotes come.

It's called bait for a reason, and it's why most popular subreddits are not good places to hang out anymore.

[evandena]

To what end? Fake internet points just for the high score? Or are these future scammer accounts building credibility? I just don't understand ragebait, seems like a waste of everyone (including OPs) time, with no tangible reward.

[Unfrozen0688]

You can sell Reddit accounts.

Also points go up feels good.

[Handprint4469]

> You can sell Reddit accounts.

This. There's a whole market for high-karma old Reddit accounts. If it has a comment history that makes it look like a real person is behind it, even better.

Buyers are usually companies looking to astroturf their product/service, or scammers.

Google "buy reddit account" and see how many results there are.

[red-iron-pine]

First it's a great way to practice your story writing. Instant feedback, and a way to measure impact.

Second, it's to create fake accounts with real post histories so that they can be sold. There is a lot of strategies and work behind this approach.

Sold accounts then look "real", so when real people endorse product X on r/buyitforlife or AskReddit threads about "what product's quality has gone down?" it looks like actual people and not a targeted marketing effort.

Long stories also make for good consensus building by hammering points that are relevant to socio-political discussions. Like when the Woke was riding high during 2016-2018 there would be constant discussions in r/relationships, AskReddit, TwoXChromosomes, etc. about abuse, to keep people constantly talking and thinking about gender issues.

You can also create "tailing" or "follow-on" accounts that post replies to the obviously BS stories, including those that post "lol what a load of BS", as that builds their history, too, and you can steer opinion by having a few of those supporting shillbots make outrageous claims for (or against) the story, and then disprove them in ways that leads the audience into intellectual positions that the posters want.

[freitzkriesler2]

Same reason you post feel good group think here: the sweet sweet internet points.

You can sell your reddit account too for good money.

[evandena]

It's nice to have my opinion, suggestions, thoughts, etc validated with upvotes. I'm not sure I'd get the same effect from a totally fabricated story. But that's just me...